Non Union

Our list of demands...for basic human rights

• to be told if we will have meals provided on set or not
• should I bring breakfast, will I have to pay for a walk away lunch?
• to be told the conditions of which we will be working in, to accurately prepare
• to be treated with the same respect of which you'd like us to show you
• to not be threatened if you have to call out of work
• things happen, life happens, people get sick and family emergencies happen
•  to not be yelled at if we have to cancel because the correct information was not given to us, don't BOOK until all details are given and discussed
• wardrobe-don't have what they are asking for
• call times-aren't able to work now because it's been moved to an overnight shoot and it can clash with the next days shoot OR shoots move days to nights of vice-versa with no warning, not everyone's a night owl and can work multiple overnights in a row

• to be given call times at a decent hour, being told at midnight that you have a 4:30am bus is not ok
• don't get mad that people are more likely to call out then

• to still be paid if booked and then cancelled on at the last minute
• when we are booked, we stop looking for work and turn down other jobs
• if you don't want us to cancel on you last minute, don't cancel on us

• to be given decent crafty...junk food is not only unhealthy, but it will not help keep out energy and stamina up for the long day and nights

The Bad PA

Most experiences on set are a positive one. The cast and crew work together to achieve the same goal and know how hard the work is and try to make it as easy as possible. Occasionally you'll be annoyed with the lack of organization amongst the crew and feel like cattle walking back and forth without a clue as to what is going on. 

However there are those who seem to take it upon themselves to make it the worst experience for you and treat you like an animal. 

My first experience on a commercial and it was an overnight exterior. I knew it was going to be long and tough to stay awake and energetic in the cold, but that was worth the 200 they were paying. What I was not prepared for was the constant yelling by the extras PA in charge of us. He ranted and raved to get to set when there were 200 people getting wardrobe and fan makeup. Instead of asking the crew to move the lines along, we were yelled at for doing what we were told. The volume of his voice and the arrogant tone had me fed up and ready to leave after 20 minutes of arriving. Unfortunately we were over an hour away with no way to return home. He continued to yell at us for the rest of the shoot, calling people out one by one for not doing what he was implying or for no reason at all. Not only were people embarrased to be talked down to and singled out, he made sure to put you down and make you feel stupid for something "you should have known." 

The second PA was one on a TV Show were we were held in a tiny room for 8 hours before setting our sights on set. Understandably the PA was as frustrated as we were but that didnt give him permission to take it all out on us. He threatened that if you did not respond to your given id number at any point in the day he would call casting to send you home and be sure you did not work again. A little extream if you ask me. Now if we are on set and you have been looking for someone for awhile then that's understandable. But threatening people isn't the way to accomplish anything. 

My second commercial was earlier this week and prompted this post. I was dropped off in a random location at 4:30 in the morning to catch a ride to set. Only when I arrived the "ride" was a sketchy school bus. There were grown men standing outside of it smoking, no clipboard im hand. I was about to turn around and tell the taxi I was in the wronbr place when I saw the 1st PA standing there paper in hand. I hesitated to get on but really wanted the paycheck and not to get fired for ditching work. I hoped and prayed that this time he would be better and if I just stayed out of his way I would be fine. 2 minutes into being on set he was calling people out, saying to me "hey redhead who's not doing anything!" I just stared because they had not called background or action and i had not been instructed to do anything. That was all it took to get my blood boiling as he continues to yell at people for not doing what he wanted or implied he wanted. 

Here's a tip, calling people out and by nes will not achieve wanted results faster. I wish I had written down specific examples of why this guy was so awful but i blocked out most of the content and just dealt with loud angry tones instead. A girl did tell me she was close to recording a few of his rants one time, but he calmed down when he saw her phone.

Moral of the story, we need you as much as you need us so let's treat eachother with respect and do the job we were all hired to do. 

Glamorous life of being an extra

Everyone thinks that if you work on a tv show, film or commercial it's an awesome experience and sometimes they're close, but never quite right.

You apply and if you get the call you receive little to no information.

Day or night shoot? ...I don't know

Interior or exterior? ...I don't know

Walk away lunch?...I don't know

With all those questions unanswered you can't plan anything ahead of time and basically have to sit and wait till midnight to find out that they want you dressed in heels, hair and makeup on a bus at 5am.

Sometimes you get the answers to those questions but then there's the complicated wardrobe information. You never really know what they're looking for because what ever you do or bring to get ready, they will change it. The best is when they book you im advanced and you are all excited because you no longer have to apply for work and then they send you the wardrobe notes the day before and you don't have any of it.

