Desperately Seeking Mailman

Monday was my first day working as an extra in Hollywood. I was excited to get started working and on top of that, I would be earning my first union voucher as an actor. I only need three to be eligible for SAG so I was anxious to get started.

We had to be on set ready to shoot at 6am. Which meant that because I had to park, take a van to the set and then change into my mailman uniform, I had to be there around 5:30 am. I was worried about sleeping in so I set two alarms and went to be early. I woke up about 3 times during the night and looked at my clock, sure that I had missed my alarm somehow. I got up and took a shower and left my apartment around 4:30, just to be safe. There was zero traffic and I got to Universal Studios at 4:45. So I had some time to kill. I just pulled into a residential street and had some breakfast, a balance bar and some water. I listened to morning talk radio for the first time here, and it is as bad as Chicago.

Long story long, I get to the parking garage and walk outside to wait for the shuttle van to take me to the set. There are a couple people also there and I asked a young lady if this was where the shuttle van came to take us to the set of “Desperate Housewives”. She said yes, and then turned to me and said,

“This is ridiculous, it takes an extra half an hour to get to the job because you have to take a stupid van and you have no control over it, and you might be late and it is all bullshit”.

I guess I must have given her a look because she then apologized and told me that she was not a morning person. I told her that was okay and slowly inched my way away from her in case she snapped.

The van came and took us to the wardrobe area. We drove through the backlot of Universal Studios, right where the tour goes. The set was close to the “Jaws” exhibit, so I thought it was kind of cool that I was going to be working here.

I got the wardrobe location and went to get my uniform. The woman who was having a bad morning was the wardrobe person. So I smiled at her, and thanked her for giving me the uniform and she told me to change in the “honey wagon”. So I did, and that was when I discovered I didn’t bring anything to put the clothes I was wearing into while I was shooting. I had my leather shoulder bag packed with stuff for the day, so I just crammed everything in there including my shoes and came out looking like a mailman.

I was then directed to craft services to go get breakfast. I grabbed a cup of coffee and then I was taken to the set. The set was on a street called “Colonial Street”. It had about a dozen or so houses on it and there were about 50 people getting the set ready to shoot. They had people raking the lawns, they had people securing the rose bushes together so they looked really good, people moving cars, and the regular crew of lighting, camera, and prop people all running around getting ready to shoot.

An Assistant Director named M came over to me and took me to the side of the mail truck they had parked on the side of the street. I was given a mailbag with lots of mail in it and a mace container that clipped to my belt from the prop department. Then my friend A came over to introduce herself. She is the one who is helping me get my SAG card. I actually remembered her from working on Early Edition in Chicago about 6 years ago. She said hello and asked if everything was going okay. I said yes and thanked her for helping me. She then disappeared into the crowd of crew people.

The first shot was of one of the characters driving up to his house, getting out of his car, getting his mail and then going inside the house. I was told to walk to three different mailboxes and then continue down the street. We did that about 5 times and then I was told to relax for a little bit. It was around 7:30 am. I didn’t get into another shot all day.

I didn’t mind. I was watching people work, reading and generally taking it easy. All the while I was making good money.

The coolest part was that when we broke for lunch, we were walking to the craft area and a tram full of people on the Universal tour drove by and the guide said,

“Here is the set of “Desperate Housewives” and new series starting this fall”.

Everyone on the tour was looking at us and I have to say that I felt pretty cool. Lunch was really good and I noticed that the two cast people that were working at that time didn’t eat with the crew. The grabbed their food and headed off someplace else. I did get to walk by one of the woman on the show, I don’t know her name, but she was STUNNING. I knew I got into acting for a reason.

The rest of the day went by pretty quickly. I was not asked to be in another shot, but I just sat around and listened to people talk and watched them shoot.

