Losing your marbles

Over a 6 week period we were filming all around Cape Town and some neighboring areas. Base camp was moved from location to location and everyone worked out of their respective trailers.

Asshole and Mini-Me shared a trailer and their poor personal servant lived in there with them too. S.A.S's job was to make sure that all of Asshole's needs were fulfilled regardless of what they might be.

He needs coffee. Check.

His laundry needs collecting. Check.

He needs help going to the toilet. Check.

The list goes on.

One day Asshole decided that his trailer was not 100% straight. He was determined that it was at a slight angle and therefore all of his brilliance would be lost and that the movie would fail.

Right.

2200
Asshole: S.A.S please find me a marble so I can prove to the Transport team that the trailer is wonky.

S.A.S: I'll have it for you in the morning.

Asshole: No I need it now.

S.A.S: Right now?

Asshole: Yes. And if you don't find it now forget about working with us on another movie

Poor S.A.S runs to every single department on set desperately trying to find a marble. Poor girl just gets laughed out of most trailers until she reaches the stunt boys where amazingly enough one of them has a marble. We're not asking why people.

2250
S.A.S: Here you go Asshole

Asshole: What's that?

S.A.S: The ... marble ... ?

Asshole: Oh I'd forgotten about that.

Asshole.

Wrong signals

Mixed signals in all aspects of life are just tiring and confusing.

Boys sending you the wrong signal just leads to embarrassing and frustrating situations.

Bosses telling you one thing and then changing around completely without informing you but expecting you to know is equally frustrating and embarrassing.

I worked with my current Manager on my previous show and we had a system with costs and money that I spent. I cleared everything with her and that was the way she liked to do it.

Now we're on this new show together and I was just continuing doing the same thing. I get this email

Miss M - if you can reference to the budget/cost monitor to see what we have budgeted in so I don't have to approve all hotel/travel for the team

Ok, fair enough but don't make me feel as if I'm putting you out for something that I was just used to doing.

Makes me feel a bit like a moron.

Oh well.

The clocks went back in the UK over the weekend. It is now dark at 1700 and thoroughly depressing. When we reach this time of the year I always feel the desperate need to move back to South Africa, I get horribly homesick and just want to return.

I often wonder how many Saffas return to SA vs how many settle and make a life for themselves in the UK.

It's a strange place here. I miss the sunshine.

Sorry this is a really disjointed post but kind of how I am feeling at the moment.

Big Brother is watching

Hi Miss M, can you stop by my office this afternoon for a chat?

The email that can make my heart stop for a minute and then start rapidly beating for the rest of the day.

It's funny how when you're a freelancer you are constantly stressing about the state of your job. Even though you have a contract until March next year written into is the magic sentence which says that there is a 2 week notice period that can be given on either side. It doesn't lend to feeling overly confident in your job 24/7 and I think it is mostly what keeps Freelancers on their toes and forces us to perform well in our job. Not necessarily because we love it, but because you are only as good as your last job and if you want that contract renewed you can not afford to fuck it up in any way what so ever.

So essentially all of us are just a bunch of stressed out, constantly nervous workaholics who feel like their every move is being watched.

Well sometimes it apparently is.

Line Manager: Now Miss M, please don't take this as a telling off - it is more a friendly warning

Miss M: Nervous laugh Okay?

LM: Last Monday you were overheard saying to someone that you were very hungover

Miss M: That's right, I didn't realise there was anything wrong with that?

LM: Well the Executive Producer overheard and has been making noises about whether or not you'll be able to handle the current job you're on and whether you are out partying too much

Miss M: Excuse me? Because I was hungover at work ONCE?

LM: And an hour late

Miss M: Well it is the second time I've been late in the past year and a half, that isn't a bad run is it?

LM: Just try not to talk like that around Execs, they tend to get a bit paranoid. Remember - next time you have a hangover it is a migraine. A migraine Miss M!

Well I didn't realise that my out of school activities were any concern for anyone else. I came to work, I did my work and then I went home.

What cheek.

Petty Games

So as you can establish I have been quite busy at work.

I've been getting in for around 0900ish and departing mostly between 1900 and 2000. When you combine this with no lunch break and constantly being on the go it lends to an incredibly exhausted Miss M who really does not feel like dealing with the general populous.

My boss has been in the office until 2230 most nights for the past week and I must admit that I have been feeling a bit guilty leaving earlier than her but you know what - I'm not paid as much as she is.

Last night, however, I really needed to get out on time to go meet Miss P who is in town for a bit. Our mutual friend was cooking a meal for us at home and Jailbait was coming to meet Miss P for the first time. 

I told my boss I needed to leave on the dot and she agreed.

At 1820 Jailbait got to my office and I went over to her to say goodbye

Miss M: Right Wallie, before I head out is there anything urgent that you need?

Wallie: Well there is this one thing, can you adjust all the changes in our studio schedule from the meeting and make sure that our final schedule is correct?

Miss M: Exceptionally annoyed Is this urgent for this evening?

Wallie: Not really, but I'd like it done so I know it is out of the way

Miss M: Breathes out Right now?

Wallie: Yes please Miss M

Now I swear she was only getting me to do it because she was pissed that I was leaving ON TIME. I wasn't even leaving early, actually screw that I was already leaving 20 minutes late - not even on time.

How petty is that? 

Getting me to do something that she doesn't need urgently - in fact she doesn't really need it for another week - purely just to have me stay in the office later to ruin my evening because hers obviously is ruined already.

*sighs*

I was an hour and 20 minutes late for dinner.