All in All the Good Definitely Outweighs the Bad

A Few of My Favorite Things                                                       

Excellent Buffets for lunch—some are amazing with 4 or 5 types of salads, full salad bar, ribs, roast beef, salmon, chicken, several choices for grains, breads, cooked and raw veggies, a couple of potato choices, and tons of desserts—cookies, brownies, pies, cheesecake, fresh fruit

10am or later call times

Early release while still getting the flat rate pay

Commercial rate pay

Interior shoots during freezing cold weather

Locations in Manhattan versus Queens and Brooklyn

Wardrobe is casual dress with no need for a second change

Well stocked Crafty Table (this is the snack table just off the set—the really good ones have every imaginable snack and drink, healthy and unhealthy—The Crafty Table at The Following shoot was primo!!)

Wild stories of other Extras’ experiences

Principle actors who banter with the extras

Clothing racks to hang wardrobe changes---otherwise they just get bunched up in piles

Getting to “act” while in a scene versus just being part of big crowd

Friendly and interesting experienced Extras who freely give great advice for furthering my career

Having the Hair person fuss over my hair (It’s so relaxing and feels great)

Texting Bob throughout the day of the interesting things going on

Having a casting director call me directly to see if I am available

Getting that saawwwweeeeet email, text, or phone call with a confirmation that I got the job I submitted for

Going to set or studio locations I would have never gone to if not for this work

Getting to see the insides of HUGE filming studios where they have recreated apartments, offices, execution rooms, jail cells, court rooms, etc  Some with multiple 20 ft high x 100 ft wide curtains with depictions of iconic NYC street scenes so they can shoot indoors and make it look like they are shooting outdoors in those neighborhoods

A Few of the Things I Don’t Like So Much

Getting up at 4am to leave by 5:15am in the dark, in the cold, to arrive at the filming location by 6:30am in Queens or Brooklyn that requires two trains, a bus connection, and some walking

Sitting in holding for 5 to 6 hours before going to the set to work

Forgetting my reading material to occupy me for the day—that’s just a major bad thing

Not being able to sleep well knowing I have to be up at 4am

Missing out on my exercise routine because of very long shoot days

Exterior shoots during freezing cold weather