Rush calls and crappy shows that will bomb is all that seems to be coming in these days. What pisses me off the most is that you submit for all of these shows and say you are available and they don't call you.
Then in the morning in a panic attack with BOLD CAPS, they have ***RUSH CALL*** Must report immediately!!!! So you call these bitches at Central Casting and they are like "WHO told you to call!!!!" I tell her " I am calling about the Rush call..." (pause) Then she says.. "Well Jon doesn't do the Cupid Rush Call!!!!!!" (breath) "Give Shaniqua a call!" Meanwhile Shaniqua is right there in the office as I hear in the background someone calling her name.
I Interrupt and say bluntly "Do you need people or not!" Then she holds the phone to her chest and I could hear her whispering to Shaniqua! Finally I get transferred to Joanie who gives me a check in number and asks how long it will take me to get there. I tell her 15 minutes. Meanwhile I deliberately took over an hour getting ready on purpose.
So I finally get to the set and its filming here in Queens, though it's not Kaufman or Silver Cup Studios. Instead it's at "HELLGATE" studios all the way down by the east river by the Triboro bridge. The only good thing about this was that I could take the Q18 bus around the corner from here.
That bus ride was about 20 minutes. When I got on the bus, I asked the bus driver "Are you going to 2nd street???" He replied, "Oh you're going to CUPID." He said this in a way that he knew all about CUPID and the evil of it all, secretly thinking : "I know all about Cupid and you ARE going to have a Excruciatingly LONG day on set! Good Luck, thank God my shift is ending soon! ha ha Sucker!"
Turns out that Mr. Bus Driver was right! The original call time was at 6am and they went until 11pm! I'm not kidding. The only good thing about being on a RUSH call was that I got there at 10am, and that was still a long day.
The worst part about this was that this scene they were doing was actually a re-shoot of the show that they taped back in July over at Silver Cup Studios. The reason I remember this SO well was that they had a Mariachi Band on set. Well guess what?? The exact same Mariachi members were back and playing the same damn tune. IT was like an unwanted dejavu!
This is why this show IS going to bomb and be canceled within the first week of it's release. Too many re-shoots and plus it's already a re-make of the show back in the 90's starring Jeremy Piven that only lasted a week. Why even make a new version of this show?? It's called NO originality anymore. It's ALL CRAP!
On top of all this I am really getting tired about these guys bragging that they have nine waivers. So why don't they join SAG?? Probably lying. Through ALL this I am still stuck at one lousy SAG waiver. I hope they go on Strike. I will be the biggest SCAB!
A ;)
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Kings at Broadway Stages
In between working on "No Love in the City", I got work on KINGS, again. I was rather hesitant to accept the work, since my last experience on this show was horrible over in the Brooklyn Navy Yards. Though this time it was to be a little better as it was an indoor event.
I did an overnight over at the Public Library in Manhattan that Thursday night. This is just an example of what a BIG budget this show really is. To be able to get that space must have been mint. Right after we wrapped, I had to go back to "No Love in the City". So I pulled a 38 hours on set back to back with my friend Laura.
The only reason we did that was that we needed to accept this in order to get the guarantee of work for two days the following week. What a BIG week it turned out to be with the election and seeing History revealed with Barrack Obama becoming the first Black President of the United States.
That was definitely hope and something to look forward to. What was not something to look forward to was the location of Broadway stages which was in the middle of nowhere by the rail yards way past McGuiness Boulevard in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. Luckily our call time wasn't for 6am. Still trekking all the way there was a hike.
Taking all this work is basically the only thing keeping me alive these days. When I'm at home I have nothing going on and I get bored and depressed staring at the same four walls wondering if I will ever have success or even get a SAG waiver. The quest for the almighty Sag waiver seems more like it will never happen. Some people just get the Sag waiver for waking up in the morning. I struggle through so many different elements and I am really trying, yet nothing ever seems to happen. Still I prefer to be working as it is a paycheck, as pathetic as non-union wages are.
Back to the set of Kings at the Broadway Stages and the tale of the PIG! Ah yes the 500-pound boar that was brought to the Brooklyn to be a star. The scene was in this amazing courtroom that was built for this show. Magnificent layout, including a panoramic poster of Columbus Circle in the daytime during the season of either early Spring or Summer being the fact the trees in the picture were in full green blossom.
The King Silas had his enormous desk in the front as a real judge would and he was ready to hear the cases with his Chancellor by his side. In the room there were several groups waiting to have the judge hear their case. Some of the groups were these "Goth Kids", and another was a church group.
The one case that involved the pig was a case between two farmers in the land. It was a dispute where one of the farmers blamed his neighbors pig from destroying his fence on his property. So at this time King Silas looks up to the main doors and looks up in anticipation of this pig that was supposed to come through the doors. NO sign of the pic. Nothing.
This is after of course we got the "Pig Speech" not to look at the pig, touch the pig, and just to completely ignore the boar upon his entrance. Well as it turned out, that wasn't too difficult b/c the pig got stage fright and never made it to set. They even had a "pig shrink" on set being that it was a SAG pig. Since the pig didn't fulfill his contract, the next day we had a plethora of bacon and no one saw the pig again. Makes you wonder.
A.
I did an overnight over at the Public Library in Manhattan that Thursday night. This is just an example of what a BIG budget this show really is. To be able to get that space must have been mint. Right after we wrapped, I had to go back to "No Love in the City". So I pulled a 38 hours on set back to back with my friend Laura.
The only reason we did that was that we needed to accept this in order to get the guarantee of work for two days the following week. What a BIG week it turned out to be with the election and seeing History revealed with Barrack Obama becoming the first Black President of the United States.
That was definitely hope and something to look forward to. What was not something to look forward to was the location of Broadway stages which was in the middle of nowhere by the rail yards way past McGuiness Boulevard in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. Luckily our call time wasn't for 6am. Still trekking all the way there was a hike.
Taking all this work is basically the only thing keeping me alive these days. When I'm at home I have nothing going on and I get bored and depressed staring at the same four walls wondering if I will ever have success or even get a SAG waiver. The quest for the almighty Sag waiver seems more like it will never happen. Some people just get the Sag waiver for waking up in the morning. I struggle through so many different elements and I am really trying, yet nothing ever seems to happen. Still I prefer to be working as it is a paycheck, as pathetic as non-union wages are.
Back to the set of Kings at the Broadway Stages and the tale of the PIG! Ah yes the 500-pound boar that was brought to the Brooklyn to be a star. The scene was in this amazing courtroom that was built for this show. Magnificent layout, including a panoramic poster of Columbus Circle in the daytime during the season of either early Spring or Summer being the fact the trees in the picture were in full green blossom.
The King Silas had his enormous desk in the front as a real judge would and he was ready to hear the cases with his Chancellor by his side. In the room there were several groups waiting to have the judge hear their case. Some of the groups were these "Goth Kids", and another was a church group.
The one case that involved the pig was a case between two farmers in the land. It was a dispute where one of the farmers blamed his neighbors pig from destroying his fence on his property. So at this time King Silas looks up to the main doors and looks up in anticipation of this pig that was supposed to come through the doors. NO sign of the pic. Nothing.
This is after of course we got the "Pig Speech" not to look at the pig, touch the pig, and just to completely ignore the boar upon his entrance. Well as it turned out, that wasn't too difficult b/c the pig got stage fright and never made it to set. They even had a "pig shrink" on set being that it was a SAG pig. Since the pig didn't fulfill his contract, the next day we had a plethora of bacon and no one saw the pig again. Makes you wonder.
A.
No Love in the City Russian Tour bus
(Thursday October 9, 2008-November 9th 2008)
The set of "No Love in the City", a Russian movie about three young Russian guys that come to New York to have a great time with Ladies and indulge in the Wild Party lifestyle. An Angel comes down from the heavens and makes them all impotent until they realize their true loves and stop cavorting around in debauchery.This concept sounds stupid, though I have to tell you that working on this movie was by far one of the most pleasant experiences I have had in a very long time.
What made this by far the best set for this entire year were the fun experiences shared with friends and just the wonderful attitude of the cast and crew that made it memorable in a good way. I also must mention that we got paid cash on set and we had wonderful international food which I dined on for days because I took some leftovers home in Tupperware which I shared with my friend and roommate.
I worked on this set six times. From the club scene to the restaurant scene to the "get-away" Russian tour bus. Being a Russian tourist was by far the best scene and most enjoyable times on this set and perhaps all year.
Playing the part as Russian tourists we were cast to sit on top of this Double-Decker tour bus. The three young Russian guys were to be out "tour guides" taking us on a wild journey racing wildly through Manhattan down Canal Street to the cobblestone streets of Brooklyn .
The stunt driver and bus driver in the scene drove that bus wildly speeding across the Manhattan Bridge to the Promenade in Brooklyn, where the bus gets stopped and the Russians get arrested by the (fake) police. All along our tour guides are freaking out as their is a helicopter overhead trailing the bus all the way from Manhattan to the other side of the bridge.
Never have I had such an adventure on a film shoot as I did on this one. We ALL shared SO many laughs and felt free and alive. Especially when we were on the double Decker bus top level and "touched" sign posts and leaves of trees as we drove by. It became like a challenge and a silly game, though it was fun, really was.
This was one of the few sets that I really was sad to see come to an end.
A.
The set of "No Love in the City", a Russian movie about three young Russian guys that come to New York to have a great time with Ladies and indulge in the Wild Party lifestyle. An Angel comes down from the heavens and makes them all impotent until they realize their true loves and stop cavorting around in debauchery.This concept sounds stupid, though I have to tell you that working on this movie was by far one of the most pleasant experiences I have had in a very long time.
What made this by far the best set for this entire year were the fun experiences shared with friends and just the wonderful attitude of the cast and crew that made it memorable in a good way. I also must mention that we got paid cash on set and we had wonderful international food which I dined on for days because I took some leftovers home in Tupperware which I shared with my friend and roommate.
I worked on this set six times. From the club scene to the restaurant scene to the "get-away" Russian tour bus. Being a Russian tourist was by far the best scene and most enjoyable times on this set and perhaps all year.
Playing the part as Russian tourists we were cast to sit on top of this Double-Decker tour bus. The three young Russian guys were to be out "tour guides" taking us on a wild journey racing wildly through Manhattan down Canal Street to the cobblestone streets of Brooklyn .
The stunt driver and bus driver in the scene drove that bus wildly speeding across the Manhattan Bridge to the Promenade in Brooklyn, where the bus gets stopped and the Russians get arrested by the (fake) police. All along our tour guides are freaking out as their is a helicopter overhead trailing the bus all the way from Manhattan to the other side of the bridge.
