Is there a doctor in the house?

Or how about a nurse, or lawyer, or a socialite or a cop?  Kelly gave me one of her old stethoscopes for a more authentic look. Love that girl!! My ever resourceful sis-in-law, Kerry, gave me a mink cape and long wool coat which will greatly enhance my wealthy gala look once I finally find a gown I like.  I just got cast as a wealthy restaurant patron so seems like maybe I have gotten my foot in the door for those roles.  The cop uniform remains on my prop costume list.  I think I may have identified a SAG member who will help me with that.  Still debating whether to invest the several hundred dollars or not.  So unsure where we will be living in a year.  If I knew we would be living here for at least another couple of years, then the investment would feel like it could really pay off, especially if I were able to earn a SAG card within a year.  But without a SAG card and only living here maybe another year of so, not sure if the investment is totally worth it.  Though it does make for very good story.  Maybe that should be enough reason to buy it!

Bring out the fake blood suitcase and disappearing wine stain solution

I know that the blood puddles surrounding dead or injured bodies seen on TV is fake, what I didn't know is that they bring it out in a big suitcase that has lots of different shapes and sizes of plastic blood puddles. Big puddles for lots of bloody mess effect and small puddles for just a subtle hint of distress.  I always thought they used some kind of liquid on the ground but it makes total sense now that it would be plastic preformed shapes.  Easy to contain and pick up, no muss, no fuss, can move it around as needed and change the size and location to wherever they want it around the body.  They of course still have the squirt bottle of blood goo like in those ketchup or mustard bottles in burger places they use to squirt "blood" onto the clothing and skin.

I was in a scene recently where a waitress has two glasses of "red wine" that spill on someone when she bumps into them.  Of course that scene needs to be repeated over and over and over again to get it right and shot from multiple angles.   I was standing next to a set person and asked how many of the exact same outfits do they have to film this scene as the woman is quite dressed up and the stains look very real. The set person tells me, "Oh no, that "wine" disappears once it dries.  They just take the actor into the bathroom and blow-dry her dress and the "stain" just disappears and is ready for the next take.

All these tricks of the trade are probably pretty standard to those in the business but for an outsider like me, it's all just so cool to see how it's done. 

Close encounters of the Tom Selleck kind

I have had the fabulous luck to be positioned very close to the principle actors for the last several shoots which has been remarkable given how many extras can be on any shoot.  There were over 200 for this last Blue Bloods episode. My most recent one, as a police chief on Blue Bloods had me in the direct sight line of Tom Selleck, the star of the show.  They were rehearsing the scene then chatting among themselves.  I'm watching all this, then suddenly Tom looks directly at me and starts walking towards me, he's only about, maybe, 10 feet away and says "May I?" I respond, "My pleasure," as he starts to straighten my tie on my uniform.  He makes the adjustment, we smile at each other and he steps back to where his mark on the ground is.  He then says that my tie had popped out of place and he wanted to correct it.  Meanwhile all the other extras who are in the general area are all watching this interaction with total surprise.  One extra leans over and says he's been an Extra on this show many, many times and has never seen this happen. Of course I am thrilled this happened to ME! Then Dennis Haysbert (well known Black actor and spokesperson for All State Insurance "You're in Good Hands" commercial ad campaign) who is also in this episode is standing around between rehearsals and looks my way.  I am completely bundled up in my own coat because it's FREEZING (28 degrees and 20 degrees when the wind was blowing) so you can't see my uniform.  He comes over and asks me if I'm playing a detective.  I say "No, I'm a police chief, check me out" as I am opening up wide my coat. He gives me an approving look then gets back to business. I'm the only one he interacts with.   I don't know what it is I'm doing to attract this attention but I seem to drive at least some people to distraction.  These two back to back personal interactions made this, absolutely, otherwise miserably frigid shoot a total bonus shoot for me.  While I don't read celebrity gossip magazines or watch reality shows or celebrity focused shows like E! or Access Hollywood, I do like a good celebrity sighting as much as anyone. So getting to have these brief interactions are just so special. I also totally lucked out on the set of Madam Secretary on Friday last week.  I was seated in the front row as a congressional hearing attendee and there was an empty seat next to me.  During the breaks, Tea Leoni, the star of the show plopped herself down in the empty seat next to me while chatting it up with the director, Eric Stoltz (who is also a well known actor who I have been a big fan of for a very long time), and other actors and crew.  She is very funny, has a great sense of humor and a strong presence in terms of giving input and feedback about the scene. She's also tiny like a bird.  Mr. Stoltz, as a director is really fantastic, very personable and down to earth, very interactive with everyone (principle actors, crew, extras), so observant to detail in making the scene as realistic as possible.  He gave us Extras several mini acting lessons so we would get our reactions right in that scene--just as he wanted.  Fantastic.

