SAG Overtime Rocks my Checking Account!

About six weeks ago I complained about the horrendous overtime I worked on a commercial shoot. That was before I knew what a nice paycheck all that overtime would yield on a shoot adhering to Screen Actors Guild rules. I'm not saying that I suddenly decided I enjoyed the sixteen-hour day (or nineteen-hour day including drive time), but I'd do it again for that amount of money. My financial and time investments into getting a talent agent have payed off. (Yes, my lovely, hardworking agents secured this job for me.) I've broken even. Hallelujah!

The oddest part of this adventure into SAG-Overtime-Land is that no one will see me in the commercial. At best I'll be a blur in the background - a very expensive blur.

I'm happy to have the money, but I'm sure whoever got stuck with all the unexpected expenditures of that (out of control and way over budget) commercial shoot is not at all happy to pay the many people involved in the project. The lesson: don't make actors and crew do the time if you can't pay for your crime. Sheriff SAG patrols these here parts, and he suffers no fools.

So That's What it Feels Like

I finally had a good, no, a great commercial audition! I tried out for two different roles in a series of commercials. The first role went well enough, but I had a little trouble with the second role. The casting director (one that scares the bejeezus out of me) gave a few constructive notes and sent me back out to the hallway to work. Fifteen minutes later I marched back into the audition room and nailed it! The uber-intimidating casting director smiled big (the first time I've seen this person smile genuinely) and said, "Great job! Nice adjustment!" I was so pleased, I gave a "woo!" of joy right there in the room.

I did not get the part (unless they're waiting four weeks to announce casting), but having a great commercial audition raised my confidence for-sure. And that casting director no longer scares the bejeezus out of me. I'm all for constructive direction!

Not at all Glamorous

Late Sunday evening, I got a call from my agent that I booked a role as a customer for a national SAG commercial. Score! I'd need to drive 90 miles each way to another city for the shoot, but I'd be reimbursed for mileage. Great! I got an email letting me know when I needed to be where and what type of clothes to bring. Can do!

A mere twelve hours after my agent's phone call, I arrived at the location and was directed into a parking spot. I signed in and did my paperwork. One of the production ladies told me that the call time was pushed back half an hour, didn't I get the message?, no, oh well. My first half hour would be unpaid. No big! I asked about my mileage reimbursement. The Production Assistant and the Production Coordinator whispered to each other that I would not be eligible for mileage money, but they never bothered to answer me directly.

Then I sat in an air-conditioned trailer for about ten hours chatting with other cast and crew members, reading a magazine cover-to-cover, drinking water, nibbling stale pretzels and texting my husband about how bored I was.

Finally I was ushered to the set. I rehearsed the short scene a few times. Then the director decided he didn't like what I was wearing, and sent me with the wardrobe lady to change clothes. He wanted me in a style of clothes completely different from all the clothes I was instructed to bring, and had lugged into the wardrobe room. Thank goodness the wardrobe ladies were prepared for such contingencies and steamed the wrinkles out of an outfit for me. Thank goodness the outfit fit my curvy figure. I had to leave the itchy price-tags attached and tucked into the clothes against my skin, so that the wardrobe peeps can return the worn clothes when the shoot is over. Ewww.

I went back to set, where the director approved of the new outfit. I spent half an hour walking back and forth pretending to admire goods in the store. Because the shoot was running so far behind schedule, and because the sun had set, super-bright lights were employed to make it look like daytime. The super-bright lights inspired lots of sweat and high temperatures. When sound is being recorded, the air-conditioners and fans must be turned off so as not to interfere with the sound. Cue more sweat.

