My alarm rings at 2'30 am. Damn feels like I just went to bed. I'm so not used to waking up this early, been such a long time. (I stopped working security for almost a year now) Our call time is 4'30 am over in Carson. I carpool with Sr, when we arrrive it's overcast with that cold winter breeze. You could smell the ocean in the air, didn't realize we were that close to the ocean. Damn it's cold! The caterer show's up and has the coffee going, of course me not being a coffee drinnker I just had some hot chocolate. The very hot cup defrosted my hands, mental note "bring gloves". The smell of bacon at 4'am brings back the realization that yup I'm back at work. I do the crew parking making sure cars are parked correctly, this crew has tons and tons of people. I hear around 250. Oh wait I forgot to mention what show I'm working on. So this show that Sr, is working on is a tv game show that shoots on location. What they pretty much do is take over a whole neighborhood and build up this huge stage that takes the whole street and has the random family answer questions about each other and in the end they win tons of cash and prizes. The name of the show is called "Opportunity Knocks" which airs on tuesday nights on ABC around 8'pm, The executive Producer is Ashton Kutchner. So the set up is easy, prep and build the stage on Friday, shoot the game show on saturday night around 7pm then sunday wrap it up and leave the neighborhood as it was when we first arrived.
We don't arrive into the neighborhood till after 7am since that's when the permits start, plus we had to wait till the camera crew knocks on the winning neighbors door and takes them away. (some nearby hotel) We pretty much take over the whole street. We had 2 blockades from keeping stray cars from coming thru on the street while the crew was working. Of course we had highway patrol to help us with that, but the 2 officers we had with us were very new to film crews and didn't know what to do, so they did what every officer does on set does. Nothing! eat craft service, catering truck and sit in their car all day long. They should of changed their title to Transportation. At least they were cool people and friendly and not assholes like some 399 bitches. As the day goes along I stay away from the catering truck, don't get me wrong they had really good food, but just wasnt sure if my stomach could take that just yet, I seen some of the plates. they really served tons and tons of food. On the menu they had the" Kitchen sink" on their menu.
ME: What's the kitchen sink?
COOK: That's everything brother, Everything including the kitchen sink!
Whoa! sounds delicious but not sure if my stomach can handle that, especially not having catering food in almost a year. But damn very tempting. Of course that particular item on the menu was the tranpo's favorite. (nothing changes on set) One of the officers tried that item. He spent most of the day in the restroom. (Heck I warned him)
I seen alot of people that I havent seen in such a long time, and of course it's the same story no one really fully recovered from the writer strike and with this Actor strike pending it's slow in holllywood. Everything seems to be filming out of state rather than in Cali. Of course someone did say that if they filmed locally and they striked they would have every tom and jane out there picketing, but if they filmed like in New mexico or Massachuesetts, (which both of these states has had more filming done this year than California) nobody will go over there to picket. (made sense) The day is going by pretty quick. of course I heard the same complaints from neighbors "why you filming here?" "Why doesn't hollywood film in their own town" yada yada yada....( nothing seems to change) The best line I heard so far today was when various crew members were asking me" hey brother whats's for lunch?" Is this a trick question? Lunch on a film set is always the same: It's either Beef, Fish or Chicken..never changes. I'm posted by stage, I have neighbors and kids to keep my hands full for most of the day. Around 6'pm they serve dinner. Dinner? This is new to me, okay I'm used to breakfast then lunch 6 hours later but now 6 hours after that they serve a full meal again? I passed on dinner, and gave it to one of the neighbors. I see a herd of neighbors coming my direction.
GIRL: Why you give him food and not us?
ME: I only had one plate.
GIRL: Nigga he dont need to be eatin. Shit I got 6 babies at home right now starving.
ME: If you have six babies at home then why aren't you at home taking care of them?
GIRL: Nigga you ain't my man, unless I'm sucking your dick, you can't tell me what to do!
(yup things really didn't change on location)
GIRL2: We ain't really trippin on that homie, check this out my home girl Kenisha down the street little baby sista got this letter in her box saying that they're having a BBQ for the neighbors.
GIRL3: What a sista in this hood need to do to get some of that right up food yo.
ME: let me find out for you.
I call locations.
LOCATION: Hi, what can I do for you ladies?
GIRL2: We need to get our Grub on!
GIRL1: Honey in my tummy makes it so yummy!
GIRL4: Where they Meal tickets being passed out at!
The location manager doesn't say a word. He turns to me and whispers.
LOCATION: What are they saying?
ME: They want tickets to the neighborhood BBQ.
LOCATION: Oh you want tickets to the BBQ?
GIRL5: Nigga wat you think we out here for! Our health!
The crowd starts to laugh.
GIRL 2: Shit mutha fucka I got kids to feed ya know.
The location manager lets them know that invitations were passed to the nearby houses, somewhere around 250 houses. (that's going to be fun) As the crowd leaves to go back home, majority of them were calling their friends talking about coming down tomorrow cause theres a big bbq going on. (yea really fun)
LOCATIONS: Rj make sure that Sr put's someone on that post tomorrow.
ME: If you do that you know your going to need another guard.
LOCATION: No, I think the PA brothers could cover someone's shift till that bbq is done.
I think otherwise, but hey thats just my suggestion. 6'30 pm, almost time to go home, yes. My day is almost over just 30 more minutes to go. I get a group of kids asking me alot of questions about the show, of course I never seen an episode.
KID1: Mmama say we going to eat tomorrow, is that tru?
ME: It is if you guys got one of those invitations.
KID2: My mama say we coming even if we dont got one.
