WOW! Sounds like a day from hell!! But the pay sounds nice! I love seeing the checks roll in from 3 consecutive 14 hour days..SAG wages plus overtime. NICE
Those are always nice. On "Pushing Tin', it was like 12 straight consecutive weeks of 14 hr days. What's really cool is when you're crewing and doing double-duty, as Stand-In AND photo double. You're essentially looking at being considered on the clock X's 2, and both clocks are running simultaneously. Kaching! $$$$
I remember one film where we were out on location in the country, and we could never get the shot we needed cause it would always start raining, and when it was sunny enough to get the shot, the star was needed elsewhere and was wearing the costume we needed for the shot. So we would have to wait until she wrapped out the scene that needed the costume. But by then, it would start raining, and we could never get the shot. It was hilarious. I'd been making double pay, every day for doing the double duty. Finally on our last day at he location when the star wasn't gonna be waering that particular costume that we needed for the shot, they decided 2nd unit would shoot it and we'd just use a photo double on a long shot. So they hired another photo double for the day to keep me as stand-In on main unit, and she would go off with 2nd unit. Well the photo- double they hired, couldn't fit into the costume. {LOL} That producer was so mad we had been operating up til then on only one costume, and that for the lack of a $20 costume it was costing production an extra couple thousand a week. {LOL} So at the last minute, they ended up having to pull me off stand-In on main unit, and had me go off to 2nd unit to get the shot, so we could wrap out that location before heading back into the studio that afternoon. Then I was back on StandIn, ...and yet another double-duty paypay!
. When I got on the wardrobe truck to retrieve the costume, the wardrobe dept was literally shaking. HA!
I guess you can compare it to any job...its got its good days, and bad.
It all depends on your job category for the day. On that show, being a performer was cool, cause it just meant more overtime, and it wasn't your problem. You could sit back and be amused. It you're working crew... that's a whole nother story. It would be entertaining watching the crew light into each other.
"You frikkin idiot, I can't believe you left him alone. He's like a 2 yr. old, you can't leave alone for a split second". or
"It wasn't my fault. He snuck away from me. You know what he's like" The really hilarious part was watching them all try to stall and cover up for the fact that they didn't know where he was. then they'd frantically get out the list of bars, and start dialling. {lol} Then when they'd find him, they'd all be falling all over themselves trying not to notice the fact that he was falling over, slurring his words and completely tanked. In the middle of a take, ...he'd be bursting out into some drinking song, and we'd have to go again. {LOL} It was always entertaining. You'd routinely check the call sheets to see if he was in that day, ...and if he was, ...you knew you were in for plenty of overtime, and plenty of entertainment. As a crew member, it was your nightmare, because despite everything, you still had to do your job, ...and it was YOUR ass, if you couldn't. That meant if he burst out into song during a take, you would catch heat for not being able to maintain quiet on the set. And it drove the guest directors absolutely bonkers! He was executive producer and couldn't be fired. I hated working crew unless I was in a job category covered under the ACTORs contract. ACTRA rates & working conditions were much better than IATSE or NABET.
Cant beat the REALLY GOOD DAY I had when I'm running lines in hair and makeup (for a guest spot I got) and Sally Field walks in and sits in the chair next to me. Talk about tongue tied!! She had a few scenes in the same show.
I know the feeling. I'm usually blasé about stars, ...but when I met Sophia Loren, I was awed & had butterflies.
I do remember one time I was at a production company for a wardrobe fitting for an upcoming scene in a new movie being prepped. I was behind the curtain in the costume designer's office, when I hear this voice outside the curtain asking 'Is it OK if i come in'? I assumed it was the costumer designer or one of her assistants. I said sure no problem. Well who walks in, ...but the STAR of one of the movies that production company was just finishing up. It was the same costume designer for both, who was also getting fitted. The star walked in and started talking off her clothes.
. It totally freaked me out. I mean... she was the star, and she was getting naked in front of me. I started getting dressed a little faster so I could hightail it outta there. It wouldn't have bothered me if it was just another actress, ...but she was the STAR, ...and I was thinking I was about to step into the caca for infringing on her privacy. {LOL}. But she was actually pretty cool, laid back & down to earth.