So I didn't get the gig...
I know I should never think this way, let alone blog it for all the world to see, but I'm the tiniest bit relieved. I have to preface this by saying, I'm grateful for all the opportunities that come my way. No matter how much I bitch and moan in these posts, I'm aware that no one is holding a gun to my head and making me do any of this. I have clearly made the choice to make my life more difficult than it has to be, and I know full well that I'm very lucky to have the freedom to pursue my dreams... Having said this... I'm so freakin happy I don't have to drive to freakin LA tomorrow!!!!!
There's another little factor that prevents me from truly relishing these particular opportunities. In a previous blog, after I booked the national beer commercial, I stated that I was officially a member of the Screen Actor's Guild. I may have jumped the gun on that one. At the time, I was under the impression that I had to join. I had already done a tv show where I was given a Taft Hartley (this is a fancy way of saying that I get one shot for free, one union job before I join the "Big Guns"). I thought that after getting the Taft Hartley I would have to join in order to do another union job. Turns out, they gave me a 30 day waiver! I didn't have to join at all. Now, however, if I book another SAG job, I have to join within 5 days of the shoot.
What does all this mumbojumbo mean?
Well, when you work a union job, they have to pay you within 10 business days of the shoot, and then again every time the commercial or tv show airs. When you work a non union job they have 90 days to pay you, and you only get paid once... um... yeah. Normally, I make three trips to LA for every job I book. The first trip for the initial audition, and the second for the callback and the third on the day of the shoot. When you factor in the money lost both in gas, and the days of work I missed, I'm out quite a bit of cash. If I don't get paid for 90 days, you can imagine how hard it is to pay the bills. It's particularly hard when, when you do get paid, it's only $500 before taxes and 10-20% for your agent.
Long story longer, the job I didn't get was non union. Although the pay was more than $500, it was still a little hard to get excited about. As actors we're trained to be ready, willing, and able for any opportunity that we're lucky enough to have. I know there are many people who would love to be able to do what I do. I feel guilty even thinking it... I'm just happy to be stationary for a minute.
Please, Gods of Schmacting, have mercy on me! Curse me not, for these are merely temporary thoughts and bare no reflection on my loyalty and dedication to yooooouuuuuu!
Sorry, I'm a little superstitious. The Gods of Schmacting can be spiteful indeed!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
On Avail...
Just an update on the status of my audition from the other day. I'm now on avail. What the heck is avail? Well, it basically means you're in a holding pattern. For example, this commercial shoots tomorrow. If I get a another job offer today that shoots tomorrow, I have to check with the company that has me on avail before I accept the other job. They have "first dibs on me." I used to get very excited about being put on avail because I thought I was that much closer to getting the job. In recent history, I've learned that most companies put everyone who got called back on avail. This way, if something goes wrong with their first casting choice, they have a back up plan. Dirty trick I say! Way to get my hopes up! Anyhoo, that's where I stand. If I do get the job, I hope they let me know in enough time to cancel my audition for tomorrow, cover myself for work, and find a place to crash in LA. Its always so complicated... but these are good problems to have.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Schmacting Review
That's right people, I've been a very busy bee. For any of you who are a little foggy on the concept of schmacting, I have two a perfect examples today!
This last Wednesday, I got a call from my local agent asking if I would be available to work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I said of course! For the past few months, I'd been put on hold for this same job and then released over and over again. Apparently, the client liked my look but kept changing their mind. Whatever!!! Turns out, at the last minute, one of the other girls got fired for missing the orientation, so they settled on me. The next day I reported for duty.
The gig was selling exercise equipment at a convention. May I remind you that my talent agency booked me for this. This type of job is called "promotional modeling." Its such a good example of schmacting because you basically spend all day standing around in a foolish outfit schmacting like you love the product on display. The idea is that a group of attractive girls standing around in tight clothing attracts people (men) to your booth. The fact that we're actresses is so funny to me, and the fact that people don't seem to put this together is even more funny. Men will approach me with these super specific questions regarding the mechanical workings of the equipment. I have to schmact my way out of revealing that I'm an actress being paid to be there and couldn't really give a crap.
