tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post6124129473986723194..comments2024-03-22T14:40:33.276-07:00Comments on Blood, Sweat, and Tedium: Confessions of a Hollywood Juicer: The Tuna RunMichael Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-79461056711808749422011-12-09T19:48:05.673-08:002011-12-09T19:48:05.673-08:00Brilliant stuff, Michael ... you're a natural ...Brilliant stuff, Michael ... you're a natural born mentor - koobaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-39838248896837532522011-11-06T17:43:51.979-08:002011-11-06T17:43:51.979-08:00Scripty --
Thanks -- nice to hear from you.
CJ -...Scripty --<br /><br />Thanks -- nice to hear from you.<br /><br />CJ --<br /><br />That's a truly ugly story about your juicer. Personally, I've never considered a ten hour turnaround to be enough -- and three long days with only ten hour turnarounds is borderline criminality on the part of production. Given the realities of drive time, unwinding enough to be able to sleep and getting up in time to make it back to location means a ten hour turnaround allows for maybe five or six hours of decent sleep -- and medical science has established that's simply not enough. In my book, that young man's blood is on their hands. <br /><br />I'm really sorry to hear about that. It was tough enough to lose a good friend and mentor, but I can't imagine how it feels to lose one of your crew in such a pointlessly unnecessary manner.<br /><br />Studio turnaround is even worse -- nine hours -- and if you're working for the slavemasters at Beachwood/Sony Studios, an eight hour turnaround is allowed. That is fucking ridiculous. <br /><br />If I was King of Hollywood, turnaround would be twelve hours, and every production would have to shut down -- wrap included -- by the fourteenth hour. <br /><br />But that's not gonna happen...Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-56780450959757056242011-11-05T13:10:50.178-07:002011-11-05T13:10:50.178-07:00Unfortunately, if you have been in the business lo...Unfortunately, if you have been in the business long enough this story will not suprise you. Many of us have pushed ourselves to breaking simply for the opportunity to book the next job, knowing full well our bodies and lives can be negatively affected by it. I can remember starting out I took anything that came my way. And you should, but no when to say when. Or, your body will make that decision for you. <br /><br />I feel for you Michael, both as a man you've never met and as a brother technician. Mentors are hard to come by and, espescially in this business of more non-union jobs, floating independent contractors and the like, they should be cherished. We who have been around the block more than once need to watch out for those less studied. Not to belittle them, but to protect them. <br /><br />I'm sure Michael and others with some history in the business have expressed outrage at ridiculous turn-arounds or requests. I've had to tell some of my guys to sleep for a few hours before they even try going home. Just to come in the next day and find them sleeping in their cars or the Grandma's attic. And you know what, that's ok. These are young people with high hopes and it's my job not just to get them hired, not just to teach them, but to protect them from themselves sometimes. Beacuse one day the inevitable question of how much am I willing to sacrifice comes into play. And I think you should be well rested to find the answer. <br /><br />I appologize for rambling, this subject in near and dear to me. A while back a young juicer, whose name I will ommit out of respect, was killed in a car crash coming home off a 15 hour day, 10 hour turn around, 3rd in a row. Dozed off for one second and that was it. Sometimes the dream makes you comprimise and sometimes the pursuit makes you jadded. Newbies, know when to ask for help and vet's, get your head out of your ass and know when to use your goodwill, experience and voice. Sometimes saving money is not worth the cost.CJnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-90127892374531560952011-11-04T12:44:15.510-07:002011-11-04T12:44:15.510-07:00Thanks for linking to the story on Brent. It'...Thanks for linking to the story on Brent. It's so important for everyone to remember that long days are not worth dying for!Scriptyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11529903218762576548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-66367104305080105192011-11-02T10:38:17.439-07:002011-11-02T10:38:17.439-07:00Anonymous --
That's a great question. I gues...Anonymous --<br /><br />That's a great question. I guess we'll all find out...<br /><br />Sanjay --<br /><br />Glad you liked it. Hope you're doing well, and thanks for tuning in.<br /><br />AJ --<br /><br />Thanks for your kind words. Striving to achieve a workable balance between our work life and "real life" here in Hollywood -- and beyond -- seems a never-ending quest. We're always pushing that big rock up the steep hill, and trying not to get crushed in the process.Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-49443454783227457922011-11-01T22:45:17.233-07:002011-11-01T22:45:17.233-07:00Beautifully written post, Michael. Thanks for the ...Beautifully written post, Michael. Thanks for the reminder that despite the never ending battle for survival, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.A.J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06280771470428710391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-58641690603891363622011-10-31T21:08:45.648-07:002011-10-31T21:08:45.648-07:00Great post Michael !Great post Michael !The Grip Workshttp://www.thegripworks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-19655237334809389102011-10-30T16:32:41.110-07:002011-10-30T16:32:41.110-07:00When I watch old movies I often wonder what happen...When I watch old movies I often wonder what happened to the crew, where they ended up. I usually think this when I'm watching the classic black and whites, knowing that there weren't many safeguards then, but they did have a steady paycheck. <br /><br />Now that there are no safeguards nor steady paychecks, what will happen to the crew of today?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com