A couple of things I forgot to mention about the fitting for the police chief uniform is that when they were tightening up the neck of the shirt, the wardrobe person told the tailor, make it as tight as you can but not so tight she gets a panic attack. I kid you not.  Those were her exact words.  I thought, WHOA, I wonder what past reaction from an Extra would make her say something like that.  The other thing is that props asked me to wear a watch with the uniform.  Apparently all cops wear watches.  The only watch I own is my deceased dad's watch, which is about 50 years old, it has his initials as part of the wristband.  I love that watch because it's associated with so many happy memories of my dad.  I keep it put away (it doesn't work) so to have this occasion to wear it was so lovely.  I felt like he was on set with me.  Made me feel really happy.

The other funny thing about the Blue Bloods shoot was the interplay between the character Dennis Haysbert plays and his insurance commercial persona.  A rather unfortunate situation arises for his character in this episode and a quick thinking witty Extra said to me on the sly, "I guess he wasn't in such good hands after all."  I thought that was a good one.

So here I am in uniform....I never did get issued a hat, which kind of bummed me out but the uniform is still pretty sharp looking!  Again, when they styled my hair back, they used a gallon of hair spray, loads of bobby pins, and ratted my hair on top--which doesn't really show but took a bit to get it combed out afterwards.

My next shoot is as a wealthy country club awards show attendee.  Had my fitting today.  Actually got some nice compliment on clothes I took in and wardrobe was able to put together a very high fashion outfit for me with just a couple of detail props from them.  I feel like maybe I had a breakthrough with this character role.   Pics of that look in the next couple of days. 

Ideas for making a little extra as an extra

At the recent shoot of Madam Secretary, we were at a location that didn't allow much food.  It was a county courthouse.  So the crafty table was very minimal and we had already commuted by bus for an hour to get to the location and lunch wasn't going to be for a while (wound up having "lunch" at 5pm). Around 11:30 or so, some of the extras banded together and had a couple of pizzas brought in for themselves.  I, and a woman I was sitting next to, were watching all this and saw that a couple of people came up to this group asking if they were selling pizza slices.  They were not but it made us think that could be a very interesting way to make some extra money on these gigs (pun intended).  With a crowd of a hundred people and double that sometimes, if you timed the arrival of the pizza right, you could probably sell a slice for 3 to 5 dollars and make a very tidy profit. It is after all a very captive audience.  Then we started thinking of other ideas, like dollar a minute foot massages.  Standing around for hours at a time is really hard on the feet, especially for the women who have to wear heels. I think foot massages would be very popular, and for a dollar a minute, that seems like a good deal.  I know I would pay for that. Again, captive audience and known need... Make up lessons and consultations are another possibility as well as how to style your hair--all for a fee (I couldn't do either of those but some other entrepernerial extra could take that on).

Then more than once while running around all over town shopping for Background wardrobe, I've thought someone should open up a clothing store that specializes in Extra clothing (muted colors, simple design, etc).  Then I thought, WHY NOT ME??!!  I could do a walk in and on line store.  I could scour the Thrift Stores, clearance racks, discount stores, flea markets, etc, etc collecting all the appropriate wardrobe and accessories and then sell them for a profit but still at a very good price.  I think it could be a very interesting business proposal. There are thousands and thousands of people doing this work, I think there may be a real market to save people the time and energy needed to build their work look. Especially new people getting into the business.

Still thinking of other ideas....

Developing a Pavlovian* response to my cell phone

Most of my job offers and confirmations for work come through as phone calls on my cell phone.  Before doing extra work, I used my cell phone almost exclusively for texts, email, and internet. I rarely used my cell phone for any personal phone calls--those calls I take on our home land line phone.  So when my cell phone is ringing now, it almost always means a WORK OFFER or CONFIRMATION of a shoot. A very "YAY!!!" experience.   I now, literally, start to salivate and my heart rate goes up when my cell phone goes off because it's most assuredly a sign of work.

It's so funny because I think it's happening to Bob by association...  I had a phone call this morning on my cell phone to which I predictably reacted with great excitement when it went off because I thought I was hearing back on a 5 day job I submitted for to be background medical personnel for a new doctor show pilot.  When I saw that it wasn't a call from a casting agency but from an acquaintance instead, my whole physiology just completely deflated.  A terrible reaction to what should have been a pleasant surprise to hear from this acquaintance.  Bob had the same reaction.  When I came out of the bedroom, he could hear that I had been listening to someone on my cell.  He too was excited that maybe I had gotten that extra job.  When I told him what it was, he looked a little deflated too.  He is so sweet, supportive and in tune with me about my excitement for this work.

* For those of you who never took that intro to psychology course in high school or college, a Pavlovian response is when a neutral stimulus (a bell tone for example) is paired with a stimulus (like food for a dog) that induces a biological response (like salivation) such that with enough pairings, it only takes the sound of the bell to start the dog to salivate even without food being present.

That translates to my phone ringing, being paired enough now with job offers or confirmations that make my heart beat faster such that now any time my cell phone goes off,  I get a hyper physiological response even though the call may be no actual job offer presented.   Hope that makes some sense.

