Journal Transcripts for Episode 3: Crewbies
Friday, June 1, 2001 (continued from Ep. 2)
At the marketing agency at San Vincente. 24 days since I quit my job and this is my second assignment. Progress is being made and that’s what I’m about. Bebbles should be home when I get off work.
Right now, I’m on the clock, waiting, in a conference room at the marketing company and it is cacophony – the sound acoustics and repetitive banter of my group and we haven’t even started. All of us, I believe, are Industry. There’s one dude to my left who is slurping coffee from a Styrofoam cup and it’s extremely obnoxious. To the right of me are a man, Ben, and an older woman, Lisa, who are also temps, and Ben is being very helpful to the very repetitive Lisa who keeps asking – and saying – the same things. She keeps saying, “I need a break. I really need a break,” and so on. Her credits are major and they’re almost 20 years old – she just mentioned “The Hotel New Hampshire” and “Quest for Fire.” She’s rightly frustrated because you have to start all over at ground-level when your major credits are that many studio regimes ago. Ben and Lisa both want to do crew work, desperately, but Lisa is so parrot-like and not even listening to his current advice that it’s no surprise she can’t get work.
Honestly, the entertainment industry thrives on information and leads and if you can’t retain it and run with it because you keep begging the same outdated points with someone trying to help you, then you will get behind.
Lisa’s mood improved when she talked about the four David Croenberg films she worked on, which were “Rabid,” “The Brood,” “Scanners,” and “Videodrome.” Of the actors, she said that Marilyn Chambers, from “Rabid” was “weird and kept taking of her clothesl she was very sexual, not vis ‘ a viz with me, but in general. She said “Debbie Harry” – “Deborah” was “great.” James Woods, she said, “was great…very to himself, a loner…He’s a Method Actor, Baby!” She said Samantha Eggar, from “The Brood,” was “nice.”
The bottom line of all this stuff – trying to make a mark in this Industry – is networking, following your leads, staying on top of things and sticking it out. Lisa has mostly been working in Canada lately, has a master’s from a great film school and she should know how to drop off a resume with a production company, but she’s been picking Ben’s brain for 70-plus minutes just about “how do I get a resume somewhere.”
Meanwhile, for me, the Terrific Agency is one that places contractors at a lot of cool L.A. companies. I’m going to hang in with it and take my assignments from them and work on my creative avenues. Bebbles can do the permanent corporate thing – he wants to – because I’ve done my fill and will not do any permanent corporate work after this summer until it’s what I want to do while I get my career off the ground. I’ll take my assignments as they come.
Another temp, Jessie, has joined our group – a bold non-union A.D., assistant director, who entered talking and has been out of work for 5 days. She cuts to the chase and now her, Ben and Lisa are talking about crewing. Jessie says, “The Industry is all about money, people, connections, presence and it is tough. Book knowledge will get you nowhere in the movie business,” in and of itself.
The three non-industry temps in our group that aren’t in that huddle are laughing because we’ve heard every word of this 105-minute conversation and Lisa is the clear comic-relief/jokester because…. she keeps asking the same stuff. One of the non-Industry temps said, “Lisa should be a reporter, she keeps asking all the questions.”
Now they’re talking about the Directors Guild of America, saying you need 600 days on-set (it’s actually more like 400) and have to pay $5000 in dues to become a union A.D. It sounds very convoluted and that’s why I’m an actor. These crewbies are broadcasting their whole conversation but, to their credit they are sharing a lot of information. We don’t have any assigned work yet, so I’ve made almost $40 writing in my journal. The marketing company is buying us lunch for waiting so long, it’s after 12 p.m., and I’m going to be re-attacking the business in a new way, with a greater resolve.
Lisa is on a roll, dishing about the son of a TV executive who keeps giving his son parts, saying, “He is so ugly! The camera so hates him.”
Yikes.
It’s after lunch and another temp who joined us, Marie, is saying she’s an actress and a writer, as well as SAG-eligible from extra work. She’s also joined AFTRA from being a TV reporter in San Diego – “I got fired,” she said. The crewbies think it costs $5,000 to join SAG (!). I know it costs $3000, the initiation fee. See how little the separate functions know about each person’s gigs? The coffee sipper said he graduates from law school this Sunday and we all congratulated him. I’m the quiet one here, not talking to anybody except for niceties in passing. I’m the reporter here. We’re all in the same boat: in transition.