Never have I had such an adventure on a film shoot as I did on this one. We ALL shared SO many laughs and felt free and alive. Especially when we were on the double Decker bus top level and "touched" sign posts and leaves of trees as we drove by. It became like a challenge and a silly game, though it was fun, really was.
This was one of the few sets that I really was sad to see come to an end.
A.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Kings Brooklyn Navy Yards
(from October 20, 2008)
I was on that NBC show KINGS which was an absolute horrible experience. The call time was for 4:30 am bus pickup in Manhattan to go to the Brooklyn Navy Yards. Our holding area was this defunct falling apart warehouse which probably had asbestos and the best part was there was NO HEAT!
It was actually a few degrees warmer outside even though we were technically outside. They did get us on set immediately after wardrobe check to a scene which involved us, the extras,portraying dockworkers who are angry and rallying to the mayor of this fictional town for taxes and losing our homes.
You would think this TV show was a feature film with the "I am Legend" demonstrations of angry people shoving , pushing and screaming in this rally. To make the effect of this rally even more real, they (production) threw not one but two or three smoke bombs into the crowd, which was us, and continued on this rant pushing against these fake police lines and choking on this thick billowing black smoke.
After finding out that the non-union are getting ZERO bump in pay or a waiver, I all of a sudden came down with asthma and me and several other ladies went to go sit away from this smoke. As if this wasn't enough aggravation, they were planning on a "Wet scene" to hose down people to bring on the effect of a rally like they had back in the 60's with the demonstrations.
We wrapped at 6pm and were told to call for 9pm for call times for Day 2 of this travesty. So I call up the GW hot line and they decided to randomly pick numbers off the list and those of us who were promised two days of work were now out of a days pay.
To make matters even worse, my friend Jeff told me that those idiots at GW were calling people desperately at 6:30am b/c a multitude of people that they did keep on the list DID NOT show up for the call time at the bus pickup. My Friend Jeff said if they waiver him he will go. They replied "NO"! Okay than Goodbye and good luck!
In a way I think I lucked out b/c in the message they told people to bring towels as the "wet" scene was to occur that day. Wonder why people didn't show up. Lets see $75.00 to get hosed down with water and another $750.00 for the hospital bill that I would have got for acquiring pneumonia! Amazing. Meanwhile SAG is getting $500.00/hr. They told non-SAG to "be a good sport"! Ya right.I am SO tired of being abused like this. It's sickening how they abuse people like this.
Despite all this, I have to say that I hope this show makes it just b/c of the BIG budget and undertaking of background on such a large scale for a NBC show. Otherwise this will be like many of the garbage shows being produced now and get cancelled within a week of it's release.
Also We really do need some decent programming to STOP the growth of this disease that is widespread named "REALITY SHOWS!"
A.
I was on that NBC show KINGS which was an absolute horrible experience. The call time was for 4:30 am bus pickup in Manhattan to go to the Brooklyn Navy Yards. Our holding area was this defunct falling apart warehouse which probably had asbestos and the best part was there was NO HEAT!
It was actually a few degrees warmer outside even though we were technically outside. They did get us on set immediately after wardrobe check to a scene which involved us, the extras,portraying dockworkers who are angry and rallying to the mayor of this fictional town for taxes and losing our homes.
You would think this TV show was a feature film with the "I am Legend" demonstrations of angry people shoving , pushing and screaming in this rally. To make the effect of this rally even more real, they (production) threw not one but two or three smoke bombs into the crowd, which was us, and continued on this rant pushing against these fake police lines and choking on this thick billowing black smoke.
After finding out that the non-union are getting ZERO bump in pay or a waiver, I all of a sudden came down with asthma and me and several other ladies went to go sit away from this smoke. As if this wasn't enough aggravation, they were planning on a "Wet scene" to hose down people to bring on the effect of a rally like they had back in the 60's with the demonstrations.
We wrapped at 6pm and were told to call for 9pm for call times for Day 2 of this travesty. So I call up the GW hot line and they decided to randomly pick numbers off the list and those of us who were promised two days of work were now out of a days pay.
To make matters even worse, my friend Jeff told me that those idiots at GW were calling people desperately at 6:30am b/c a multitude of people that they did keep on the list DID NOT show up for the call time at the bus pickup. My Friend Jeff said if they waiver him he will go. They replied "NO"! Okay than Goodbye and good luck!
In a way I think I lucked out b/c in the message they told people to bring towels as the "wet" scene was to occur that day. Wonder why people didn't show up. Lets see $75.00 to get hosed down with water and another $750.00 for the hospital bill that I would have got for acquiring pneumonia! Amazing. Meanwhile SAG is getting $500.00/hr. They told non-SAG to "be a good sport"! Ya right.I am SO tired of being abused like this. It's sickening how they abuse people like this.
Despite all this, I have to say that I hope this show makes it just b/c of the BIG budget and undertaking of background on such a large scale for a NBC show. Otherwise this will be like many of the garbage shows being produced now and get cancelled within a week of it's release.
Also We really do need some decent programming to STOP the growth of this disease that is widespread named "REALITY SHOWS!"
A.
Damages in DA Bronx!
(from October 15 and 16)
It's amazing how they are shooting "Ugly Betty" down the block from where I live here in Queens, and yet I get shipped to the Bronx for 6am call time for that boring show "Damages". You can't even begin to imagine how upset I was when I went to the office of those idiots at Extra Mile, told them that I want to be booked on Ugly Betty, and yet they have the nerve to ship me to the Bronx.
Normally I would have tried to get on the set of Ugly Betty, though since the bullshit call time of 6am was slated for Damages, that screwed up any chance as the call time down the block was for 8am. So it was a choice to "suck it up" and take a guaranteed paycheck or to take a chance to see if I could get on Ugly Betty.
Like a dedicated good soldier, actually a stupid solider, I went to the Bronx. Mind you this wasn't in a good location. Then again is any part, save for Riverdale a good part of the Bronx?? To make matters even worse, the idiots at Grant Wilfley gave the WRONG information to get to the holding loaction.
The information offered to us told us to take the number "4" train or the "D" to 181st stop. That would have been fine IF the holding was a block away, NOT a 45 minute hike at 6am through unknown territory in the Bronx!
I recall leaving my house in Queens at about 4:40 am ann of course walking by all the permit signs that were posted up for Ugly Betty. That was an extra kick in my crotch to see that. Anyways when I finally arrived in the Bronx, I had to transfer at 165 st stop which was Yankee stadium stop on the 4 line. There are police commnad stations and cops on patrol there 24/7 for areason.
Just in passing, I saw a couple of arrests being made at 5am! I knew how bad this day was already going to be, and every minute that passed I became more depressed knowing that just down the block they are shooting Ugly Betty, and here I am on a 2-hour roadtrip trying to get to my miserable destination.
So I get out of the 181 st stop and I start walkin and keep walking, and then walk some more. The sun is in the vast distance and not ready to rise for at least another hour or so. In the pitch darkness of the early morning, I look ahead to see this elderly white Woman, in heels and a suitcase, dressed nicely. Obviously she is not from the Bronx and is a background player. The suitcase was a dead giveaway.
I caught up with her and introduce myself. Just behind us was another guy heading to set in the same direction. So the three of us begin walking, and walking and walking some more. We get to this BIG decline hill with a million stairs and look down towards the horizon to how far this place really was.
We stopped by an elementary school where they had security and the Woman said "Just keep walking, and walking, and then walk some more!" "It is a hike!" So the three of us embrace ourselves and continue down the path to nowhere.
Finally we get down the hill. It is more difficult for the elderly Woman as she has on hells and is carrying a suitcase. The sun raises up with a sneak peak of the sunny day to come, for some of us. As we walked across the main intersection, we are about to cross and almost make it until the elderly Woman, takes a trip from the curb and fell face first on the road. It looked awful seeing it happen, though when me and the guy got her up, she was shaking, scraped up, and barely fine.
From that point me and the guy had to carry the elderly Woman all the way when we eventually made it to holding. We were already 45minutes late and the PA and nobody said a word b/c they knew what a lousy deal this was and how Grant screwed up the directions. On top of it we brought in this wounded Woman.
The set itself t was 14 hours in a hospital on the mental patients floor. I would have liked to get an AFTRA waiver for this nightmare, though I got nothing. The only thing I did get was a Friend with a mental patient. I offered her a bag of cool ranch Doritos. Amazing how a bag of chips or an offering of food is an international language no matter what mental state of mind you are in.
My own personal state of mind was deteriorating. I was on the verge of committing myself to a room there in the mental ward. The asshole 2nd AD first released all the non-union, all 4 of us at about 7pm, which would have been decent. The only problem with this was that as we were walking back to the 20 minute hike from the hospital to holding, he contacts the PA for ALL of us to come back! I can't even describe to you how I badly I felt like slitting my wrists right then and there.
We were at that point held hostage, literally in this tiny one room all 20 of us 4 non-union and 16 Aftra members. Some in gowns, some dressed as Doctors. I was a visitor. I almost told of the 2nd AD for keeping us in there like caged animals. After another 3 hours, they released us and it took another 2 hours to get back home, where they were just wrapping for Ugly Betty.
Misery just got a new name and it's called "DAMAGES"!
Sigh ;(
It's amazing how they are shooting "Ugly Betty" down the block from where I live here in Queens, and yet I get shipped to the Bronx for 6am call time for that boring show "Damages". You can't even begin to imagine how upset I was when I went to the office of those idiots at Extra Mile, told them that I want to be booked on Ugly Betty, and yet they have the nerve to ship me to the Bronx.
Normally I would have tried to get on the set of Ugly Betty, though since the bullshit call time of 6am was slated for Damages, that screwed up any chance as the call time down the block was for 8am. So it was a choice to "suck it up" and take a guaranteed paycheck or to take a chance to see if I could get on Ugly Betty.
Like a dedicated good soldier, actually a stupid solider, I went to the Bronx. Mind you this wasn't in a good location. Then again is any part, save for Riverdale a good part of the Bronx?? To make matters even worse, the idiots at Grant Wilfley gave the WRONG information to get to the holding loaction.
The information offered to us told us to take the number "4" train or the "D" to 181st stop. That would have been fine IF the holding was a block away, NOT a 45 minute hike at 6am through unknown territory in the Bronx!
I recall leaving my house in Queens at about 4:40 am ann of course walking by all the permit signs that were posted up for Ugly Betty. That was an extra kick in my crotch to see that. Anyways when I finally arrived in the Bronx, I had to transfer at 165 st stop which was Yankee stadium stop on the 4 line. There are police commnad stations and cops on patrol there 24/7 for areason.
Just in passing, I saw a couple of arrests being made at 5am! I knew how bad this day was already going to be, and every minute that passed I became more depressed knowing that just down the block they are shooting Ugly Betty, and here I am on a 2-hour roadtrip trying to get to my miserable destination.