Okay, psychology lesson over... Have a nice day... 

Easy to get spoiled--a good opportunity for enhancing an attitude of gratitude

It's always a little tricky to calculate what you will get credited toward paid hours.  Each production company seems to work a little differently.  Some include the lunch hour towards the 10 hour flat rate day pay, others do not.  Some pay for the RT bus ride if they have to transport extras out to a location.   Some add a 30 minute grace period after the shoot is wrapped to account for turning props back in and getting through the paper work sign off.  Some will give you $10 if you have a "walk away lunch" meaning you literally walk away to find lunch and pay for it on your own dime, as it is not being provided on set.  Some give $14. 43 for OT pay, others give $13.35.

With just a few experiences of getting the best of everything (paid for the commute, given the 30 minute grace period, paid the higher rate for OT, having the lunch break included in the 10 hours, etc)  It's very easy to get grumbly when you don't get any of those things.  You start to just expect them. And that is where I think people's bad attitudes start to emerge.  I try to take a very spiritual approach to the whole thing by not getting attached or expectant to receiving these perks.  Just staying focused on enjoying the process, being glad for having this opportunity and not expecting anything beyond the baseline--which really is the agreement when you take the job.  So when any one of these perks does happen, it truly feels like a gift and I can genuinely be happy and thankful for it.  It's a much better position to be in than a constant one of disappointment and disgruntlement--which seems to be the case with a few of the people on each set.  

A waiver and a pay bump......what a missed opportunity

Why or why did I not take this exercise class when I had the chance.  Pole dancing could have been started my path to getting my 3 waivers needed to join SAG!  I guess the age range is slightly out of my league, but hey,  shot in a dark room with me wearing flesh colored spandex, I might have been able to pass if they were desperate!

Casting Notice
Project Name:	The Good Wife
Project Type:	Film & TV
Format:	Other
Rate/Compensation:
Message:
Role Role Type Gender/Age/Ethnicities Description/Note Union or Non-Union Females w/Pole Dancing Experience - Shoots on Tues. 3/24th - Please Read Carefully Special Female / 18 to 40 / All Ethnicities, AfricanAm, Am-Indian, Asian, Caucasian, East-Ind, Hispanic, MidEastern, Mixed, PacificIsland Union or Non-Union female stripper types THAT HAVE POLE DANCING EXPERIENCE. Shoot date is Tues. 3/24th. Must be comfortable in revealing/skimpy attire. Non-Union will be waivered. Pics will be submitted to the director-please submit only if you are comfortable with this type of content and have experience. There will be a bump in pay. Please indicate pole dancing experience in the note. If you have submitted to a similar posting you may resubmit.

Now I know why some cops might be irritable

Went to my police officer uniform fitting this morning. Turns out there will be 200 of us extras dressed as officers of varying ranks for that shoot on Monday.  I have no idea what the scene is but I'm guessing its some kind of graduation ceremony or funeral service.  I don't watch the show so not sure how this figures into the plot.  I will be a higher ranking officer which is kind of cool. I don't have any pictures to share today because they didn't have a hat on hand that fit me, ordering one from their bigger wardrobe warehouse. It'll be there on Monday.  They also had to alter the neck of my shirt and the hem of my pants.  I know I say this repeatedly, but AGAIN, I just cannot get over the level of detail they put into making us extras look authentic even when there are so many of us, and in general, we are seen so little in the show.  So many alternations to get through 200 extras.

Now this is where my hypothesis of why some cops might be irritable comes in ....The uniform I am wearing is so taut and form fitting. I am wearing the absolute smallest size they could fit me into for the shirt, jacket and pants.  I dare not eat much over the next few days for fear there will be no way I'm going to be able to button the waist on the pants.  The neck of my shirt is being taken in so that there is absolutely no crevice between my neck and the collar.  The tailor and I could barely button the collar once he pinched the back to pull it as taut as he could. I felt like I was being vacuum packed and sealed.  I don't know how I will tolerate being in that uniform for a full day of shooting.  The other thing is that the dress jacket that goes with this higher ranking officer uniform is HEAVY.  The jacket and pants are a dense wool.  I'm really hoping we are doing an exterior shoot with a predicted temp of 42 degrees and sunny and not indoors where it might be quite warm under the studio lights.  The only saving grace (besides the TOTAL COOL FACTOR of wearing this uniform)  is that I was issued a pair of comfy cop shoes.  The have lots of padding and are a nice wide width.  Anyway, anyone who has to be trapped in a uniform like that all day, everyday, is just not going to be a happy person.

