I quit

I've been extremely busy with house painting, working on the Quarter Rat publication and website plus graphic design work. I have to quit something so I am ending may career as a background actor. Please don't try to talk me out of it, my mind is made up. Here are the reasons that made me decide to drop that vocation.
• The pay. Right now the average rate is $80 for ten hours of time. Just about minimum wage. In those same ten hours I can make much more as a house painter. My graphic design fee is $400 for ten hours. Not a hard choice.

• The co-workers. This is the main reason, the recent production that I have worked on and from what I hear from friends who are background actors is that the casting companies are desperate to fill space with anyone they can. One buddy was working a shoot a few weeks ago and said the van ride to the location was unbearable. The van was packed with extras most of which hadn't bathed in weeks. "You know those guys we see under the over pass holding the cardboard signs asking for money? THEY were hired as background. I thought I was going to vomit from the odor. Every other word out of their mouths was a profanity."


• Food. One of the perks that compensated for the low wage was that they used to feed you pretty good. PROFESSIONAL background actors would take reasonable helpings and be happy. The barrel scrapings that have been getting hired lately, they pile the food onto their plates like they haven't eaton in weeks and go back for seconds. I have witnesses an obese old lady stuffing food into her purse from the crafty table. Gee, and I wonder why the next day all we get served is red beans and rice with a slice of watermelon.

• Double standard. Those of us who treat this as a profession and try to do our best dress as we were instructed, stand where instructed and conduct ourselves professionally. However the casting companies just want to meet the numbers required and bring in anyone who answers an E-mail. 


If the scene being shot requires "Casual dinning" street thugs come in with logo em-blazed t-shirts and jeans hanging off of their asses. The wardrobe people don't say shit because they are too scared to. Those extras are placed in deep background out of focus or frame just because no one wants to be the one to tell them to go home because they obviously can't read or don't bother to read the requirements. Meanwhile I just lugged 40 pounds of clothing with me to the holding tent just in case they didn't like my first choice. For $80.


I'll be standing on my mark doing exactly what I am told in the hot sun to look over and see a group of guys sitting in the shade enjoying the bounty they just looted from the crafty table. The Production Assistants eyeball them, but say nothing. 

Now the casting companies whine that they can't get background actors to come in to work. How about this, next time you need bodies, just go down to Poydras and Claiborne with the van, wake up the people sleeping with the cardboard signs and say "Want to be in a movie?"

Reputation is everything

Audrey

A year ago when I was deciding to move from New Jersey to New Orleans the toughest element of the decision was leaving my 90 year old mother in her nursing home.  Being the youngest of three boys I was always her baby. We lived together for many years and over the course of my life I had gone from being taken care of to being the care giver. After she was admitted to the nursing home six years ago,  I would bring her her coffee and cigarettes with an hour of time twice a week. Eventually just once a week.

She surprised the doctors and family by her resilience to strokes, falls and Alzheimer's. Seventy eight years of smoking hadn't even slowed her down. In fact, going outside a few times a day to have a Marlboro was the highlight of her day in an otherwise bleak existence.  Imagine a very bundled up Ruth Gorden outside in a wheelchair slinging profanities as she attempted to light her next smoke in the wind.

I recent months her health has declined sharply and it looks like she soon will be leaving us. So the final posts of my year long blog about my move down here will probably be a lot of my memories of her. Bare with me during my grieving period. To be honest, the grieving period started years ago as her mind started to fragment like an old hard drive. Dying are the ninety years of memories from an incredible and fascinating life of a strong, bright and independent woman.

Recently my friend Robert introduced me to the film "Curious Case Of Benjamin Buttons" Uncanny timing.  The film has allowed me to deal with emotions and feelings that I would've done my best to avoid with self medication and distractions of daily existence. I have loved ones in NJ, my mother whose life is coming to an end, and a fourteen year old daughter whose life is just beginning.  This is the first time in the past year, I wish I was there.

Wait until I tell you about Audrey, you guys will love her.

Damn neighbors kept me up all night

A Success Story

A Success Story, obviously this blog post isn't about me. It's about my good friend Bobby. Bobby and I hit it off right away when we met down here because he was also from New Jersey and had a great sense of humor. I think our "Jersey humor" put off the locals. "Eric, can you hand me the ketchup?" "Whaddo I look like ta you? Huh? Am I  your friggin waiter? Sorry, this ain't my table."  Such comments made us feel at home. "Now go home and get your friggin shine box."