After finishing my scene, I exited the sweaty set to get a cold drink and cool off. Within ten minutes, a Production Assistant was sent to wrangle me back into the sweaty room, where I was instructed to sit and wait out of view and out of the way in case they needed me again. So I sat. And sat. And sat. For another four hours. Finally one of the guys who actually gave a hoot about the budget asked why I, along with two other actors, were still there. Could we go? Hold on. They'll check. Ten minutes later, we were allowed to leave. I put my own clothes back on my body. I lugged all of my clothes, shoes and accessories back to my car. None of the strong men standing around offered to help me. I got in my car and drove 90 miles home, singing loudly with all the AC vents pointed at my face to stay awake.

Making commercials, movies and TV shows is not at all glamorous. Red carpet events and movie premieres are only about 1% of the job and only for the top 1% of celebrities. You've been warned, aspiring actors and crew.

Friend in Common/Awful Audition

Today's audition was of the commercial variety. (Faithful readers know how much I loathe commercial auditions.) The maker of a high-tech medical gizmo wants video of a spokesperson inviting medical professionals into their booth at trade shows. Since I am not currently a medical professional, and never have been, I spent a while googling all the medical jargon and the gizmo. I figured out what was what in the script and memorized the 3/4 page of copy.

I showed up for the audition today feeling fine. While I waited for my turn, I noticed the casting lady eyeballing me every time she came out into the waiting area. This is a new casting lady that I'd never met before. When I got into the actual audition room, the casting lady introduced herself. She said I looked soooo familiar to her and that my name was also familiar. We spent a few minutes figuring out that we have a fancy producer/director friend in common. This fancy friend forwarded my headshot and acting résumé to the casting lady a few months ago. Thanks so much, fancy friend!

Then I started my audition for the medical gizmo. I stumbled over my words and said the multi-letter, multi-number product name incorrectly. I got all kinds of nervous and generally gave the worst audition of my life. The casting lady was super-nice about it and gave me a second chance, which was also awful. By the time she said, "cut", for my audition tape, all I could do was smile at her sheepishly and say, "I'm sorry." She smiled and said not to worry about it. She said she would tell our fancy friend that she finally got to meet me. Great... I hope she doesn't tell him how utterly dreadful my audition was. Blerg.

It's a Boy!

Last Thursday's audition went well. I did not get the part, but I did get in front of the casting folks for the new ABC television series My Generation which films in my hometown. This is a win-win situation that I didn't get the part actually, because if I had gotten the part, I would have to act like I was having a baby (one of the male leads for the show). I've never given birth to a baby, but the casting ladies said I did a great job in my audition. I hope that now that they have met me, they will remember me when a part comes along that I might be good for that does NOT involve me acting like I'm giving birth.

Positive Energy

I don't like to jinx things. Loyal readers, please send me happy thoughts Thursday around 1:00 PM Central Time. I have an audition. It's not for a commercial. I'll divulge more after the audition.

I'm also just emerging from a miserable stomach bug. Ugh. I'm gonna get lots of rest Wednesday while I prepare for the audition.

I want to take a second and wish all of you well in your endeavors! Break a leg! Best wishes! Go get 'em, Tiger! Whether you're job-hunting (Ms. J), auditioning, pitching a big proposal or have an adult league kickball game (Ms. R), I hope it goes well and you have some fun in the process or at least gain some interesting anecdotes.

Group hug! No? Maybe next time.

Finally!

I've broken the infinite loop of annoyance in regards to the casting website! It took quite a bit of sleuthing on my part to unravel the tangled misdirections. Luckily, I have lots of experience playing the detective in those dinner mystery shows I do.

The very nice casting director misspelled my last name when adding me to the website. Even though I corrected the misspelling, my name did not appear correctly. I had to create a whole new account with the correct spelling.

My agency sent me their code for the website in all lower-case letters. The code did not work. After several frustrating attempts to log on to the website, I tried the code in all capital letters. Success! Access granted!

Creating the new account, updating my résumé and uploading photos took about three hours. Troubleshooting this whole mess of where my account disappeared to and why the website would not admit me took four hours and many, many curse words.

Anyone who says that acting is not work is a misinformed fool.