I had every intention of asking the head wardrobe person about the whole owning a cop uniform thing and about the patches etc., but got no chance.  Even though I was in the first batch of extras to be fitted, she already had her hands full with really no time to talk at all.  So foiled again.  But I did go Junior's Police Equipment afterwards to check with them and see what they could offer.  Turns out they are authorized to sell the full uniform INCLUDING the NYPD arm patches to actors....the only catch being, the actor has to have a current active SAG card--meaning they are dues paying members of the Screen Actors Guild Union--which, of course, I AM NOT.   I asked him if I brought in someone with a SAG card, could they buy all my stuff for me and he said that was fine.  So now I really have to buddy up with a SAG actor to ask this favor. He was also saying that if I wanted to buy the ENTIRE line of police uniform wardrobe, it would set me back $900.  The basics are about $400.  I felt like talking to him gave me the clarity I've been wanting.  I'm still going to ask around to other extras just because every person I ask gives me different info. Now, I'm kind of just interested in hearing the variability of people's responses.  The last person I talked to said that the production companies just velcro on the patches and I didn't have to buy any!!  It's kind of taking on an urban myth quality for me. I've not heard the same story twice yet...and I've talked to at least 6 or 7 people about it now.

Turns out that a friend of mine who just started doing background acting as a result of hearing about my experiences is booked for the same shoot on Monday! It didn't take long at all for us to collide on a booking  That means it'll be really easy to get pictures to post next week.  Stay tuned!

I don't look middle American but not enough like Non middle American

It's been a very interesting experience to submit for specific ethnic roles. In some ways the diversity represented among the Extras at any given job is impressive.  The casting companies make it a point to have reasonable representation of the major ethnicities (Asian, Hispanic, Black).  But my submissions for very specific ethnic roles just don't catch.  The casting companies seem to be looking for more stereotypical ethnic looking people.  My own feeling is that I know I don't look middle American but I also don't look totally Mexican or any other specific ethnicity for that matter.  My height for one throws people off right away. If I did look Mexican or Eastern Indian or Middle Eastern, or Mediterranean, or Central European (guesses by a whole host of people throughout my life), I don't think people would ask me so often--"Just what ethnicity are you?"  I'm different looking enough to pique people's interest but not exotic enough to be representative for any specific ethnicity. I also don't have any kind of foreign accent and I don't speak Spanish either.  At this late date, even if I learned a foreign language, I doubt I could speak with any authentic accent. So I feel kind of stuck in limbo land as far as submitting for ethnic specific parts. My culture is more academic nerd which doesn't exactly translate to many parts. Maybe it's just super competitive for those jobs and I'm making something out of nothing but I can't help but feel that my intuition about this is on target.  Especially as I now look more carefully at TV, movies, and print work of people who do get those roles.

It's kind of the same feeling with the whole Social Economic Status roles too.  I'm clearly not working class but also not high class.  I doubt I will every get those high class, wealthy type roles.  I met a woman yesterday who is just the embodiment of what, at least I think, casting directors are looking for.  I will never be able to achieve that look without a lot of help with hair, make up, and wardrobe. It's a world I don't have a lot of experience in. So I feel like I can't even get my foot in the door for those roles given my profile pictures.  I am happy with the roles I am getting and am getting steady work but this has been an interesting observation.  Not the first time this has crossed my mind for sure, but it brings it to the forefront in a way it hadn't been before. 

Officer Calderon in the making!

This is just the best opportunity I could have asked for.  When I saw this job notice come out, I was all over it. Felt like a wish come true.  I got the call from Central Casting about an hour after I submitted with confirmation for this role if I was still available and interested. I couldn't help but be totally enthusiastic about getting this role. I don't know if other background actors are as enthusiastic as I am when they get confirmation calls, but I think the casting agency reps get some amusement from my responses. I go for my fitting on Wednesday morning which should take less than an hour and for which I will be paid--though not sure how much.  Then the shoot is on Monday 2/23 for Blue Bloods. I am really hoping to finally get my questions answered as to how this cop uniform business works.  If I get good enough answers, I'm going to make a bee line to Junior's Police Equipment and Uniforms after my fitting. I am now enough ahead of the game income wise that I can buy the complete uniform top to bottom without going into debt.    Casting Notice
Project Name:	BLUE BLOODS - SEASON 5
Project Type:
Format:
Rate/Compensation:
Message: NON UNION FEMALES TO PORTRAY NYPD IN UNI *MUST NOTE SIZES* FITTINGS 317-3/18 WORK DATE IS 3/23. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.
Role Role Type Gender/Age/Ethnicities Description/Note NON UNION FEMALES TO PORTRAY NYPD IN UNI *MUST NOTE SIZES* FITTINGS 317-3/18 WORK DATE IS 3/23. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.  Extra Female / 18 to 55 / All Ethnicities NON UNION FEMALES TO PORTRAY NYPD IN UNI *MUST NOTE SIZES* FITTINGS 317-3/18 WORK DATE IS 3/23. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. ***SHIRT SIZE & WAIST SIZE**** WARDROBE WILL BE PROVIDED. MUST SHIRT SIZE & WAIST SIZE TO BE CONSIDERED. MUST BE AVAIL FOR FITTING ON EITHER 3/17 OR 3/18 AND MUST HAVE ALL DAY AVAIL, WITH NO CONFLICTS ON 3/23.