I took the train this morning and ran into three of my former co-workers from the job I just quit. I gave them all hugs and came here to work.
Saturday, June 2, 2001
We didn’t start work yesterday until 6 and a half hours after we got there. We’re working on a product recall and the logistics had to be worked out and the managers were apologetic and looked out for us. It’s a two-day assignment, including Saturday, so yesterday should have been my last day.
I ended up talking to all of the temps, except for Lisa – who was in a different area – and they liked me. They were talking about the O.J. trial and the latest murder, Robert Blake’s wife, Bonnie Lee. One of the temps I hadn’t met, Dierdre, a tall, beautiful Black model who has done runway, Italian designers’ shows and iconic R&B group album covers, came up to me later on a break and said, “You were so quiet, just quietly writing in the tiniest of letters and when you did open your mouth, you had cool and intelligent things to say.”
Jessie, the non-union A.D., was making a cup of soup from packets in the break room (creamy chicken with noodle) and she started talking about catching a then-married, beloved Tony and Emmy winning actor in mid-thrust in a honey wagon on the set of one of his 1990s films that got great reviews but limited box-office. Dierdre, her nickname is Dee Dee, asked Jesse a pointed question about the woman involved in the affair. Jesse nodded grimly, having walked in on the whole thing, saying, “It was traumatic! What was I supposed to do, you know?”
The marketing firm is a laid-back place and bought us all lunch again. They market promotional merch for anything animated, except for Warner Bros. When I showed up this morning, Riley, the manager, assigned me to a more detailed job talking to wholesalers and managers from gas stations and oil companies based on the recall they’re proactively working on.
I called Bebbles on a break to say hello and he told me that Josie, the temp agency owner, called to say I’d been doing a great job and that my job with the marketing firm has been extended by a week and that I was the first name they asked for to return.
Riley thanked me for extending, signed me out early and gave me an extra hour of pay for no other reason than because he’s cool. He wouldn’t let me have unpaid hours and sent me home with a huge pizza, one of many that he’d ordered for the managers and crew.
I was very happy about the whole week and I have shown I can handle a corporate job and clients. Praise, all praise to God and Jesus who ended a very financially bleak time for me and gave me the strength and ingenuity to make my temp agency work for me and see that I could hold my own and be profitable, which is key in money-mad L.A. The people were gracious and polite, more than I’m used to, and the peace and vibes from that alone are awesome. It’s going to be a steady climb up and I’m prepared raise up out of my current circumstances and that will happen.
Bebbles has a part-time gig with a healthcare partner at $22 an hour and it could convert to full-time, which would be fierce. I’ll pick up whatever days I can when the marketing firm ends in a week and, perhaps, see my hourly rate rise. Praise God and thanks be to Him.
June 10, 2001, Sunday
My assignment at the marketing firm ended last Friday. I was ready for it to end and thankful for the job. I didn’t get home until after 7 p.m. every night last week. I was under daily deadlines, represented a huge company. All of the other temps were let go and I was left on. I got a chance to do it all , memos, a mass campaign and I added 400 accounts to the firm. That was awesome and my agency was thrilled with me and the marketing firm is assured to be a loyal client now of Terrific’s for a long time to come based on that.
The marketing firm was extremely generous with pay, still didn’t dock my lunches and paid for them all, just made it really appreciative and good hard work. I went to the ER last Friday with stomach pains – Bebbles had no bedside manner, “Get in the van, sweetie!” I’ve lost 30 pounds in the last two years, a lot of it from stress and the doctor said I was normal and healthy. Praise God, I’m alright. I plan to slow my role and let go of the fuck-overs of the past and continue to believe that God will realize my dreams – and He does. I paid some dues over the last couple of years, and I just want to have a peaceful, decent time of things and do what I’m talented at.
June 12, 2001, Tuesday
I’m 5 hours into a temp assignment at a major Westside hospital and I’m in what is called “The West Wing” aka the Administration Office. I’m literally seated in front of the COO, CFO and CEO – good Lord. I feel definitely out of my element and the hospital vibe is reminiscent of any big hospital, but the admin I’m working under, her name is Denise, is very helpful and doesn’t stress. She’s a single mother, earning her online degree, and very down to earth.