So I get out of the 181 st stop and I start walkin and keep walking, and then walk some more. The sun is in the vast distance and not ready to rise for at least another hour or so. In the pitch darkness of the early morning, I look ahead to see this elderly white Woman, in heels and a suitcase, dressed nicely. Obviously she is not from the Bronx and is a background player. The suitcase was a dead giveaway.
I caught up with her and introduce myself. Just behind us was another guy heading to set in the same direction. So the three of us begin walking, and walking and walking some more. We get to this BIG decline hill with a million stairs and look down towards the horizon to how far this place really was.
We stopped by an elementary school where they had security and the Woman said "Just keep walking, and walking, and then walk some more!" "It is a hike!" So the three of us embrace ourselves and continue down the path to nowhere.
Finally we get down the hill. It is more difficult for the elderly Woman as she has on hells and is carrying a suitcase. The sun raises up with a sneak peak of the sunny day to come, for some of us. As we walked across the main intersection, we are about to cross and almost make it until the elderly Woman, takes a trip from the curb and fell face first on the road. It looked awful seeing it happen, though when me and the guy got her up, she was shaking, scraped up, and barely fine.
From that point me and the guy had to carry the elderly Woman all the way when we eventually made it to holding. We were already 45minutes late and the PA and nobody said a word b/c they knew what a lousy deal this was and how Grant screwed up the directions. On top of it we brought in this wounded Woman.
The set itself t was 14 hours in a hospital on the mental patients floor. I would have liked to get an AFTRA waiver for this nightmare, though I got nothing. The only thing I did get was a Friend with a mental patient. I offered her a bag of cool ranch Doritos. Amazing how a bag of chips or an offering of food is an international language no matter what mental state of mind you are in.
My own personal state of mind was deteriorating. I was on the verge of committing myself to a room there in the mental ward. The asshole 2nd AD first released all the non-union, all 4 of us at about 7pm, which would have been decent. The only problem with this was that as we were walking back to the 20 minute hike from the hospital to holding, he contacts the PA for ALL of us to come back! I can't even describe to you how I badly I felt like slitting my wrists right then and there.
We were at that point held hostage, literally in this tiny one room all 20 of us 4 non-union and 16 Aftra members. Some in gowns, some dressed as Doctors. I was a visitor. I almost told of the 2nd AD for keeping us in there like caged animals. After another 3 hours, they released us and it took another 2 hours to get back home, where they were just wrapping for Ugly Betty.
Misery just got a new name and it's called "DAMAGES"!
Sigh ;(
Winning Season
October 9, 2008 (night)
"I bless the day I found you, I want to stay around you, and so I beg you, Let it be me". This is the first phrasing of the song "Let it be me" by the Everly Brothers. This song has never been such a staple or made me feel so real and gave me chills down my spine that night in the cafeteria while we were waiting to get on the set of "The Winning Circle".
After being on set of the first of many "Russian tour bus rides" on the set of the 'No Love in the City' many of us were booked on this set of Winning Circle. The only reason that I accepted this was because I knew there would be many people on it that I knew from the other set. Little did I know how wonderful the first part of that set would be, because of music.
We were sitting in the cafeteria where holding was. The French/Brazilian guy Cal who can't play the guitar save for one song "Unchained Melody" and barely, brought his crappy nylon stringed guitar to set. After he got bored of himself and didn't get the attention that he sought, he let me take a crack at the guitar.
It was such a piece of crap and SO out of tune. I tried to tune it to the best of my ability and attempted to play "You can't always get what you want by the Rolling Stones". I got through it, though I knew it wasn't my best performance with that crappy guitar.
Soon after, there he was out of the blue. Our Music saviour of the night arrived. His name was Lawrence and he was a skinny and shy kind of Man with a military kind of haircut and perhaps trained in the military of some kind at one point in his life. Though he brought passion in music and when he played the guitar, it was magical, truly.
He grabbed hold of the guitar and sat down at the table and asked me to sit down to sing with him. He started playing "Dream", "Whenever I want you, all I have to do is Dream, dream dream dream.."Then he played "Chains" by the Beatles. I sang that and all the songs he played were brilliant.
Then he played "Let it be me". Now I barely remember this song as it is not in my era. Though when Lawrence played it, he fed Dawn and I the words, and we collectively got into it and felt the song as if it were just written yesterday and were captivated back in time when this song really hit heart strings.
The way Lawrence played it and the way we sang it was simply amazing. I will never forget how enchanted and happy I was to sing and sing well and harmonize with Dawn the way we did. Everyone around us was tuned in as well and mesmerized to the sweet tune as it is.
I felt SO alive, nothing mattered, no troubles in the world, just the sweet song and music kept me in tune and made me feel alive. I wished that moment had never ended. It wasn't about the song, it was about the tune. It was about the moment, about being alive and feeling good for a change. All my troubles and worries evaporated in that moment. Nothing else mattered, save for delivering a beautiful melodic song in Harmony.
It was the kind of moment that when it ends, you feel like a part of you has died or withered away. Yet you just had such a good time, your soul is fulfilled , and you are at peace, no matter what the outcome, you will be alright.
Our ending came when we were finally called to get to set to be spectators on this basketball game. I was hoping it would be a short set, though it ended up being a long drained out set to the every last minute. The worst part was probably coming home which took me 2 hours from Bayside Queens.
Still as tired as I was that morning and when I finally got home, all I thought of and all I dreamt of was that moment. A moment I will treasure.
"So never leave me Lonely,Tell me you love me only, and that you'll always, let it be me."
A.
"I bless the day I found you, I want to stay around you, and so I beg you, Let it be me". This is the first phrasing of the song "Let it be me" by the Everly Brothers. This song has never been such a staple or made me feel so real and gave me chills down my spine that night in the cafeteria while we were waiting to get on the set of "The Winning Circle".
After being on set of the first of many "Russian tour bus rides" on the set of the 'No Love in the City' many of us were booked on this set of Winning Circle. The only reason that I accepted this was because I knew there would be many people on it that I knew from the other set. Little did I know how wonderful the first part of that set would be, because of music.
We were sitting in the cafeteria where holding was. The French/Brazilian guy Cal who can't play the guitar save for one song "Unchained Melody" and barely, brought his crappy nylon stringed guitar to set. After he got bored of himself and didn't get the attention that he sought, he let me take a crack at the guitar.
It was such a piece of crap and SO out of tune. I tried to tune it to the best of my ability and attempted to play "You can't always get what you want by the Rolling Stones". I got through it, though I knew it wasn't my best performance with that crappy guitar.
Soon after, there he was out of the blue. Our Music saviour of the night arrived. His name was Lawrence and he was a skinny and shy kind of Man with a military kind of haircut and perhaps trained in the military of some kind at one point in his life. Though he brought passion in music and when he played the guitar, it was magical, truly.
He grabbed hold of the guitar and sat down at the table and asked me to sit down to sing with him. He started playing "Dream", "Whenever I want you, all I have to do is Dream, dream dream dream.."Then he played "Chains" by the Beatles. I sang that and all the songs he played were brilliant.
Then he played "Let it be me". Now I barely remember this song as it is not in my era. Though when Lawrence played it, he fed Dawn and I the words, and we collectively got into it and felt the song as if it were just written yesterday and were captivated back in time when this song really hit heart strings.
The way Lawrence played it and the way we sang it was simply amazing. I will never forget how enchanted and happy I was to sing and sing well and harmonize with Dawn the way we did. Everyone around us was tuned in as well and mesmerized to the sweet tune as it is.
I felt SO alive, nothing mattered, no troubles in the world, just the sweet song and music kept me in tune and made me feel alive. I wished that moment had never ended. It wasn't about the song, it was about the tune. It was about the moment, about being alive and feeling good for a change. All my troubles and worries evaporated in that moment. Nothing else mattered, save for delivering a beautiful melodic song in Harmony.
It was the kind of moment that when it ends, you feel like a part of you has died or withered away. Yet you just had such a good time, your soul is fulfilled , and you are at peace, no matter what the outcome, you will be alright.
Our ending came when we were finally called to get to set to be spectators on this basketball game. I was hoping it would be a short set, though it ended up being a long drained out set to the every last minute. The worst part was probably coming home which took me 2 hours from Bayside Queens.
Still as tired as I was that morning and when I finally got home, all I thought of and all I dreamt of was that moment. A moment I will treasure.
"So never leave me Lonely,Tell me you love me only, and that you'll always, let it be me."
A.
Life on Mars in the East Village
(Originally from Tuesday October 7, 2008)
Of all the shows recently, this is one of the shows that I have been wanting to get on for a very long time. When I finally got the call to be on it, I was excited. Mind you that excitement soon turned sour when I heard what I was being booked for.
The show "life on Mars" takes place in the 1970's about a New York City homicide detective who suddenly finds himself inexplicably transported from 2008 to 1973. The attractive part to be on this show is that it takes place in the 70's, a decade of my birth and to dress up in 70's attire play a part in this role would have been fun.
No such luck. The scene that I get booked for is this funeral scene, and it is current year, 2008. I'm like "What a Bummer!" I have been trying for weeks to get on this show. Also the biggest blow to me is that normally they shoot "mars" over at Kaufman Astoria Studios. Not this time. Of course it's over by 2nd street and avenue "A" area in the East village.
The only good thing I suppose is that I didn't have to go to get a fitting and all I had to wear was a black outfit appropriate for a funeral scene. Not too difficult as the majority of my clothes are dark and depressing. Reflects my career, I suppose.
The day itself was extremely long. The easy part was having the "mourners" all 200 of us going down the line to have the "Costume designer"(that's what this midget Kathy Griffin look-alike resembles) calls herself to make her feel important. So she examines us all and gives us the "O.K." seal of approval. I mean how can you screw up black for a funeral. Unless you are a whore and wearing lace panties in mourning for the death of one of your best clients.
The only thing that had to specific was the cops uniforms and how detailed in rank they had to get the patches to match up. That did take a long time. In fact that took about 8 hours of all us mourners in holding while the Police officers were examined to perfection by the "Kathy-Griffin" Midget. Since she was a midget, it took extra long time as she had to take a stool with her or climb up a ladder for the really tall cops.
After all that, Lunch was called. It was a walk-away lunch. This meant spending about 10 dollars of our already hard earned 40 dollars, i think not! My friend Linda and I went on a scavenger hunt to see where Kraft services for the crew and SAG was. What really sucks about "walk-away" lunches is that the only real thrill of going to these sets is the social aspect of it and the FOOD! Yes, Food, Glorious Food! When the Food is not there, the thrill is gone, and you really can't survive on the sustenance of the humor of your pals on set, no matter how satiable laughter can be.