The 80's called and wants its clothes back...

No really, if you don't turn in the clothes, you will get fined beaucoup de dolars by wardrobe.  Had the best gig so far today as a business traveler for the TV show, The Americans.  I have been wanting to be on a period piece since starting the Extra work and today was the day. The first of many I hope. I didn't really appreciate that 1983 is considered a vintage year in need of very particular hair, make up and clothes.  I guess it is over 30 years ago and no doubt fashion has changed but the level of detail hair, make up, and wardrobe puts in to making us look authentic is so impressive and FUN! There were about 100 extras that needed to be made up and about five stations at each place for getting our hair done, make up applied, and wardrobe assigned. Production staggered our call times so we were arriving in batches of 20 or so every half hour for a couple of hours. They had commandeered lots of older model cars and taxis for the exterior shot at the "airport" which was really a big conference center here in NYC.  I love Keri Russell, one of the principle actors, all the way back from her Felicity days so it was very fun to be on set with her.  I was positioned quite close to her for both of the airport scenes we shot today.  I love being more up front than banished to the Background wasteland.  It much more fun to be where the action is, though I do know some background actors who like being way, way, way off camera so they can essentially just do their own thing like talk on their phone, play games on their phones, etc.

Hair put so much hairspray and gel to get my hair to stay wavy the whole day.  We had to walk for several windy blocks to get from holding where we were being made up to the actual location of the shoot.  My hair person told me not to worry, my hair wasn't going anyplace....It felt like a helmet!  And sure enough, it looked great even after walking 4 blocks in the wind.  I don't know if aerosol cans still damage the ozone but if they do, the amount of hair spray used for that one shoot no doubt widened the hole in the ozone by a measurable amount!! Only the skirt and pumps are mine, everything else came from wardrobe or props, including the purse and suitcase.

Here are a few fun pics of my first period piece.

before

after

The full effect for the interior scene 

For the exterior scene

I am having so much fun with doing the Extra work.  It's adding such a whimsical dimension to my life.  I highly recommend it if you can put up with the hours, logistics of getting to the shoots, some of the tedium and the low pay.  For me, as I've said before, the good totally outweighs the bad.  I really don't understand people who show up for work with such bad attitudes, complaining about this and that.  This is totally voluntary, if you don't like, don't do it.  It's such a bummer to have to be stationed near someone whining all the time.  I try my best to keep my distance and not give them any reinforcement for their commentary.  I'm booked for the Good Wife next Monday.  Another show I'm excited to be on.  I'll be a reporter at a press conference for that shoot. 

update on that police uniform purchase

The plot thickens...turns out there are a number of surreptitious ways to get the necessary NYPD patches.  The more people I talk to the more shady tips I get.  So far what I've been told is that if I go to one particular police uniform store and explain I am a background actor "they will fix me up." Not exactly sure what that entails on my part--meaning if I have to pay anybody off to get them. Then another person told me that her cousin who is a cop bought her uniform, patches, and badge. Then another person told me that sometimes the production company will give them to you but not really sure how that happens.  Another told me that I should get to know a cop well enough to ask him/her to get me some patches--somehow, I just don't think that is going to happen. Another person told me that at the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market (just up the street from me on the weekends), there is one vendor there who sells the patches for 3 bucks each. Truth or rumor?? I'll find out this weekend. Another person told me he bought his from a retiring actor or was it a retiring police officer?? And yet another person told me to try a certain website that makes very realistic fake patches and badges.

My strategy now is to buy the basic uniform (long sleeve winter shirt, short sleeve summer shirt, pants, jacket, hat, gun belt, tie and clip, turtle neck, shoes) from the uniform store that can "potentially fix me up" and if that doesn't work, check out the Hell's Kitchen flea market vendor.  If that doesn't work, I'll probably ask one of the production sets that uses a lot of cops and see what they say.  I'm on a hunt for sure! 

Mark and recapture, population estimates--very common in wildlife studies

This is how the brain of my husband works....I'm telling him that I'd like to figure out how many other extras are applying for the same job notices I'm applying to--essentially what is my competition. Now that I've done 16 shoots, I am definitely seeing several of the same people over and over again at these various shoots.  It's nice because it increases the camaraderie and sense of community.  Easy to share experiences, tips, inside jokes, etc.

I'd say that on any given shoot, I recognize now about 10 percent of the people from other jobs.  Bob says he can calculate an estimate of the potential applying population if I start to give sample counts of those I recognize and how many total extras there on any particular job.  It's a method he learned in a class back in graduate school for Quantitative Ecology--over 25 years ago.  It's called Mark and Recapture for population estimates. I'm going to pay closer attention and start feeding Bob data so he can develop the model.  Nerd Alert!! And that refers to both of US!!  

