They pull me back in. In case you've noticed the rash of articles recently about the burgeoning film industry in Massachusetts, here are my insider tips on the reality of working in the movie business:
1) Watching movies is fun, making movies is actually pretty boring. Hours of preparation equals 2 minutes of screen time. But if your idea of excitement is watching 50-70 people walk around in circles trying to find decent cell phone reception/their next gig, then knock yourself out.
2) "Movie stars" are usually just about the least visible people on set. It's amazing how many people will park themselves on the edge of a film set for hours, hoping to get a glimpse of So and So as they run from their minivan to set, usually hidden from view by umbrellas and nervous PA's.
3) Working on a film set, the average crew member has 2 states of existence: 1) Rushing around frantically with about 50 other co-workers wielding big pieces of equipment in a very small space or 2) Sitting around eating yet another bagel/donut/handful of M&M's because they are so damn bored. Also, they rarely have any interaction with the Big Star, so stop asking them what So and So's really like because they don't know.
4) Teamsters may appear to be big fat semi wiseguys who sit around all day and get paid a lot of money for nothing, but there's a reason that guy's sleeping in the cab of his truck in the middle of the day; he was probably up at 5am driving the truck to location and he'll have to drive it back around midnight. They also drive the actors back and forth to the set and it wouldn't be good for business if one fell asleep at the wheel with So and So in the back seat now would it?
5) Thinking it would be cool to allow a film crew into your newly renovated home to show it off/pay the contractor bills? Just close your eyes and imagine a chapter of the Hells Angels led by General Sherman camped out in your home for 16 hours a day. Movie crews don't want to destroy your home, but the combination of 18 wheelers, damp New England weather and sleep deprivation can produce some frightening results.
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