Thanks to my friend Linda's outwardly sexual friendly nature to the male species, she got directed to the "hidden" table where they had nice sandwiches and food at our disposal. We grabbed a few sandwiches and left the table before we would be questioned. Survival skills 101 baby!
Finally after lunch, we were called to set which was all the way on East 3rd street, closer to ave B. One by one we piled into the church and grabbed a seat on one of the pews. All I could think if was "It's been a while since I've been in church", and started thinking about all the times my Mother dragged me to church to repent and become a good catholic. Obviously that failed me too.
The scene itself was long with a flashback feel and a ghost that we were to pretend not to see or acknowledge. The actress made famous in the 90's on the Cosby Show was Lisa Bonet up in front with her pregnant belly and playing the part of a widower.
After hours of being told being everyone to hush and quiet down, and our butts getting really sore from sitting on those hard benches, I looked up to the Lord and said "Haven't I paid my dues already?" "All I ask for is a SAG waiver, Lord!" IS that asking for too much??
Well if anything, my Catholic Mother would be proud of how many hours I spent in church. That truly made up for lost time.
CA ;
Of all the shows recently, this is one of the shows that I have been wanting to get on for a very long time. When I finally got the call to be on it, I was excited. Mind you that excitement soon turned sour when I heard what I was being booked for.
The show "life on Mars" takes place in the 1970's about a New York City homicide detective who suddenly finds himself inexplicably transported from 2008 to 1973. The attractive part to be on this show is that it takes place in the 70's, a decade of my birth and to dress up in 70's attire play a part in this role would have been fun.
No such luck. The scene that I get booked for is this funeral scene, and it is current year, 2008. I'm like "What a Bummer!" I have been trying for weeks to get on this show. Also the biggest blow to me is that normally they shoot "mars" over at Kaufman Astoria Studios. Not this time. Of course it's over by 2nd street and avenue "A" area in the East village.
The only good thing I suppose is that I didn't have to go to get a fitting and all I had to wear was a black outfit appropriate for a funeral scene. Not too difficult as the majority of my clothes are dark and depressing. Reflects my career, I suppose.
The day itself was extremely long. The easy part was having the "mourners" all 200 of us going down the line to have the "Costume designer"(that's what this midget Kathy Griffin look-alike resembles) calls herself to make her feel important. So she examines us all and gives us the "O.K." seal of approval. I mean how can you screw up black for a funeral. Unless you are a whore and wearing lace panties in mourning for the death of one of your best clients.
The only thing that had to specific was the cops uniforms and how detailed in rank they had to get the patches to match up. That did take a long time. In fact that took about 8 hours of all us mourners in holding while the Police officers were examined to perfection by the "Kathy-Griffin" Midget. Since she was a midget, it took extra long time as she had to take a stool with her or climb up a ladder for the really tall cops.
After all that, Lunch was called. It was a walk-away lunch. This meant spending about 10 dollars of our already hard earned 40 dollars, i think not! My friend Linda and I went on a scavenger hunt to see where Kraft services for the crew and SAG was. What really sucks about "walk-away" lunches is that the only real thrill of going to these sets is the social aspect of it and the FOOD! Yes, Food, Glorious Food! When the Food is not there, the thrill is gone, and you really can't survive on the sustenance of the humor of your pals on set, no matter how satiable laughter can be.
Thanks to my friend Linda's outwardly sexual friendly nature to the male species, she got directed to the "hidden" table where they had nice sandwiches and food at our disposal. We grabbed a few sandwiches and left the table before we would be questioned. Survival skills 101 baby!
Finally after lunch, we were called to set which was all the way on East 3rd street, closer to ave B. One by one we piled into the church and grabbed a seat on one of the pews. All I could think if was "It's been a while since I've been in church", and started thinking about all the times my Mother dragged me to church to repent and become a good catholic. Obviously that failed me too.
The scene itself was long with a flashback feel and a ghost that we were to pretend not to see or acknowledge. The actress made famous in the 90's on the Cosby Show was Lisa Bonet up in front with her pregnant belly and playing the part of a widower.
After hours of being told being everyone to hush and quiet down, and our butts getting really sore from sitting on those hard benches, I looked up to the Lord and said "Haven't I paid my dues already?" "All I ask for is a SAG waiver, Lord!" IS that asking for too much??
Well if anything, my Catholic Mother would be proud of how many hours I spent in church. That truly made up for lost time.
CA ;
Lipstick Jungle in SOHO
(Originally from Monday October 6, 2008)
Every time I have been on Lipstick Jungle it has been a very long day and there is a "walk-away" lunch. Mind you they did have a decent breakfast for us with the usual buffet trays of sausages, scrambled eggs and fresh toast.
Our holding area was on Wooster street in this really old 18th century building. Wooster is really not such a popular street unless you are really familiar with the Soho area. I've never been a fan of the SOHO area , but they are trying to do a "Sex in the City" type of show here and SOHO IS fashion and art.
We didn't wait too long int the small holding area which was only designed to hole about 20 people and there weer over 80 of us. Also the fact that there was only one bathroom and no changing area, it made the lineups really long.
We got to set and started around the Prince St. area walking up and down the streets. I was in a scene and did a cross over directly in front of Brooke Shields and Lindsay Price who were just coming out of a store in the scene.
It was rather boring and time was dragging on. After about 2 hours they went to another location over by West Broadway. It was the same crossovers walking back and forth over a million times in the scene.
I rarely go to the SOHO area and didn't realize how busy the streets are with tourists and paparazzi. There were a bunch of paparazzi, who I thought at first were actors, taking shots of Brooke as she was carrying her daughter to her trailer. Normally on these sets we are not supposed to take pictures of the stars, though since the paparazzi were taking pictures, I jumped right in and got a couple of candid shots myself of Brooke walking across the street carrying her child.
That moment was probably the only exciting thing to account for. We had a walk-away Lunch and my friend and I were invited to grab some food at Krafty to go to this nice Woman's apartment over by Bleeker St. We had to be back in about an hour. When we got back to the tiny holding area, the P.A. asked everyone to get into their second changes which meant another huge lineup for the one and only bathroom available.
We all went outside to the scene by W. Broadway and the only good thing about that spot was that we had those SOHO steps where we could sit down on, as they never ended up using as anyways. What else is new? After the typical 14 hours on set for this show, we were released.
I hope this show makes it, though in my opnion it won't last long simply b/c the concept/ sotry line is just trying to hard to be like "Sex and the City", which it clearly is not.
Every time I have been on Lipstick Jungle it has been a very long day and there is a "walk-away" lunch. Mind you they did have a decent breakfast for us with the usual buffet trays of sausages, scrambled eggs and fresh toast.
Our holding area was on Wooster street in this really old 18th century building. Wooster is really not such a popular street unless you are really familiar with the Soho area. I've never been a fan of the SOHO area , but they are trying to do a "Sex in the City" type of show here and SOHO IS fashion and art.
We didn't wait too long int the small holding area which was only designed to hole about 20 people and there weer over 80 of us. Also the fact that there was only one bathroom and no changing area, it made the lineups really long.
We got to set and started around the Prince St. area walking up and down the streets. I was in a scene and did a cross over directly in front of Brooke Shields and Lindsay Price who were just coming out of a store in the scene.
It was rather boring and time was dragging on. After about 2 hours they went to another location over by West Broadway. It was the same crossovers walking back and forth over a million times in the scene.
I rarely go to the SOHO area and didn't realize how busy the streets are with tourists and paparazzi. There were a bunch of paparazzi, who I thought at first were actors, taking shots of Brooke as she was carrying her daughter to her trailer. Normally on these sets we are not supposed to take pictures of the stars, though since the paparazzi were taking pictures, I jumped right in and got a couple of candid shots myself of Brooke walking across the street carrying her child.
That moment was probably the only exciting thing to account for. We had a walk-away Lunch and my friend and I were invited to grab some food at Krafty to go to this nice Woman's apartment over by Bleeker St. We had to be back in about an hour. When we got back to the tiny holding area, the P.A. asked everyone to get into their second changes which meant another huge lineup for the one and only bathroom available.
We all went outside to the scene by W. Broadway and the only good thing about that spot was that we had those SOHO steps where we could sit down on, as they never ended up using as anyways. What else is new? After the typical 14 hours on set for this show, we were released.
I hope this show makes it, though in my opnion it won't last long simply b/c the concept/ sotry line is just trying to hard to be like "Sex and the City", which it clearly is not.
Damages bar scene by Comix
(Originally from Thursday Sept 25,2008)
Of all the shows I have ever been on, the set of Damages has to be the most boring of all time. I'm amazed this show has even won awards. I have been on "Damages" before and either it's a very boring time, or a very long boring time.
Our holding area was over at Comix Comedy club located all the way down by 14th Street and 9th ave, practically in the meat market district where they have docks and brick roads by the Hudson. I always hated this area and have never performed at this comedy club. I know many who have including Paul Mercurio and on the day we were there, the scheduled act was someone I knew from the line-up I was in for Last Comic Standing.
Also on the bill was Chris March who was one of the 5 finalists on Project Runaway. I guess after doing a reality show and not winning, what else are you going to do. Unless of course in my case I didn't pass the last years audition and really have nothing to laugh about these days. Especially after being in a line0up for that shitty Last Comic Standing auditions for 22 hours only to audition with 10 people at a time in front of a 15 year old production assistant. How degrading just thinking about that is.
So what made this day suck was that I am known as a comedian and you would think this my venue. The only good thing about having holding at Comix was that it was a big space for only 50 background and I sat in the back room alone.
We got called to set about an hour and a half after our call time which was 10am. We walked over to set which was this restaurant/bar across the street on the brick paved roads. This bar was cold and dark, and I found my way to sit at the bar in the scene. Of course you don't get real drinks which means you have to mime drinking, clinking glasses, and pretending to be drunk. Wish I was drunk at that point it was SO boring. You have to be quiet like a mouse while the conversation is focused on the two main actors and you are nothing but a blur.
We had Lunch around the 6 hour mark over back at Comix. There was a nice layout of food in a buffet style set up right along the main stage of club. I never performed at this club. After Lunch was done, the caterers began piling food into the garbage into this huge garbage can which was right in the center of the stage. I thought that was so prolific and had to get a picture of the garbage can on stage representing my career! Sad but true!
You really do need a good sense of humor to be able to deal with the long excruciating long hours and literally being treated like garbage many of the times, especially if your non-union. Don't know if I will looking back and laughing at any of this one day, though I am getting tons of material, even if it does come from garbage.
CA;
Of all the shows I have ever been on, the set of Damages has to be the most boring of all time. I'm amazed this show has even won awards. I have been on "Damages" before and either it's a very boring time, or a very long boring time.