Free job training

I was supposed to be a tourist extra for a new CBS pilot, DOUBT but at the last minute they switched me to be a boom operator at a press conference on the steps of courthouse.  This was great on a couple of levels.  As a tourist extra, I would have been banished out to the hinterlands of extra non-exposure but as a boom operator, I wound up right on the front lines with lots of camera exposure. I was the front boom operator at the press conference so was in lots of the main shots of the main characters.  I was on camera so much, they couldn't use in any of the follow up scenes because I'd been so exposed on camera in the first scene.

An actual boom operator came over to demonstrate how we were to hold the pole to make it look authentic, how to hold it in front of the person depending on the distance, how to pivot the boom from one person to another, etc.  It was kind of a meta experience because as we were pretending to be boom operators he was working right along side of us off camera being a real boom operator capturing the actors speaking their lines.

Check me out!!

a little more on that talent form you have to fill out

Besides asking for what you look like, all your physical stats, whether you actually have any real talent or special skills and what your limits are for nudity, one other thing they ask on that form is whether you are willing to kiss someone of the same sex, opposite sex or not at all.  I gave it a fair amount of thought and decided to check the box for same sex kissing.  It made me think of that Katy Perry song--I Kissed a Girl (and I Liked It).  I decided on same sex versus opposite sex or none at all for a variety of reasons.  The main one for no opposite sex kissing is that I really don't want to kiss any man other than Bob.  It would just weird me out and I don't think Bob would be too keen on it.  Bob is saying as I am writing this that he would be okay if that scene came with a waiver to put towards earning my SAG card. What a generous husband I have!

I decided against checking the no kissing at all box because I don't want to rule out what could be an interesting role.  I have so many gay and lesbian friends that it all just seems pretty normal to me.  And it's not like I haven't kissed a girl before.  I think it was Kinsey that made the scientific observation that most people fall along a continuum for hetersexual to homosexual.  With very few people being a 10 for either.  I would say I probably fall around a 7 or 8 for heterosexual.  I have certainly been attracted to or had crushes on women but far more so on men.  I did some experimentation in college but mostly realized, at least with that particular woman, that what I was really craving from her was the closeness you have with a girlfriend when you are very preadolescent, not really sexual as much as genuine innocence and intimacy.  Like holding hands and skipping together or giggling secrets in each other's ears.  Where you have a physical closeness that is joyful and energetic. Anyway, all this is to say is that I don't really have a problem with kissing a woman for a scene.  But, I seemingly have a problem with saying that publicly or else I would have written that in when I was blogging about filling out the form earlier.   I don't really know why I hesitated about blogging on that.  Maybe it's because it's such a mixed group of people reading this or maybe it's my own latent issues.  I spoke with my Kelly about this and she was great.  She made a really good statement to me about how my opening up about this might give people a different perspective or even permission to think about this for themselves.  I may be making more of it that what it needs to be, but for some reason, it just didn't flow back then.

One other reason I decided on same sex versus opposite sex kissing relates to my OCDness and sometimes illogical thinking.... but....I also think women keep their mouths cleaner.  It was pointed out to me that it's probably a very case by case basis for either men or women, but somehow, I think the odds are just better that a random woman I might be paired with is going to have a cleaner mouth and better oral hygiene that any random man.  Sorry guys--it's just a gut feeling.  I think women just think about and act on that kind of stuff more than men do.

I don't know if anything will ever come of me checking that same sex kissing box, but again, I love the whole process of what it provokes and promotes in my thinking, acting and being. 

Paranoia/guilt still a problem

I can't believe that as old as I am, I still am subject to concerns of paranoia when I am not the nicest person.  I was booked to be a CEO on The Blacklist for Monday.  A promotion from being a hospital visitor the last time I was on it!  On Sunday Bob and I were grocery shopping at our food coop and it was a mad house there. Jam packed and the check out lines went on forever.  I decided to call in for my wardrobe, call in time, and location since we had a wait ahead of us to check out.  I was already feeling tired and cranky from maneuvering through the tight crowds while shopping.  To get wardrobe, location and call time, I have to listen through an interminably long message (like 15 mins--no kidding) to get the few bits that relate to what is meaningful for me. Usually the info is organized by the numbers Extras are assigned so you know exactly what to listen for.  Turns out the casting person who recorded the message for Monday's The Blacklist info was so repetitive, did not use the usual number system, and made so many extraneous remarks. I found it confusing and frustrating.  I then called the number given for "emergencies" or if in need of other info.  I called in, couldn't really hear well because of being in the coop, and was cranky and frustrated. I was a bit whiney and complaining on the phone with the person I was speaking with as to how bad the info was organized and that I needed clarification as to my role was and what wardrobe I needed to bring.  He made some curt comment about how everyone has their own method for leaving the info and I just had to deal with it, he told me what I needed to listen for (which I had to ask for twice--which didn't help his mood or mine). By the end of our phone call, it felt like a bad exchange.  About 9 in the evening,  I got a phone call from the casting agency saying the scene for which I was supposed to be background was cut and they didn't need me anymore.  I just felt so paranoid after that phone call that I was being cut because of my "bad" phone behavior.  I know logically that could not be the case but that Catholic guilt still runs deep.  It's so crazy making.  I did get booked today by the same casting agency for work tomorrow on a CBS pilot, DOUBT.  That was very reassuring but all the same, I wish I wasn't so prone to feeling so guilty about such minor transgressions.  I can hold on to that guilt for way too long.  It comes with being so rule bound.  I love structure and rules which has worked really well for me except when I feel like I've broken them then the guilt just makes itself at home in my head.  

