Well, I was wrong. So very wrong. By the second week, they were trying to get me to be there 5 to 6 days a week, even though they had many more PAs on their list. They wanted a 'constant,' they wanted a go-to-guy, and that was what I was for Andrew. But, I wanted to balance my free time with the freebie work thay were getting, especially while staring at a 2+ hour drive each day. How do you say "no" when you really want to say "yes"? But you know if you don't save some time for yourself you won't enjoy the rest of the time spent working because of the absolute resentment of what you will be putting toward their project and not getting done in your own world.
It's almost always a crapshoot.
That gig had it's ups and downs (as do they all), and I could tolerate most of it, but it does not mean I approved of - or condoned - the way production used the "interns" [a.k.a. "free labor"]because the uninitiated interns are all eager for a chance to work on a film. These newbies don't understand that there is a line (a big fat ol' line) that is crossed with gay abandon and nary a thought of compensation or apology or guilt on the part of the production masters pulling the strings and dangling the carrot.
For my part, I knew what I was getting into (I weighed the "internship" up against the street cred a Matthew Barney film credit would bring me), but I have been on the paying side of this type of work enough to know when the production company is squeezing the 'turnip' for all the blood it can get - figuratively speaking - and this turnip did keep some time for itself...until the paying days showed up (then I was in full a full, straight 8, because the cash was almost worth it).
Let me show you a little of the internal debates that rumbled through my brain each day. This is just a smattering, mind you.
PRO: The boys had some great meals from the catering leftovers early on in the game.
CON: Who are those two boys living in my house - I have sons? Did I pay the mortgage?
CON: The hours were absolute crap 89% of the time. What day is this?
PRO: I loved being needed, and getting respect & recognition for doing a good job at times.
CON: I hate being (& allowing myself to be) taken advantage of.
CON: I hated nicely helping the young ones find sources for items without getting a thank you or an 'atta boy', or a mention when the above-the-lines liked my ideas or finds as presented by the flunkys. Never again.
PRO: I finally did get paid for the last eight days. [YEA!!!] (MINI CON: Had to work/wait around 6 hours to get it.)
CON: Pigeon-holed into another paperwork position, again; not allowed to really shine.
PRO: It's over and life has returned to something of a normal state for a short while.
CON: It's over, and I would like another job; I'm bored and I still have a lot to do around home.
My sleep patterns are still fouled up, but the cold I have had the last six days or so is nearly gone. There are still two sinkfuls of dishes to wash, LOTS of laundry, a pokey Karl to nudge regarding homework, a bathroom needing cleaning, a kitchen to complete, and much more to tend to, but I would trade it all for another paying gig..............or would I?
Oh, and by the way, I put twenty-four-hundred miles on my car driving back and forth to the D (and all locations), PLUS the running to and fro for scavenged items, ferrying actors and performers (sheesh), running food to the barge workers, etc, picking up extra meals, and so on and so on. 2,400. 2,400!
CON!
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