The luck of the draw. OR They are out to get you.

So I know a lot of you out there already know that their is a lot of luck involved in getting work in the acting world.  What you may not realize is that luck can work both ways:

I got up at 5:30am for a 6:45am call in Santa Clarita today.  I have been giving myself 30 minutes to get ready in the morning even though that is cutting it a little close because I usually give myself a little buffer time in the drive time also.  Today I was that much slower or my car was parked that much farther or way that I was cutting it a little close on making my call time.  I was still going to be a few minutes early, but had anything gone wrong or I got lost, it would have been bad. 

I pull up to my 2nd to last turn according to the GPS.  The same GPS that I had let auto fill the address and hadn't double checked because I was running a little late and tired.  It was a long stop light and while I was looking down at my paper to double check any last minute instructions in the directions my mirror steamed over.  The light turned green just as I looked up and I cranked the defrost and bent my head down to see much like my Grandmother used to when she drove, except that she did it all the time.  As the window started clearing I was told to make another turn.  I couldn't see the road sign nor the sign of the building I had just passed.  This was an industrial area so the buildings were big and the addresses far apart.  The GPS then mumbled something about my destination being on the left, but I didn't see anything.  Sure, there was a building, but no bright yellow sign with the shows name on it pointing me in the right direction.  I pulled over to the right and looked at my GPS.  The auto fill function didn't list the address, just the street I was on.  I pulled out my paper again and inserted the full address in the GPS.  Four right turns later I was back to wear I had started.  Except now my mirror was steam free and I saw cars in a parking lot to the left.  I entered the driveway and parked near the other cars. 

"Is this (name removed)?" I asked.

I got the younger man's confirmation and proceeded to get out and get my things together.  Soon after about 8 more cars pulled up.  Each of them asked the same question I had.  No one knew where the white van that was supposed to take us to set was.  Most stayed in their cars for warmth. 

I felt like something was wrong.  I knew I wouldn't get in trouble since there were so many of us sitting there, but I still felt like we were in the wrong place.  The parking lot was in the shape of a giant L.  So big that from the end of the L we were on, we couldn't see the other end.  More cars pulled in and I decided to take action.  I took a quick jog to the middle and there at the other end I saw what I thought might be a white van.  I came back and discussed it and we sent a woman who was already in her car to go check.  She confirmed it was for us and in a scene that could have been in it's a Mad mad mad mad mad (how many are there?) world, we ran for our cars and took off for the van.

Arriving safely at set me formed a line and got our vouchers.  It should be noted that these vouchers were not pre-filled out with our names.  Next up was wardrobe.  I was playing a lawyer and had worn my gray suit, which almost always gets approved by wardrobe.  This time was no different.  Next up was breakfast.

I grabbed my standard eggs and bacon and sat down to eat.  People were friendly and I chatted it up with some people.  We talked about the parking thing and how there were no signs, etc..  We had all been late to our official call times, so I started to wonder if the casting agency had called in search of me.  I glanced at my phone and saw a missed call from a number I didn't know.  I listened to the voicemail and confirmed it was from casting wondering where I was.  This would normally not be a big deal since sometimes they jump the gun with the calling, but when I asked around to the other actors if they had received similar calls, they had not.  I was a little concerned.  I tried calling the casting agency back, but their office that I had called the day before wasn't open yet and I hadn't listened to the voicemail long enough to get the call back number.  I decided to go ask the PA who had checked us in.

As I approached the check in table, now a good 20 minutes since I had received my voucher, and saw the PA on the phone.  He was looking at a piece of paper and talking about replacing 3 background actors that had presumably not shown up or cancelled last minute.  I looked down at the paper and saw a bunch of names with check marks next to them.  My name did not have a check mark next to it.  I pointed at my name and then at myself. 

A woman was standing next to the PA and said, "That's you?". 

I agreed to the fact and mentioned I had been there a while already.  The PA caught on and started to explain the need for only 2 replacements to the man on the other end of the phone line.

