We finally have our first set report from SVU thanks to one of our readers Chelsea! Chelsea documented her experience for us and included some pictures. To see ALL of Chelsea’s pictures, check out her album on photo bucket! Thanks to Chelsea for sharing her story and photos with OLV!
“So i got out of school at 1, my friend and i jetted to the car and started to the city. Once we got to 138th st. i think it was, we jumped out right by the set. There was a firehouse, and equipment everywhere. “I’m not sure if this is SVU,” i told my friend as i looked around for familiar faces. I was unsure because i went the last time looking for SVU, and i ended up seeing Last Of The Ninth film.
So we walked down the street, eyes wide open for MH or CM. We had to have walked to the middle of the street, when we were told we had to cross the street and go to the other side. We crossed the street, incredibly close to all the shiny equipment and such. When we got to the other side, we continued walking down the street. Before long, i heard my friend shriek, “Oh my God, look at the chair! It says SVU!” And indeed it did. Right next to us was the actor’s chairs labeled “Law & Order Special Victims Unit” on the back. We made our way around the extras and regular people watching, to see two very awesome people across the street; the side we were originally on. My eyes went wide as i sucked in a breath. I saw Chris and Mariska in the brown sedan. Or should i say Elliot and Olivia? They were in the middle of filming. So i found a spot by a fence, and quietly walked over to watch. I turned on my camera, ready to take a picture of every possible moment.
I think we had to have hung out there for like 2 and a half hours. We got to see Olivia and Elliot talking in the sedan, Olivia and Elliot drive away and then come back to do another take, and then we got to see Mariska almost knock over a piece of filming equipment…but i’ll get to that later.
I filmed some of the good parts. For example, there’s a part where Olivia and Elliot are having a heart to heart conversation in the sedan right outside a Deli. Mariska was in the drivers seat, Chris in the passenger’s seat. So we stood there watching in awe of them in the act of filming. I just couldn’t believe that i would soon be watching this episode in front of my TV, and i was there! Standing there snapping every possible picture, came complete with the sounds of the set. People shouted words such as “Cut,” “Action,” “Background sounds,” and “Quiet please!” All of the onlookers were asked to be quiet and to not use their flash when taking pictures.
They had to have done the same scene about 25 times. One time, Mariska started the car to drive away, (but she really wasn’t supposed to go far..just a couple of feet) and she ended up driving into some sort of equipment piece. It looked sort of like a gigantic light or something. She stopped the car abruptly. I think everyone around, including the people on set were like “OMG!” We heard the loud sound as she drove into the equipment. Her face was hilarious. She looked so shocked, but threw her head back and let out a gorgeous laugh! It echoed and bounced off of the surrounding buildings. I couldn’t help but to laugh hysterically. Don’t worry…the equipment was OKAY!
A little while later, CM and MH got out of the sedan that they had been sitting in for like three hours, and started to walk down the street. I followed them down the street and up another to their trailers. I was literally two feet behind them. They started to cross the street, using the crosswalk. I was right behind them occasionally snapping a few pictures. At one point…I saw Chris grab Mariska’s arm/hand. It was a little bit of both. A soon as they reached the other side of the street, Chris let go. I thought it was adorable! Unfortunately, i was too wrapped up in ‘the moment’ to snap a picture. They did the little gesture very fast, but i saw it in slow motion. It was like my EO sensors went off or something.
