Casting Call, Day One

So this afternoon I went to the Metropolitan Pavillion where Grant Wilfley Casting Agency was holding a union/non-union open call for the Nanny Diaries.

It was quite a unique experience, considering that I've never done this before. They told us that we should be dressed for the part so on advice from the parents I went dressed as something I knew-- Lawyer. This of course, running the risk of raising eyebrows at the office, with co-workers ever vigilant that one might be escaping to go on an interview. I can't very well explain-- "no worries, I'm going for extra casting!!! wish me luck!"

Anyhoo, I waited from 1:30-3pm-- there were 200 people inside the building when I got there (apparently) and they each had to have their picture taken. Once that was done they let the next batch of 200 in the doors... me included. We went through rigamarole about filming dates, etc. Apparently, no weekends-- eek! and the whopping pay scale of $75.00 for 11 hours. At first I'm thinking, $75 per hour? No, try again, $75.00 total. I guess this is the Ted Turner school of employee pay scale-- you're getting paid just so we make it legal, really you should be paying us because you're getting experience.

Fine, when all of this is said and done I realize I am still like 182nd in line to get my picture taken and meanwhile the real job clock is ticking. So, I asked to go to the head of the line and surprisingly they let me! I filled out some forms and they took one polaroid and one digital picture-- the digital picture was a full length shot-- so good thing I was dressed up.

Out of the 200 in my group there were like 6 people in suits, the rest were in various states of casual dress-- with some of the women in socialite garb, but not many-- and there were nanny types (a few who actually brought live children with them as props!) and a few kids (word of warning right here-- I am *so* doing this when I have children!) and let's not forget some of the freaky people who were dressed like they were at the Renaissance Faire... they were clearly there for the fairy tale movie which was also being cast.

The upside is because I didn't have a head shot they didn't take my resume-- I guess that's good or bad-- at least they can't say they didn't want me because I have no experience, I guess if I get turned down its all based on my looks. Hmpf. I don't know how I feel about that.