A few minutes later as I sat in holding the PA came in and asked me if I had been to wardrobe.  I said that I had and he told me they didn't remember me.  My reply that I was just that good of a background actor was met with much laughter, but internally I was starting to feel some concern.  Have I really become that unnoticeable?  Do I blend in that well?  I mean I want to be good at my job, but it would be nice to also act in the foreground one of these days.  For the rest of the day (which was thankfully short) I became known as the guy that no one remembers seeing.

Not too long after we were moved to another holding area.  The AC was going full blast in the studio and we were all cold, so some of us went outside.  I delayed my departure to check some emails.  When I made it to the hallway I considered going left to the bathroom, but decided I didn't have to go that bad and made a right out into the sunlight.  I was met by the PA and a wardrobe person.  The PA once again had his trusty piece of paper.  They were talking about changing someone into different clothes for a different scene.  There weren't a lot of details, but somehow by virtue of me standing there, I became that person.  There was some debate about timing and I was rushed off to wardrobe to try on jeans and a shirts and some shoes.  I had heard there was a construction scene, so I assumed it was for that.  I didn't get any real details, just that when it was time to change I should go back to the wardrobe truck and grab my new clothes.

On my way back to holding I saw all the other background standing in a line shoulder to shoulder and joined them.  I  asked the woman on the end to catch me up with what we were doing.  She said she didn't know, but said not to stand on the end because then I would be her and that I should go to my spot.  If that makes no sense to you, good, because it made no sense to me either. 

I thought maybe it was a boy girl thing or a lawyer thing, so moved to stand next to a guy I thought was both a boy and a lawyer.  Just as I was trying to fit myself in there the director (?) started going down the line of people and labeling them either "Tango" or "Cash".  The 1st AD was behind him making notes on a list.  When they got to me the director got to me he paused (presumably because I had never made it fully into the shoulder to shoulder line) and several people spoke at once about how I wasn't supposed to be there.  The AD asked if I was Chris France and pointed me to my new spot toward the end of the line.  In the end I would be labeled as "Cash".  As best as anyone could figure out it had something to do with what scene they may bring us back for or maybe just if we were going to work tomorrow, which I think most of the Tango's are.

The actual shooting of the scene went very smoothly and I was complemented on my bit.  In fact the rest of the day really went easily except for the part where the Tangos were all called in another room and then told they were coming back tomorrow, but were about to leave for the day and us Cashs weren't told anything.  I wasn't worried though because I had assumed I was staying later for the other scene.  Then one of the Cashs found out they were all leaving, so I had to walk over to the PA and ask if I should change into my worker clothes.  Long story short, they had fitted me as a pizza delivery guy and actually didn't need me after all, so I could go home.  Good thing I asked.  I'm pretty sure they would have left me in holding all day.

So the moral of the story, if there is one, is that just as everything can go right and you can get your line or get to meet a star you admire, it isn't necessarily something you did.  Just like if you look like a complete slacker who is late to everything and doesn't know what he is doing isn't necessarily your fault.  Chance is just that.  Save your mental energy for more important things, like wondering if the reason they didn't bring you back is because you look better than the lead, who is super handsome by the way and they didn't want you upstaging him even though you aren't wearing any make up and he has like a ton on and are those lifts?  Those totally look like lifts...  :)

Life is good.

  I got up for work yesterday at 4:45am and today at 5:15am and tomorrow I will get up at 5:30 am.  It was cold and raining today and the tent they had for holding leaks in it.  Normally they would have the gym for holding, but today they had a blood drive, which, if I heard the announcement correctly, got cancelled.  I've been sick for about 2 weeks, first with a stuffy cold, now with what is sure to be an infection of the throat/ear (my lymph node is huge!).  After all that and some more I'm sure I could dredge up if I tried, I'm still happy.  I'm working more, I've gone to new levels in my meditation and I have new perspectives on life.  I'm not saying I'm running around with a smile on my face all the time.  It is more like I'm just not letting things get me down and not to double up on cliches, but I'm enjoying the little things in life.  Anyway, just thought I would share.

Oh and the love update...

