05.31.07
Posted in The business of living at 3:37 pm by Athena
There are some people who can’t be still. The Movers. They are sometimes spotted because they bounce a leg, or shuffle their feet. Then there are more extreme cases where they can’t sit for more than a few minutes, or they need to do cartwheels or yoga poses in the line at the grocery store.
On Monday while sitting at Backspace with Sky, I watched two guys come in and order drinks. It became quickly apparent why one man ordered coffee and the other didn’t. They guy who ordered an Americano needed something to help him keep up with his friend who decided that since Backspace has a fairly open floor plan he’d do a handstand, then a cartwheel then tried a round-off which landed him squarely on his ass on the pavement… but that didn’t stop him from climbing on the railing at the entrance and smacking his noodle on the advertisement board. Dude #2 finally got his drink and with an audible sigh followed his Mover-friend (who is vigorously rubbing his head) outside.
When I’m in a Mover’s space I have to fight the urge to try to keep their speed. I’m not built like that. I’m okay to just sit – chill – take it in.
Last night at Poi, I was in the park and this guy named Fidgety (he’s a cutie) comes and sits next to me on the grass where I’m reclining. I loved watching the poi spinners and the staff twirlers and feeling the grass under my feet where I laid on my back propped up by my elbows. I wasn’t watching Fidgety to my right as we talked and there was a lull in the conversation as I was particularly amazed by someone doing a corkscrew trick with the poi – when suddenly – two legs and 140lbs of man lands on my left boob.
“Ah! Right in the knockers!” I wheezed and rolled over on my side to shield my breasts and clutch them going, “OHMYGODITHINKYOUBROKEMYTITTY!”
Fidgety scrambled in embarrassment and fell over himself trying to explain he was trying to go from a sitting position to a backward handstand while we were talking, and he fell over – on my girls.
Of course if I wasn’t so engrossed in the poi and dancers I would have seen the fidget signs beginning and I’d have made my tactful retreat out of the reach of a Mover.
I did a quick check and my left breast was fine, nipple and piercing intact - aside from the ache of a good kick in the chest, everything seemed to be okay. Well, except for Fidgety whose face was aflame and he couldn’t stop babbling so I interrupted…
“Honey, I don’t mind if you want to hit on me, okay? But please stop kicking me in my boobs.”
The whole rest of the night he hung out on the other side of the group. As we were leaving I fought back the urge to say, “See you next Tuesday! Maybe you can get my right side and even things out.” (her name is Betty)
I guess I’ll never be able to relate to the Movers. Constantly in motion. But I will at least try to stay out of their way, because I’ve never met a Mover who hasn’t regularly staggered, stumbled, tripped, knocked over, landed on, broken, skinned, banged or bruised themselves or the person unfortunate enough to be sitting nearby.
I’m happy to report that Betty and Boop are doing just fine, Jeffy – aside from a little swelling….
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05.29.07
Posted in Uncategorized, The business of living at 4:18 pm by Athena
Sunday I spent the day as an extra on the set of DIY. This is the second time I’ve worked as an extra and I had a blast. When I showed up I expected to sit in a corner and read most of the time but I was actually so enthralled by the goings on that I lingered on the fringes the whole day.
Some people hate being extras. Many of my other actor friends despise it but consider it a necessary evil of practice, networking and paying dues – whatever that is supposed to mean.
I think it’s an adventure, and it just so happens that this last one was so much fun, I didn’t really want to leave – but I didn’t want to be one of those irritating loitering groupies. Okay, that’s a lie, I really did want to be an irritating loitering groupie – but to tell the truth I was worried I might freak them out and they’d call the police on me for refusing to let go of the camera.
The last time I was an extra, I worked in the set of Spiral for two night shoots back to back while working my full time job at the firm. I’d get off work at 4pm and be on set at 4:30 where we shot until 4am and I ran home slept for two hours and got up to go back to work where I got off at 4pm was on set by 4:30 and shot till 4am ran home slept for two hours then got up and ran to the airport to go to Utah for Christmas break. Whew.
That first night we shot a sequence in the rain and I had to walk past the oncoming talent in the downpour several times, go inside dry off and warm up then go back out and do it again. We did this four or five times.
Someone said to me, “Suffering for the sake of art.”
No. Not really. I did it because it was fun for me. I wouldn’t have bothered if it wasn’t fun – I’d have just gone home and gone to bed. Atmosphere makes all the difference and it was a great atmosphere as well as a great mini adventure and although I was ridiculously loopy at the airport from sleep deprivation, I was bummed that the movie wrapped and I wouldn’t be able to go back and do it again.
On Sunday when I sat on the set of DIY I found myself yet again in a great atmosphere. They had food and laughter and a great Director named Jeff and a bunch of people who really wanted to be there. You can’t ask for more than hanging out with people who love what they’re doing.
I’ve heard horror stories of people who get treated badly as an extra, but my two experiences thus far have been great. It’s long hours for no pay, but you get to talk to people from all walks of life (on Spiral I hung out and played cards with a group of college kids and on DIY I hung out and talked with a transient who came in for the day because there was food), it’s great people watching as well as getting a better idea of set etiquette and the terminology of movie making and yes, let’s not forget you get to be in a story, a real movie. How cool is that?
The most powerful thing about being there on Sunday, was that it was great internal validation for what I want to do with my life. I was happy there. Really happy! Despite people grumbling around me or people shifting because they were tired of standing, or complaining that they wanted to go home – I couldn’t stop grinning (which caused the Director to tell me I needed to look more irritated for the camera in one particular scene) but I couldn’t help it, I was just having so much fun I couldn’t stop smiling.
This, in and of itself was a fabulous revelation to me – that by making the statement that I want to be an actress and a writer – I’m on the right track. It makes me happy, so it’s what I should be doing. No more excuses.
Let’s do this thing.
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