Our holding area was over at Comix Comedy club located all the way down by 14th Street and 9th ave, practically in the meat market district where they have docks and brick roads by the Hudson. I always hated this area and have never performed at this comedy club. I know many who have including Paul Mercurio and on the day we were there, the scheduled act was someone I knew from the line-up I was in for Last Comic Standing.
Also on the bill was Chris March who was one of the 5 finalists on Project Runaway. I guess after doing a reality show and not winning, what else are you going to do. Unless of course in my case I didn't pass the last years audition and really have nothing to laugh about these days. Especially after being in a line0up for that shitty Last Comic Standing auditions for 22 hours only to audition with 10 people at a time in front of a 15 year old production assistant. How degrading just thinking about that is.
So what made this day suck was that I am known as a comedian and you would think this my venue. The only good thing about having holding at Comix was that it was a big space for only 50 background and I sat in the back room alone.
We got called to set about an hour and a half after our call time which was 10am. We walked over to set which was this restaurant/bar across the street on the brick paved roads. This bar was cold and dark, and I found my way to sit at the bar in the scene. Of course you don't get real drinks which means you have to mime drinking, clinking glasses, and pretending to be drunk. Wish I was drunk at that point it was SO boring. You have to be quiet like a mouse while the conversation is focused on the two main actors and you are nothing but a blur.
We had Lunch around the 6 hour mark over back at Comix. There was a nice layout of food in a buffet style set up right along the main stage of club. I never performed at this club. After Lunch was done, the caterers began piling food into the garbage into this huge garbage can which was right in the center of the stage. I thought that was so prolific and had to get a picture of the garbage can on stage representing my career! Sad but true!
You really do need a good sense of humor to be able to deal with the long excruciating long hours and literally being treated like garbage many of the times, especially if your non-union. Don't know if I will looking back and laughing at any of this one day, though I am getting tons of material, even if it does come from garbage.
CA;
Unorthodox Jew for a day in Astoria
(originally from September 19, 2008)
The next day I was booked on the movie "Unorthodox" again. This time the location was non other than Astoria, Queens, my neighborhood. Astoria stretches from the border of Woodside all the way to Ditmars blvd. This location was right in between over at 37th st at 30th ave, which was a fifteen minute walk for me! The actual holding area was the Lutheran church which I walk by all the time en route to go to the Mexican place for food.
Our call time was for noon and I left my house at 11:45am! When I got to holding, a couple of my non-union friends were already there. It was still early and the vouchers to fill out were not even there yet, so a friend and I walked over to the food truck which was ALL the way over by 34th and Broadway, which was just about 10 blocks away.
When we finally got to the truck, it was well worth it as they had hot dogs, hamburgers on the grill and sandwiches and wraps all around. We loaded up and got some aluminum foil to wrap our plates for the walk back. Luckily the weather was nice, though it was humid too.
Once we got back to holding more people arrived and the same procedure with getting wigs "stapled" to our heads was in full gear. Since I was on the set the previous day, I knew the system and totally avoided getting a wig and headed straight to wardrobe to get a headscarf.
Unlike the previous day, soon after we got our makeup done and approved the PA called for anyone that was ready to come immediately to set. I though this will be great. You know that the sooner they start, means they want to get this done so you will be wrapped earlier!
The first shoot was over by Parisi Bakery under the N/W elevated train lines. It's an extremely noisy and populated area with all the people and trains going past practically every 5 minutes. They had the Parisi bakery "dressed up" in Hebrew signs, though that did not deter regular patrons who kept walking into the store not aware that it was closed for the day.
The scene that they were creating was a busy intersection of Jews doing their daily business getting bagels and breads for their families etc. So in order to "create" this family feel, they Incorporated Women to portray Mothers and some had "fake" plastic babies with carriages to stroll down the block. Some had real live kids. Now the difference is that the "plastic babies" don't cry or scream and do what they are told. The "real" kids, well do I really need to explain.
As luck would have it, namely my bad luck, the PA calls me over and sees me to be fit with not one child but two screaming children!!!! What do I look like a Mother?? Apparently I do and what hurts me more is that I have NO children of my own to speak of at my age. So not only was it embarrassing when these two kids were crying and screaming, though it felt humiliating and I felt like an even bigger failure then ever before.
To make things even worse, it was humid and I was only a few blocks from my local establishment where I go to imbibe occasionally..okay frequently! The point is these were NOT even my kids and I was SO embarrassed as people passed by and looked upon me as a bad Mother as if I could not control my own kids. They didn't even have to utter a word, I could feel their dismay and disgust with their passive gestures as they scraped by me and giving me "the look". These people didn't know what was really going on.
The worst part was that I tried and tried. I brought out the best kid weapons that the "real" Mother gave to me to calm down the kids. I gave them the animal crackers, the bottle, the stuffed duckie, and the Belly Button book! Nothing. Every time I had to roll around the carriage with those two kids and turn around to go to "Back to one", they felt like I was Kidnapping them and wailed out to their Mommy who was only two feet away!
I got to the point that I couldn't take anymore and I gave the kids back. I told the PA that unless I get a SAG waiver for this, I will not do it anymore. Seconds after I muffled up the courage to stick up for myself, the scene was over and they were moving on to the next location.
The next scene was over by the discount store "Dee and Dee" over by 36th street and Broadway, beside the Croatian bar, Scorpio and the European meat place across the now defunct "America's 99 cent store. The production had the entire two block stretch done up to look like a Jewish neighborhood which included a Pickle store in big barrels for sale.
This involved a "chase scene" where the main actress is carrying her groceries and is running away from a predator and drops her groceries. After stating my discontent about having those two kids, I was placed by a clothing store to pretend I was checking out dresses.
Sounds easy enough though after standing out there for hours under the sweltering sun, I was getting sweaty and tired. Luckily this is a low budget film and they wrapped us the non-union at the 6 hour mark. That was a relief in a way, though when we went back to holding the caterers had a nice food buffet set up, and we were not invited to this feast. I always try to get the food anyways, though it was difficult this time as they had the "Food Nazi" sit by the buffet with a pen and paper marking down anybody heading to the table to eat.
In a way I was glad we were done and since I had no wig on, I quickly gave wardrobe back their stuff, signed out and headed to my local establishment which was only 4 blocks away. I really needed a drink after that ordeal.
I tell ya, it's tough being a Jew, even if it is for a day. Oy Vey!
CA ;(
The next day I was booked on the movie "Unorthodox" again. This time the location was non other than Astoria, Queens, my neighborhood. Astoria stretches from the border of Woodside all the way to Ditmars blvd. This location was right in between over at 37th st at 30th ave, which was a fifteen minute walk for me! The actual holding area was the Lutheran church which I walk by all the time en route to go to the Mexican place for food.
Our call time was for noon and I left my house at 11:45am! When I got to holding, a couple of my non-union friends were already there. It was still early and the vouchers to fill out were not even there yet, so a friend and I walked over to the food truck which was ALL the way over by 34th and Broadway, which was just about 10 blocks away.
When we finally got to the truck, it was well worth it as they had hot dogs, hamburgers on the grill and sandwiches and wraps all around. We loaded up and got some aluminum foil to wrap our plates for the walk back. Luckily the weather was nice, though it was humid too.
Once we got back to holding more people arrived and the same procedure with getting wigs "stapled" to our heads was in full gear. Since I was on the set the previous day, I knew the system and totally avoided getting a wig and headed straight to wardrobe to get a headscarf.
Unlike the previous day, soon after we got our makeup done and approved the PA called for anyone that was ready to come immediately to set. I though this will be great. You know that the sooner they start, means they want to get this done so you will be wrapped earlier!
The first shoot was over by Parisi Bakery under the N/W elevated train lines. It's an extremely noisy and populated area with all the people and trains going past practically every 5 minutes. They had the Parisi bakery "dressed up" in Hebrew signs, though that did not deter regular patrons who kept walking into the store not aware that it was closed for the day.
The scene that they were creating was a busy intersection of Jews doing their daily business getting bagels and breads for their families etc. So in order to "create" this family feel, they Incorporated Women to portray Mothers and some had "fake" plastic babies with carriages to stroll down the block. Some had real live kids. Now the difference is that the "plastic babies" don't cry or scream and do what they are told. The "real" kids, well do I really need to explain.
As luck would have it, namely my bad luck, the PA calls me over and sees me to be fit with not one child but two screaming children!!!! What do I look like a Mother?? Apparently I do and what hurts me more is that I have NO children of my own to speak of at my age. So not only was it embarrassing when these two kids were crying and screaming, though it felt humiliating and I felt like an even bigger failure then ever before.
To make things even worse, it was humid and I was only a few blocks from my local establishment where I go to imbibe occasionally..okay frequently! The point is these were NOT even my kids and I was SO embarrassed as people passed by and looked upon me as a bad Mother as if I could not control my own kids. They didn't even have to utter a word, I could feel their dismay and disgust with their passive gestures as they scraped by me and giving me "the look". These people didn't know what was really going on.
The worst part was that I tried and tried. I brought out the best kid weapons that the "real" Mother gave to me to calm down the kids. I gave them the animal crackers, the bottle, the stuffed duckie, and the Belly Button book! Nothing. Every time I had to roll around the carriage with those two kids and turn around to go to "Back to one", they felt like I was Kidnapping them and wailed out to their Mommy who was only two feet away!
I got to the point that I couldn't take anymore and I gave the kids back. I told the PA that unless I get a SAG waiver for this, I will not do it anymore. Seconds after I muffled up the courage to stick up for myself, the scene was over and they were moving on to the next location.
The next scene was over by the discount store "Dee and Dee" over by 36th street and Broadway, beside the Croatian bar, Scorpio and the European meat place across the now defunct "America's 99 cent store. The production had the entire two block stretch done up to look like a Jewish neighborhood which included a Pickle store in big barrels for sale.
This involved a "chase scene" where the main actress is carrying her groceries and is running away from a predator and drops her groceries. After stating my discontent about having those two kids, I was placed by a clothing store to pretend I was checking out dresses.
Sounds easy enough though after standing out there for hours under the sweltering sun, I was getting sweaty and tired. Luckily this is a low budget film and they wrapped us the non-union at the 6 hour mark. That was a relief in a way, though when we went back to holding the caterers had a nice food buffet set up, and we were not invited to this feast. I always try to get the food anyways, though it was difficult this time as they had the "Food Nazi" sit by the buffet with a pen and paper marking down anybody heading to the table to eat.
In a way I was glad we were done and since I had no wig on, I quickly gave wardrobe back their stuff, signed out and headed to my local establishment which was only 4 blocks away. I really needed a drink after that ordeal.
I tell ya, it's tough being a Jew, even if it is for a day. Oy Vey!