Fell in love with a 20 year old.  Was infatuated with 2 more younger women, although surprisingly neither was a cheerleader (I was on Glee).  1 was a multiple day contender since I've worked with her on 3 different shows.  Starting to figure out why I get crushes on the younger woman.  Besides the obvious youthful beauty (obviously matching my own), they also often don't know how to "behave" in social/work situation and every once in a while hit critical mass and completely lose their self-consciousness and burst into song, dance or sometimes just a spasm.  Long days on set often creates these critical mass situation, so it makes perfect sense that this is where my crushing happens.  Unfortunately peaceful moments of conversation are not quite as riveting.

Oh and I also want to mention I am proud of myself for booking myself on an AFTRA job on my own and booking out with my calling service, who have been slacking lately.

What have you worked on lately?

What have I worked on lately?  In truth, not much.  My average of 4 days a week has slumped to a not so solid 3.  What I'm more interested in though is that question.  Every time I bring up that I'm an actor, which I quickly follow with an explanation that I "mostly do background", people ask me what I have worked on lately.  The desire for small talk coinciding nicely with a desire to recognize and perhaps connect with something bigger than they are.  The fact that I worked on Dexter was big with a lot of people I talked to, but other than a handshake and a thank you at the end of the day, it wasn't very different than any of the other stuff I've worked on.  I'm not immune myself.  After walking over hundreds of pavement stars in Hollywood yesterday, I saw Harrison Ford's, my childhood idol and was moved.  Then, quickly following a decision whether to step on the star or completely avoid it had to be made.  I went with the stepping on firmly to gain the "magic" of it instead of the more respectful going around.

Meanwhile with this time off of work I have been learning more about the ego and the power of now through Eckhart Tolle's books.  They have been very interesting reads and sync up nicely with some of the other books I have read since moving to LA.  It isn't just reading that I do though, I also practice, through various forms of what one would probably call meditation, but without the guidelines laid out in most standard practices.  I'm trying to come to my conclusions from as many different angles as I can.  What conclusions?  Conclusions about life and how to live it.  Obviously this blog is not the spot for going into detail about it, but I encourage everyone to check out some of Tolle's writings and to take their own journeys.

It has been pointed out that I always put something about my love life in these blogs.

Teri Hatcher has a crush on me!

It is true, I worked on Desperate Housewives two days in a row this week and she totally looked right at me and said "Good Morning" to me!

In other news, I've been reading a lot of Eckhart Tolle recently and he talks about how the ego likes to make up stories so that we can feel better about ourselves and identify with people in high places.

The above paragraphs are completely unrelated.

So, it has been a while since I blogged.  Not sure exactly how long, but I am guessing I stopped around the time I had the 5 day work week and then forgot to start again when I had the 3, which was last week.  This one is looking like a 3 as well, which is too bad because I like working and I need the money. 

Regardless of how much I work (and how little sleep I get), I have found a really nice balance of stress, excitement, and enjoyment in my work.  I am generally excited to go to work, but not so excited that I get nervous and I am always happy at the end of the day.  Honestly the 2 things that make me most nervous are getting to work on time and having the right wardrobe, although even the wardrobe thing has gotten pretty routine.  Plus I have now met enough people that when I go to set I already have friends there, so that makes things easier.  Of course I also have mortal enemies that can burn in hell, so that can be difficult.  I'm just kidding about that second part.  While it is true, there are some annoying people I keep running into, I'm pretty good at escaping them now and when I can't I consider them good practice for me in maintaining my zen.

In girl news, I continue to fall in love every day I work without fail.  Sometimes multiple times, depending on how big the call is.  I'm not exactly sure why this is.  It could be because my energy is flowing and I'm happy at work.  Or maybe it is just that acting makes me horny.  I'm not sure.  At the same time I think I'm getting more picky about who I fall for.  There are just so many attractive people here that now I'm demanding they be pretty AND have a personality.  Intelligence is still optional though.  I have increased my rate of keeping in touch with the people I meet on set.  Usually this involves adding each other on facebook.  The card trick still works too, but there is less of a chance since that means they have to do something with it. 

Until next time...
Chris