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This year has sucked but it's hotting up where I am (Bristol, UK). We've no less than 3 separate Agatha Christies rolling into town. The rolling hills, stately homes combined with proximity to London (because get real, 90% of actors still live there and if you shoot in Newcastle your train budget is astronomical. I've been an AD for ten years this summer, starting out as a Floor Runner, which is the UK term for a set PA. Four years doing that, then 3 as 3rd AD (UK for 2nd 2nd AD....not sure on the logic of that one). Then during the post lockdown covid boom in 2021 I got the bump up to 2nd AD. Mainly work in high end British TV and indie feature films. I've dabbled in major Hollywood but those AD teams are locked up tight and it can be a horrible environment. Been thinking a lot about the psychology of departments and how certain people gravitate towards certain areas. Do they start like that or do they become that due to exposure to their department? Examples include script supervisors by and large being neurotic middle aged women. Sound team with a persecution complex ('no one cares about sound...'). The gender imbalance of costume and makeup teams, and the pay discrepancies that go along with that. Arrogant ADs. Phew. It's a lot but this is a subject I can barely stop talking about in real life. I'm very one note. I'm excited to see other perspectives in this thread and practical advice maybe too.
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Mar 23, 2024 00:52
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TadBradley posted:Not sure how many folks are US-based, but it feels meaningful that I received two different availability checks for features last week. Maybe, just maybe, things are picking up. And that's in addition to the job I got. I've been out of work except small bits for 6 months (the US strikes had a huge knock on effect on the UK industry) and suddenly on one day last week I had two separate work calls and an availability check email. Had to do the awkward thing where you tell the less desirable show to hold off until you know if the better show is gonna hire you. Fortunately being up front with everyone is the best policy really, they all said they'd do the same. Start a new show next week and all the stories about its first season were total nightmares. Apparently the lead star and writer has been to rehab since so she'll be...better??
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Mar 30, 2024 11:51
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PriorMarcus posted:Hopefully it's not too unreasonable for you as I think I know what horror stories your referring too. Lol had no idea it'd be so identifiable from the small info I put in there. Unfortunately honesty was not the best policy as it turned out they hired someone else while they were waiting for me to speak to the other job. And the other job went to someone else too. Plot twist the 2nd job then got back to me to offer it to me but the rate was too low so now I'm waiting for them to up it and reoffer it to me (which they may not but the boss assures me hey probably will do..). What a roller-coaster this industry is.
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Apr 8, 2024 20:39
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Momonari kun posted:I think the biggest difference was the almost total lack of healthy snacks. It was basically snack foods, cookies, crackers, chocopies, instant noodles, tea, coffee, and water. Fruit is super expensive in Korea, so I get it, but it was disappointing. Meals tended to be eaten at restaurants instead of catered like it is here. I guess that means generally it was a higher quality level, since you'd get two decent meals, instead of boxed poo poo, but if you had any special dietary needs, it was a pain in the rear end. In the UK only the very largest American films or TV have anything resembling craft. Otherwise we have an often extremely sad tea and coffee table that is maintained by the ADs (!) and almost always falls into instant disrepair. Boxed biscuits, a basket of fruit and some crisps if you're on a show with a bit of cash to splash. If not, I hope you like the 'oops, all digestives' value pack of biscuits. I'm also extremely into Korean cinema. Both Park Chan-Wook and Bong Joon-Ho shot in the UK since I joined the industry and I was gutted I didn't get on them, even for dailies. Had some friends on the Park series and they were in awe. Are you fluent in Korean? Was there any particular obstacles or requirements you had to go through to enter the industry there? I'd be interested to hear more about the specifics of how you actually landed a job there.
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Apr 16, 2024 23:48
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