Too Easy?

When you first rang me about this film (1) you told me there was no money, not even exs. Fair enough. You’ve now sent me a crew list long enough for Ben Hur, and if you’re not paying at least some of them I’ll be very surprised. (2) You said I’d be required for one day’s filming, with possibly an extra morning. This is now obviously going to be two full days. (3) You said filming would be local. I don’t regard Pinner as ‘local’. Finally, you didn’t mention that the calls (unlike F & F) would be at unreasonable times: 8.00am in St Albans on a Saturday and 8.00am in Pinner on Sunday are not reasonable – especially for nothing! I’ll behave like a professional if I’m paid like one, but on this deal I feel I’m being used. Well, the goodwill just ran out; I’m no longer available, sorry.

So, no police sergeant, then.

Forty five minutes drafting an email to my missing police sergeant. Who knows, maybe he’ll come back?

Other options: call Jason, comedian friend, at midnight. He’s going to a wedding. If he wasn’t, I suspect he would do it. He’s planning to make a feature in the States next year about an Englishman moonwalking (Michael Jackson) style from coast to coast and cheating by travelling on a minibus.

Next option: call Ashley, actor friend and sports presenter (weird combo) tomorrow morning. Ashley is the perfect Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. You see him and grin. Ideal for comedy, although younger than I first envisaged this character. Still, policemen *are* looking younger as I get older. Bonus: Ashley can put a lighted match in his mouth and do this huge rictus grin which makes him look like a Jack O’Lantern. We’ll have a larf.

More options: call Fiona at Acting Associates. Call the new crew member who just happens to be production secretary on Casualty, a BBC soap opera. Call Whatever Pictures and ask them for help. Call Sarah, actress friend, and see if she knows anyone. Call everyone and then call some more.

And do that while picking up the camera kit, checking it’s all there, finding a DAT machine and purchasing some DAT tape stock.

Film making’s not like this Stateside, is it? I mean, people make commitments and then keep them, surely/Shirley? Now you know *exactly* why film makers always hire people they’ve worked with before and their relations. It’s not just about who does the best job. It’s about who you can trust to actually *do* their job.