CA ;(
Unorthodox, Jew for a day in Brooklyn
(originally from Thursday, September 18, 2008)
I got a call from Extra mile to work on a movie called "Unorthodox" . The title says it all, it's movie about "Unorthodox Jews". When we got the instructions about the shoot we were told to wear plain clothes and no make-up or very minimal as we were cast to portray Orthodox Jews.
I thought this could be cool dressing up as a Jew. I always wanted to be Jew for a day!
I got to the holding area which was in Prospect Park area of Brooklyn, which is not a popular Jewish area as Williamsburg is where you see Hasidic Jews all over. The subway stop was at Grand Army Plaza which is a really nice area. As you walk to the holding area, you pass by blocks of gorgeous brownstones and tree lined streets. I walked a while until I got to the actual holding which was the Catholic church of the Virgin Mary.
When we got to the basement of the church, there was already a buffet of food lined up on tables that was already devoured into and practically gone. That was probably for crew and extras that were there since the morning hours. Since our call time was for 4pm, we were denied the food, even though the food was nearly done and only scraps of food remained.
The main event had to be the makeup department which was set up with all sorts of beards, wigs, hairpieces to put on us and create the authentic Jewish look. They dressed the Women in the wigs and scarves and all the men got the beards! It was actually fun. Not fun getting the wig put on.
When it was my turn to sit in the chair to get made over, the makeup artist tried several different wigs on me. She began getting my hair prepared by sticking and shoving pins into my head. She poked and jammed so many pins into my head, I could have been called "Pinhead!"
I started complaining and it really did hurt, and she took all the pins out and decided to just give me the head scarf. What a relief that was. Some were not so lucky and got the full wig put in and the men got beards glued on to their faces. It was very uncomfortable for many of the guys as they were complaining it was itching them.
All this took up about 3 hours until the "designers" were satisfied that we represented the Jews well enough. After we were done with the makeup and wardrobe, we sat in holding, and then we sat some more. Four hours later and the Assistant Director finally comes in and asks the union and non-union Jews to stand in a line.
He walks around, examines all of us and out of 20 of us standing there, he only picks two and says the rest of us are wrapped! I thought great, not a bad day after all. Unless of course they give a SAG waiver for the two Jews that were asked to stay behind. That never happened of course.
Oy vey , Jew for a Day. Though I don't think that I would want to become a orthodox Jew. It's too much work!
CA :(
I got a call from Extra mile to work on a movie called "Unorthodox" . The title says it all, it's movie about "Unorthodox Jews". When we got the instructions about the shoot we were told to wear plain clothes and no make-up or very minimal as we were cast to portray Orthodox Jews.
I thought this could be cool dressing up as a Jew. I always wanted to be Jew for a day!
I got to the holding area which was in Prospect Park area of Brooklyn, which is not a popular Jewish area as Williamsburg is where you see Hasidic Jews all over. The subway stop was at Grand Army Plaza which is a really nice area. As you walk to the holding area, you pass by blocks of gorgeous brownstones and tree lined streets. I walked a while until I got to the actual holding which was the Catholic church of the Virgin Mary.
When we got to the basement of the church, there was already a buffet of food lined up on tables that was already devoured into and practically gone. That was probably for crew and extras that were there since the morning hours. Since our call time was for 4pm, we were denied the food, even though the food was nearly done and only scraps of food remained.
The main event had to be the makeup department which was set up with all sorts of beards, wigs, hairpieces to put on us and create the authentic Jewish look. They dressed the Women in the wigs and scarves and all the men got the beards! It was actually fun. Not fun getting the wig put on.
When it was my turn to sit in the chair to get made over, the makeup artist tried several different wigs on me. She began getting my hair prepared by sticking and shoving pins into my head. She poked and jammed so many pins into my head, I could have been called "Pinhead!"
I started complaining and it really did hurt, and she took all the pins out and decided to just give me the head scarf. What a relief that was. Some were not so lucky and got the full wig put in and the men got beards glued on to their faces. It was very uncomfortable for many of the guys as they were complaining it was itching them.
All this took up about 3 hours until the "designers" were satisfied that we represented the Jews well enough. After we were done with the makeup and wardrobe, we sat in holding, and then we sat some more. Four hours later and the Assistant Director finally comes in and asks the union and non-union Jews to stand in a line.
He walks around, examines all of us and out of 20 of us standing there, he only picks two and says the rest of us are wrapped! I thought great, not a bad day after all. Unless of course they give a SAG waiver for the two Jews that were asked to stay behind. That never happened of course.
Oy vey , Jew for a Day. Though I don't think that I would want to become a orthodox Jew. It's too much work!
CA :(
Wallmart/Coca Cola Commercial in a Loft
(Originally from September 16 and 17, 2008)
The first day they barely used us and we spent most of the day hanging out in a park for over 5 hours. I guess it wasn’t bad hanging out in the park and watching “Thomas Adonis” here posing
with "Libido Linda" strut his stuff. The guy many be a complete moron, though he is a stud!
I was booked on a WallMart
/Coca Cola 
commercial for two days. The holding area was downtown area by Chambers Street.
We got to the holding area for our call time at noon and shortly after we had this terrific spread of food being laid out for lunch.
/Coca Cola 
commercial for two days. The holding area was downtown area by Chambers Street.
We got to the holding area for our call time at noon and shortly after we had this terrific spread of food being laid out for lunch. I love it when they, the casting people tell us to eat Lunch before we get to set.
I of course never listen to the casting directions and came to set famished. Once you have dealt with the casting information, you know it’s all about “trickery” and lies and you have to do what is best for you to make your own judgment call. Most of the time they have NO clue what is really going. Luckily I did as shortly after we signed in and got our paper work, we sat around for about an hour then lunch got served.
The first day they barely used us and we spent most of the day hanging out in a park for over 5 hours. I guess it wasn’t bad hanging out in the park and watching “Thomas Adonis” here posing
with "Libido Linda" strut his stuff. The guy many be a complete moron, though he is a stud! When you are bored, you definitely need something to amuse you. It was boring though much better than to be held hostage on set which was indoors in this loft with no working AC units. We escaped the "sweat fest" of the loft on day one, though we sure made up for it the next day.
Our call time was much earlier the next day and we had lunch several hours later. After a very satisfying lunch, they hauled us up to this loft where we had to climb 5 long sets of stairs to get to the top floor.
Guess that was good planning on their part to feed us then get us to burn all those calories by making us walk up all those flights of stairs. The loft was decorated with white Christmas lights
and ornaments. Yes, you guessed it, this commercial is to be released for the Christmas season. It's actually a commercial which will be viewed across the nation at movie theaters everywhere during the preview ads and trailers we get bombarded with prior to the feature presentation.
and ornaments. Yes, you guessed it, this commercial is to be released for the Christmas season. It's actually a commercial which will be viewed across the nation at movie theaters everywhere during the preview ads and trailers we get bombarded with prior to the feature presentation. 
I'm sure you won't be seeing me in this commercial. Being on this commercial gave the term "back to one" an entire new meaning. Normally they shoot the same scene, a hundred times over and then "check the gate, then move on. Not in this case at all. It was the exact same scene for 14 hours! I'm not kidding.
The scene as I mentioned is taking place in this loft where this young kid about 19 years old starts singing about how happy he is it's Christmas time, grabs a Wall mart bag filled with Coca 
cola, and starts passing around coke bottles to his "Step family" and his "Cool" Step Mother, singing and spreading Christmas cheer as he skips along the entire loft to the end until he abruptly comes to a halt when he sees his ex-girlfriend is at the party with a new guy! How clever.
cola, and starts passing around coke bottles to his "Step family" and his "Cool" Step Mother, singing and spreading Christmas cheer as he skips along the entire loft to the end until he abruptly comes to a halt when he sees his ex-girlfriend is at the party with a new guy! How clever. That stupid song he sang over and over again. Well actually he "lip-synced" it as he skipped along. Though as the sweaty night prevailed and we were about to collapse, the director turned up the volume of the song so that everyone would get into the mood whether they liked it or not.
It was getting so bad in that loft that the icing on the cupcakes as props on the table was melting. 
Even the cheese couldn't take it anymore as it was seriously melting and becoming slimy. I think this was the cheese they brought up from Krafty when it was still edible.
Even the cheese couldn't take it anymore as it was seriously melting and becoming slimy. I think this was the cheese they brought up from Krafty when it was still edible. As for everyone else it was getting so hot that when we made an attempt to take off our jackets in between takes, it was impossible as our jackets and sweaters became glued to our skin, literally. Finally after a million takes of this "party scene", we ready to collapse and barely filtered down the flights of stairs back to holding to sign out.
I was never SO happy in all my life to get on the subway knowing that it would be freezing cold with the AC pumping! So I survived that though I couldn't sleep all night as I was having nightmares of that stupid song. Though the downside, I suppose is that I won't be seeing any Christmas movies at the theater. or at least come extra late to avoid seeing this and the sweaty memories of it!
CA :( Sigh!
Sprint Commercial at Grand Central Station
(originally from August 18, 2008)
Well it’s about time I got booked on something from the fabulous "British Booker", Jane Blodwell since I signed on to her agency over a month ago. I got my information for this Sprint
commercial and I was told that this would be a short shoot and would wrap no later than noon. Well surprise surprise that we ended after 3pm!
Our holding area was a camper parked outside a block away from Grand Central, so you suspect it not to be a long shoot. There were only a handful of extras on this shoot including my friend Kathy from Seacliff, Long Island, and Stewart.
The location to shoot was at Grand Central Station which you know is and always will be a mess to work there in terms of high traffic commuters. Shooting anything at Grand Central attracts spectators and curious people that snoop around to see what is shooting and what celebrity is involved.
Well when people found out that Julia Roberts wasn’t there and the only star was the CEO of
Sprint, people slowly moved along. The fact being that the CEO of Sprint, who is not only the spokesperson, but also the star of this commercial, was a joke. It was also not in our favor of getting released by noon. This commercial experience was a lesson learned why actors are hired to do commercials. The CEO kept messing up his lines and many of us believed that he got the script in a late e-mail the night before.
It got so bad to the point that both of the PA’s had to write down the script in BIG letters with magic marker on big cards for him to read as he walked and tried to pitch key words and phrases on his own company.
During all this all we had to do was walk back and forth as commuters around him. This may sound easy enough though we had one crazy old man with a horn in a powered wheel chair
attempting to mow some of us down and making vile attempts at slapping young girls butts. Pervert in a wheelchair basically.
We were eventually done by 3pm where at that point we were making $5 dollars an hour for the rate we were promised and the commission Jane. Though isn’t it worth it?? I ask you?
Well it’s about time I got booked on something from the fabulous "British Booker", Jane Blodwell since I signed on to her agency over a month ago. I got my information for this Sprint
commercial and I was told that this would be a short shoot and would wrap no later than noon. Well surprise surprise that we ended after 3pm!Our holding area was a camper parked outside a block away from Grand Central, so you suspect it not to be a long shoot. There were only a handful of extras on this shoot including my friend Kathy from Seacliff, Long Island, and Stewart.
