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stories.
Okay storytime...
[Serious] People who work in Hollywood...
What's the most ducked up thing you've witnessed
in the business?
That parents are willing, and actively trying,
to pimp out their kids for roles on the next
hit children's show.
Roles for the kids, not the parents, just
to be clear................
Most people in the "business" are conceited
big nicks.
I interned on a (crappy, shortlived) reality
show for MTV.
The producers were the biggest assholes who
thought they were the sheet because they had
been "handpicked" for this job (they had very
short resumes) and treated everyone above
them like Gods and everyone below them like
slaves.
One spilled her entire drink on my personal
laptop when I was out of the room.
When I returned and saw it sitting in a puddle
(she hadn't even attempted to clean it up)
she said "Yeah, that was me.
You shouldn't leave your computer on the desk"They
also regularly popped pills (for which they
didn't have a prescription) openly...
Used to be an on-set grunt on Supernatural.
One of the 2 main actors was kind of a giant
dutch bag on set - I'm not a fan of Jared
Padalecki.
I've got a few stories of that guy treating
the grunts like sheet, but heres one nugget
that always makes me smile:On jared padalecki's
IMDB it says "While filming season two, Jared
Padalecki (Sam Winchester), broke his wrist
after performing one of the stunts on the
show."
- The truth is they got into a bar fight the
night before filming and Jared broke his wrist.
That guy had a real chip on his shoulder and
fancied himself some kind of fighter bro - The
rumor is they started it and Jared ended up
getting hurt.
They had to write it into the show so if you're
a fan - The reason Sam Winchester had a cast
on in season 2 (Starting in episode 4) was
because he got in a bar fight and lost.Edit:
Did some more googling and other sources say
he broke his wrist from over-training.
What a tool.
Having a producer call me specifically because
he had many glowing recommendations for me
and sang my praises.
Then asked my daily rate for a feature.
Then after a big sigh from him and an awkward
silence he asked if I could work for 10 days
for 25 dollars a day.
After another longer awkward silence from
me waiting to see if it was a joke I asked
him if he was serious.
He said yes.
I said I wouldn't work for that little because
it's the equivalent of 2 bucks an hour for
highly skilled labor.
He told me I didn't know what I was missing
and that he would give out terrible recommendations
to others about me because I turned him down.But
on a more serious note, there's been some
horrendous deaths on set and after wrap due
to lack of safety and improper training, cutting
corners, or sneaking things.
Sarah Jones was the most recent large example,
but there's been too many vehicle rollovers
due to crew members falling asleep after ridiculous
hours, someone being electrocuted on a condor
lift when they hit electrical wires because
they weren't trained nor legally allowed to
be in the lift.
Just crazy stuff.Oh, also had an actor lift
his oversized shirt over his head in front
of me and forget he didn't have any clothing
on underneath.
I understood why the ladies talked about him
all the time after that.
I was a lowly intern for a bigger production
company during film school.
We were doing a pitch day where writers and
other producer wannabes came in to pitch their
ideas.
We (6 of us) sat at a long table while the
potential film maker told is their idea hoping
for funding.
Before we started the E.P. said "if you hear
me say the word pass in any context thats
code for stop taking notes and have zero follow
up question so we can get the duds sorted
out quickly."
People were coming in and pitching and a few
minutes into their stories he would say, "pass
me a pen" or "pass-trami for lunch okay with
everyone?"
He was having fun coming up with ways to interrupt
the pitchers with his hidden code word.
Well the worst one was a guy from Minnesota
who had this kids movieidea that a lot of
people back home loved.
It got some attention and the right people
agreed to set up this pitch meeting for him.
The guy was written up in his town paper,
local boy goes to hollywood, they named a
drink after him in this small town, the town
got together to raise money for his trip out
to big ol Hollywood, hero worship to the hilt.
Anyhow, he walks in, sets up an easle and
the E.P. immediately says, "are you coming
from Pass-adena?"
Done, over.
Pens down.
All he'd said was his name and its a pleasure
to be here and he got passed.
I felt bad for everyone that day but I felt
especially bad for him.
