Call time: 3:30pm Location: Raleigh Studios, Hollywood, CA.
In the biz, the term hiatus, is when all the TV shows go on break in between seasons. Hiatus is generally from mid-May until end of July. I hate hiatus because that means as background, we have to rely on films and because of runaway production in LA, that generally means little to no work.
You must be saying to yourself, “Wait a minute, you’re in Hollywood, the capital of the film world.” That might have been true at one time, not anymore. Most films don’t shoot in LA anymore, even if they are supposed to take place in LA, they still don’t shoot here. Why you ask? The obvious, money. It’s too expensive to shoot in LA and while other countries, states and even cities have become wise and have started giving film production tax breaks such as Louisiana, North Carolina, Toronto, Budapest, Prague, New Zealand, etc, our ex-actor Governor (and probably soon to be actor again) has not seen fit to pass similar tax breaks here in the state of California. So what has happened? Runaway production, that’s what’s happened. Studios take their production to other locations where they will get money back or where they can meet their budget and use local talent. That means, less jobs for us, the actors in the state of California.
How about commercials you say? One word, the economy.
Therefore, I’m very happy that hiatus is over and we are hard at work again on TV projects.
Today I’ve been booked as a COFFEE SHOP CUSTOMER on a long running TV show. I have worked the show in past seasons. Everyone is very nice. I know the routine well, where to park, where to check in, who to see, etc. But this time, when I arrive, the regular PA’s are no where to be found. They are all newbies. So are the wardrobe people. I find that strange on a show that’s been on for several seasons and is in no danger of being cancelled. Oh, oh, there must have been a small shake up in production, the result, new faces. That’s the way of the biz, one day you have a job, the next you don’t.
Our wardrobe is simple, nice LA street clothes. Our base camp will be the studio but we are told that the set is actually on location and we will be bused to the location later on. An empty studio is a lonely place and right now the normally busy set is completely quiet since the entire crew and cast are on location. We are given seats inside this huge, cold, sound stage. It’s really depressing and quiet discerning. After about 20 minutes we all look at each other and decide that we’d prefer to take our seats outside and wait there.
About one hour later the PA rounds us up and directs us to awaiting buses. We are ready to leave for set. The set is literally around the corner. It is a chic cool, very LA looking coffee shop. The principal actors will be sitting outside talking and we are to be just regular coffee shop customers. I’m given a spot at the counter ordering coffee with another BGA. Now before I continue, I want to tell you about this particular BGA. I will call her Naomi as in Naomi Campbell, the 80’s supermodel.
Naomi is a very attractive, classy looking African-American woman, I’d say in her mid 30’s. She’s a Southern Bell, with the cute accent and all. I had seen Naomi arrive to the studio with her wardrobe bag, a Gucci wardrobe bag, genuine or not, I don’t know, but it did say Gucci on it. She came dressed in a gorgeous high end denim slim dress that was beautiful and obviously expensive. I mean this woman appeared to be reeking of money. Why she is doing background work, at this point I don’t know. But the reason will shortly become apparent. I will get there soon. Let me continue describing Naomi because she was in my opinion, a remarkable person.
Naomi walks over to the wardrobe trailer and shows them what she is wearing. It’s too beautiful. They ask her to tone it down just a bit. They go over her wardrobe bag and find a simple sweater. They decide that she should wear the sweater over the dress making her look more “mommy-like.” With her wardrobe figured out, Naomi walks over to a chair and begins to fix her makeup and hair. She takes out a make up case that would rival most professional make up artists and begins to meticulously do her face. This process begins from when we were waiting at the sound stage and continued until we were at the location ready to hit the set. I’d say a total of 2 hours. I don’t mean that she actually took 2 hours to do her make up but throughout the 2 hours she kept checking and refreshing her make up. She wanted to look perfect, I’d say, she needed to look perfect. To me, it was ridiculous because as BGAs we are rarely even discernible figures in the background.
Having described Naomi, I’d like to return to the set, specifically, the coffee counter where I have been given my start position. Naomi is in front of me at the counter. She will order coffee first, then me. As you know, it takes forever to set up shots so usually you have plenty of time to chat. Naomi and I begin to chat. In the course of a few minutes I learn that Naomi is a single mother recently divorced with a condo mortgage and a young daughter. She used to be a stay at home mother because her husband had a very good job that afforded them an upper class lifestyle. After the divorce, which I’m guessing was not a friendly one, she’s been left with very little money and tons of bills. She works part time at a bank and the rest of her time she does background work. It’s been tough because her entire life changed almost overnight. I felt so much empathy for Naomi and I immediately understood her primping and propping, her need to look perfect even if she would never be seen in the shot. The need ran deep, the need to be in control.
I’m always amazed at what people will reveal to strangers. It’s as if the desire to let go, to release bent up emotions to someone that can’t judge or who’s judgment won’t mean much to them is so great, that they will give up the most intimate of personal details just to feel a sense of relief. I found myself feeling sorry for Naomi but in the end, I realize that she didn’t want nor was she looking for my sympathy. On the contrary, she was showing off her strength, her inner power of survival, something she was very proud of. I don’t blame her.
The actual shoot was uneventful. Yeah, I got to stand next to the star. He even spoke to me…whoopie!!! All of the “famous” people on the set were anti-climatic for me. Naomi was the real star of the day. When we finished and were back at the studio ready to sign out, I made sure I said good bye to her. We hugged and I wished her “in bocca lupo” That means good luck in Italian. We had spoken about Italy. She loved the country and had visited it lots of time when she was married.
Naomi, I’m sure you’ll visit Italy again, but this time, it will be on your own dime. How much sweeter will that be? You go girl!
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