Early on when he asked me how I was getting by in New Orleans, I explained that I had been working as a background actor in film and television productions down here. He was impressed and I explained that there was no real reason to be impressed. "Ya know, I always kind of wanted to try my hand at that acting thing. It was always in the back of my mind..." We sat down on line and signed him up with casting companies here in NOLA and sent in his pic. "Yea, well, what about my nose..." "DUDE! Your nose and ridiculously retentive hair cut are your best features. You could pass for a construction worker, cop, Army Sargent, put a lab coat on you and you would look like a scientist."  As opposed to me, when I go into wardrobe for a fitting I get cast as a stoner-crackhead-homeless dude.


Almost right away he got background work as an air traffic controller in the film Green Lantern. That kind of burned my ass because I had applied for that part and didn't get it. I was happy for him, and he was like a little kid coming home from the first day of school. "We hardly did anything and they gave me lunch!!" He got the acting bug bad. Since he was used in deep background, they were able to use him again in another scene.  This time wardrobe placed him in a cop uniform. He so looked the part, that on the set I was looking for him among hundreds and walked right past him.  He told that during one of the days of shooting a woman ran up to him upset yelling "I want to fill out a police report!!" "Whoa, lady, I ain't a real cop." Conversely, I had strangers coming up to me asking if I had any weed.


In true American fashion Bobby jumped in head first. Applying for any and all roles while taking acting classes with local actor Lance Nichols. I've worked with Lance on a couple of films and he is an extremely talented and likable gentleman.  Check out his IMDB page: LANCE E. NICHOLS.  I was impressed by Bobby's enthusiasm and commitment to his future profession.

Meanwhile he hasn't quit his day job and he is still working hard at his own contracting and handyman business. If you need work done in the New Orleans area he's still available before he moves to Hollywood. I pointed out to Bobby that Harrison Ford was almost ready to quit acting and devote himself to construction work when a guy named George Lucus called him up to remodel a kitchen. Yea, the rest is history.

 Well, I just found out last night on Facebook that Bobby just got his first speaking role in the film production "Battleship" being shot in Baton Rouge. A speaking role is a big deal for any background actor, it's a major step up to a S.A.G. card and future roles. He still has a long road ahead of him, but with his distinct looks, enthusiasm and continued luck he'll do ok.

I guess driving all the way to Mississippi every other week to get a flat top haircut has paid off.

Vincent

A humbling complement I sometimes hear is "I wish I had your talent." Over the years I have responded "Perhaps you wouldn't if you knew all that went along with it." I'm not sure but I believe artistic talent is really just a symptom of a some sort of disorder. I wanted to share my favorite biographical films about  artists, surprisingly there are quite a few. The all time classic is the 1956 film with Kirk Douglas "Lust For Life." Douglas' eerie resemblance and gut wrenching performance makes it benchmark for films about artists.

Based on a book that was derived from his volumes of letters that Vincent sent to his brother Theo, the film is a portrait of the anguish of the tortured mind that could only find refuge in a paint brush. Vincent set the cliche' of struggling artists. A patron saint for artists who never sold any work during his painful life of self mutilation, absinthe binges and stays at mental asylums, yet today is one of the most celebrated geniuses in the art world.

I saw my first Van Gogh painting in a museum at Princeton University, and I nearly wept. To stand a few feet in front of one of his paintings was occupy space that transcended time and feel the joy of it's beauty, and the grief of it's creator. I dare say that if painting and art was a religion, Vincent would be the Christ figure.

 

Another biographical film about the life of  Van Gogh is "Vincent and Theo." This film examines the relationship between Vincent and his brother Theo who supported and nurtured the insane artist. Theo deserves gratitude and credit from the art world for enabling his sibling to create the wonders that we now hold in great regard. Tim Roth's incredible performance is scary in it's intensity.

 

A Holiday Favorite

Forget "It's a Wonderful Life" this is my Christmas favorite.  Last summer I worked on a film with a production assistant who was really cool. As we smoked cigarettes and downed our tenth cup of coffee he mentioned that the previous year he had worked on a film with Billy Bob Thorton.  

 

"Yea? What is he like?" I asked.
"He's the coolest"

My buddy told how early one morning on the set Billy Bob was gone for a few minutes and then came back brooding. The P.A. asked Mr. Thorton if there was a problem. Billy Bob said he was just trying to get some coffee. It seems that Billy Bob had time to walk down to a local coffee shop before the shoot but never got a cup.

The somewhat gushing production assistant quickly volunteered to go get the coffee for the star. "No, you don't understand" said  Billy. The actor just wanted to walk a few blocks down to the shop and buy a cup just like anyone else. However about half way to the shop he was so overwhelmed by pedestrians recognizing him, talking to him and asking for autographs that he had to turn around and sequester himself to the closed set.

It's a double edged sword for celebrities, fame and all that goes along with it. If you should see a celeb on the street, just a nod or a "hi" is suffice, no photos, no autographs.

"All I wanted was a damn Cappuccino."

