Space Invaders

One of the most important aspects of people and rats is our ability to determine how much space we need. If we are compacted into too little space, we get more aggressive. Sure, every now and then, a family will get murdered on the plains, in a sprawling suburban complex, but mostly the aggression bourne from too many rats in one place is visited on the cities. This topic has a sub-heating: heat. Add in oppressive heat to the too-many-people mix, and next thing you know a rock is in your hand and you're chucking it a soldier. Damn it's hot and crowded, I think I'll throw this rock at this pig! Damn it's hot and crowded, that scummy freak just threw a stone at me, I think I'll shoot his ass. Put a bow around it and package it for your Nightly News at 6 in the P.M. ("Today in Baccravuch, angry mobs throw rocks, as soldiers opened fire!")

This translates to a set. A set is a city that moves. Not quite Brigadoon moving through time, although there are elements of that, but mostly moves from location to location. Because in Hollywood, space of all kinds is at a premium, rarely do you have enough space to really fufill all your needs. So, people will find a spare room on set that is not being used, and that becomes a sub-satellite of costumes. Don't step your drink down on that platform in front of the make-up man's trailer, that's his closely guarded fiefdom. Hang up your clothes on a nail behind the sets, and find them on the floor later, because that's where the carpenter's stow their toolbelts when they lunch. Extras being the sub-humans living below zero, must find somewhere to be immdiately available when they are needed, and yet, out-of-the-way. So they are the kings of taking scrap space. Most people will not sit under a two-ton Kleig light, dangling from twine that could unwind, but to an extra, it's a space not utilized that won't get him in trouble. On a set where everyone is yelling at everyone, we are the dog that gets kicked at the end of the day. So OFF-camera we also try to be background, inanimate objects that could not possibly offend. Occassionly the new fool will not understand this concept. Yesterday an extra-gal started chatting to the soundman while he is listening to a SHOOTING scene. She was rebuked, and then made a face saying "what an asshole" that guy is. This lady also went on for about 3 hours about her sick dog, and then mentioned to the AD she might have to leave because of her sick dog. This kind of excuse is why the Extra Agency told us that only death or hospital or allowed as sick excuses. Take care of your dog and we'll think you're a nice person, but we won't hire you again. never-ever. One extra showed up with a cylndrical cloth carrying case. It looked vaguely like a music instrument, but I might have ascribed this to the dreads he was wearing. Then I thought maybe he rolled up his costume changes inside this. When we were on the stage, however, I saw it was a beach-chair carrying case. A beach-chair (actually more of a chaise lounge chair) for sitting and sleeping on the stage. Then you are not dependent on the vagaries of folding chairs, or remembering to decorate your folding chair with articles marking this space as yours, a book, a magazine, a coat draped over the side. ("Today in Hollywood, two extra throttled each other to death over a tiff regarding someone's sweater being thrown on the floor from their folding chair.")