The majority of the filming has been in Decatur, Illinois, and in several nearby smaller communities. Last Friday, I paid a visit to the set in Moweaqua, one of those small communities. They were shooting scenes in the former home of Matt Damon's character. While we were treated to three different Matt sightings, he opted not to stop for our group of about thirty fans.
As evening arrived and the crew began to wrap, I overhead a conversation that the director was wanting to shoot an outdoor scene back in Decatur. We weren't sure of the location, so we opted to return to the movie's base hotel, The Decatur Conference Center and Inn. Much to my delight, I discovered they planned to shoot in the parking lot. As the group of
on-lookers grew to about sixty, Damon and his co-stars, Scott Bakula and Joel McHale shot several scenes near the hotel's marquee. It was interesting to see the director call for take after take after take after take...all just a bit different.While Matt promised to sign for fans following the late night shoot, he made a quick exit via a transport vehicle to his dressing room trailer at the back of the facility. However, Bakula and McHale casually strolled through the parking lot, through the hotel, and out the back door to their trailers. I caught up with Bakula inside and he gladly stopped to sign an 8 x 10 and pose. I then found McHale outside engaging a large group of fans. He spent at least 10 minutes signing autograph, posing for photographs, and trading one-liners with fans.
In the meantime, Damon entered and exited two different trailers before hopping a ride to a side door at the hotel. Security kept fans back at a distance so they wouldn't bother Matt.Fast forward to yesterday afternoon at the Illini Country Club in Springfield. Matt and his co-stars were set to shoot indoor scenes at the private club. I found a spot in the parking lot to assess my chances. No sooner than I had settled in, but Matt drove by eating a bag of Doritos on the way to the front door of the club. I opted to remain in the background and wait for him to finish shooting.
About an hour later, I was rewarded with this shot as he exited. I called to him and asked if he'd sign. "Sure, come on over," was his reply. He signed a photograph of the two of us taken in 2007 on the set of the Bourne Ultimatum in New York City. I don't think he remembered, but he smiled nonetheless as he added his signature to the 8 x 10. He also signed my Good Will Hunting DVD cover (previously signed by Robin Williams), and a group shot from Ocean's 12. He driver asked if he wanted a ride back to his trailer. His response, "No, it's a nice day. I'll walk." With that, he strolled across the parking lot back to his dressing room trailer in the Club's lower parking lot.I waited another couple of hours for a chance to meet Soderburgh, but he remained inside the Club working on the shots for later that evening.
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