it is friday. over the past three days i have been working for a bunch of ingrates, busting my butt to make the precious client happy.
let me rewind a bit. i received a call from a production company whom we will call "crappy production services". CPS, as they will herein be known, is a production co. that essentially whores out their crew to the lowest bidder. they pay a flat rate for makeup (which is ridiculous, as rates vary from job to job), and then charge the client a markup of who knows how much.
for this particular job, i was to be working on an infomercial for a major retail chain that likes to move into poor communities, destroy small businesses, is anti-union, and sells a bunch of gross crap. additionally, i can now say with certainty that the execs at walmart (oops--did i just say walmart?) are rude, pompous, and extremely cheap.
CPS whored me and my makeup artist friend out to an even crappier production company who then whored us out to walmart at half of our normal day rate, not telling us that this job would last for three days until the day before we started shooting (i was on a "light hold" but never given any information as to whether they would be honoring that hold until the eleventh hour. this makes for a stressful predicament for a freelancer). we were also not told whether or not this would be on national television. we were also not given an address or call time until the evening before shooting (after business hours, i might add).
i was only told that my friend and i were to do makeup and "very light hairstyling" for four women. this turned into full hair and makeup, and it was to look consistent over the course of three days. i immediately knew that it would be necessary to have my friend booked for the additional two days. my queries to anyone who would listen about this or provide me with any information (including my contact at CPS) fell on deaf ears.
someone took pity on me and directed me to the client, to whom i introduced myself and then asked, "do you think it would be possible to hire the second makeup artist for an additional two days? i don't know if you are the correct person for me to ask, but if you would know whom to speak to, that'd be great!" they peered up from their laptops, and mumbled that they weren't sure about the hiring, but directed me to the production manager...i had no clue as to whom this was, as i was not given a call sheet, a schedule, or anyone's name (nor did anybody introduce themselves).
i finally located and went to the production manager with whom they recommended that i speak, and she immediately drilled me:
"DID YOU ASK THE CLIENT ABOUT HIRING ANOTHER MAKEUP ARTIST?
THAT WAS A BIG NO NO!!
THEY WERE VERY PUT OFF BY YOU!!"
i could have punched her. i almost did, actually. when i told her that someone pointed me to the precious client, she jumped on me again:
"WELL, WHO TOLD YOU THAT??"
i refused to engage in her madness. i explained that i had asked my contact at CPS, who could not tell me if it was possible. that i did not discuss money with the client- that i simply asked them a question.
towards the end of the day, my completely useless contact at CPS said to me and my friend, "good night girls" to which i replied "bye" and then stopped for a minute and asked "are we wrapped now?" (usually you don't say your goodbyes until the day is done. duh.)
production manager, again, chimed in and said to me, "I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE WRAPPED! I DON'T THINK YOU'RE WRAPPED! YOU NEED TO ASK THE DIRECTOR THAT!"
suffice to say that over the course of the next two days, word must have spread from this psycho of the horrible diva-like makeup artists(!!), as the director, producer, production manager and client completely ignored us (even when we said hello and goodbye, or "how ya doing?" or other various things, like "thank you" at the end of the shoot). the only bright spot is that they finally did agree that it would be necessary to hire my friend for the additional two days, which was a good thing, considering that on day two we had an ADDITIONAL 19 actors, and on day three an additional six actors portraying walmart employees as well as atleast ten extras (i lost count).
i have worked with major companies and brands in every capacity during the whole of my career, several retailers (such as kmart, macy's, belk, marshall field, you name it) as well as huge brands such as pepsi, visa, the nfl, and american express, and i have NEVER experienced a client being less than gracious to me. ever. i have also worked with television producers for major networks, and all of them have been kind, complimentary to their crew, and effective communicators. before this job, i had never been yelled at by a director, scolded by a production manager, or ignored by my main contact.
i am seriously considering writing a little paragraph or two about my experience and sending it to walmartsucks.org, but i think i'll wait until i'm paid.
on a smaller note, it is also nice on jobs to get a break to eat (usually one hour, which is required by unions--but what does walmart care about unions?). it is nice to be provided with water so as to remain hydrated. it is lovely, when working your butt off, to be given your space, rather than to be hounded every five minutes as to when you will be done and told, "just fix them up to about 80%". that is a direct quote from the director of the project (whom they scabbed in from michigan, as they're clearly too cheap to hire any number of talented directors from new york). i held my tongue and did not ask him which 20% he would like for me to omit (covering up the bags under their eyes? giving them powder? should i line both eyes, or just one?).
therefore, the following people can suck it:
crappy production service
whored out production company
jerk production manager
talentless director
walmart
walmart execs
the 100 or so crappy actors who don't know when to just shut the hell up and realize that no, it's not all about them and their incessant need for attention.
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