It is never too late to be replaced.

I've waited a little while on this post since productions are so careful with letting secrets out, but I thought I should share this.

I did a background gig the other day for a re-shoot.  The reason for the re-shoot?  The actor sucked.  The actor was so bad that they were re-shooting all of his scenes - without any of the other actors that were in them.  So basically we were recreating as best we could what they already had and using stand ins for the other actors while the person's replacement came in and performed the role.  So for all of you that were wondering you can be replaced not only after you get the role, but after you perform it too. 

Speaking of stand ins, I had a gig yesterday for Dancing with the Stars where I was a stand in for one of the contestants.  They didn't tell me which one since the list wasn't out yet.  I did get to sit/stand on the real set they are going to use though, so that was fun.  Plus I got to do the walk out and wave at the audience and answer questions from the judges.  It was good practice.  I've had people say to me that extra work isn't real acting, etc., but honestly you learn a ton doing it.  Plus just feeling comfortable on a stage or in front of the camera is incredibly important and not something you are going to pick up in a class room.  Not to mention learning how to behave on a set.  So any of you actors out there that want to do more than theater, I highly recommend spending some time doing extra work.  The experience will be invaluable.

Variety is the spice of life

So I have a cute kitten calender on my wall which I use to track jobs and parties, so as you can imagine, it is quite full.  In August alone I have worked on 12 different sets.  In fact since I have moved to LA, not counting multiple day jobs, only twice have I ever worked on the same show.  I really like it because you never know what you are going to get.  It is true that a lot of the sets do things very similarly and I have even worked with the same ADs and PAs on different sets, but the day as a whole is different every time.  I attribute this uniqueness to the people involved.  The right people can make or break a 12 hour day. 

I've actually gotten to the point where I would much rather have a day of work than a day off.  A day of work means socializing, feeling accomplished, free food.  A day off means movies and video games, trying to motivate and checking my bank account.  I wish I had jumped into this work sooner when I arrived because I think it would have really staved off a lot of the depression I was feeling from the move.  Plus I was motivated to explore the city back then, now I'm slipping too much into a routine.  Hopefully I can shift away from that soon.

So it is hot in the Valley.  I'm sure you knew that already.  What I didn't realize is how much the heat de-motivates.  I'm used to winter and the snow keeping people inside, I didn't realize the heat would do the same thing.  Also the constant roar of the AC is akin to the heaters of winter I am used to.  I think I may start mall walking with the old folks just to get out more.

I know all of you are dying to hear more about my dating life, but it is pretty non-existent right now.  LA friends just don't stick the way that SF friends do and since my most successful dating percentage is from drawing on the friends of friends pool, things have dried up.  I also think I don't put myself out there as much here because that is just the environment I am surrounded by.  I know I should rise up and ignore my surroundings, but my support system isn't strong enough yet.

So most of my friends are either gone or about to be gone to Burningman.  I didn't go this year because of money.  I am ok with not going, but it is hard to resist the desire to go with all my friends getting so excited with anticipation.  Plus now I have to hear all their stories about how amazing it was when they get back and I'm pretty sure there is going to be some exaggeration for effect...

Here is to moving energy.

Stay dry family!
Chris

Getting Paid

Some people have been asking me lately about how you get paid for extra work and since I happen to have 3 different checks in front of me, I thought now might be a good time to answer some questions.

Check one is from Cast & Crew Talent Services and is for $148.58.  Not bad for one days work, right?  Because I am part of AFTRA, anytime I work an AFTRA job I have a base rate of $147 for 8 hours or less of work.  So if you look at the number above, you can see that I worked a little over time that day.  Don't get thrown by the name on the check, the job was for Icarly and happened a few weeks ago.  Usually you get paid a week or two later unless a company is really on it or really not on it.  The people writing the check are a financial service that the production uses.  There are several different services, but most of my checks come from Entertainment Partners.

Check number 2 comes from, well look at that, Entertainment Partners.  It is for $58.41.  Hmm...  not so good after all.  This was for a SAG production.  Because I'm not part of SAG I get paid at the non-union base rate; $64/8 hours.   For any of you doing the math, stop and realize you don't know how to calculate the taxes.  An interesting fact about this check is I actually got a $5 smoke bump.  A bump is where they pay you money because of an extenuating circumstance.  In this case we happened to be in a garage with smoke machines going.  The amount of money you get is based on your union status and what the circumstance is.  Sometimes you hear stories of extras having to fight for their bumps, but I find for the most part they hand them out without saying much. 