He went on to pitch his entire story and his
hometown hero personal story and all the E.P.
was doing was drawing geometric shapes on
his notepad.
I've share this story here before under a
throwaway, but I guess I can share it under
another throwaway again.
Throwaways because although I don't mind it
as much now, it is not something I would admit
to in real life, honestly.
You would be surprised how many people in
the industry use reddit :)
Anyways, a few years ago, I used to weigh
about 340 lb.
I am 6 feet 4 (numbers slightly altered),
so I guess I gave off what people in the film
industry might call a "big guy persona" - you
know, the guy who only exists to provide some
form of backup or comedic relief.The roles
involved exactly what you might think it would
be - eating, eating, and more eating.
Pretty much every single scene I was involved
in, I was essentially supposed to be the butt
of fat jokes.
A slobbering mess of a man.
When you're on set in that sort of situation,
what you realize is that the difference between
your life and a movie isn't too big, maybe
other than the fact that people express their
opinions out loud in a movie, and in real
life, they might keep those opinions to themselves
or talk behind your back.In all honestly,
it was a struggle every day, because on screen,
I would have this couldn't-care-less persona,
but I felt the words and I knew the harsh
reality.
After going through this experience, I've
realized that it is pretty much a fact that
people will judge you on your appearance (maybe
consciously or subconsciously, but they will
judge you), even if well-meaning people have
convinced you otherwise earlier in your life.
Even if you're a great person on the inside,
your appearance is you being presented tothe
world, and first impressions count.
A lot.
Any fame I had was not the result of my talent
but rather my physique and how well I could
handle being insulted.
People weren't laughing with me - they were
laughing at me.
I was the source of the comedy.
Hollywood (and I'd say the entire movie industry
in general) is a very, very judgmental place
where unless you conform to certain views
or characteristics, you have no place or significance
of existing in to people who are already there.Ultimately
though, the same thing worked as a sort of
motivating factor.
I knew that I couldn't go long like this,
so I had to change.
Started working out, went on a very drastic
diet, and was down to 200 lb by the end of
the next year.
The absolute best thing about the change?
Finally feeling wanted.
Feeling that people actually like being near
you and want to work with you.
One time I had an audition and I had a zit
on the side of my nose and the casting director
just said "Come back when you get a bar of
soap."Other than that, stage moms.EDIT : Just
remembered another one.
Filmed an episode of a show about a comedy
sketch show that takes place at 30 Rockefeller
Center.
We were shooting outside on the street, and
Alec Baldwin was screaming at tourists for
taking photos and "ruining the show".
We were filming outside at noon in one of
the most touristy sections of the city.
The word "Art" was mentioned in the diatribe.
The eye contact among everyone said "Ewwwww."...............
I worked on a show recently where the art
director was a supreme big nick.
We had a midget onset and he had to go in
a cage.
The midget went in the cage (already every
human being with a soul on set is uncomfortable)
and the AD says "ok kneel down".
Well..
The poor guy didn't have knees...
So he said " I don't have knees, I can't kneel."This
confused the AD.
He asked again, to the further embarrassment
of every person there.
The midget showed him his legs.They tried
him sitting on his butt but his legs stuck
out of the cage comically and that wasn't
the look they were going for.
They were looking at putting a hole in the
bottomof the cage to fake it.
Finally (and I wasn't there by this point,
it was too much and I wasn't needed for that
problem.)
the AD said " I just need you to kneel down."angry
pause
"I physically can not kneel down, I don't
bend there."AD: "Not my problem."
And he walked off set.I wasn't around to see
what happened after or if they re-shot or
whatever, but "I literally can't even"...........
Only one person has named a celebrity so I'll
spill some juice.
Mira Sorvino is the one of the worst actresses
I have every worked with.
She threatened to walk off the set one day,
you were not allowed to be in her eye line
when we were shooting ( or look at her).
She could not remember her lines and she blamed
it on 100 things, She made the DP change his
lens a few times and MADEhim raise his camera
more than once because she did not want to
be shot from below her eye line ( She didn't
think it was flattering).
She made producers order her very high end
make up because she didn't like what the Make-up
artist was using, She HAD to check herself
in the mirror before EVERY take.