The best part of the whole weekend was that this company was based in Sweden and they (at great expense) sent 15 sales reps to San Diego to sell the machines. The problem was that they didn't all speak English!!!! Hilarious! The poor guys just kept referring everyone to us schmactresses!! Needless to say, after spending three consecutive days demonstrating weight machines, I'm super sore. Its not acting, but I was getting paid to do what I should be doing for free. Life could be worse.
My second example, for those of you who are new to schmacting, comes to you by way of a callback I had today. At the original audition for this commercial, I had to pretend to eat chicken, enjoy it (but not too much), then look over as though I just saw someone enter the room. Apparently, I was freakin amazing at fake eating chicken, because I got a callback for today. They called at 11am to let me know I needed to be in Santa Monica at 2:30pm! Typical. I abandoned my job, jumped in the car, ran home to change into the outfit I'd worn yesterday (per their request), grabbed a Cliff Bar and zoomed up to Santa Monica. I got there about 20 mins early and proceeded to wait around for about 1 hour and 15 mins. I couldn't figure out what was taking so long. When it was finally my turn, I was taken to another holding area. The casting director came out of the room and explained to us in, great detail, that we would not only be pretending to eat chicken, but pizza as well!! Oh my! Pizza too!!! However would I communicate this emotional complexity? Seriously, this was what was taking so long! Take a moment for yourself right now and pantomime eating a chicken wing, now pantomime eating a slice of pizza. Am I being narrow-minded, or are these two actions pretty darn similar? Is this schmacting? I say aye!
Oh, and it took me 4 hours to get home today! That sucked! The end!
This last Wednesday, I got a call from my local agent asking if I would be available to work Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I said of course! For the past few months, I'd been put on hold for this same job and then released over and over again. Apparently, the client liked my look but kept changing their mind. Whatever!!! Turns out, at the last minute, one of the other girls got fired for missing the orientation, so they settled on me. The next day I reported for duty.
The gig was selling exercise equipment at a convention. May I remind you that my talent agency booked me for this. This type of job is called "promotional modeling." Its such a good example of schmacting because you basically spend all day standing around in a foolish outfit schmacting like you love the product on display. The idea is that a group of attractive girls standing around in tight clothing attracts people (men) to your booth. The fact that we're actresses is so funny to me, and the fact that people don't seem to put this together is even more funny. Men will approach me with these super specific questions regarding the mechanical workings of the equipment. I have to schmact my way out of revealing that I'm an actress being paid to be there and couldn't really give a crap.
The best part of the whole weekend was that this company was based in Sweden and they (at great expense) sent 15 sales reps to San Diego to sell the machines. The problem was that they didn't all speak English!!!! Hilarious! The poor guys just kept referring everyone to us schmactresses!! Needless to say, after spending three consecutive days demonstrating weight machines, I'm super sore. Its not acting, but I was getting paid to do what I should be doing for free. Life could be worse.
My second example, for those of you who are new to schmacting, comes to you by way of a callback I had today. At the original audition for this commercial, I had to pretend to eat chicken, enjoy it (but not too much), then look over as though I just saw someone enter the room. Apparently, I was freakin amazing at fake eating chicken, because I got a callback for today. They called at 11am to let me know I needed to be in Santa Monica at 2:30pm! Typical. I abandoned my job, jumped in the car, ran home to change into the outfit I'd worn yesterday (per their request), grabbed a Cliff Bar and zoomed up to Santa Monica. I got there about 20 mins early and proceeded to wait around for about 1 hour and 15 mins. I couldn't figure out what was taking so long. When it was finally my turn, I was taken to another holding area. The casting director came out of the room and explained to us in, great detail, that we would not only be pretending to eat chicken, but pizza as well!! Oh my! Pizza too!!! However would I communicate this emotional complexity? Seriously, this was what was taking so long! Take a moment for yourself right now and pantomime eating a chicken wing, now pantomime eating a slice of pizza. Am I being narrow-minded, or are these two actions pretty darn similar? Is this schmacting? I say aye!
Oh, and it took me 4 hours to get home today! That sucked! The end!
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