Hardening

After the last few days, I'm pretty tired. Our two night shoots on Tuesday and Wednesday went as well as they could go with the temperatures dropping into the 20's. People were tired, they were cold, and by 4am, they all wanted to go home.

As I said in earlier posts, these days had me dealing with my biggest groups of extras yet. The sheer size of them influences how I act towards them and vice versa. Mostly, the background "artists" are quiet, don't cause trouble, and stay out of the way. They do as they are told. They don't complain, and they shuffle in and out of the scene whenever you ask them too. You know why they do this? They do this because it's their J-O-B. Unfortunately, we always encounter multiple people who like to cause trouble. They don't want to be on set. They don't want to be working. They don't want to be told what to do. They just want to be lazy, sit around, and have me sign their waiver at the end of the night with no questions asked. Throughout the night, these people are hard to miss. I constantly have to tell them to be where they are supposed to be...almost prodding them like 2nd graders so they stay in place long enough to get more than one shot off. Because I have to constantly fight with them and round them up, I have to be as stern as possible without losing my temper. Hmmm, "without losing my temper." That's interesting.

So I've definitely gotten into arguments with background "artists" due to adjustments on their vouchers (add-ons that give them an extra $3 here or $7 there. they all write in as many as they can to see hwo many I'll notice and or not notice so they get away with them), as well as arguments about hiding from set, and lack of effort at their J-O-B. From what I hear from the Assistant Directing crew, this is normal and I shouldn't be worried that it's my fault for getting into arguments. These people try and pick fights all the time because they know they have a certain amount of rights protected by the Screen Actors Guild. Unfortunately, they really think that if they act nasty to me or anyone else on the crew, that they WON'T be put on a list of people not to be called too often by casting. I'm not saying there is such a list (wink wink), but if you want to test us, then go right ahead. Be a jerk. I'm just starting out now, but as I'm around more and more, I'll have the option on who I want on set and who I don't.

The thing that does worrry me slightly is that because I have a bit of a temper (I know I know, I like to argue, juuuust a bit), that I'll be immediately bitter when I have a lot of background to deal with in a certain day. And if you start the day out already bitter, then you won't be too nice to most people if they start to piss you off. I call this my "Hardening" and I"m trying to avoid it. Oh I'm sorry, wait, you're telling me you need to go home because you had eye implants and the lights hurt your eyes?? Ok sure.

You live in New Jersey and the last train is leaving in a half hour. Didn't the casting agency tell you we would be shooting till at least 5am? Oh, they didn't. Hmmm, sure you can leave too. (these are the kinds of things I get from people so they can leave work. These people end up on the imagined "lists")

So, yes, I am getting a little tainted by these people and I need to calm down. I know I will advance much farther than 95% of all of them in terms of job security and prosperity. They are going to be background "artists" probably for life.

Hopefully I won't build up such a "Hardening" that I can't enjoy what I do in a couple of years.

I doubt it. I love my job :).