Recently, we were extras for a Mexican television show. They were filming at a nearby theme park and we were selected to be a family of 4 for their all day shoot. I was kind of excited to get backstage and see the new area of the park they haven’t opened to the public yet. The idea of it sounded very VIP. And, we got paid to do it so that was an added bonus.
Scarlett was super excited that after this ‘job’ she would finally be able to afford a new tablet. She’s been saving up to get one for the past 3 months and her $5 allowance each week was not adding up fast enough. Especially since she seems to spend it on Starbucks every week instead of putting it in her Save bank. Weird, right? We are working on teaching her the importance of investing and saving, but that girl likes her frappuccinos.
After the all day shoot, I’ve reflected on the day and have a mixed review.
We get there at 7:15AM and Vince is having a mini-panic attack because “if you’re not early, you’re late.” Blah blah blah. Call time was 7:30AM. I think he is just trying to give himself a heart attack. Anyways, we arrive and are shuttled through the backstage area to the main section of the park. Vince is making friends with everyone and, in turn, forcing me to as well. AGH. I hate meeting people. I know, I’m awful. That’s why I have like 2 friends. Whatever.
Park isn’t open yet. Super cool. Girls are still all-in for the experience. The sun hasn’t made their asses sweat yet. We start filming and the director says “background!” to get us into positions.
Ummmmmmm….we are background?
Ok, yes. Even though this was my first time being an extra, I do know that extras are in the background. But being called “background” made me think twice.
What I am teaching my girls? That it’s ok to be scene filler for the important stuff, as long as you get paid? Is this a slippery slope to being a stripper? Like, you are a filler for all the men who’s wives don’t look good in lingerie or who aren’t sex kittens?
I over-analyze a lot. It’s part of what makes me a crazy bitch woman.
Really, I was alright with being an extra…but being called background just didn’t sit well in me. I don’t think the girls registered that as being demeaning. But, I did.
The bonus is that being background doesn’t require a lot. You walk back and forth a million times. Blending in. Being filler. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
At one point though, me and Scarlett were required to be in a scene where the main-special-important people were in the souvenir shop, building a robot. You pick out parts off a too-fast moving conveyor belt and build your own robot.
So, we are in the shop and she has to continuously go back and forth to the conveyor belt, picking out robot parts. And, then put them back and start over again.
Now, Scarlett is not known for her patience. She starts to get irritated that again and again she has to go up to the belt, pick out parts, and then PUT THEM BACK. I could just hear her inner monologue going “what the fuck is this?! I just want to build a robot. I’ve been in the damn sun all day, sweating my ass off, my sugar high is wearing off, and now this.”
We finally get done with the robot building. One last scene. We need to pretend to be looking at souvenirs. Oh how cute. Oh, just $80 for this? Yes, I’ll take it. Over and over and over again.
The problem came when Scarlett REALLY THOUGHT I actually was going to buy a $40 mini-robot for her because in the scene I said yes. She thought I was being serious….but I was just acting. Am I that good? Have I missed my calling?
In this instance, how is “background” supposed to react when my kid starts freaking out that I won’t buy her a souvenir? Because in real life you’d be sure as shit that I would tell her to stop acting so ungrateful, get her ass off the floor, and let’s get out of here.
Poor girl. I get it. Her freak out was a combination of thinking she really was getting it, the disappointment of reality, and just having a really long day. She said more than once that “work was hard.” And she just had to walk back and forth all day. Imagine this child when real life hits.
Overall, both girls were troopers, all things considering.
The Good?
Well, free food for starters. God, I love free things. LOVE THEM! The snack cart must have felt molested at the end of the day because Gianna and Scarlett raped it every chance they got. Packs of fruit snacks, granola bars, cookies, doughnuts, 5 gatorades, iced coffee, you name it. The amount of sugar they consumed was truly impressive. But, I let it go…..mainly because I felt like I needed to bribe them with something to get them through the 9 hour day without a full blown meltdown.
We also got to eat at a cantina in the new section of the park. They handed us a menu and allowed us to order what we wanted.
I did a cursory glance of the crew and realized no one else ordered alcohol so I squashed my idea of getting some wine. Dammit. I could have used one at that point.
But, we got a full ass meal….for FRRRREEEEEEEEEEE. Yes, ma’am. We will take the $18 rib platter for my 12 year old and 3 of those $6 juices.
Thank you!
All in all, it was a relatively good family experience. My feet about fell off though (Converses seriously are a bitch on the feet, aren’t they?) and my skinny jeans were a really, really bad idea. But, we had the whole day together as a family. We made memories together and that’s honestly what matters the most to me in this life. More than free stuff or money.
I think they will both remember this experience for the rest of their lives. It will be remembered as the sweaty, hot day, filled with free food where they got paid to be background for a production they will never get to see unless they visit Central Mexico.
But, never will my girls be background in life. They are way too extra for that:)
And, that’s a wrap!
Your shoes look cute though lol!!!! I’m glad you all had that fun, sweaty, tiring, feet hurting experience together!!!! Hey but at least you all got paid right, I hope enough for Scarlett to get her tablet lol!!!!!!❤❤❤❤
I bet it was so much fun! Do you know when the show will air?