A "show biz" experience. Not good. But getting better! Photo added.

[Jerry]

This is a thread from an Actors site.
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Jerry E


Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Posts: 1053
Location: So California
 Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:41 pm    Post subject: I had said "No more Background work unless...."   


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It was really special. It is a huge movie, but I discovered Id be working from 4:00 PM to 5:00 AM for 5 and maybe 6 days !
All this for 64.00/8 hours. I bowed out. Call me chicken if you like, but at this age this is just nuts. If there was a SAG voucher to be had I might have considered it. There was NOT.
I do make a good looking Priest.
 
 
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Ninerfan
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 Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 11:13 pm    Post subject:   


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This for Angels and Demons? All they want is non-union, which is interesting since there has to be 50 union before you even get to non-union.

Good choice on passing-not chicken at all, just smart. Probably all big crowd scenes, misery, and maybe even a box lunch for non-union. Not to mention ruining your sleep hours.
 
 
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Yosemite Stokesberry
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 Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:26 am    Post subject:   


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From what I hear they have hundrends of BG working on this.
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Iznyc
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 Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:23 am    Post subject: Re: I had said "No more Background work unless...."   


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Jerry E. wrote:
It was really special. It is a huge movie, but I discovered Id be working from 4:00 PM to 5:00 AM for 5 and maybe 6 days !
All this for 64.00/8 hours. I bowed out. Call me chicken if you like, but at this age this is just nuts. If there was a SAG voucher to be had I might have considered it. There was NOT.
I do make a good looking Priest.


Not chicken, and nothing to do with age--that's just a horrific schedule with no incentive.
 
 
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Danyelle
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 Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:08 am    Post subject:   


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CHICKEN?
Chicken my butt! That's just crazy!
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Jerry E.
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 Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:12 am    Post subject:     


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Thank you guys, I feared id get some harsh criticism for my decision.
Yes , I concluded there was no up side. One guy told me Tom Hamks was very frienfly and chatted with many extras. That is very nice, but Tom will have to wait to meet me (Joke)
 
 
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csilvera
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 Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:44 am    Post subject:   


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You did the right thing--no up side to that at all.
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Jerry E.
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 Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:09 am    Post subject:     


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It would have been nice if they told me before the drive to Hollywood Park, that it was going to run till 5:00 am
Oh yeah I did eat. Mediocre at best. Yep Silvera, no upside at all.
I am amazed so many will do it.
I took offense here once when the term "Furniture that eats" was used to describe extras. I now concur.
I still would do it in good situations ie: a smaller production, SAG voucher as well. I did a few like these and it was fine.

I am gratified by all your posts.
 
 
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[miguynmkoi]

Tom Hanks?!?!  It would have been cool to meet him at your ponders party. 

Judging from the title and work hours it will be a very dark movie.  I'm assuming it's the sequel to the much hyped Da Vinci Code.

Too bad........

[Desertponder]

I don't blame you for turning that schedule down.

That movie should be an interesting one. The book was certainly wild.
A much better book than DaVinci Code, less predictable and more thought put into the puzzle.

[Jerry]

My daughter said it was a better book than the Da Vinci Code too.  It was written befor the "code"
There had to be 200 extras there.  No thanks.
The only reason i went was Ron Howard hand picked me for "Frost-Nixon!"  Not yet released.

With that many people there, there is no way Hanks could have talked with all.
I did meet Burt Reynols though. ( a different flick) Me and 6 others had lunch with him at an abondoned gas station. A catered lunch.
I did ask him a Q I always had about "Deliverence."  I will share if anyone asks.

[karen J]

I did ask him a Q I always had about "Deliverence."  I will share if anyone asks.

I'm asking.  I saw that movie for the first time in Denmark and WOW did it freak me out!

Jerry, what is a "SAG voucher"

[Jerry]

In order to become a SAG member one must get vouchers from 3 SAG shows.  Then you get to pay them 2200.00 bucks as well as annual dues of 100.00  i think.
SAG means "Screen Actors Guild"  One can be premature in joining as well, but being SAG ready is good.
Advantages? better pay, better food and even a better toilet
There are probably other ways.  My best friend, if he were alive would have me in very fast.
When Howard was producing he often asked me If i wanted to be in a flick.  I'd say "whatever for.?"

How times change.
I am booking jobs and doing 2 to 3 auditions a week.  I am told this is remarkable.
If I were a handsome young man or woman, the competition would be more fierce.  They are a dime a dozen!   It is a challenge!

[Joyce]

I read that book....awesome!

I would have done the same thing as you Jerry.

It's obvious mature, 'Silver Fox' type of men are NOT a dime a dozen. 

[EagleEye]

I was going to say that I read the book also. (great book) Then later, saw the movie. I was very dissapointed that he was in it.
As far as you working long hours? WHY? You have to be doing this for the love of it. I'd sitck with the ones that are close and have those cute girls in them. 

See you in the movies,
Steve

[miguynmkoi]

I did meet Burt Reynols though. ( a different flick) Me and 6 others had lunch with him at an abondoned gas station. A catered lunch.
I did ask him a Q I always had about "Deliverence."  I will share if anyone asks.

I'm asking too!  Please share Q&A!

[Jerry]

OK!
So there we were and i had to ask, "how did they ever cast that guy in "Deliverence" that sodomized the med Beatty charachter?  Burt said, "they dind't, I did!  I was at a stock car race in NC and saw this guy.  I asked him if he'd like to be in a movie, you would be prfect for a part.
he said "sure"  I then told him that his charachter sodomizes Ned Beatty"  Are you ok with that?"
he replied, "I've done worse!!!"


As you may recall, it was one horrific scene.  My heart was ponding.

[LeeAnne151]

Oh dear God! He'd done worse????    that scene is horrific.

