A DAY AT THE OFFICE

Sometimes people ask me what it’s like to work in the Film Industry doing what I do.
Many think it’s fun and glamourous and that there’s lots of sitting around doing nothing.
Well, it can be fun and glamourous and there might be some times when you have to wait for hours while other crew members set up and such, but let me reassure you that it is NO picnic!

You see, I don’t rock up to work at 8:30am and sit behind a desk until lunch when I enjoy a one hour break then return to the desk and continue until 5:00pm when I leave and go home, cook some dinner, potter around for how ever long, then go to bed.
I don’t get to just switch everything off, including my brain, and then leave.

Of course all the people who currently work in this Industry will relate to exactly what I am saying here but there are a lot of people who aren’t aware of what we do.

So for all those who would like to know?
This is a basic breakdown of a day in my field of work on a low budget project…
(This doesn’t differ much from when you are working on a big budget project except for a few things here and there.)

3:00am – Wake up, get ready and check that I have everything needed for the day.
4:00am – Travel to location.
4:30am – Arrive to location and set up.
5:00am – Hair and Makeup begin - most of the time I am making up a couple of actors at a time.
7:00am – Be on set, which may be quite a distance away.
The next 5 hours is spent running back and forth from set - retouching makeup’s to off set - doing other actors makeup’s, keeping track of continuity, setting up any SFX rigs and doing any SFX makeup on set and off set when required. Sometimes changing locations when needed.
12:00pm – Lunch - supplied at the location.
12:30pm – Hair and Makeup revision, retouches (especially mouths) and more actors’ makeup’s.
1:00pm – Be on set, sometimes in a different location from the one prior.
Again, the next 5 hours is spent running back and forth from set - retouching makeup’s to off set - doing other actors makeup’s, keeping track of continuity, setting up any SFX rigs and doing any SFX makeup on set and off set when required. Sometimes changing locations when needed.
6:00pm – Dinner, if you’re lucky - supplied at the location.
6:30pm – Begin “wrapping” the talent, removing Makeup, any prosthetics and Hair styling.
7:30pm – Pack up, clean work area and liaise with Producer, AD’s and Director about next day.
8:30pm – Travel home or to where you are staying.
9:00pm – Clean and sanitise makeup kit, brushes, tools, wash towels and hang to dry.
– organise makeup kit, brushes, tools and anything else required for the next day’s shoot.
10:00pm – Go to bed, if you can.

Repeat this, 5 – 6 days a week for however long the shoot period is.
Add to this - very strict time pressures, handling a wide gamut of creative personalities including some really needy actors, running everywhere, carting makeup bags everywhere, having makeup, blood and hair up to your elbows, constantly washing your hands, standing in broad searing sunlight or freezing cold dark for 14 hours, hearing your name called at least 100 times a day, supervising any assistants you may be lucky to have and remaining pleasant and approachable at all times.

As you can see, to have a career in this Industry, being talented and well connected is a must but stamina, patience, passion and massive sacrifice plays a more major role.

And yet, if I ever do apply for a normal 9 to 5 job, with all my professional and personal experience – I don’t even get a reply from the employer. Hilarious!! Rude!! I say, “Work one day on set with me and see how long you can last”.

Now I am not saying that the average job is not stress filled and tiring but it does kinda make you laugh when you hear a desk jockey complain about how tired they are or how bad their day at work was.

But hey…

Apart from all of this, and call me mental if you wish, I LOVE this Industry and I LOVE working in it!

HEAVEN ON EARTH?

I get a great number of emails asking me where to buy casting, molding and sculpting products and tools as well as SFX supplies, so, in case you haven’t heard, there is a fabulous new place open in Woolloongabba that sells everything you need.

The company is ‘Barnes’ and they have been around since 1986 and they've been growing ever since, now they are in Brisbane!

If you need anything for casting, molding, sculpting and special effects this is a “must visit” place!

My dear friend Kym Sainsbury is there to assist you with all your enquiries and because she has been a prosthetics guru for 20 odd years in the Film Industry she knows her stuff.

There are also future plans for Kym to hold workshops on many aspects of casting and mold making. Learn from the master!!!

You will also get to meet my fabulous Dad who works there as well.

Make sure you say a big hello from me.

Trust me – go there, you’ll think you’re in heaven…

All the products are a really excellent price and you will get all the advice you need to use them.

But take your credit card because you’ll end up spending big time!

Visit the Barnes website for more info.

JUST FOR THE RECORD

A film producer is someone who selects a screenplay, initiating the process of film making. They oversee the entire process including coordinating, supervising and controlling matters such as fund-raising, hiring key personnel such as the film director, other producers involved on production, line producer, accountant and they arrange avenues for the films distribution.

They also advise and control creating the scenes and conditions for making movies. The producer is totally involved throughout all phases of the filmmaking process from development to completion of a project.

I have worked with a number of Producers over the years and I accept that this role is one which requires hard work and dedication – most of the Producers I have worked with have been pretty much on top of their game and I would gladly work with them again.

Unfortunately though, there is one “Producer” I have worked with recently who shall remain anonymous that was completely delusional in thinking that they were able to refer to themselves as a Producer.

This person has worked on other projects and has been demoted and even fired from most of them because of their inability to come through with the promises they made, straight up lies and deceit, theft from the production budget and apparent attempts at sabotage.

The whole project, the cast and crew were all put in highly dangerous and stressful situations due to this person simply not doing their job and when anyone attempted to resolve these situations they were met with complacency and denial.

Currently, there are Chinese whispers being spread about the shoot and certain people who worked on it and I would ask anyone who hears such rumours to take them with a grain of salt as it is just this persons attempt at covering their footprints.

If you ever wish to know the truth about people then go to the source and don’t listen to any he said she said rubbish.

I will never work this person again and I will make certain that whenever their name is mentioned I will inform those who need to know about their ongoing blunders.

If you are hired to work on a gig make sure you do some research into the person who is hiring you and have a very strict contract signed prior to any work being initiated.