Iron Extra

It's been a light week for blogination, and here's why:

I'm working background on a big scene for Iron Man 2.

Background work (aka "extra work" or "atmosphere") can be tedious and demoralizing (much, much more on that later) but I decided to work this job because:

1. SAG extras make a reasonable wage. (If you think $16.50/hour is reasonable.)
2. I'd never been on the set of a blockbuster feature before. (I don't think A Prairie Home Companion totally qualifies as "blockbuster feature" - all apologies to Garrison Keillor.)
3. It has the potential to be a nine-day shoot.
4. The biz is slow elsewhere, especially commercially.
5. I am a HUGE fan of the first movie and of Robert Downey, Jr.

My experience with the other background actors... well, let's put it this way: 30% of them are aspiring to do something much MORE than their job (get a line, get right up in camera, get a SAG voucher) and 30% of them are conspiring to do much LESS than their job (slow to take direction, not paying attention, not even trying.)

So I hate just over half of everyone around me.

The other 40% though - the ones who are actually committed to the job they were HIRED for - they are fine.

-Tom, who promises a much longer, much snarkier blog once the whole thing is over.