The location to shoot was at Grand Central Station which you know is and always will be a mess to work there in terms of high traffic commuters. Shooting anything at Grand Central attracts spectators and curious people that snoop around to see what is shooting and what celebrity is involved.
Well when people found out that Julia Roberts wasn’t there and the only star was the CEO of
Sprint, people slowly moved along. The fact being that the CEO of Sprint, who is not only the spokesperson, but also the star of this commercial, was a joke. It was also not in our favor of getting released by noon. This commercial experience was a lesson learned why actors are hired to do commercials. The CEO kept messing up his lines and many of us believed that he got the script in a late e-mail the night before.It got so bad to the point that both of the PA’s had to write down the script in BIG letters with magic marker on big cards for him to read as he walked and tried to pitch key words and phrases on his own company.
During all this all we had to do was walk back and forth as commuters around him. This may sound easy enough though we had one crazy old man with a horn in a powered wheel chair
attempting to mow some of us down and making vile attempts at slapping young girls butts. Pervert in a wheelchair basically.We were eventually done by 3pm where at that point we were making $5 dollars an hour for the rate we were promised and the commission Jane. Though isn’t it worth it?? I ask you?
CA ;(
Thursday, August 14, 2008
THiS is FIOS. This IS BIG!
(Originally from August 7, 2008)
The biggest highlight or career thrill that I have had lately had to have been working on this Verizon Fios promo.
This wasn't the usual Verizon commercial where we sit around for 6 hours doing nothing and then they bring us 
to set. "Spock! What -is -this -FIOS??"
This guy is such a phenomenon and actually made an independent movie on handing out fliers. He is from Toronto and his real name is Mark Vistorino. I knew this guy when I was really young before I left Toronto to come to New York. I got my very first headshots done by him. Also one of my first sexual experiences. I also recall that he is someone who was SO out there, and eccentric, VERY interesting, and VERY hard to EVER forget. He was also the most self-destructive and mis-understood soul I ever came across. Though his relentless passion to become famous is perhaps something in my early influence that pushed me to come to New York in the first place to follow my dreams, which is why I am mentioning this at all. His energy and enthusiasm to hand out fliers was truly a sight. To think he made a successful career at handing out fliers. Guess anythings possible. Good for him. check out more on him go to:http://www.flyerman.com/pk2.html
...Back to Fios.... After about an hour of distributing the fliers, we get called back to our "command station" which was the holding area in Union Square area. We had lunch, which was a box lunch of sandwiches and wraps. Not a bad lunch considering how cheap Verizon commercials are these days for non-union.
Once lunch was done, all 300 of us were commissioned to go to the heart of Union Square to
demonstrate the Fios product. The demonstration was a success as we pretty much took over Union Square.
The way they had it set up was that they had two people hold up this wooden
frame with a hole in the middle to represent a TV Flat screen. So we were the background to represent the change of channels. There was this BIG guy (not as big as the remote) on the side pressing the buttons to indicate channel changes.
For instance if the guy pressed a button for Football we would start cheering, if they pressed another button for movies, we put our hands on our faces
to do the "home alone" look. Basically we were the TV and we were HDNY, with REAL digital effects! It was kind of cool. I tell you he should have changed the channel to the “O” channel for “Orgasm” b/c every time I was looking at that remote, I was feeling great! Again, who needs the Man, when you got the remote!
Our demonstration was interesting and I guess you could not have missed it being a passerby with all the people in one group doing Karate Chops simultaneously. However there was another demonstration just behind us which resulted in an NYPD arrest of this black guy trying to steal this salt and pepper shakers designed for drug use.
The rest of the day was a total wash-up, at least for the blue team. I was then sent to Bryant Park with my group. There was nothing to do or no point of handing out fliers there as there was a huge line wrapped around Bryant Park with kids and their families stationed and camping out for the Jonas Brothers Concert overnight for the next day.
I have to tell you this is the first time that I have even heard of the "Jonas Brothers".
Yet here were kids, ranging from age 8-14, all girls, with their parents waiting for this big event. I guess these "Jonas brothers" are similar to the group Menudo back in the days!
Since we had a cool group leader, we were told just to make ourselves scarce and be back by 7pm. So a couple of friends of mine went to this hair salon on 5th avenue. It was one of these hair salons where they really treat you like a princess and pamper you. We sat down and were offered drinks and used the internet. After all we needed a break. That remote can really wear you out.
Once we got our fill of the salon, it was time to move on to our next venture which was doing Yoga stretches on the 
lawn of Bryant Park. Yes, what better way to end an over-exerting day then to do a couple of Yoga stretches for the road.
As the day was winding down, we headed back to our command center at Union square and signed out. Now the fascination of the BIG remote was just merely a memory, a dream.
Sigh :(
The biggest highlight or career thrill that I have had lately had to have been working on this Verizon Fios promo.
This wasn't the usual Verizon commercial where we sit around for 6 hours doing nothing and then they bring us 
to set. "Spock! What -is -this -FIOS??" This was a promo and we were hired by a marketing company called "Two-dots" in California. 
The work was distributed thorough Barbra McNamara casting. As this was not a typical Verizon commercial, we had to do more paper work than usual. Drag! We had to join this agency and fill out "profile" forms on-line.
If that wasn't bad enough for computer illiterates, (insert computers for dummies) we had to print out and fax out W-9's (independent Contractor forms) out to California! Since I never fax anything, I kind of don't have a fax machine at home. I never fax anything these days. I felt like I needed an administrative assistant!
We started at 9am on Thursday morning. There were over 300 people lining up to find their name on their list and get situated. After I signed in as many of us do, we gravitate towards the side of the room where they had a breakfast of consisting mini-bagels,
mini muffins, and a big urn of coffee on the side. It was decent food, though the portions were small. I guess they don’t want too many “fatties” to represent their product!
After we feasted, we were then divided into groups with color coded wrist bands. The “Orange
group” 
was commissioned to wear the jumpsuits. I was assigned to the “Blue Team” and got the long sleeves cotton shirt which was great to wear in 90 degree day with humidity. I was ready willing and able to SWEAT!
The best "outfit" had to have been the humongous Remote
control with all these buttons on it.
The work was distributed thorough Barbra McNamara casting. As this was not a typical Verizon commercial, we had to do more paper work than usual. Drag! We had to join this agency and fill out "profile" forms on-line.If that wasn't bad enough for computer illiterates, (insert computers for dummies) we had to print out and fax out W-9's (independent Contractor forms) out to California! Since I never fax anything, I kind of don't have a fax machine at home. I never fax anything these days. I felt like I needed an administrative assistant!
We started at 9am on Thursday morning. There were over 300 people lining up to find their name on their list and get situated. After I signed in as many of us do, we gravitate towards the side of the room where they had a breakfast of consisting mini-bagels,
mini muffins, and a big urn of coffee on the side. It was decent food, though the portions were small. I guess they don’t want too many “fatties” to represent their product! After we feasted, we were then divided into groups with color coded wrist bands. The “Orange
group” 
was commissioned to wear the jumpsuits. I was assigned to the “Blue Team” and got the long sleeves cotton shirt which was great to wear in 90 degree day with humidity. I was ready willing and able to SWEAT!The best "outfit" had to have been the humongous Remote
control with all these buttons on it. In fact that remote should have been the winning prize for females who performed their duties the best. Who needs a Man when you got the remote? 
So many of us began fondling and stroking this beast of a remote. It was VERY fulfilling.
So many of us began fondling and stroking this beast of a remote. It was VERY fulfilling. I tell you that behemoth remote was my motivator. YES! OHH YES!!!
(Insert a few orgasms here) !!!
Once we got into our groups, we were quickly delegated throughout the city to various locations to distribute these fliers which advertised the promotion. You would think it is easy to hand out fliers though it gets exceedingly difficult with humidity and restless people
(especially around Wall Street) dodging you to avoid getting the flier.
Of course you get your overly ambitious people who want to hand out these fliers to everyone passing by and literally make you look bad for still having your first stack of fliers and they just went through 4 packs. Some people were just obnoxious placing these fliers on people’s tables that were sitting down and really couldn’t care less for any kind of flier as I’m sure they get fliers shoved in their face on a daily basis.
(Insert a few orgasms here) !!!
Once we got into our groups, we were quickly delegated throughout the city to various locations to distribute these fliers which advertised the promotion. You would think it is easy to hand out fliers though it gets exceedingly difficult with humidity and restless people
(especially around Wall Street) dodging you to avoid getting the flier.Of course you get your overly ambitious people who want to hand out these fliers to everyone passing by and literally make you look bad for still having your first stack of fliers and they just went through 4 packs. Some people were just obnoxious placing these fliers on people’s tables that were sitting down and really couldn’t care less for any kind of flier as I’m sure they get fliers shoved in their face on a daily basis.
Some guys were being a smart ass and put a stack of fliers in the postman's bag. Others offered 
the fliers to anyone including a homeless strolling by with their cart.
the fliers to anyone including a homeless strolling by with their cart. 
This guy is such a phenomenon and actually made an independent movie on handing out fliers. He is from Toronto and his real name is Mark Vistorino. I knew this guy when I was really young before I left Toronto to come to New York. I got my very first headshots done by him. Also one of my first sexual experiences. I also recall that he is someone who was SO out there, and eccentric, VERY interesting, and VERY hard to EVER forget. He was also the most self-destructive and mis-understood soul I ever came across. Though his relentless passion to become famous is perhaps something in my early influence that pushed me to come to New York in the first place to follow my dreams, which is why I am mentioning this at all. His energy and enthusiasm to hand out fliers was truly a sight. To think he made a successful career at handing out fliers. Guess anythings possible. Good for him. check out more on him go to:http://www.flyerman.com/pk2.html...Back to Fios.... After about an hour of distributing the fliers, we get called back to our "command station" which was the holding area in Union Square area. We had lunch, which was a box lunch of sandwiches and wraps. Not a bad lunch considering how cheap Verizon commercials are these days for non-union.
Once lunch was done, all 300 of us were commissioned to go to the heart of Union Square to
demonstrate the Fios product. The demonstration was a success as we pretty much took over Union Square.The way they had it set up was that they had two people hold up this wooden
frame with a hole in the middle to represent a TV Flat screen. So we were the background to represent the change of channels. There was this BIG guy (not as big as the remote) on the side pressing the buttons to indicate channel changes.For instance if the guy pressed a button for Football we would start cheering, if they pressed another button for movies, we put our hands on our faces
to do the "home alone" look. Basically we were the TV and we were HDNY, with REAL digital effects! It was kind of cool. I tell you he should have changed the channel to the “O” channel for “Orgasm” b/c every time I was looking at that remote, I was feeling great! Again, who needs the Man, when you got the remote!Our demonstration was interesting and I guess you could not have missed it being a passerby with all the people in one group doing Karate Chops simultaneously. However there was another demonstration just behind us which resulted in an NYPD arrest of this black guy trying to steal this salt and pepper shakers designed for drug use.
