Try Not To Freak Out

I hired my assistant and she started last Tuesday. Found out on Friday that she's "not very good with numbers and it takes her longer than normal people." I wish she had told me that before I hired her especially since we talked in the interview about how I would teach her payroll if she wanted to learn and she was enthusiastic about it. So now it looks like I have to scale it back and just limit her to pushing papers around. Not that it won't be helpful but it's sure not as much as I was hoping for... I wonder if the dog-park woman would have been better.

In other news, I took my friend C to my tattoo artist yesterday. She got an infinity symbol on her left wrist. He did a great job embellishing it and I will post a pic soon. I want to get 2 more tattoos, well 3, but the husband only knows about the 2 - a quote around my ankle and three roses on my shoulder. The 3rd is my dog and although I've mentioned it before B doesn't like the idea. I've also considered having the one on my hand extended up my arm. We'll see.

Better Be Worth It

I took this movie because I wanted to work on it - it wasn't just a paycheck on another crappy show. I had hopes that it would be a great film on my resume (for once) and that it might lead to better things. But it's turning into something of a situation. First there's the commute - an hour each way mostly just sitting in traffic going less than 20 miles an hour.  Second are the rebates. Now, rebates aren't really that difficult in and of themselves but we have 2 starting out. It's a lot of coding and shit to remember - who's working where this week. Third it's a movie about kids which would be ok if we were using 18 year olds who looked young but no, we are using kids. Lots of kids. They have very limited working hours and can't work past 10 on a school night unless you get a waiver. And even then they can only work until midnight. Again, this wouldn't be a big deal except a big chunk of the movie is set at night and outside. We may have some real issues and the only way to solve them may be to add days to the calendar. Which means more money. Which could mean shutting down. Fuck.

Sacked!

Not me but the entire costume department. They hired a designer who is working on a big show and his group has just gotten out of control. They submitted a budget that is ridiculously large for a show set in a poor rural area in the 1970's. Seriously, it's bigger than the budget for Alice in Wonderland and everything on that movie was fabricated! It's too bad because I really like the supervisor. Maybe the next designer will keep him on...

New Look

What do you think? I got bored...

My Assistant

I did not chose the woman from the dog park. I'm not sure what made the decision for me; I just knew when I had decided on the other one it felt right. I really hope she ends up with something and I kind of feel bad about not being able to help her but I just didn't feel right about it. I did send her resume to the payroll company so maybe someone who needs a clerk will hire her. People are always looking for clerks...

We spent a good portion of the day rearranging the office to fit her desk in it. I think it turned out ok but I had to give up my printer stand which is a bummer. I think I'm going to ask construction if they'll build me a smaller one. S was happy, though. She's going to take it home at the end of the show and use it as a sewing table.

After the interior decorating was done I cleaned files and talked to her about union rules and payroll. I almost lost my voice and wished I had lozenges! I hope she can pick this stuff up and really be an assistant rather than just a paper-pusher. We'll see.

Oh, we started a lotto pool and got 20 people entered at $5 each. 100 chances at $115 million. I don't think that would be enough to retire on (considering the tax) but it sure would be nice.

Assistant

My assistant starts today. I really hope I picked the right one. I need someone smart who is willing to learn but is also willing to do the paper-pushing. I just don't want to have to spend time I don't have checking someone else's work. Yes, I'll have to do it at the beginning but hopefully not forever. This show is too complicated to add that to the mix. Plus I have to totally rearrange my office to fit her in and I'm kind of bummed about that. I don't ususally have the best luck with assistants...

The Hollywood Reporter was kind enough to publish our CA code name. I hope we don't have to change all of the paperwork again.

Baxter's Diabetes

Baxter doesn't seem to be doing very well with his diabetes. He's not gaining much weight and he's having "accidents" on the bathmats as revenge for the shots. I hate putting him through all of this and it's not a picnic for us either. But he's happy and doesn't seem to be in pain so there's nothing more to be done.

The Crew So Far

The prop master looks like one of those guys you wouldn't pick up hitchhiking.

The office pa tends to wear bandanas and a lot of cologne.

The UPM has terrible teeth and a thick accent. I have to watch his lips sometimes to figure out what he's saying.

The art dept coordinator is super-fashionable but still nice.

One of the assistant accountants makes gourmet ice cream as a side job.

(Another post I started then apparently forgot about. I've reread what I've written and it's still true so I'll post it now.)

Please Just Pick A Name...

So, the movie I'm currently on has gone through about 5 different names. There's one for the trailer, 3 secret code names, and one period where it was just "Untitled Paramount Project". Now we are one code name in CA and another code name on location. I have had to recreate a booklet's worth of start paperwork to send to the other location. I wish they would just make up their minds already.

Besides, I'm not sure the payroll company can process checks under 2 different names. Everyone's check may come out with the CA code name on it anyway...

Assistant Decisions

Since I'm traveling to West Virginia for this show I get to have an assistant here and an assistant there. I interviewed 2 people yesterday for the job in LA - both interviews went well and I don't know who to hire. One of them is someone I know from the dog park. She's nice and I think she can do the work but I'm wondering if I'm leaning towards her because I know her and know she REALLY needs the job. The other woman is very nice and upbeat and seems sharp - no doubt about her abilities at all. I think she could get work in a heartbeat if I didn't hire her. But the dog park woman... I don't think she'd get this opportunity from just anyone. I really feel like I'm making a life-altering decision for her. This is why I don't want to be a 1st asst. I don't want to be responsible for people like this.

It's Been Awhile...

I stopped posting when I started really using my Facebook account. It's been fun but there are too many people from work on there for me to really vent about stuff. So I think I'm going to start posting here again.

I'm working, as usual. I finished the show in Nashville, came home, and started right away on the next one. The original title of that was Fuck Buddy but they're changing it - not sure what the final title will be but I'm sure it won't be R rated. Both the shows were fine - nothing too exciting happened that I can remember at the moment.

We remodeled the bathrooms and they are gorgeous but expensive. Hopefully it will help when we finally decide to sell. Nothing else on my list has gotten done and probably won't until after this current show is over. Well, maybe I could do some painting but that's about it. I really just need to clean the frickin' house.

But that's it for now. I need to get some sleep.