KID3: My mama say you can't do nothing but blind us with your flashlight.
(Nice kids)
Before I could say something this littel girl comes running towards us from down from the street.
GIRL: D! D be comin!
KIDS: D! Shit run home homie!
ME: Who the fuck is D?
All the kids run in every direction down the street. Someone taps me on my shoulder. It's my relief. Wow time to go home guess i dont get to find out what scared all these kids away. Oh well.
The ride home isn't too bad pretty quick. After my shower I sit in my dark room alone (kids are with their mother for the weekend) It's very quiet, used to the kids being loud. These long hours in this biz can make someone feel lonely. yup things never changed.
We don't arrive into the neighborhood till after 7am since that's when the permits start, plus we had to wait till the camera crew knocks on the winning neighbors door and takes them away. (some nearby hotel) We pretty much take over the whole street. We had 2 blockades from keeping stray cars from coming thru on the street while the crew was working. Of course we had highway patrol to help us with that, but the 2 officers we had with us were very new to film crews and didn't know what to do, so they did what every officer does on set does. Nothing! eat craft service, catering truck and sit in their car all day long. They should of changed their title to Transportation. At least they were cool people and friendly and not assholes like some 399 bitches. As the day goes along I stay away from the catering truck, don't get me wrong they had really good food, but just wasnt sure if my stomach could take that just yet, I seen some of the plates. they really served tons and tons of food. On the menu they had the" Kitchen sink" on their menu.
ME: What's the kitchen sink?
COOK: That's everything brother, Everything including the kitchen sink!
Whoa! sounds delicious but not sure if my stomach can handle that, especially not having catering food in almost a year. But damn very tempting. Of course that particular item on the menu was the tranpo's favorite. (nothing changes on set) One of the officers tried that item. He spent most of the day in the restroom. (Heck I warned him)
I seen alot of people that I havent seen in such a long time, and of course it's the same story no one really fully recovered from the writer strike and with this Actor strike pending it's slow in holllywood. Everything seems to be filming out of state rather than in Cali. Of course someone did say that if they filmed locally and they striked they would have every tom and jane out there picketing, but if they filmed like in New mexico or Massachuesetts, (which both of these states has had more filming done this year than California) nobody will go over there to picket. (made sense) The day is going by pretty quick. of course I heard the same complaints from neighbors "why you filming here?" "Why doesn't hollywood film in their own town" yada yada yada....( nothing seems to change) The best line I heard so far today was when various crew members were asking me" hey brother whats's for lunch?" Is this a trick question? Lunch on a film set is always the same: It's either Beef, Fish or Chicken..never changes. I'm posted by stage, I have neighbors and kids to keep my hands full for most of the day. Around 6'pm they serve dinner. Dinner? This is new to me, okay I'm used to breakfast then lunch 6 hours later but now 6 hours after that they serve a full meal again? I passed on dinner, and gave it to one of the neighbors. I see a herd of neighbors coming my direction.
GIRL: Why you give him food and not us?
ME: I only had one plate.
GIRL: Nigga he dont need to be eatin. Shit I got 6 babies at home right now starving.
ME: If you have six babies at home then why aren't you at home taking care of them?
GIRL: Nigga you ain't my man, unless I'm sucking your dick, you can't tell me what to do!
(yup things really didn't change on location)
GIRL2: We ain't really trippin on that homie, check this out my home girl Kenisha down the street little baby sista got this letter in her box saying that they're having a BBQ for the neighbors.
GIRL3: What a sista in this hood need to do to get some of that right up food yo.
ME: let me find out for you.
I call locations.
LOCATION: Hi, what can I do for you ladies?
GIRL2: We need to get our Grub on!
GIRL1: Honey in my tummy makes it so yummy!
GIRL4: Where they Meal tickets being passed out at!
The location manager doesn't say a word. He turns to me and whispers.
LOCATION: What are they saying?
ME: They want tickets to the neighborhood BBQ.
LOCATION: Oh you want tickets to the BBQ?
GIRL5: Nigga wat you think we out here for! Our health!
The crowd starts to laugh.
GIRL 2: Shit mutha fucka I got kids to feed ya know.
The location manager lets them know that invitations were passed to the nearby houses, somewhere around 250 houses. (that's going to be fun) As the crowd leaves to go back home, majority of them were calling their friends talking about coming down tomorrow cause theres a big bbq going on. (yea really fun)
LOCATIONS: Rj make sure that Sr put's someone on that post tomorrow.
ME: If you do that you know your going to need another guard.
LOCATION: No, I think the PA brothers could cover someone's shift till that bbq is done.
I think otherwise, but hey thats just my suggestion. 6'30 pm, almost time to go home, yes. My day is almost over just 30 more minutes to go. I get a group of kids asking me alot of questions about the show, of course I never seen an episode.
KID1: Mmama say we going to eat tomorrow, is that tru?
ME: It is if you guys got one of those invitations.
KID2: My mama say we coming even if we dont got one.
KID3: My mama say you can't do nothing but blind us with your flashlight.
(Nice kids)
Before I could say something this littel girl comes running towards us from down from the street.
GIRL: D! D be comin!
KIDS: D! Shit run home homie!
ME: Who the fuck is D?
All the kids run in every direction down the street. Someone taps me on my shoulder. It's my relief. Wow time to go home guess i dont get to find out what scared all these kids away. Oh well.
The ride home isn't too bad pretty quick. After my shower I sit in my dark room alone (kids are with their mother for the weekend) It's very quiet, used to the kids being loud. These long hours in this biz can make someone feel lonely. yup things never changed.
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