In brightest day, in blackest night,

The official Green Lantern Trailer came out yesterday.  A few folks I know were excited about it. About 700 background actors down here in New Orleans list it on our resumes now. It was fun and challenging to be a part of such a major production. A lot of friendships were made, and a few ankles broken during the shoot. My friend Bobby sent me a still from the trailer, the blur in the white circle is me. 

Here is a photo of Bobby in his wardrobe. He got to play a cop. He looked the part and did a lot of stand in work for a principle playing a cop. I still bust his chops about how little "work" he did during the filming.

I had to do take after take of running away from a monster while he sat in an air conditioned police car smirking at me every time I limped back to position one.  I'm not bitter. Nope. We were standing and running out in the sun with a 110 degree heat index, while he sat in the air conditioning with Lance Nichols chatting about acting.

We did have a lot of fun that we will probably be talking about for years. If anybody else has any photos from the set, send them to me and I'll post it up here.

"In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"

For my fellow Greenies

To my fellow Greenies, the hundreds of background actors who worked on the Green Lantern last summer here is the official trailer. Now we can look back on the days of running in the scorching hot sun, standing in lines for hours and numerous injuries with a sense of accomplishment. 

Next summer we get to do it all over again for Batman. You know these comic book heroes only look good when they have to save a population in peril.

Green Lantern

Coming soon to somewhere

BRAWLER on Facebook

Louisiana film and video magazine

Graphic Action

Since I have been an artist supplementing my income through working in the Louisiana film industry it seems only natural that I should try to combine the two talents. Storyboard art is really just a comic to set up the shots for the director and camera crew. Every angle, pan, zoom and movement is drawn out extensively before shooting begins. A film needs hundreds of these drawings done by someone, it might as well be me.

To all of my NOLA film contacts, please forward this graphic to anyone in the industry you know who might be interested in my services.  Thanks.

Cool Jersey Thing

Personally I think Smith is over rated and is getting full of himself. He is however respected by many film makers down here. (BTW, I've been to this store in person and the coffee sucks) 

Canal Street Ferry

I've written in this blog several times about how much I love to take the Algiers ferry from the West Bank to the French Quarter.  A simple craft that could hold a couple of dozen vehicles and perhaps a couple hundred passengers makes the short trip across the river dozens of time a day.  The ferry has been in operation since 1827,  and was featured in the 2006 film "Deja Vu."

All pedestrians ride free, cars only $1, runs every half hour 6 am to 12 am.

The first ever WALKY AWARD goes to....

A film set is a remarkably boring place. Hours upon hours of waiting for something. A wait for the cameraman to set up, a wait for the lighting director, a wait for the sound man, a wait for the weather, a wait for the lead starlet to wake up at 5:00 am after an all night bender at the club. She must have a cold, she's horse and is sniffling a lot.

With so much time to kill, a disgruntled background extra (Russell) pointed out that everybody involved with production gets mentioned, except the background extras. Never. The caterer gets listed, every sort of assistant and intern get listed into the credits, even the producer's hooker is worked into the credits somehow. Never background actors.

So I decided to come up with some sort of award for background extras. Check out old films and isolate excellent performances in background acting.  Where to start? Well, my friend Jeffery in NJ posted this one on his Facebook. I thought it would be a great first winner of a "WALKY AWARD"

Performer: Unknown


The YOUTUBE set up video is boring, see, he's a film maker. "This short film is about a piece of footage I (George Clarke) found behind the scenes in Charlie Chaplins film 'The Circus'. Attending the premiere at Manns Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA "

If any of you have suggestions for a WALKY award, send me a link to the video!

Don't you want to be in that number.....

A little background work is starting to come in. The film industry slows down every year from August to about late October. Hurricane season. No producer wants to get half way through filming a project and then have to evacuate. His set might be gone when he returns. Tonight I did a "REVEL" down at the Roosevelt Hotel.

A convention was being held and to make it in true New Orleans style, a brass jazz band marches into the room and a parade starts. The band played loud and sharp as we reveled in behind them in our costumes. We met the guests at the end of cocktail hour and paraded them through the grand lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel to dinner.

THE ROOSEVELT

Great fun for everyone. Colorful costumes flinging beads at drunk optometrists. We paraded the party downstairs and thru a magnificent grand lobby and back upstairs to the dinning room. In the lobby were two of my friends wearing big heads. Sweating their asses off to pose for hundreds of cell phone pictures.

Yep, it's considered a job down here. It was the first Revel for my friend Bobby from Philadelphia. He did great, he has a Mummer background.

 I just can't get "When the Saints go marching in" out of my head now.

The other La

There are more major film productions this year in Louisiana than anywhere else in the country. Why? This state offers excellent tax refunds to film investors.  A THIRTY PERCENT tax incentive is given to those who film in Louisiana. The next Batman film will be shot here next summer. To put it in perspective, if the budget is $200 million, the state will give $60 million in tax credit back. Imagine, a state offering tax breaks to encourage business. Would New Jersey do that?