There’s a no-jeans policy and I only have two pairs of dress pants to carry me through, so I made up a doctor’s appointment to buy 3 more pairs! The assignment runs for another 16 days. It will at least have paid for the clothes I’ll need in the future. I’m hoping the assignment doesn’t end early but if it does, Bebbles still has his job and so it will be no major crisis.
I’m doing everything I can to make it a smooth transition. This corporate robot character I’m playing is methodical work, but I feel fine and unstoppable. How it goes, we’ll see.
June 14, 2001, Thursday
I had the day off today from the hospital. My job isn’t a lot of pressure, although it never escapes me that I’m smack at the head of three Chief executives. It’s a bit claustrophobic, but I have my own desk, and Denise is patient and has taught me things I never had to – or knew how- to do – like printing labels and making two-sided copies. You don’t know what a relief that is, because these are basics, but you have to admit what you don’t know.
I’ve been helping Denise a lot with other things and helping her office lose a lot of clutter and taking work off her hands. She actually told me to slow down the other day, “Slow down,” she said. “I want to keep you for a couple of days. Stretch it out!” She is very upbeat; we get along well and she introduces me to everybody who is cool. This is me now, a temp in the day with no hand in the present Hollywood activity. I am changing my financial future and God knows what He is doing. Bebbles is on a roll, and our circumstances will change. I’ll be able to do my Hollywood thing this fall; this summer I was prepared to work and that’s what I’m doing. It’s been an easy transition for me, being appreciated for my professional abilities and being a stand-out and not being ripped off for it. My temp agency loves me and I’m handling myself inherently well.
Saturday, June 16, 2001
It’s 3:25 a.m. and I’m awake and chill while Bebbles sleeps. We had a great morning and early afternoon on a very hot, 90+ degree day in L.A. We saw “Tomb Raider” at the Cinerama Dome. Angelina Jolie has presence that impresses. The movie is a showcase for her , of course. I remember not being able to get an interview for that movie or “The Fast and the Furious” – Vin Diesel is another actor with tremendous presence. It’s all good.
Bebbles (aka ‘Stone’) and I got into an argument near Tower Records when he got shrill over a basic suggestion I made. I ended up getting pretty curt, not causing a scene but stopping one. There are outbursts that Bebbles can have when he’s frustrated that I can’t deal with. I said fine, if it would keep him from complaining about anything else in the moment. I didn’t speak to him for the rest of the day. He knows irrational responses and people freaking the fuck out turns me off the worst. I just believe I’m more effective in being quiet in situations like that. I rarely do it but he ended up making the evening very cool and we’re fine.
Denise extended my assignment at the hospital for another week- and with a raise. All I have to do is go the The West Wing for another 3 weeks. It’s not my dream job, but Denise is a kind person, and I compliment her well because we’re both calm. She’s teaching me while I help her work. I bought more dress pants today, all of these extra dress pants are the first I’ve bought in six years. Six years! I buy pants all the time but not dress pants. I’ve been in L.A. for 4 ½ years and didn’t need them.
My work trajectory this summer in the corporate world has been opening doors. Would I rather be on a set? Yes. But at the same time, I had to make some money and do what I know how to do best: stand out as a hard worker who can handle deadlines and tricky situations. I’m learning how to do things I’m going to need to know how to do from my future home office. I don’t turn my nose down at corporate work, not when I couldn’t get one Hollywood industry professional to give me three minutes. Now that I see how well I play in the corporate sector, I see that I am valued, so it’s not like I was never corporate-friendly. My fall launch in my Hollywood career will bring a new playing field to me: trust me as I write this. I took rejection and compartmentalized it so completely that my jaws seemed to have never stopped clenching, especially in my sleep, and I have a crowned molar to show for it.
This is a path I’m following because I prayed to not be financially-wiped out and God infused my life with opportunity. I’m where I’m supposed to be thanks to Him and there is no way he is going to keep my Hollywood-market ambitions from coming to any fruition because He knows the heart I’ve invested and He gave me the talent I’m working to have realized. God has not taken away anything. He has given and I’m following because no job offer is going to come that God doesn’t have divinely planned. I’m going to be back in Hollywood in about 2 months. Until then, my career is in God’s hands. He helped me plant the seeds.
[END]