At the end of the day, I was taken to a new wardrobe area, by Stage 5. On the way there we passed the “Meet the Fockers” set. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of someone but no such luck. The wardrobe trailer was there and the guy there told me that the honey wagon was on it’s way. Or I could change in the bathroom around the corner. I didn’t want to look like I wanted more money, so I went to the bathroom to change. I met a janitor coming out and he told me to be careful because he had just moped. So I went into the tiny stall and started to undress. The I noticed that the floor was all wet and my shoes were getting it all dirty. There was only one hook and if I put the clothes on the floor they would have become dirty and wet. I didn’t want to turn in my mailman uniform dirty and wet because I am sure that it would piss those people off, so I balanced on one leg and removed my shoe and sock and one pant leg. Then holding on to the top of the stall, I put my bare foot on one of my shoes and balanced on it to take my other shoe, sock and pant leg off. Then the stall door popped open. The latched was crappy and because I was shaking the stall holding on to it, the door wouldn’t stay shut. So now I have no pants on, with two pairs of shoes on the ground, leaning on the stall door and holding on to the top of the stall to keep my balance as I threw my uniform over the stall divider and tried to change into my regular clothes. I prayed that no one would come in because I probably would have been asked to leave and register as a sex offender.

I get changed and walk back to the wardrobe area. I give my uniform to the same woman I first met that morning, and she was very impressed at how neat my uniform was and that I had given it to her in exactly the same way that I had been given it this morning. She said most people just throw it all into a bag and then they have to sort it out. So I felt good about leaving a good last impression, that is unless they have cameras in the bathrooms.

My friend A came up and said good-bye, I thanked her again. She told me that they would have me back as the mailman soon. I left having worked about 13 hours, made a decent amount of money, and feeling like I made the right decision to move out here.

Getting Started

I am getting more and more comfortable in my apartment. I have been spending a lot of time here and I haven’t gone crazy, yet. I guess it is good that I enjoy being by myself, because that is who I spend most of my time with. I got a new cell phone, home phone, internet and have started changing my address with the companies that I do business with. Other than that, I have been shopping for stuff to fill out the apartment.

I went to IKEA for the first time out here. I really liked it. Lots of good stuff for cheap prices, right up my alley. I got a bookcase and a desk so I could unpack some more boxes. So I feel like I am really living in a place instead of out of a suitcase.

I was a little down earlier this week, just sort of bored, worried about money, a little lonely and I didn’t really have a way to get out the frustration that I was feeling. So I went to see a couple of movies. I saw I,Robot and Anchorman. I,Robot is a renter. It is a decent summer action flick, but nothing special. Some of the special effects were poor and Will Smith was playing the same old Will Smith summer action movie character. Streetwise, witty, sarcastic and able to kick major ass when he wants to. In this movie the ass of choice was robot ass, all CGI, which bugs me.

Anchorman was a very funny movie. I had low expectations for the movie, and not because I don’t like Will Ferrel, I do. But the trailers just made it look like a really DUMB movie. However, it was really good. Will was his usually self but the three guys that made up his “Action Team” made the movie. There were three of them, but I only know 2 of their names. Paul Rudd and Steve Carell. They were both terrific and I thought the movie would not have been nearly as good as it was without them. Just goes to show that movies need talented secondary players. Kind of gives me hope.

I got a call on Wednesday from the Central Casting agency, which is the agency where people go to be extras in movies and television. You know those patrons at restaurants, or the people walking around the zoo, or the family on the bus that never talk. They are extras, and television shows and movies need a LOT of them. So there is a whole side business of working as an extra. A non-union extra makes about $54 per 8 hours of work. So, a little above minimum wage. I did some extra work in Chicago and hated it. You usually sat around for 3-4 hours in a room. They you were moved onto the set and sat/stood around for another hour then did the scene for an hour or so. Then you left with a story to tell people about. Most of the people I met doing it in Chicago were not actors, they were teachers, parents, garbage men, who just wanted to say to their friends, “Hey in Mercury Rising, I was in the library scene, you can see my suit walk right by Bruce Willis. He was kind of an asshole”. But in L.A. most of the extras are actors just hoping to catch a break.

My friend who is working on a television show entitled “Desperate Housewives” called the agency and told them to sign me up for Union extra work. Union extras make around $115 per 8 hours. Not bad. Plus, if you get three days of union work, you can be in the Screen Actors Guild, which is key to getting ahead. So she pulled some strings for me and they called me in to register.

