People are, under normal conditions, a bit territorial, in case you hadn't noticed. I saw this when I was doing Pepper Dennis, and do not claim to be immune. In me, the trait comes out by telling people where the craft services and commissary are, and where to find holding. Others let it come out other ways, and that was something I got to deal with on one of the shows I did recently.

The background actors who where regulars on this show were, for the most part, stand offish, and superior in attitude. Now remember that they don't make any more money than anyone else, and they too, need to be careful how they behave on set. But sometimes, they need to be reminded of that, and that happened when I was close enough to hear the results.

The background regulars were called onto one of the set pieces, and when the 2^nd AD got there she told them that she had several reports of them complaining about something that is not any of their business. She then told them, in no uncertain terms, that if they ever pulled that attitude again, they would be off the show, and that there were plenty of other background actors that would love to take their place. She made it clear that one background was no longer on the show because of problems like that, and while she liked working with them, she was not going to put up with their grumbling about something that was not theirs to grumble about.

Having worked with these particular background before, and having put up with their superior attitudes for much of the day, I have to say, YEAH, to the 2^nd AD, for putting her foot down.

No matter where you work, if you have people in the room, you will have these things happen, but fortunately, not too often so far.

House MD
Aug. 01, 2006
Episode: Informed Consent
Location: 20^th Century Fox

I've done House a couple of times, and have always enjoyed the show. The cast are relaxed (though they don't interact with background much) and the crew is great.

This is a show of crosses and long walks. During our first take, I was placed near a coffee maker at the end of a long hall and my job was to stand there and talk to the other background actor standing there with me. From the wide shot that takes in the whole corridor, to the close ups that defy any background actor to be seen, my whole job was to stand there and pretend to talk.

My second take involved crossing just behind Huge Laurie (who plays Dr. Gregory House) as he leaves a conversation with his team, so there is a good chance of seeing me in the background at least once on this show.

The talk on set to day was about the remarks made by Mel Gibson, during his arrest for drunk driving. Mel had a little too much to drink and when he was pulled over, felt it was necessary to make unflattering remarks about Jews, and then asked the Jewish officer arresting him if he was Jewish. Just like anywhere else, people had differing opinions, and the topic was just as big with the cast as it was with background and crew. Only time will tell how much damage Mel did to his carrier, but the odds makers say, anyone who can afford to finance his own movies will not suffer too much, but I sure wouldn't have to want to go to all of my Jewish friends and explain my statements, and Mel has quite a few Jewish friends.

Jericho
August 2, 2006
Episode: “The Four Horseman”
Van Nuys Studio

It's the End of the World as we know it, and as luck would have it, the people of Jericho, Kansas who survive it, get to spend at least 13 weeks (22 if they get picked up by the network) dealing with the after glow of a nearby nuclear explosion. At least seven U.S. Cities (two in California, three or so on the east coast, and a few in the mid-west) get caught up in the mind blowing experience of the fusion flamingo, and the fine folk of Jericho must decide how to live with the results.

Now in 1992, the comedy “Woops” (sic), chose to depict the same situation for six wacky survivors of a post nuclear Fox show. The Fox tag line was, “At Fox, we believe there are some things you just can't joke about. Fortunately, the end of the world is not one of them.” But the fine folk in Jericho are not joking, and to make that point clear, many of the actors were all dirtied up, and the tavern where this episodes expositions take place had clearly opted to disregard any local anti-smoking laws, because we all spent the day in “smoke” generated by a little machine that kept the Jericho bar shrouded in a white cloud simulating too many smokers in too small a space. (Then again, it's the end of the world, and most of the folks probability figure they'll die before the cancer can get them anyway).

The good thing about “smoke” on set is a smoke bump, which is extra money that ends up on your check for putting up with the smoke all day.

If the editor avoids the few close-up shots taken by the Director, then there is a good chance I will be seen in this (the third) episode.

They have a good crew, at least three of whom I have worked with before, and one of whom remembered me. Most of the actors are young, and while you would never know it from the scenes caught on HD tape, the cast and crew had fun shooting the episode. I guess if you're going to spend your time dealing with the Apocalypse, it helps to kid around between shots.

Off set, a few of us Background types spent much of our time talking about many subjects, including what we would do if it really was the end of the world. Sex, going off your diet, and sleeping in were at the top of the list. We're doomed. We're all doomed!

Studio 60
Aug 03, 2006
Episode ?
Warner Brothers Ranch

The first time I shot on Warner Brother Ranch, we shot in a little building that was set up to look like a library, where Presidential Hopeful Santos was answering questions of the locals. Today, we are back in the same little building, only this time I am one of an audience of people in a test showing of a comedy show. This is all we did today. Sat in comfortable seats, and pretended to watch a T.V. show on a green screen, and make comments to the fellow on the platform in front of us.

One of the principals on set was sitting in our midst, and was the only one to make any real comments. At one point in the shoot, the camera was on the other side of a glass in the control booth, and the actor in the control booth was commenting on what the fellow in our midst had to say (none of it polite). During that time, the rest of us pretended to ask questions or make comments, and the actor on the platform (a kind of M.C. for the event) mimed the asking of questions and comments of his own.

