Well, I'm living proof that you CAN have your lunch paid for...
Actually, I'm living proof that you can be paid to eat your lunch!
I worked on the sequel to the Sun dish soap commercial I did this past Sunday and Monday. I had to be there at 7:20 a.m. both days. I was there until 8:30 p.m. on Sunday - meaning a 13 hour "work" day. I was actually in front of the camera for maybe 4 hours. The rest of the time I spent chatting with people, typing scripts, studying Czech and eating the food provided on set.
Monday was the same, except I didn't set foot in front of the camera once. Well, technically, I was a stand-in for all of 2 minutes. The rest of the time I sat on my ass and did as the day before: talked to people, studied Czech, typed scripts. I did NOTHING in the way of being an extra on Monday. But they didn't send me home. I expect to be paid. I wrapped at 4:30 on Monday.
I happened to wrap at the same time as one of the lead actors on the commercial, so I hitched a ride in his car (and by "his car", I mean his "chaffeured transport back to his hotel"). He's Spanish and doesn't speak too much English and certainly doesn't speak any Czech.
I had already told my Czech teacher that I wouldn't be in class that evening, so regardless of the fact that I was available to attend, I skipped so that I could give a tour of Prague to the Spaniard... In Spanish. Languages are bikes, it's true. You just need to get your bike legs back. My Spanish hasn't left me. I realized that much.
And so... that was my weekend.
Tomorrow, I'm going to Munich to meet a woman who will employ me for two weeks at the end of May to teach high schoolers English and about America, since I will be preparing them for their exchange programs to the States.
Posted by iain at April 18, 2007 9:52 PM