You think working on a dying show is traumatic, try getting to that work! I’m due to drive into San Francisco tonight – a treat (ulk!) at any time, when you’re me (which is to say minus a sense of direction, a limited knowledge of the city, and years spent living in the East Bay) – to do some Extra work on one of the last episodes of Trauma. The poor thing has been cancelled.
So, tonight I drive to the corner of Essex and Harrison and join 10 or so other Extras-with-cars at the set location which is … uh … Essex and Harrison. And that’s where I expect the adventure to begin! I’m hoping that the Trauma team has blocked off parking? I’d like to say that I’m expecting it, but I’ve mostly learned to expect the unexpected in life, so I’m … nervous. I’m also wondering, since it’s been raining like insanity for the past week and more, if they’ll be in bright day-glo orange gear or what? Will I see them when I drive up? Or will I pull up to the corner of Essex and Harrison, stop at the red light (?), and sit there blocking traffic with my fellow Extras…
It’s adventure, baby! Or is it trauma? Depends on your level of control freakiness.
Here’s the good part: I get paid for bringing my car. We’ll be on set from 7:30PM-??? Midnight? 1AM? 2AM? And I get paid $35 for bringing my car. Cool! That should pay for the gas…
*sigh*
I ran into Robert at an audition a couple of weeks ago – a man I met when we were shooting a Comcast commercial (which still hasn’t shown up on television – rats!) – and he told me he was booked on Trauma recently, with his car, and he spent eight hours sitting in his car. That was his contribution to the day. Never exited the car once.
My car is, well, let’s just say it’s not a Maserati…ever. It’s about 14 years old, one of the rear taillights is broken (“Well, it’s a night shoot…” one of the Casting Directors said, and went ahead and cast my car.), and it’s got a couple of pictures of Hindu gods on the windshield – guess I’ll peel those puppies off. No, wait, we’re in San Francisco. We’re expected to be different. Wow, my Hindu gods may just make the limelight. Lucky devils.
I’m bringing food, drink, writing materials for the plays I’m writing, books to read, and my cell phone.
I’m ready for my car’s close-up, Mr. DeMille.
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- I call her “Hollywood”
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Lori Kirstein
www.LoriKirstein.com
ActorTract@gmail.com