Job notices for special people with special skills

I don't watch the show Gotham but it's recruiting for some very special people as is The Knick.... Casting Notice
Project Name:	Gotham
Project Type:	Film & TV
Format:
Rate/Compensation:
Message: GWC is seeking REAL Dominatrix with their own equipment to work 3/10 in a Brothel scene. Please note if you have your own equipment.
Role Role Type Gender/Age/Ethnicities Description/Note SEEKING REAL DOMINATRIX WORKS 3/10 Extra Female / 18 to 50 / All Ethnicities, AfricanAm, Am-Indian, Asian, Caucasian, East-Ind, Hispanic, MidEastern, Mixed, PacificIsland GWC is seeking REAL Dominatrix with their own equipment to work 3/10 in a Brothel scene. Please note if you have your own equipment.
Casting Notice   Project Name: The Knick Season 2 Project Type: Film & TV Format: Rate/Compensation:   Message: GWCI is seeking SAG-AFTRA/NON-UNION men and women to portray caucasian Houdini type escape artist, African American or Hispanic male fire breather, Hispanic male knife thrower, and Hispanic female burlesque performer. We are seeking people with REAL experience. Works Tues. 3/17 and Wed. 3/18. Fitting next week in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This is for paid work. TBD rate. PLEASE NOTE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE.   Role Role Type Gender/Age/Ethnicities Description/Note SAG-AFTRA/NON-UNION AFRICAN AMERICAN FIRE BREATHER, CAUCASIAN HOUDINI TYPE ESCAPE ARTIST, HISPANIC BURLESQUE PERFORMER,  Extra Male or Female / 18 to 65 / All Ethnicities, AfricanAm, Am-Indian, Asian, Caucasian, East-Ind, Hispanic, MidEastern, Mixed, PacificIsland GWCI is seeking SAG-AFTRA/NON-UNION men and women to portray caucasian Houdini type escape artist, African American or Hispanic male fire breather, Hispanic male knife thrower, and Hispanic female burlesque performer. We are seeking people with REAL experience. Works Tues. 3/17 and Wed. 3/18. Fitting next week in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. This is for paid work. TBD rate. PLEASE NOTE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE. Casting Notice   Project Name: Gotham Project Type: Film & TV Format: Rate/Compensation:   Message: GWC is seeking UNION/NONUNION Attractive Older Couple for Brothel Scene. See specifics below! Works 3/10, prefit TOMORROW 3/4 MUST be comfortable being in a scene portraying various "orgy" scenarios. MUST be comfortable wearing latex/leather attire. Please note in your submission the following: 1) Comfort level with nudity/partial nudity (underwear, portraying nude, etc) 2) Comfort level portraying acts of sexual nature 3)your sizes of the following: MEN: height, weight, jacket, waist x inseam, neck x sleeve, shoe WOMEN: height, weight, dress, bust x waist x hip, shoe if you have worked on Gotham at all previously, note date(s) and role(s) you have portrayed. Must not have ever been featured, prefit, or worked as a prisoner/inmate or patient.   Role Role Type Gender/Age/Ethnicities Description/Note UNION/NONUNION Attractive Older Couple for Brothel Scene. See specifics below! Works 3/10, prefit TOMORROW 3/4 Extra Male or Female / 60 to 75 / All Ethnicities, AfricanAm, Am-Indian, Asian, Caucasian, East-Ind, Hispanic, MidEastern, Mixed, PacificIsland GWC is seeking UNION/NONUNION Attractive Older Couple for Brothel Scene. See specifics below! Works 3/10, prefit TOMORROW 3/4 MUST be comfortable being in a scene portraying various "orgy" scenarios. MUST be comfortable wearing latex/leather attire. Please note in your submission the following: 1) Comfort level with nudity/partial nudity (underwear, portraying nude, etc) 2) Comfort level portraying acts of sexual nature 3)your sizes of the following: MEN: height, weight, jacket, wai

