Tough Gig

I know this is going to sound like bitching, maybe it is, but I want to share an experience that I had recently working background on Boom.
Myself and two other SAG members were booked to work as pedestrians on an outdoor afternoon shoot at a Park overlooking Boston Harbor in East Boston. Check in time was 3:30 PM.
We went to the set at 4:00 and were directed to wait in a specific place until they would need us in the shot. So we waited, and waited, and waited, while they rehersed and shot the scene. We were never used in the shot. They wrapped just before dark at 7:45.
I have no clue why they did not use us, what I do know was that we were freezing our collective asses off for close to four hours, out in the open with 25 mile an hour winds blowing off Boston Harbor. It was miserable. We should have been left in the holding are which was less than a five minute walk to the set.
I decided to send an email to Dona at SAG to tell her what had happened. I will share the meat of her response.
She was "sorry" that we had an unpleasant experience. I (or one of the other two SAG members) should have called the SAG office from the set. She recognized that sometimes that is "difficult."
Dona also suggested that we should have spoken with an AD to remedy the situation.
Let me conclude by saying yes we did get paid for the day, but its not always about the money folks, its about respect for the human condition. We were left like cattle standing around in near gale force wind conditions. Did you know that the Geneva Conventions consider it torture if you force Prisioners of War to stand for four hours! The people at Gitmo are treated better.
I was not pleased with Dona's response, I think that a letter should have been sent to the Production Company letting them know that this sort of treatment of SAG members will not be tollerated.

Kevin

First Edition

First of all, hello to all you actors, wannabees, movie and TV fans and everybody who just loves the entertainment world. Got to start off with a BANG! Just wrapped up shooting of my "character" role in Love Squared, the Aaron Massey & Jhenna Sinclaire creation being shot here in RI, Newport, Providence and environs. The show was cast by Anne Mullhull @ LDI Casting. (Thanks Anne) I got to play the role of Francis, a kindly elderly gentleman widower who has a chance meeting with Leah, played by our Star Jhenna Sinclaire. Francis befriends Leah and becomes her confidant and comfortable shoulder to lean on. Man can that lady act... She is brilliant as Leah and drags Francis out of me in a fashion that I have never experienced. There is hope! We work together in two episodes, the last includes a highly emotional scene that will bring tears to your eyes... At least I hope it will. Aaron hopes to have this "New Media" production ready for release on the Internet maybe in June of this year. Love Squared is a low budget SAG signatory production, you know what that means. Deferred income, so keep those cards and letters coming. I will keep you posted on the release. We need you to go to the "Love Squared" Facebook page and download the show... It's a freebee! The release of What's Your Number, a very funny movie has been pushed out to September. Maureen Vlasco and I teamed up as Papa Bear & Momma Bear playing the Father and Mother of the Bride. It was a blast, Maureen is a georgeous doll from Fairhaven. Boy is it nice working with these talented lovely ladies. Hey, if you get a chance please check our my web page at www.bostoncasting.com/kevinhealey. Appreciate it! That's it for the kick off movie & TV lovers. See you "On Set" and on the Screen. Go Act Up! Kevin Paul