The fun part of this was that the guy in front was really talking, only he didn't use his voice, so if you were paying attention, you could read his lips and actions, and get the gist of what he was saying. As some of his comments were quite silly, or funny, we then had the added difficulty of not actually laughing. That would have ruined the take and gotten all of us in trouble.

Shark
Aug 08, 2006
Episode: LAPD Blue
Location: 20^th Century Fox

Back on the main shooting stage (stage 8) for Pepper Dennis, and of course, since Pepper Dennis was canceled, life goes on and Shark now prowls Stage 8. This is a courtroom drama, and I get to play a jury member (to be recalled on Monday) sitting on the trial of a cop killer.

Joel was the AD wrangling the background on Shark, and I have worked with him before, I just don't remember where. He remembered me as well, so I know I am not just making this stuff up.

This show stars James Woods, who alas, was sick and unable to make his call today (thus the Monday call back so we can finish shooting the scenes with him in them). On the other hand, Jeri Ryan of Star Trek: Voyager was on the set today, so my geek fix was taken care of. It is funny that Jeri seemed so much taller on Voyager (after all, she is 5'8”), but then again, she wore 4” heels on that show.

I found one comment by another actor rather humorous. She was talking to another principal sitting near me, and said how she hates monologues. (Monologues are used a lot in stage auditions, and use to be used more in the film/T.V. industry). She was so happy coming to L.A., where monologues were no longer used nearly as often as in New York, for instance. And getting the part on this show did not require a monologue. She then pointed out that the part she now plays, is always giving monologues. Then she sighed. Truly, the universe does have a wicked sense of humor.

Dexter
Aug 08, 2006
Episode: Circle of Friends
Location: Sunset Gower Studios

I am beginning to get the impression that, if I keep this up for several years, I will still find new studios to work at here in L.A. They just seem to be everywhere. Sunset Gower Studios is located in Hollywood, and has quite a few stages. Built in 1921, on 17 acres, this Studio was known as Columbia Pictures Studios. Columbia made a lot of B movies (with the likes of the Three Stooges) and some of Frank Capra's films (including “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”) and was also one of the studios that big star studios like MGM would send their stars to as punishment. Clark Gable was “punished” by MGM and sent to work in a minor film called “It Happened one Night”, which launched his carrier and made him a star.

In the 60's, T.V. shows like, “I Dream of Jeannie”, “The Flying Nun”, and “Bewitched” were filmed there. In 1972 Columbia moved to Burbank and left the studio behind, and now it is owned by a private equity firm, and is still making T.V. shows (Like “JAG”, “Married with Children”, and “Who's the Boss”).

In Dexter, I got to play a detective. When I got to set, I ran into the 2^nd AD, Michael who I have worked with on “Ghost Whisperer”. He remembered me (and without the hat), which just shows that I have done a lot of T.V., and at least I make an impression (hopefully good).

The police station (where the action takes place) over looks the bay (a large backdrop), and if you look at the water, it sparkles. The “sun” reflects off of the “water”, and looks very real. So how is it done? Why, with the use of a little scotch tape, and long strips of clear mylar that twist and turn in the (fan generated) wind. Michael and I both had the same reaction, that being, how cool is it to be on set, and see all of the “secrets” used to make the movies. That's what drew Michael into working on film and T.V., years ago, and it's part of what makes my daily visits to the set an on going adventure. That and the history of the industry.

Without a Trace
Aug 11, 2006
Episode: 911
Location: Downtown L.A.

If you are not a regular background on WOAT (WithOut A Trace) you will most likely work on this show only in downtown L.A., because this is where “New York” is filmed. The steam lines are put down, and everyone is told to walk fast. We were fortunate that this is not far enough into the season, so that we would be playing New York in the fall or winter. When that happens, instead of wearing light clothing in the high 90 degree heat, we will be wearing heavy clothing in high 90 degree heat.

WOAT is people walking on the streets of New York, and while they try for a certain degree of continuity, they don't worry too much about it. If you don't want to hire hundreds of background, then you settle for them walking past the camera, standing there for a count of 10 and waking back in the other direction. If the scene is long enough, you will make three or more crosses before they cut.

Today we had background holding in an old theater that didn't smell like it had been opened in months, if not longer, and mold was the big ingredient in the air we were breathing. And moving from one location to another usually meant walking through an alley that you would not normally step into otherwise. Ah, the smells of the big city.

There were two people doing things today that they had not done before. One was a young fellow who was working his first day as a PA. A friend had gotten him the job and told him when and where to show up, but hadn't given him much more than that. When I saw several people walking about that looked like AD's and PA's, I pushed him in that direction and told him to go introduce himself.

The other person was a background actor I've worked with before, one who usually plays nice normal people. Today was her first chance to play a street person, and she dress accordingly, creating a character for herself by adorning her shabby looking cloths (which she thought were still too clean looking) with hundreds of safety pins. Her hair was uncombed, and she had a hat pulled down over her face, and had painted her nails to look black and dirty. Wardrobe thought she looked great, and she even got some great face time in front of the camera, and all because she used the costume she had made for her daughter for Halloween.