I drove in and saw a long line of people waiting in line to get in. The woman who called me told me to go past the line and tell the person at the desk that I was here to see her so I wouldn’t have to wait in line. Smiling to myself I walked past all of the other schmucks to the front of the line. I told the woman who I was and who I was there to see. She made a call and said “She is out and won’t be back for 20 minutes or so, wait in line”. So I walked back past all of the smiling schmuck’s to the back of the line. I am sure there were some “rookie” comments. I got an application and filled it out. But in one part of the W-4 it asks for your first name and I was not paying attention and put my full name there. I started to panic thinking that my filling out the form incorrectly would be a deal breaker. The pencils they gave you to fill out the application are the little golf pencils with no eraser, so I asked a couple of people around me for an eraser. No luck, or at least they weren’t going to help the “rookie”. I really started to sweat it. I even ran out to my car hoping that for some unknown reason I had decided to stick a pencil with an eraser in my glove box. No luck there. Then I was sure that I had put a pencil in my trunk a couple of years ago. I didn’t. So I went back in ready to look them in the eye and tell them that I would be great as an extra but I can’t fill out a government form for shit.

My contact had arrived by then and I met her. She was very nice and walked me to the front of the line again, take that smiling schmucks, and told the woman that I was to be signed up to be eligible for union work, even though I wasn’t union. The woman at the desk looked at me and asked “Is he political”? I thought she was making a joke and started laughing. She wasn’t. My contact said “Yes, he knows so and so”. The woman at the desk continued to stare at me then she filled out my application. I decided to go for broke and said “I made a mistake on one of the forms, do you have an eraser”? The desk woman didn’t even blink an eye and said “No, no one cares, just cross it off”. So I did. So now there is a form that the government has that clearly indicates that I am a moron.

I got my picture taken and then my contact told introduced me to her associate. He was a nice guy who quizzed me on my sizes and asked if I was available either Friday or Monday. I said “Yes” and he told me that I would be playing a mailman in a scene on one of those days.

A mailman?

Well, it’s a start.

A setback and a new address

My gut feeling came true and I did not make an Improv team at IO West. It was not a surprise, but I am dissappointed especially since I had a shit audition. I am better than that. I just have to prove it.

My friends internet connection was down earlier this week and by the time he got it fixed I had moved.

That's right, I have my first apartment. It is small and cheap, but it is nice and I have plenty of room for what I have, which is not much.

So the past couple of days have been spent moving in and cleaning. The people who lived there before me didn't believe in cleaning up much, so I had a lot to do.

More life stuff begins on Monday.

First L.A. audition

I had my first audition here in L.A.

It was for Improv Olympic West. They were having auditions for a new team at the theater. The first round of auditions went very well. I was in a group of 6 and was the only one out of my group to get a call back. It seemed to me that a lot of the people were very new to improv. Still in classes and such.

The callbacks did not go as well. I didn't get out on stage as much as I should have and the one scene I was doing got cut short by a walk-on that I thought halted the scene immediately. Maybe I am being to hard on myself, but I thought I did a poor job showing what I can do.

I am not holding my breathe for the phone call to let me know that I have made a team. Oh, well. There are plenty of other opportunities here, I just need to go out and find them.

I will find out about my apartment tomorrow. Hopefully I could move in by Wednesday.

New Place to Call Home

I checked out a couple of apartments today. My friend "A" knows a guy who manages a building and he had a couple of openings for studios. One is really nice and has a full kitchen with a refridgerator. I guess that a lot of places don't have them here. People take fridges with them from apartment to apartment? That is just plan weird.

So if this guy pulls the strings, I can move in to my first L.A. apartment next week. It will be really great to be on my own. I don't feel good unless I have the "life stuff" taken care of. Apartment, bank account, new cell #, etc. So this will be a step in the right direction.

I also called my assistant director friend who can get me on the television show she is working on as a SAG extra. So when I get my 3 vouchers of work, I can be in the union. Which is key out here. My next step is to get an agent. Easier said than done.

A new segment that I will be adding to this journal will be tips/ advice for other actors. Things about L.A. or just general tips I feel are important to being successful in this business.

TIPS FOR GETTING HIRED AGAIN BY THE SAME PEOPLE

1. BE ON TIME!!!! I cannot stress this enough. Sure everyone is late every now and then. But you should ALWAYS be on time when somone else is paying the bills. It just creates headaches for those in charge and makes you look really unprofessional.

2. BE PREPARED!!!! The Boyscouts have it right. Know your lines. Bring what they tell you to, and bring extra stuff that only you know that you will need. Books, music, cellphone. You need to be able to take care of yourself while you are there.