So they walked to their trailers. I reached the other side of the street, which brought me right in between MH and CM’s trailers. It was like a quick ‘Enee meeny miney mo,’ Which do i go to? They were both walking away from me on each side. I decided to go Mariska’s way. Before she got into her trailer, i asked her for a picture. Her eyes widened with joy and she said “Sure!” She put her arm around me, my hand went to her back. Even though i look ugly, she looked absolutely gorgeous! A group of young girls around the ages of 14-17 came up to Mariska and I, and asked for autographs. I was going to, but she was swarmed with girls, so i decided to wait. She signed tiny pieces of paper for the girls. When she took a break to talk, i found the best opportunity to ask her a question. “Mariska, what episode are you filming?” Her mouth made an ‘O’ shape. Like the one Olivia made in Paternity, as her and Elliot walked down the hall of the hospital before the end credits. “Well,” she began. “It’s called Retro.” “When’s it come out?” One girl in the group beside me asked. “The end of October,” she replied as she was handed another piece of paper to sign. The girls continued to give her their names. When she was done, the girls walked away. Some guy from the set came over and informed her that they needed her back at the set. She replied, “Okay, i just need to use the Loo.” I thought that was SO CUTE! I told my friend that i am now officially incorporating that into my daily vocabulary. So she used the Loo, we waited outside her trailer until she was done. I wanted to ask her for an autograph. I decided to ask her body guard standing beside me, waiting for her as well. I asked him a couple of questions. First i asked if i could get an autograph when she came out. He told me that everyone was waiting for her on set. I simply said ‘Okay’ with a smile. I admired his SVU cap. “Soo do you know what episode number this is?” He replied, “It’s called Retro.” “I mean what number is it of the season?” He shrugged his shoulders. “Honey, I have no clue,” he said with a chuckle. I just had to laugh. He was so nice! “Do you know where and when they are filming next?” I asked. “Soon we’re moving everything to 135th St.” I replied with a nod even though that wasn’t what i had asked, but that was okay. I tried again, “When is the next day that they will be filming?” “Well,” he started. “Today they’re filming until 12 midnight, but then we are filming in the studio all of next week.” Bingo. I thanked him just as Mariska exited her trailer. I decided to go ahead of them and return to the set. All the while, my friend and i walked ahead of Mariska and her awesome body guard. I could hear her footsteps. I felt like i was shrinking; walking in front of my idol… I remember whispering to my friend, “Does my butt look good?” She just looked at me like ‘you’re sick, Chels.’ I tried to master her famous strut, but it was no use. She IS the master! We walked together back to the set, where we departed from each other. She returned to the sedan, and i returned to my spot on the side. They went over the same part as they were filming before, only Olivia was alone in the sedan.
We talked to a nice girl that worked on the set. She told us that they were moving everything to 135th St in just a few minutes. When the crew was satisfied with the part concerning the sedan…they yelled “Cut, very good.” Olivia started to drive forward only this time, she didn’t stop and put it in reverse. She kept going to the end of the street and turned left. Everyone started to pack things up to move them a couple of blocks away. We followed the brown sedan. I told my friend, “Geez, if i was driving and stopped at a red light…and i looked to my left and saw Mariska Hargitay in the car next to me…i think i would scream! And then you’d see me screaming and freaking out in my car. All the while she’s waiting for the light to turn green.”
So now my friend and i lose sight of the brown sedan, and continue on to 135th St. We followed the orange “Set” signs, each arrow led us to the direction of their new location. Once we got there, we picked a corner to stand on. Instead, we stood by a High School that was all covered with netting and such. We spotted two ladies that we had stood next to on the other street. They were so funny. They lived in the city, just around the block. We chatted about SVU and the upcoming season. Had a few good laughs. As we waited for something to happen, we saw young girls and boys enter the High School doors. I’d say they were between 14 and my age, 17. Their parents dropped them off, and left. We came to the conclusion that they were extras for the episode, by talking briefly with one of the parents. The two ladies that we were standing with from the beginning, told me that i should attempt to get in the building and act as though i was an extra. One of them said i could definitely pull it off. Well of course, i am a teenager. The other said that she definitely couldn’t pass for a teenager, and that i ’seriously should go in.’ I told them that i didn’t feel like getting arrested or kicked out of the vicinity at the very moment. However, i did say that if i was guaranteed that Elliot would arrest me, then i would already be in there.
It started to get late, and there were no signs of MH or CM. There were various set people around, but no stars. [We were informed that Ice-T and Belzer were indeed in this episode, but they weren't there today.]
I really wanted to take home a “To Set” sign, as well as the Filming and towing paper. I asked one of the set people if i could have one, but they said they needed them to tell people where to go. I went back to talking with my friend, and the two ladies we had met…[by the way, they were around 20 years old] until a set guy tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a “Set” sign. My eyes widened, i was so happy. He smiled and thought it was cute that i was going crazy over a piece of paper.
Not long after, we decided to call it a night. CM and MH were now filming inside the High School, with all them lucky kids. I came home with a Set sign, and two different notices stating that SVU was filming. They’re going on my walllllll.
Although this was my second time with MH, i’m saving CM for last. I want my SHOULDER SQUEEZE!
Well, i think that’s everything!”
Tagged as:
SVU