The third check is from BTL Production Services and is for $87.56.  This was a ten and a half hour day on a non-union set at the $64/8 base rate.  After 8 hours of work the rate goes to time and a half.  This is how most non-union background stay afloat, because typically work days are long.  Pre-taxes I made $64 in the first 8 hours and $30 in the last 2.5.  Every time you go to a set as an extra you will hear people say the same thing, they either want a super short day or a very long day. 

So there are some examples of how I get paid.  Any questions?

In other news, I've worked on House, my mom's favorite tv show, Chuck, my guilty pleasure show, CSI: NY, a Nickelodeon commercial, The protector and House of Lies lately.  All pretty good days and much easier now that I'm not sick anymore.  My only regret is that I barely got used on House so can't tell my Mom any good stories.

Off to deposit my checks!  Bye!

Some down time.

So I worked a full day at Nickelodeon Friday, but since then have had days off.  Truth be told, it has been pretty boring.  I was still recovering from the flu, so the weekend was spent resting, outside of a quick trip to a vegan food truck that was parked at a bar.  I didn't have a drink if you were curious.  I kind of don't like drinking.  In my mind bars would be better if that served varieties of caffeine and sugar, but I guess those are called cafes.

I went up Runyan Canyon today.  I did the easy loop since I don't want to risk getting sick again.  I like that place a lot.  It includes hiking, exercise and people watching.  It made me wish I lived in that neighborhood and could just walk there.  As it is, it is about 15-20min drive for me.  That is actually close by LA standards, but still farther than I want to go.  Of course I would need to be earning a much better living to live next to that park, but hopefully that will happen for me.

I think that I am going to start to be a bit more aggressive in meeting and hanging out with people.  I have sort of fallen in a rut with meeting new people.  I mean I meet them at work and stuff, but I have a wall up that I didn't used to have.  I'm becoming a bit conservative I think, which definitely takes away from the fun side of life.  I don't think I'm naturally a conservative person, as is evidenced by my slew of facebook pictures, but I do tend to over think things and in that over thinking keep myself from acting. 

I have strayed away from my meditation.  I got to the point where I was feeling good and didn't feel like I needed it, so then let it fade away and then came upon a time when I wasn't feeling as good and forgot all about it. 

I have been in the mood for a date in the classic sense lately.  It has been a long time since I have had one of those.  Not quite sure how to go about it.  Happily I have earned some money lately, so won't spend the entire date wondering how much money I am spending.

Working on CSI: NY tomorrow, which is pretty funny since it has been less than a week since I was on CSI: LV. 

and I'm off...,
Chris

Irony

Irony is finally having things to write about in your blog and not having the time to write them down.

The above is a picture from tonight's shoot for the show Unusual Suspects.  I played a forensic detective.  We were all extras since it was one of those re-enactment shows without much of a budget.  The scene above is the group of us huddled in holding around the one light that was there and a coffee pot.  The man sitting in the middle right was the groundskeeper for the school who decided to join us.  He made us turkish/armenian coffee and told stories. 

Yesterday I had a very different experience.  I worked on the show Bones on the Fox/20th Century lot.  There were at least 25 people hired just to be walking around on the street while the scene took place inside a diner.  It was an 8 hour day and two scenes were filmed.  Today was an 11 hour day, there were about 15 of us total including the crew and we filmed what will amount to about 50-75% of the show. 

It is funny because I've adjusted to the machine here and was actually complaining a bit about the low budget shoot today, but it is on those low budget shoots that you have those unique experiences that keep life interesting. 

Tomorrow I work CSI as a detective, which is nice because it means I won't have to change out my packed wardrobe very much.  Friday I have something for Nickelodeon, but I don't know what exactly yet.  Last Friday I had a photo shoot stand in job, which if you can get it, is super easy money.  At least it was the day I worked.

I'm still fighting the flu.  I feel a bit better every day and much better since Saturday, but it continues to linger when I think it should just be done.

The ratings continue to shift in the girls I could be dating, but instead are just on a mental list list, however the top contenders remain unchanged.

I am starting to run into the same people on different shoots now.  I like it because I'm pretty selective of who I get to know well on a shoot, so I'm always happy to see a person I remember.

Home at 2:30am, leaving for work at 2pm.  Not to bad I guess.

peaches and,
Chris