Tanks

We have a bunch of tanks and stuff in this movie (military moving something out of Area 51 and all). I've been asking since I found out for a ride. Today, I'm going for a ride in a tank. Doesn't quite make up for these past few weeks but damn, I'm going and I'm going to enjoy it.

Rough Week

I've had a really rough couple of weeks. This job has been nothing but 12-14 hour days, 6 and 7 days a week, bad paperwork, and unpleasant people. Nobody is happy to be here anymore and it's showing. I've been accused of not being able to do my job (which will be another post), of being at fault for people getting paid late, and I'm dealing with some psycho local who is on disability and worked too much and wants me to pull of some kind of miracle for her (which in the end would be illegal). My cat is dying, my husband has to deal with him all alone, I miss him and my furry family, and going home seems to be a long way off.

Then I hear from E and realize there are still worse things in the world than what I'm going through.

Facebook

I canceled my Facebook account. I'll set up a new one but I'm only allowing friends and family on it - no more coworkers.

Failure

I can no longer do my job to the standard to which I aspire (sounds pretentious when it's grammatically correct, doesn't it?). But the truth is I feel like I'm having a slow-speed meltdown trying to be perfect. I've been told I'm better than other payroll accountants but at what cost? I get so frustrated with the stupidity I have to deal with on every show, thinking that if I did my job the way they do theirs I'd never work again. But the truth is I could probably do 75% of what I'm doing now and still be fine. I could get it all done if I worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week but that's contributing to the stress, not alleviating it. Smaller shows - I'm on my own. Bigger shows get more help but never enough or not the right kind. I just don't see a way out. I want to do a good job without it being so damn hard.

Okay, vent over...

Time for bed. Got to get up and do it all again tomorrow. 

Oh, check YouTube - there's video of the explosions from the other night. So much for secrecy, huh?

How Much Longer?

The VFX producer came by to give me some info and let slip that she thinks we're going to be here longer than originally planned. Not sure how long but probably a week... She said she was supposed to have the cemetery scene (a big VFX scene) on Friday but it's Tuesday and they're just now shooting it.

I really want to go to home. I miss the husband and I want to see Baxter before he gets too sick. And I'm tired of working 12+ hour days 6 and 7 days a week. The money is good but it's exhausting.

They've been trying to find someone to do the CA payroll but no one is available. The 1st offered to do it on a 6th day, which would be cheaper than hiring a new body, but it hasn't been approved yet. At this point I just want to stop having to ship paperwork back and forth across the country.

In other news, I'm planning on going to the Warhol Museum this Saturday. Not that I was ever a big fan but I don't dislike his work and it might be interesting. If nothing else it's not Weirton for the day.

Sometimes...

my job really sucks. I probably had 200 start cards last week and another 75 this week. I don't know why we're hiring so many people but I don't like it. I guess if they were hiring us some more help I'd be ok but they are only throwing bodies on the set, not into the office. I'd better get to ride in a damn tank this week or I'm going to be pissed.

Tales From WV

Our show is obsessed with secrecy - changing the name several times and not posting any of them in public. But the husband knows more about what's going on here than I do just by checking the internet. I don't think there's much secrecy in the world anymore...

Our teenage female lead signs the Exhibit G every day with a different little picture: a heart, a bow, etc. Much nicer to see than the "pig fucker" and "boner pie" from that crap show in Phx (which still hasn't been released).

I was on the phone outside today and one of our actors was trying to get in to the hotel. I recognized him but didn't say anything. I did let him in with my key, though.

Anyway, not much is happening yet. I'm planning on going out to set when the tanks and flame-throwers work. I've been pestering Transpo for a ride in the tank for weeks.

Pittsburgh

My first foray to Pittsburgh was a mitigated disaster. My plan was to find a BofA and deposit my check, then go to the Warhol Museum. I thought I was lucky for getting to exit the highway before traffic backed up but my GPS told me I was going the wrong way and that way was backed up, too. I eventually got where I wanted to go but the ATM didn't have check deposit and there wasn't an open bank anywhere nearby. The ATM was in a mall though so I did a little shopping at Sephora (hence the mitigated designation). It was 1pm by then and I just didn't want to deal with it anymore. I stopped at Chick-Fil-A (also part of the mitigated designation) and got lunch then headed back to Weirton.

We're having a kick-off BBQ tomorrow afternoon and if I don't get some work done today I won't be able to go. So here I am at work. I'm going to try again next weekend - maybe I won't be so jet-lagged and I'll be able to get up an go earlier... 

Baxter

Despite what my husband says is not going to live forever. First he was diagnosed with diabetes. Then they found he had an enlarged heart and liver. Then they did an ultrasound and an echo-cardiogram and diagnosed Cushing's disease. Then he got fluid build-up in his chest, which they drained and is still leaking. He's on more meds and still on insulin shots and got so pissy with the husband that he just pooped on him. I hope he makes it until I get home.

Hang on...

Make that 3 "Gung-Ho" and 1 "Dragon" credit.

Now What?

The show in WV has changed its name again. It's a symbol, like Prince, but pronounceable. Obviously I can't say what it is but it looks like a reel of film...

And there are 2 new hires who would like to be credited as "Gung-Ho". Good luck with that, dudes. There's a lot of stupid on this movie.

To Push or Not To Push

There was a chance we were going to push a week or two because of casting issues. It would have been nice as I would have been in town to help B at the Shrine sale but it didn't happen. I don't know if they got the actor they wanted or if they gave up on him but we are on schedule.

Actually, I don't have any idea who is cast in this movie - all of the lead kid actors are unknowns and we haven't seen anything on anybody else. I have to say all of this secret-keeping is annoying. Maybe it works for them but it's a pain in the ass for the crew. I'm not going to be allowed to read the script (which you have to do at the director's production company under watch) and they are holding off on releasing shooting schedules because they have script info on them. Ugh. This movie is not what I thought it would be. It better be worth it...

I don't have too much to report on the rest of the crew. The director of photography seems pretty cool - not as arrogant as most camera people. On Friday 2 guys walked past our offices and I said to my assistant "those two were tools" just based on how they acted. Then they came into the office and turns out they were camera assistants. After they left, my boss came in and asked me "camera guys?" We all laughed at that because it's so fucking obvious sometimes.

Anyway, I leave for WV on Tuesday and will be there until October 12th or 15th - haven't decided how long I'll need to stay. I'm looking forward to it but I'm going to miss everyone and I'm worried about Boo (my oldest cat). His diabetes may be under control but he's got an enlarged heart, an enlarged liver, an infection, and he's anemic. He's getting an ultrasound today so hopefully we'll get some answers. He's staring at me balefully because he's not allowed any food and he's not happy about it. Neither are the other two cats for that matter.

Tense Tuesday

Yesterday work was a little tense. I backtracked with my assistant to paperwork and the details of who gets what and when. The studio gets certain pieces, the payroll company gets certain pieces, different things get copied and then we keep the copy or the original depending... it's a lot to remember. I don't think she took notes at the time but I checked some of her work and it was good.

But I don't know how this is going to work out. I will just have to let her do the work and figure it out. I tried talking to her about the training itself but it didn't get anywhere. She didn't have much to say and gave me nothing to work with. I'm just going to have to hope she figures it out sooner rather than later.

In other news, if you order a salad in WV it comes with french fries in it. Not with it, but IN it. 

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.