No, a $200 million dollar film anywhere else would cost $250 million in NJ. Between political kick backs, mob shake downs and the unions with their hands out, no producer in the country would want to go there.  Three union electricians to plug in one extension cord, Teamsters sitting around doing nothing but laughing at how much they get paid to do nothing. Louisiana is a right to work state, a few unions get involved but not to the point of choking to death the employer.

So with the rest of the country floundering in economic chaos, LA has a steady industry keeping us employed. Oh I forgot,  you are all so proud of "Jersey Shore" Wait, aren't they filming that someplace else this season?

Cheech & Chong's Animated Movie Trailer

Local girl

Coming from New Jersey I realize that my home state has a certain arrogance about natives who make it good. I've made the observation that the rest of the country isn't nearly as impressed by Bruce Springsteen as a Jerseyite is. Nj can boast of a few important names.  Bruce Willis, Danny DeVito, Susan Sarandon, Frank Sinatra,  Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Kirsten Dunst, Bruce Springsteen, James Gandolfini, Ed Harris, Queen Latifah, Abbot and Costello, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, John Travolta,  Jon Bon Jovi, Christina Ricci, Brooke Shields and Tom Cruise, (ok, no one in Jersey ever boasts about Tom Cruise.) 


Down here in Louisiana the locals are proud of the great contributions to the music industry that their state has made over the centuries.  Anytime my friend Russell mentions a favorite actor I'll point out "Yo, he's from Jersey, Exit 117."  He will be quick to point out Britney Spears. Ok, I'll give you that one.  


Ms Spears hails from the small town of  Kentwood Louisiana.  Sure she's had her highs and lows. (Lows resulting from highs.) I never really listened to her music, not my kind of tunes. I think now that I'm a Louisianian I should take more of an interest in her career. 

Does anybody know if her mom is single? Once I get my teeth fixed I might start dating again. Yo, you guys back in Jersey, check out my step daughter....

Double Take

A friend shot me an e-mail from a casting company looking for a double for an actor. A double is someone of same height, build and appearance of the principal actor. Setting up a camera shot can take a long time to get lighting and blocking right. A stand in takes the place of a principal during the set up so the actor can remain in his or her comfortable dressing room until the director is ready to shoot.


When I worked Memphis beat, both stand in actors looked or were shaped nothing like the principals they were filling in for. The stand in for Jason lee is about 5 inches shorter and 40 pounds heavier than Jason, and with less hair than my ass. He must be some one's brother in law.  The e mail that I was sent had a photo of the actor Miguel Ferrer. Photo double needed, 6'1" medium build. I saw the e mail and thought "Yea, so? Why did you send it to me?"

A couple hours later my friend asked if they called me yet? "Who? About what?" Oh that. If you think so. I sent a photo in and with in 10 minutes received a call back. They asked for a most recent photo to forward to the director. I didn't get the photo double work but did get a call back for background work. Just as well. Even though stand in work is a step up from background with a little better pay and better food, I was happy with just background.


I ran into a number of background extras that I knew, all said it's been really slow for the past couple of months.  I ended up coming in late because of being contacted last minute. That was fine, I spoke with a buddy there who said they had sat in holding for the past 3 hours and hadn't been to the set. About 3 or 4 backgrounds came up to me and commented that I was a good stand in for Miguel. "But I didn't get the part." "Really? Ya kiddin? You kinda look like him"  Yea, well it's a cold heartless business.


We sat from 9pm until about 2:30 am until we were brought out to the casino. This scene was being shot at Harrah's. The second second assistant director (very sweet young lady) sat me and a couple of other backgrounds at a roulette wheel. The real casino dealer gave us each about $100 in practice chips and we started to play. He was cool and explained the game to us since none of us had ever played roulette. About 20 minutes passed as I waited to hear "BACKGROUND ACTION."


To my surprise the 2nd 2nd A.D. yelled "It's a wrap, thank you everybody." They had shot 3 takes with the actors and a steady cam and we never even knew they were filming. All of us were paid $100 cash and sent home. I had taken the ferry over to Harrah's and it wasn't running again until 6:00 am back to the West Bank where I live. What can I do in New Orleans at 3:00 in the morning with a $100 in my pocket? Ok, one beer.


I am proud of myself. On the walk down Canal Street I had three prostitutes asked if I was looking for fun. "No thanks honey" and I kept walking. I see this as a sign of personal growth. One beer later I looked at my watch and it was only 3:30 am.  I had trouble finishing my beer and just wanted to be home. I splurged on a $20 cab ride just to go to bed. 


Oh yea, the film is called THE COURIER