Everyone on set could not stand her but because
she had won on Oscar she thought she was queen
of the world.2)Worked with Clarence Williams
III ( MOD Squad tv show) He thew a bottle
of water at my head in front of 20+ people
and no one said anything.
I was replaceable he however was not.3)Adam
Baldwin showed up to film an interview totally
drunk.
He brought a 6 pack with him, finished it
and continued to finish off everything in
the minibar at the hotel.
Also not very nice.
- Sorry Firefly fans :(
.
I work as a Post Coordinator on a network
TV show.There is one producer we have that
doesn't really do much.
He just got the title and passed the work
on to everyone else.
He only shows up to set whenever casting calls
involve models or hot women (and he creeps
on them HARD).
I see it often because the casting office
isn't far from the Post offices, and it annoys
the pizz out of us cause we need his signature
for a lot of stuff and it's impossible to
get a hold of him sometimes.Anyways, one time
a casting day happens and I remember a few
of the women he was talking to.
That night I had to take some paperwork to
get signed to the producer's house at night.
He has this house in a secluded part of the
Hollywood Hills.
I get up and ring the door, and lo and behold,
he opens it and behind him are four women
from that casting session.
All in their underwear.
sugar powder on the table, and the producer
is coked out of his mind.
He invites me in and I decline,but it eventually
devolves into saying he won't sign until I
come in.
I sit away from everyone and keep super quiet
as they do blow and drink, and decline all
the offers.
Eventually he went away with two of the girls
to another room (six, of course) and told
me he'd sign when he came back.
I awkwardly wait for about 30 minutes until
the girls come out and leave, clearly upset
and pizzed.
I go in and find him passed out and vomit
on his bed.
I told the other two girls and they left along.I
put him into a position where he wouldn't
choke on his vomit and left.
Forged the signature.
The next day he came to apologize to me and
asked if I told the EP's or Showrunners.
I said no and noticed my check the next week
had a crap ton of overtime I didn't work.
We haven't spoken about it since.
I was a costume designer back in the day (late
90s early 2000) and I was working on a movie
with Jennifer Esposito.
The three male producers called me into their
office and asked me if she had a fat ats.
I was a bit confused and asked why they wanted
to know.
They said, and I swear to GOD this is true,
" Jennifer Lopez has a big ats so we want
to know if this Jennifer also has a fat ats.
"I assured them she was thin and beautiful.
No fat ats.As a side note, I also worked with
Mandy Bently who was a fairly famous Playboy
twin (Bently twins) at the time.
She was literally a walking holocaust victim
with tits.
Iam telling you I have never seen someone
so thin before in my life.
It was truly disgusting.
And not a single person gave a sheet- not
the director, producer, her manager and agent.ETA:
My point in describing Ms. Bently's body as
"disgusting" was to make sure the reader understood
just how grossly underweight she was.
Obviously Ms. Bently needed help- anyone with
a pair of eyes could see that.
But nobody cared enough about her to get her
help.
She was one of the saddest people I ever met
in the industry because there was just nothing
there- a shell of a woman.
Honestly I hope she is doing better and has
found some happiness, because at that time
there was just emptiness in her eyes.
Something I will never forget.
A very well-known pop star's uncle offering
information on said pop star for cash.
Everything from baby pictures and videos,
to her whereabouts.
You name it.
It all had a price.This happens more than
you realize.
I worked on some film sets in the northeast
when I was younger, but decided not to go
into film for various reasons.The most ducked
up thing I've been a part of was filming at
an abandoned mental hospital that was vacated
in the 80s, which meant it was full of asbestos
and lead paint dust.
There were two respirator masks on the whole
set and the rest of the people were expected
to make due with a particle mask.
No one wanted to be high maintenance (or if
they did, they just quit the shoot) so we
all just stupidly accepted the risk and spent
a month being exposed to asbestos and extreme
lead dust.Edit- Yes it was Session 9.
I'm a female visual effects artist working
primarily in television.
I've had several douchey supervisors (and
some great ones).
