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September 23, 2003
So cool!
Today, in the mounds of the headshots and resumés, I received a postcard from Dr. John Martin, yeah... that's Donna's dad from Beverly Hills, 90210. Oh, wow! I sooo love this job!
Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee.
Posted by bonnie at 9:02 AM
September 22, 2003
Oh my my my my my
I haven't mentioned that we have received quite a few submissions for Consider As True at our post office box with a note written on them: TUB INSIDE ON FLOOR. What does this mean? We've wondered this quite a bit.
I theorized that perhaps some casting company (one of those places that charges actors a fee in order to do submissions on their collective behalf) had a sign up for my casting, and if someone came after hours, he or she put his or her headshot envelope under the door with a note on it to get the folks to put it in the "tub inside on floor" or something.
Yeah. I come up with elaborate tales.
Keith went to the post office today to (finally) collect the delivery we'd gotten a notice about (23 cents postage due, meaning it was some silly actor who mailed a headshot with only a 37 cent stamp, not with the added 23 cent stamp for the extra size). When he was at the counter, he asked the clerk about the "tub inside on floor" note, since... here again today... it was on something from inside our box. The clerk looked at our box number and said, "Hang on," and walked away.
She then came around to the door on the side of the counter and brought out four (yes, FOUR) mail tubs of submissions for this film. Yes... that's nearly 120 pounds of headshots and resumés Keith had to haul home. Hundreds and hundreds (hell, surely over a thousand) of submissions for a little indie (non-paying) feature film.
And, of course, pre-reads were this past weekend.
Oy.
What the hell am I supposed to do with all of this MAIL???
Posted by bonnie at 8:33 PM
September 21, 2003
Much Better
Today I saw 50+ actors for Consider As True and I'm, again, very impressed with the number of talented people I know. Wow. Humbling experience.
Next, I named nine out of 12 candy bars by their cross-sections. Pretty good, considering I'm currently enjoying a low-carb truffle.
Love casting. Love actors. Love writing. Love seeing people read the written word and bring it to life. Yeah. A lot to love.
Posted by bonnie at 12:16 AM
September 18, 2003
So...
I watch this show and I see my colleagues being interviewed, some in shadows and with digitized voices, about their experiences in casting and producing reality TV. I never thought of these people as my colleagues until today. I knew I knew them from work (when I work my day job, doing risk management for casting of AFRS*), but suddenly, today, I realized I'm one of them.
Today, I was on the phone with a poor gal from wherever, convincing her there is *no* twist to this show other than the one she already knows about, "because why would we have another twist when this one is already so good?" I hear myself saying the things on the phone that I've been trained to say. I recall my confidentiality and non-disclosure agreement, which calls for something like a $6M fine for letting out any of the trade secrets about this show or its twist(s), and I continue to feel my nose growing like Pinocchio's as my co-workers gather 'round to hear me do what I do so well: convince someone they are special when they are really only a pawn for some network muckity-muck's greed-induced goals and dreams.
Hell, I guess that does make them special, doesn't it? And what does that make me?
My co-workers and I, when I hang up the phone, almost say in unison, "[I'm] going to Hell." Yes, there is one co-worker swearing up and down we won't... we're only doing our jobs. Then I look at my paycheck and wonder what my soul is worth. And then I'm treated badly by my bosses and wonder further what the heck I'm buying into here... and then remember that my bosses' alliance nets them major buckage per week and that will always be a stronger alliance than the one I provide. I can be replaced. And by someone cheaper and with less of a conscience.
Y'know what? I don't care. My production, whatever that may be, is so much more valuable than any of this shit. There's a heart and soul in here that doesn't get bought by some network paycheck. I'm done.
* = another fucking reality show
Posted by bonnie at 10:58 PM
September 14, 2003
So Very Exhausted
I'm not allowed to complain about my job-job, as it pays for the printing of the new book. Period. No bitching. I can't. But, man... I have a lot to bitch about. I'm sooooooooooooooo done with this crap.
And then there's the feature film I'm casting. And loving. And the... uh... high maintenance actors I'm encountering who make me change their audition appointments three times after having specifically requested the first appointment time (a request which was honored, of course). I realize: an actor who has "special requests" up front is far more likely to then change those requests and change them again and then never even show up than someone who just, up front, says, "I'll make it work," and does the job.
Also, I'm shocked at the questions actors ask when called in to audition. Shocked. No one would ask such things upon being contacted to have a job interview in ANY other industry. "Do I have to prepare all three pages?" "Is there any way I can come later? 11am is just so early for me." "There's no dialogue on this page. Only facial expressions. Do I have to do that for the audition?" Wow.
And, on the other end of the spectrum, there's the actress who called back to say she actually couldn't confirm her audition appointment for next week due to the fact that she's currently in labor and isn't sure how "up to auditioning" she'll feel once she has a six-day-old child. Wow. Now, THAT's a pro!
Okay... back to work. Not a day off in sight for weeks and weeks... and there hasn't been one off since the migraine days. That can't possibly count. The book is still due in a few weeks. That's what keeps me going, when I have to do this horrific job-job every day. This is my last of this nature. No doubt.
Posted by bonnie at 7:46 PM
September 7, 2003
New Project
Here is the PDF version of the breakdown for Consider As True, the new feature film I'm casting. And here it is posted on the 'Den. Excuse the trigger for LOL caused in the name LOLA. Hee hee.
I'm tired. Working several jobs has always been big fun for me. Exhausting, but fun. And big fun. Yes.
Posted by bonnie at 12:22 AM
September 2, 2003
Epiphany
Without going into any relevant detail...
It is a sad, but important, moment when you realize that, no matter what you do to protect someone, no matter what you do to stand up for them, to root for them, to kick some ass on their crippled behalf, you will never be able to keep them from feeling broken due to the actions of someone else.
It is a little liberating.
And it is tragic.
Sometimes there is no way to be a hero in a situation like this. Even if you behave as one, you do not spare anyone from their pain.
Posted by bonnie at 10:24 PM
September 1, 2003
AlphaBonBot
When I lived alone, my spice rack was alphabetized. I knew what spices and seasonings I had on hand simply by looking at the rack and reading down to the letter of the alphabet in question and seeing room for something in some recipe somewhere.
Not that I ever cooked.
When I lived alone, my CDs were alphabetized. My video tapes were alphabetized. My books... no, not alphabetized, but certainly grouped by subject matter and then in chronological order by author as needed.
Do I value this sense of order more than my partnership with an amazing man who cooks for me, plays music for me, and selects books to bring to me in the bubble bath when I need time alone?
Not on your life could you think I'd say yes to that.
The alphabet is entirely overrated. So what if we have three (not two, not one... but three) thymes in the cabinet due to lack of OCD-maintenance of the kitchen! Like I'd know what to do with thyme anyway!
Posted by bonnie at 7:24 PM