Keeping People Happy
EastSt said: Um, they are getting paid FAR more then you… Pizza and your gas money is a SMALL price to pay to keep them happy. I really don’t understand this logic. At all. Isn’t the fact that she’s getting paid more in a day than I get in a week supposed to keep her […]
Delivery
The other day, one of our actresses decided she really, really, really wanted a pizza. Naturally, my boss sent me out to the nearest CPK to pick up some hideous Ninja Turtles-style concoction with goat cheese and spinach and who knows what else. Driving back, my car smelling like a culinary nightmare, I wondered to […]
Pettier Cash
A quick follow-up on Monday’s post. When I turned in my petty cash envelope to get some more money, the accountant told me not to turn in a bunch of change. I asked why, and she said the other PA gave her, like, $5 worth of quarters. She had to count all of that out. […]
How to Get Your Script Read By Someone Other Than Your Mom
Okay, more detail may be required than that last post. Here’s what DJ actually asked: Can you describe how the process went with the writer reading your script? Did you ask or did he offer? How well did you know him? How long did it take for him to get back to you? Did he […]
Sociopathy
Another part of Robert’s comment stuck in my head: The director is obviously doing what makes him happy…putting down caring souls such as yourself. I think this is a mistake people frequently make. Putting me down doesn’t make him happy. For that to make him happy, he’d have to care what I think. But he […]
If It Makes You Ha-ppyyyyy…
Robert commented on last Thursday’s post, but for some reason, WordPress thought it was spam. Strange, but whatever; it’s available to read, now. Go ahead and take a look. Robert gives us a lovely sentiment (in all caps, to emphasize his point), “DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.” I wish I could. I wish I was […]
Perception
Do you ever have a very clear idea of who a person is, only to have that perception dashed by someone else’s viewpoint? I’m not talking about those who behave differently around their superiors. My old boss had the emotional maturity of an autistic seven year old with Asperger syndrome. When his bosses were around, […]
Whoooooo are you? Who, who? Who, who?
It’s virtually impossible to tell, by eye, an office PA from a young producer. Unstylish clothing, disheveled hair, four-day beard growth. (Of course, you’ll know immediately if you see them getting out of their car.) But if you see me on the set without a walkie or a pair of gloves on my belt, I […]
Code Talker
I am, by nature, a complainer. It’s a personality flaw, I know. At least I try to be funny about it, right? I try not to complain at the office, though. For one thing, it does no good. For another, others start to see you as a negative person, and they won’t want you around. […]
A Tip for Production Assistants
When you go on a run, you’re generally expected to call the office after you’ve picked up or dropped off whatever it is you were supposed to to drop off or pick up. (I’m not sure how they did this before cell phones. Did you go out with a roll of quarters in your pocket?) […]
Boredom
A lot of time on set is spent sitting around, waiting for other people to do their jobs. You gotta wait for the actors to block the scene, then wait for grips and electrics to light it, then camera has to set focus marks, then hair, make-up, and costume have to fix up the actors, […]
How Many Members of a Particular Demographic Group Does It Take to Perform a Specified Task?
A finite number. One to perform the task, and several others to behave in a manner stereotypical of the group in question. I love these jokes. How many grips does it take to change a light bulb? That’s an electric’s job. How many script supervisors does it take to change a light bulb? You can’t […]