The rest of the day was a total wash-up, at least for the blue team. I was then sent to Bryant Park with my group. There was nothing to do or no point of handing out fliers there as there was a huge line wrapped around Bryant Park with kids and their families stationed and camping out for the Jonas Brothers Concert overnight for the next day.
I have to tell you this is the first time that I have even heard of the "Jonas Brothers".
Yet here were kids, ranging from age 8-14, all girls, with their parents waiting for this big event. I guess these "Jonas brothers" are similar to the group Menudo back in the days!Since we had a cool group leader, we were told just to make ourselves scarce and be back by 7pm. So a couple of friends of mine went to this hair salon on 5th avenue. It was one of these hair salons where they really treat you like a princess and pamper you. We sat down and were offered drinks and used the internet. After all we needed a break. That remote can really wear you out.
Once we got our fill of the salon, it was time to move on to our next venture which was doing Yoga stretches on the 
lawn of Bryant Park. Yes, what better way to end an over-exerting day then to do a couple of Yoga stretches for the road.As the day was winding down, we headed back to our command center at Union square and signed out. Now the fascination of the BIG remote was just merely a memory, a dream.
Sigh :(
Saturday, August 9, 2008
On the set of Lipstick Jungle
(originally from August 1, 2008)
I got a call from out of the blue from Grant Wilfley Casting to work on NBC’s “Lipstick Jungle” starring Brooke Shields. 
Wow she came a long way. The last time I heard of her was when she was on the Oprah show
discussing her post-partem depression and how Tom Cruise is just a "Scientologist jerk" for jumping on Oprahs couches !
I got a call from out of the blue from Grant Wilfley Casting to work on NBC’s “Lipstick Jungle” starring Brooke Shields. 
Wow she came a long way. The last time I heard of her was when she was on the Oprah show
discussing her post-partem depression and how Tom Cruise is just a "Scientologist jerk" for jumping on Oprahs couches !
This show was in hiatus since last year from the writers’ strike. Here is the blurb on Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipstick_Jungle_(TV_series) In my opinion this is just another “Sex in the City”!
The scene that I was hired to do was for a formal for a "faux" fundraiser event for Autism.
Since this was to be a high society “who’s who “type of gala, we had to dress for the part. Upon being booked I was informed that I would need to bring a gown. I told casting that I had a dress, even though they only requested pastel color, no black and white gown which is the one I have.
So I went to the local Thrift store here in Queens. Since I gained some weight I was afraid that I would not find a dress that would fit me well. By sheer luck and chance I found a dress that was not only the right color, though it was the right size!!! I was SO happy; I rushed home and got myself ready for the long night ahead.
On the call in to get the information it says to get there “hair and make-up ready!” I was like” I don’t think so!!!!!!!” Are you kidding, they want you to get to set, which is located 4 blocks
from Crack-infested/ghetto East Harlem and wear a gown. Not only that, but the day was really humid and just to roam around the city in rush hour with a
formal dress on is unbelievable! 
I found out later that the SAG got a message to come in street clothes and change when they got to holding. It really IS upsetting how you get treated like garbage being non-union. What happened next really made me angry and proved how being in the union gives you rights. Non-union you have NO rights at all!
I barely got to set and was about 10 minutes late. The reason was b/c there was a stalled train at 59th Street Lexington
avenue lines. The only way to get to E.103rd stop is via the 6 train. A few other people came after me, making them about 20 minutes late. I got to the check in line and was safe.
The scene that I was hired to do was for a formal for a "faux" fundraiser event for Autism.
Since this was to be a high society “who’s who “type of gala, we had to dress for the part. Upon being booked I was informed that I would need to bring a gown. I told casting that I had a dress, even though they only requested pastel color, no black and white gown which is the one I have.
So I went to the local Thrift store here in Queens. Since I gained some weight I was afraid that I would not find a dress that would fit me well. By sheer luck and chance I found a dress that was not only the right color, though it was the right size!!! I was SO happy; I rushed home and got myself ready for the long night ahead.On the call in to get the information it says to get there “hair and make-up ready!” I was like” I don’t think so!!!!!!!” Are you kidding, they want you to get to set, which is located 4 blocks
from Crack-infested/ghetto East Harlem and wear a gown. Not only that, but the day was really humid and just to roam around the city in rush hour with a
formal dress on is unbelievable! 
I found out later that the SAG got a message to come in street clothes and change when they got to holding. It really IS upsetting how you get treated like garbage being non-union. What happened next really made me angry and proved how being in the union gives you rights. Non-union you have NO rights at all!
I barely got to set and was about 10 minutes late. The reason was b/c there was a stalled train at 59th Street Lexington
avenue lines. The only way to get to E.103rd stop is via the 6 train. A few other people came after me, making them about 20 minutes late. I got to the check in line and was safe.A few people, actually 20 people who also took the same route as I did, ended up with the same delay and ended up coming a few minutes later. They got to the check in line and were ALL dismissed! The P.A. said that they (Grant Wilfley) overbooked. What a crock of shit!!!!
So you can imagine how pissed off these people were. I knew about 4 of the people being sent home. If that happened to me I would raise bloody hell! For one thing, they were only 20 minutes late, not an hour! Of course all the people sent home were non-Sag. How convenient was that to make the SAG’s call in time for 5:30pm, an hour before it really gets crazy on the trains, and have non-SAG sign in, hair and makeup ready! I really can’t wait to become SAG
to stop being treated like this.
I had to get myself ready and put on the dress that I just bought hours ago. I actually got a lot of compliments about the dress which made me feel good. After getting dressed, we all had to go through this endless line for hair and makeup. It took long, though once you got into the chair; it made you feel special having your makeup and hair done by a professional.
So you can imagine how pissed off these people were. I knew about 4 of the people being sent home. If that happened to me I would raise bloody hell! For one thing, they were only 20 minutes late, not an hour! Of course all the people sent home were non-Sag. How convenient was that to make the SAG’s call in time for 5:30pm, an hour before it really gets crazy on the trains, and have non-SAG sign in, hair and makeup ready! I really can’t wait to become SAG
to stop being treated like this.I had to get myself ready and put on the dress that I just bought hours ago. I actually got a lot of compliments about the dress which made me feel good. After getting dressed, we all had to go through this endless line for hair and makeup. It took long, though once you got into the chair; it made you feel special having your makeup and hair done by a professional.
My makeup person was outstanding and the hair person was magnificent! My hair person was this gay black man from Nashville and he didn’t just style my hair, he sculpted it. In fact he was a sculptor and he managed to make my drab hair look like a million bucks!
Finally got to set and they had this gorgeous set for this high society fundraiser scene. Everyone was divinely dressed and everything was perfect. There were beautiful arrangements of flowers and shrubbery in an outdoor park setting.
They even had an elaborate water fountain in the middle to tie in as the centerpiece of this elegant party. To add to the atmosphere there were Clowns, Musicians and stilt walkers. It truly was an event and this is what a party out in the Hamptons must be like.
The night ended up being really long and after wearing those dresses and shoes for hours standing up, your feet really start to hurt. It was so bad that when we finally got a break, we took our shoes off and ran out of central park through the dirty streets, around the corner back to holding in bare feet! You get to a point you really don’t care anymore.
It gets really difficult to stay in character just to stand around for hours doing nothing. When they did finally come around to tape you, they did the same scene over and over again. “Cut, back to one!” Re-set! I got to the point as did a few other ladies where we didn’t want to volunteer to be in the scene and sat down on the bench. One elderly Woman was not as lucky as she was standing by a little cocktail table and ended up fainting, not once but twice!
The only thing that saved her from falling and hitting her head on the concrete was this man who was her partner in the scene and managed to catch her in time. Within seconds, the on-set medic came up to her to assist. Shortly after the Police were on set and the EMS came
and took her away on a stretcher.
All while this is going on, the director is oblivious to this and continues shooting a scene.
We found out later that the Woman was okay and was just tired and dehydrated. One they gave her some food and water she revived. After the Sag rep came on set, things changed
rapidly and they began giving out water out by the case to everyone to avoid another person fainting or getting sick.
It’s amazing how they wait until something happens before they will take the initiative to prevent something like this happening in the first place. It’s amazing how hungry they are to get the shot done that they will
“Starve” everyone just to get it to perfection!
This show may make it, as it premieres this fall. However, in my experience over kill always ends up in disaster. They want perfection and the most elaborate sets and scenes and will end killing someone one day.
Amazing!
CA ;)
Finally got to set and they had this gorgeous set for this high society fundraiser scene. Everyone was divinely dressed and everything was perfect. There were beautiful arrangements of flowers and shrubbery in an outdoor park setting.
They even had an elaborate water fountain in the middle to tie in as the centerpiece of this elegant party. To add to the atmosphere there were Clowns, Musicians and stilt walkers. It truly was an event and this is what a party out in the Hamptons must be like.
The night ended up being really long and after wearing those dresses and shoes for hours standing up, your feet really start to hurt. It was so bad that when we finally got a break, we took our shoes off and ran out of central park through the dirty streets, around the corner back to holding in bare feet! You get to a point you really don’t care anymore.
It gets really difficult to stay in character just to stand around for hours doing nothing. When they did finally come around to tape you, they did the same scene over and over again. “Cut, back to one!” Re-set! I got to the point as did a few other ladies where we didn’t want to volunteer to be in the scene and sat down on the bench. One elderly Woman was not as lucky as she was standing by a little cocktail table and ended up fainting, not once but twice!
The only thing that saved her from falling and hitting her head on the concrete was this man who was her partner in the scene and managed to catch her in time. Within seconds, the on-set medic came up to her to assist. Shortly after the Police were on set and the EMS came
and took her away on a stretcher.
All while this is going on, the director is oblivious to this and continues shooting a scene.We found out later that the Woman was okay and was just tired and dehydrated. One they gave her some food and water she revived. After the Sag rep came on set, things changed
rapidly and they began giving out water out by the case to everyone to avoid another person fainting or getting sick.It’s amazing how they wait until something happens before they will take the initiative to prevent something like this happening in the first place. It’s amazing how hungry they are to get the shot done that they will
“Starve” everyone just to get it to perfection!This show may make it, as it premieres this fall. However, in my experience over kill always ends up in disaster. They want perfection and the most elaborate sets and scenes and will end killing someone one day.
Amazing!
CA ;)
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