Casting Notice
Project Name:	Gotham
Project Type:	Film & TV
Format:
Rate/Compensation:
Message: GWC is seeking UNION/NONUNION Men & Women for Brothel Scene. See specifics below! Works 3/10, prefit TBD MUST be comfortable being in a scene portraying various "orgy" scenarios. Please note in your submission the following: 1) Comfort level with nudity/partial nudity (underwear, portraying nude, etc) 2) Comfort level portraying acts of sexual nature 3) whether or not you own leather or laytex attire 4) whether or not you have any experience with shibari, dominatrix, or similar 5) your sizes of the following: MEN: height, weight, jacket, waist x inseam, neck x sleeve, shoe WOMEN: height, weight, dress, bust x waist x hip, shoe if you have worked on Gotham at all previously, note date(s) and role(s) you have portrayed. Must not have ever been featured, prefit, or worked as a prisoner/inmate or patient.
Role Role Type Gender/Age/Ethnicities Description/Note UNION/NONUNION Men & Women for Brothel Scene. See details in posting! Works 3/10, prefit TBD Extra Male or Female / 18 to 50 / All Ethnicities, AfricanAm, Am-Indian, Asian, Caucasian, East-Ind, Hispanic, MidEastern, Mixed, PacificIsland GWC is seeking UNION/NONUNION Men & Women for Brothel Scene. See specifics below! Works 3/10, prefit TBD MUST be comfortable being in a scene portraying various "orgy" scenarios. Please note in your submission the following: 1) Comfort level with nudity/partial nudity (underwear, portraying nude, etc) 2) Comfort level portraying acts of sexual nature 3) whether or not you own leather or laytex attire 4) whether or not you have any experience with shibari, dominatrix, or similar 5) you

You learn something new every day

While there is lots to learn in terms of production and filming, sets, locations, etc.  Extra work, in and of itself, is not the most intellectually stimulating or academic profession one can engage in but it does have its learning moments.  This moment came with this job notice.  Does anyone know what a Shibari model is?  I certainly did not.  So I looked it up....

Casting Notice
Project Name:	Gotham
Project Type:	Film & TV
Format:
Rate/Compensation:
Message: GWC is seeking REAL Shibari Model to Portray Brothel Companion (Special Ability). Works Tues 3/10 Please note your REAL Shibari experience, as well as any attire/accessories you own. THIS IS FOR REAL EXPERIENCED ONLY!
Role Role Type Gender/Age/Ethnicities Description/Note REAL Shibari Model to Portray Brothel Companion (Special Ability). Works Tues 3/10 Extra Female / 18 to 45 / All Ethnicities, AfricanAm, Am-Indian, Asian, Caucasian, East-Ind, Hispanic, MidEastern, Mixed, PacificIsland GWC is seeking REAL Shibari Model to Portray Brothel Companion (Special Ability). Works Tues 3/10 Please note your REAL Shibari experience, as well as any attire/accessories you own. THIS IS FOR REAL EXPERIENCED ONLY!
What is Shibari? In Japanese, “Shibari” simply means “to tie”. The contemporary meaning of Shibari describes an ancient Japanese artistic form of rope bondage. The origin of Shibari comes from Hojo-jutsu, the martial art of restraining captives. In Japan from 1400 to 1700, while the local police and Samurai used Hojo-jutsu as a form of imprisonment and torture, the honor of these ancient Samurai warriors required them to treat their prisoners well. So, they used different techniques to tie their prisoners, showing the honor and status of their captured prisoner. In the late 1800′s and early 1900′s a new form of erotic Hojo-justu evolved, called Kinbaku, the art of erotic bondage. Today, particularly in the west, the art of erotic bondage is typically called Shibari, which is an art of erotic spirituality, not a martial art. Shibari style rigging creates geometric patterns and shapes with rope that contrast beautifully with the human body’s natural curves. The ropes and their texture provide contrast to smooth skin and curves. In Shibari, the model is the canvas, the rope is the paint and brush, and the rigger is the rope artist. The aesthetic arrangement of ropes and knots on the model’s body in Shibari rigging emphasizes characteristics like sensuality, vulnerability, and also strength. The positioning of knots in appropriate places stimulates pressure points on the body, very similarly to acupuncture techniques and Shiatsu, a form of Japanese massage. Some believe a Shibari experience also stimulates Ki energy flow and transfer. In addition to creating beautiful patterns, with rope, body and limb placements, Shibari rigging induces physiological conditions known as “sub space” and “top space”, which are similar to the “runners high” experienced by athletes. A Shibari experience results in an increased level of endorphins and other hormones, creating a trance-like experience for the bottom/model and an adrenaline rush for the Top/rigger. When a Shibari scene is performed with appropriate ambience, these effects are actually visible in the face of the model. The term “rope drunk” is sometimes affectionately used to describe the euphoric condition of the model after a Shibari experience. For most practitioners of Shibari, the use of rope bondage does not include an unwilling victim like the “Damsels in Distress” images popular in Detective type magazines. Instead, there is a collaboration between the Shibari artist (the rigger/Top) and the Shibari canvas (the model/bottom) to create a combination of effects including visual beauty, power exchange, helplessness, relaxation, and sub space and top space physiological experiences. Contemporary practitioners of Shibari enjoy creating beautiful still images, live and recorded performance art. Shibari can also be used as a component in BDSM play and an enhancement in sexual activities.

shibari