They get mad when you cancel and evenoread when you cancel because you don't have the wardrobe they want that they never told you im the first place. They are however nice if you at least bring options to set so that's the biggest thing to know. If you bring options they'll be nice to you even if they don't use them. 

Holding- be prepared to sit in a tiny room with a bunch of other people who have carried over their closets to set. You will not have room for yourself or your personal items and people will be fighting for the outlets the entire time. Background is also always concerned with food and are like animals who have never seen food or water and the minute they get a wiff they pounce. Sometimes you luck out and get catered lunch and occasionally breakfast. Those are the best days because that means you can actually continue your diet.

SAG vs. Non Union-

You will be separated by tables and food areas but ultimately treated the same. However you as a non Union will be fully aware of how much less you are making and how your basic human rights are unacknowledge. So the goal is to suck it up and pray for your 3 wavers. But once you get them you'll have to pay 3 thousand dollars and then another 100 twice a year. Oh and you'll still be doing the same thing, just less often and making more money.

Tomorrow I'll discuss the experience on set, but for now my cattle herder is calling me...

Back to Stockholm

We are back in Stockholm after spending a week in Vastevike. It was humid and buggy but we got to use the boat and swim in the sea and enjoy a lot of relaxation...almost too much. I managed to read 2 books, a script and start my 3rd. Also completed 2 500 piece puzzles so I am definitely ready to get back to more of a reality.

We did go boating and kayaking which was really nice and a good arm workout. We walked around the town and attended a rock show where it was a biker fest. I have never seen so many bikers in one place nor did I realize there were so many different biker groups in Sweden. We had fun and its good to be back since the girls are returning this afternoon!

Sweden

Only took 2 days of planes trains and automobiles to get here along with a delay because the copilot didnt have a chair. You think you know what its going to be like, ultimate relaxation l, until you get here. Its only day two and im already spending the days sleeping and being bored. At least for now I have the excuse of jetlag but that wont last for long.

The family isn't wasting time and driving us to the summer house already, which is good so that if im lyin out on the dock sleeping it will be counted as tanning and therefore and activity. They do have a boat so activities are a possible like waterskiing and fishing (although my uncle says they're are no fish) and going for walks and borrowing the car to go i to town. Doesn't seem bad right? Their things could take up two or three days max. We'll be there for a week before returning and spending another week here. Im not complaining, ive been looking forward to seeing my family and relaxing. But I guess without my sister and cousins here I didnt realize how much longer the week is going to seem without them. 

I guess Ill attempt to do the things I normally dont have time for, like reading and writing. But I may not have wifi which means ill have to save all my posts and put them up on my return. Or if we actually make it to town.

Bon voyage! 

Sunday fun day

Reasons an open tab should not be created:

-unlimited drinks

-easier to offer to buy shots for the group

-leads flirting with those who pour your drinks

-easier to forget credit card 

Other side effects:

-getting lost

-being found by an old lady

-lack of memory

-random texts to teacher

-cancellation of responsibilities

On the upside I am not the only one with these experiences but I am the only one who has yet to find out how much was spent between the bar and cab

6 weeks later

I haven't written since my first week in the city. Things have been crazy and honestly I down right just forgot about it. But im going to make the attempt to update it as often as possible.

Not going to recount the boring details of the last month in a long drawn out story but will simply stick to a list:

• thought I had 2 jobs and ended up with 1
• been getting steady work as an extra on tv shows
• decided to leave the salon and pursue acting full time
• had an amazing weekend in the city with my boyfriend
• my boyfriend broke up with me over facebook, which i read on the hour long bus ride home after a shoot, crying the whole way and getting odd stares from the guy sitting next to me
• I got more auditions which helped me cope with the pain...along with several bottles of wine
• my two best guy friends stand me up at the train station, luckily I was smart enough not to get off without confirmation of a pick up

This past weekend was July 4th, a boring one at that but I did manage to party with friends and get burnt to a crisp. Luckily for me i'm not nearly as bad as my sister who peeled off her burnt skin leaving a very gross and infected mark on her boob. Tonight i'll be attending a call back to be a UK rapper's main girl in his music video and performing sides from law and order in a paid-for seminar with the show's casting director. Im sure nothing will come of it, but hopefully will be a positive experience. This week doesnt have anything exciting to look forward to other than a party saturday celebrating the life of my friend who almost died a year ago in a motorcycle accident. 

More details to come as the experiences unfold but one this is for sure...I am so glad to be living in NYC. As much as I miss my theatre friends, I am lucky to be able to see them on the weekends and use my CT house as a weekend home.