There are a lot of egos in this business and
some people who think it's perfectly acceptable
to be nasty and sixist.
I have more than one thing, sorry!I was once
told (after working double-time all weekend,
mind you) that I should use more nouns when
I speak.
This was when my boss asked me about my progress
on a shot that I was racing to finish before
a deadline.
When I asked to switch departments so that
I could learn another discipline, I was told
that the one I wanted to go to was all guys
and they weren't sure how I would fit in there.
I watched one supervisor throw a chair across
my boss's office.
The owner of a company I used to work for
would bring in his herd of rescue dogs that
weren't housebroken.
They would pee and poop all over the floor
and he wouldn't clean it up.
I watched oneof the dogs lift his leg and
pizz on my coworker's chair.
Super fun to work for an hour with a pile
of diarrhea sitting next to you.
They would also bite clients and I was bitten
twice on the job.I was laid off so that the
girl the lead artist was sleeping with could
have a full-time job in the department.
They tried to get me to come back three weeks
later.
No thanks.
Since not a lot of people are naming names,
I'll go ahead and do so.
Adi Shankar.
Sketchiest person I've met in this town.
I know he's a hero on reddit, but he's the
craziest person I've ever worked for.
In my first few years in LA, I interned a
lot, including at his company.
I thought it was pretty cool to learn from
the Producer of movies like The Grey and Dredd.
But what I learned pretty early on is that
“Producer” is a pretty flexible term in
Hollywood.
What his company does is gap financing.
Let's say a movie is already packaged and
ready to go, but they have 28 million of a
30 million dollar budget, they go to a company
like Adi's.
He gets a loan from the bank for $2m and slaps
his name on as Executive Producer.
No creativity, no involvement with the production.
Perfectly fine business model.
But the level of douchiness that came with
this has been unmatched at any of my other
jobs.He would parade around town acting like
he was the sole creative force behind The
Grey and hilling Them Softly.
As a specific example, he likes to tell people
that it was his idea to shoot Dredd in 3D.
He would often call interns into his office
just to show them videos of some “sloot
he he ducked” the night before.
I was often tasked with searching IMDB for
rising actresses.He would then call them in
for a general meeting where he would talk
about how he was going to make them into a
star, while usually not so successfully trying
to trick them into sleeping with him.
A year of interning there and all I learned
were what drugas he liked, and how to get
women to sleep with him.
Not a minute of actual industry work happened
at that office.Turns out the actual producers
and directors of projects don't take to kindly
to some guy parading around claiming responsibility
for their movie.
He was basically blacklisted from the industry,
which is why he's making his bootleg youtube
videos.
His methods haven't changed at all.
We all loved the Power Rangers short.
What no one knows is that it was 100% paid
for with the Director's own money.
Over $100k.
Adi didn't spend a dollar of his own money
on this, or any of his other videos.
He has the directors pay for them, do all
the creative, then puts it up on his youtube
page and essentially takes full credit for
it.
Interning for him was ducked up, cultish ego
trip that has been unmatched at any of the
places I've worked after, including large
studios.
Crew guys are the most sixually harassing
motherduckers you've ever seen- They prey
on all the hot extras and day players with
the unspoken (or Spoken) promise of better
lighting or placement closer to the principles.
These "Grips" are just old,dirty alcy's trying
to duck girls young enough to be their granddaughters.The
crew runs the show on set, that's for sure.Not
the director,believe me.
It goes back 70 years and the sheet they pull
would get them fired in any other industry.
Have a street scene with 10 "hookers", guess
witch one is featured?
Best bod with a certain casual attitude is
probably best.
If a principal actress is sheetty to the crew
and refuses the wrong advances, her lighting
will be so ducking harsh or 'delays' will
duck with her momentum during shooting.
Millions of ways to duck with the unwilling,
passed down from father to son for years.
You want to be in the movies?
How bad?
Got cast in your first feature?
Want to look beautiful or horrifying?
I escapes me now, but I remember hearing about
an old Lana Turner or maybe Faye Dunaway story
where she got sheetty with the crew and her
lighting is so different from the other actors,
it's like she's in a different film.
"duck us?
No, duck You-"