Smokey and the Bandit is one of my guilty pleasure movies. One I watch over and over even though it is silly. Burt Reynolds was hysterical in Striptease though the movie wasn't nearly as good as the book.

Angels and Demons and the Da Vinci Code were good books. Angels and Demons a better book. I love Ron Howard and Tom Hanks but didn't think the movie was all that great. Too much to explain, if you hadn't read the book you were in real trouble.

[Sandye]

But...but...but, you would have 11 hours to sleep during the day.    Hee, Hee, I guess you're just not a night person.   

I agree that the pay isn't too great, but I don't know how you could pass up being in "Angels & Demons."    If the movie is half as good as the book, that is.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to make you feel bad about your decision not to take the job.  YOU are the "actor person," and it's YOUR decision to make.  Apparently, it was the right one for you.   I'm the type of person who could have/should have worked nights all my life.  Since I've retired, I'm usually up until 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. (intentionally).  Therefore, the schedule doesn't sound too horrible to me.      Now, if you told me I'd have to get up at 3:00 a.m. in order to work from 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., I'd say NO WAY!!!   

[Jerry]

Sandye, if we were done at 5:00 am, it would be an hour to get out of wardrobe, then a shuttle to cars, then peak traffic, home at 9;30 if i was lucky  then head back at 2:30  (a 5 day shoot)  NO ^$#%%# WAY
here is one ladies experience.  Note every actor on the site agreed completely!

Sandy read this:
Jerry, when I read your post I had a flashback (more likely PTSD!) to a background job I did some years ago. Same stuff: huge crowd of people, multiple overnight call. Here's what I found (& what you don't expect unless you regularly work this type of gig): they broke us at approx 5 AM. We then had to change, return our stuff to Wardrobe (which was endless), catch a shuttle to the check out area & then be shuttled to our cars. It was 8:10 AM before I was on the 5 south -- right at rush hour. It took me more than 2 hours to reach my apartment in the East SFV. It was raining & with the next day's call time being 3 PM I had to allow 1 hour to drive back. I slept maybe 2.5 hours, got ready & headed out the door. I lasted 2 nights on this & then said the hell with it. Happily I got into SAG very soon after this ghastly experience.

O, & this part: There were 1000+ background on this (seriously) & only 12 porta-pots for everyone (not even the somewhat nicer honeywagon type.) These were out of commission within a few hours due to the high usage. It was beyond vile. Some of the SAG background called the Guild to complain. The next day we saw that Production had listened: a whopping 3 more portas had been added. Scary, huh?

All this to say -- you were very wise to take yourself away from this situation.
Quote:
Ellai an amazing experience. I could see someone being in tears over this. What amazes me is they can get folks to do it! 


Funny you say that – when they broke us after the second night of shooting at 5 AM or whatever, one of the female backgrounders had a breakdown in the wardrobe tent. The wardrobe ladies had piled all our personal items in a corner (why, I know not) of the tent & with the rain & the leaks in the tent & the uneven earth, huge muddy puddles had formed around our bags. I had arrived in leggings & an old sweater & sneakers so I was annoyed but figured I could live with it especially since I knew I was going to quit. People were cranky, snapping at each other –we all just wanted to split ASAP. But this young woman was overwhelmed that her property had been moved & she let loose with the tears. The odd part was that she had stripped completely before she got hysterical – another mystery -- so there was this person, bare-booty nekkid, everything a-blowing in the wind, howling at … something. It was surreal.

[Sandye]

OMG, I had no idea the wardrobe and travel situation would be that bad!     Five hours of sleep in between traveling/working would NOT be a good idea.

I concede, you DEFINITELY made the right decision.     Mi culpa.   

[Jerry]

Sandye, I have been pretty lucky but BG work can be tough. 
I did Grey's Anatomy and only sat in a hallway for 16 hours  I was never used!  I was to be a Dr walking around looking at x rays.  The VA where it was shot is actually 3 minutes from home, so that was pretty good.  The AD was so busy hitting on girls he had little time for anything else.
I mentioned this to some actors and they immediately said his name!
The food was good though. LOL!
One reason to do BG work is the experience of being on the set.  just watching is an education.
The above show hardly let us do that.  Actors know better than to chit chat with the stars, but this show  actually told us not to even look at them!
They did call me again, I said only if you can guarantee id be used.  That was not possible.  I passed.
I do have 2 speaking roles this August.  Both under 5 lines.  ( you get paid more over 5)

[Mikey]

That would have been a tough gig to work.  Now if you were 23 years old with no other responsibilities and needed the work then maybe....  However, at age 78, retired with no need for the money and doing this for the fun of it, then I say that gig would not be fun...... 

[Jerry]

79 mike, but thanks!
Had a ball Saturday!  See below.report. My first   

MY FIRST FILM FESTIVAL--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was a kick indeed and based on what I saw, Felix Allen the writer-director will do well. "Our film was crisp and clear and had but one actor...ME!
Even the credits and titles were top notch!
It was at the "One Colorado" complex in Pasadena. I had no idea it existed and we are in the area often.
Felix and I were asked to speak to the audience and answer questions.
I did comment that when i asked Felix how many auditioned for the part i got He never did answer! I fear I was the only one! The audience laughed.
The crowd in the lobby was huge! But, I noticed "Dark Knight" was playing too!   
A few folks in the lobby said hello and were full of compliments. I ate that up big time! 
I have no idea what happens if we win. More recognition, of course.
Felix said getting into the festival is not easy and that is recognition too!
Oh yes one young lady took our photos. Does she count as "paparazzi?"

On the left Felix, the writer-director, me and camera man.  His name will come to me in a bit.
They all came in from Gilbert AZ for the event.