3. BE FUN TO WORK WITH!!!! Nothing is worse than someone who bitches on set. Everyone is working hard. Chances are there are 20 people working harder than you are. So be able to roll with the punches. Joke around, make people smile, but get the work done too. Stress turns people into someone they usually are not. When you have 15 minutes of light left and your running out of film, and someone forgot a prop, and the boom keeps getting into the shot, keep your cool. Remember, your acting right? So have fun, be enthusiastic and people will hire you again.

4. TREAT THE CREW LIKE ROYALTY!!!! This is coming from an actor but I am a big believer in this philosophy. The crew gets there before you do, works harder than you do, and don't get the credit they deserve. So when the food is served, let the crew eat first. And get to know them. They are all cool people who have other projects. You never know who might remember you as a jerk, or a great person to work with when they get ther next gig.

5. THANK EVERYONE!!!! After a long day, everyone wants to go home. But people like it when they are shown respect and are thanked for their hard work. So do that.

One week down

It has been a while, so I will update everyone on my progress so far.

I left Chicago on Thursday, June 24 and after picking up my laptop from my friend D, who upgraded it for me, I hit the road. I had everything I could fit into my Mazda Protege including a rooftop pack that weighed a ton, so my car was running heavy and I couldn't go more than 70 miles per hour because of it.

The drive was very nice. A good calm that followed a hectic couple of weeks. I reflected on all of the experiences and people I know in Chicago and I decided that I had a pretty good life there. Made me a little sad to go, but hopefully this gamble will pay off.

I stopped in Devenr, CO for the weekend to see college friends. The first day I stayed with some female friends that haven't changed a bit since collge. Well, maybe a little bit. Then on to my former roommate and the boys I hung out with. The last time I saw everyone was on a ski trip about 3 years ago when we drank until dawn and went skiing hung over. Now everyone has at least one kid, except for one couple, and they liked to talk about Harry Potter and diapers. Needless to say it made me wonder if I was going in the right direction with my life.

So back on the road early Monday morning. I drove until I reached Baker, CA. If you go there, the Wells Fargo Motel has horrible rooms for $37, with the AAA discount. But there are only 3 motels in the town, so it was better than nothing.

Tuesday, June 29, my 30th birthday. I rolled into L.A. around 2pm. I dropped my stuff off at a Storage USA in El Segundo and headed to Hermosa Beach. I was staying with a friend of a friend. He was very cool to let me stay with him even though he has a studio and no couch. I met him, changed and drove to Beverly Hills to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for a special screening of Spider-man 2. I am a huge geek when it comes to Spider-man so my friend that works for Sony got me a pass to a screeing for his company. We caught up and then watched the movie. I am not going to give a review, but it was FANTASTIC.

Then I drove back to Hermosa Beach, smoked a cigar and had a drink of Cognac to end my birthday. Needless to say I was very proud that I made it out here no matter how hard it was to say good-bye to Chicago.

Wednesday, I did nothing but sleep and watch cable. A welcome break from all of the traveling.

I moved in with my friend T on Thursday and I am still there.

He is selling a house in Encino so I have been helping him paint to get it ready to show. The weekend of the 4th of July I just spent painting and getting to know my way around this LARGE city.

As far as acting is concerned, I registered with L.A. Casting and Actor Access. They are two online services that you can get auditions through and have agents look at your stuff to sign you.

I also have an audition at Improv Olympic West to get on an improv team. I performed at the Improv Olympic in Chicago for 1.5 years so I am hopefull that I can make a team and start performing again. I really miss performing in front of a crowd.

My thoughts on L.A. so far.

1. Really different vibe than Chicago. It seems like EVERYONE is tied to show business or wants to be.
2. EVERYONE is on cell phones. EVERYONE. But it seems like the cell phone etiquite is much better here. I don't hear people's phones go off, even in the two movies I have seen so far.
3. L.A. is really, really big. Hopefully I can find out where I need to be and stay in that area. I like to keep a good home base.
4. I was spoiled with having available parking in Chicago. There is parking here, but there are at least 3 signs that you have to decifer before it is safe to park.
5. I really miss my friends and Chicago more than I thought I would. I left a lot of special people back there.

I will be keeping this journal more up to date in the future. Just had a lot going on the last couple of weeks, or haven't you been reading.