Coronavirus - Acting Update

Los Angeles asked the entertainment industry to shutdown for 2 weeks because of the rapid spread of covid-19 sweeping the county. Friday, 318 deaths were reported along with 18,313 new cases in Los Angeles.

Through November, I only knew 1 person personally who had covid-19. Since Thanksgiving, I know 4 more people plus their family members who had become infected. I definitely understand the abundance of caution.

Still, asking yet another industry of thousands of people to stop working is tough. (Salons, gyms, servers, amusement parks, and others have already been forced to stop.) I recently had one job postpone a shoot for a month. Fortunately, I secured another gig to replace it. Yesterday, I saw more jobs posted for background actors to work than I had seen in a month. Still, Hollywood is super cautious. I imagine this is due to all the break outs on sets last December. One job posting said that they were going to pay a background actor to be tested 5 times in the next 9 days and to not work any of the 8 days prior to working a one day shoot. Another posting said that to be eligible, a background actor could not have worked any job in the past 4 weeks.

I am very glad Hollywood is taking precautions as nobody wants to get sick - but it takes a toll on the finances.

If only the coronavirus vaccine rollout was proceeding as smoothly as we had hoped. Only 6 million doses as of Friday have been injected across the country versus the 20 million the government had hoped for by 2020. NPR gave numerous reasons for the slow rollout, but whatever the reason, thousands of Americans are dying across the country daily because they have not been vaccinated.

I can only hope vaccination process speeds up for all our sakes and that Hollywood's more strigent precautions are effective in keeping its employees safe in the meantime.

Take care and be safe. Posts weekly

Coronavirus Mulan $30 Why Now

The biggest movie watching news this weekend is undoubtedly Mulan being released to Disney+ subscribers for $30. This is on top of Disney+'s monthly membership fee. At first I was surprised by the price. I mean Netflix is releasing new content monthly with similarly budgeted movies like 6 Underground $150 million and The Irish Man $159 and they did not charge subscribers extra to watch them. (Mulan's budget is $200 million.) 

Perhaps I am not comparing apples to apples here. Mulan was supposed to be a box office smash hit, while Netflix movies are supposed to be streaming hits. This means Mulan had the potential to earn Disney a lot more money as a one-off project. Estimates ticket sales were a billion dollars worldwide. Netflix is fighting for long term subscribers and has to pump out consistent quality content to keep them.

 

So why did Disney decide to bite the proverbial bullet and post Mulan to its streaming service with a $30 price tag?

 

I have Disney+ since it is free for 6 months as part of my cell phone promotion. I enjoyed watching The Mandalorian. I also watched one classic movie. But that has been it. I have not watched Disney+ since the series ended because there is nothing new to watch. Once I watch Hamilton, my plan is to cancel my subscription and then renew it once the new season of Mandalorian arrives for one month.

 

So content issues is one reason Mulan was put on its streaming service.

 

My other two theories have to do with the Oscars and staying relevant. 

 

There has been a growing discussion regarding where streaming services' movies fit in awards season. Historically, only movies in theaters are qualified to earn an Oscar. What happens when the theaters have been closed for half a year and perhaps for the rest of the year? Do you base you Oscar candidates only on the movies shown in the first three months of the year? Or do you include movies like Hamilton, Mulan, and Tom Hank's Greyhound that were supposed to be released in theaters but went the streaming route? Or do you include all movies now - made for tv, made for cable, made for streaming, and made for theater?  Perhaps by charging pay per view rates for Mulan, Disney can argue that the $30 fee alone differentiates it enough to be considered a "real" movie worthy of Oscar contention.

 

I know people who have already paid for Mulan. I know people who have scoffed at the price. Will Disney make $1 billion? I doubt it. But people are talking about the movie. They are talking about the price. They are talking about the amazing special effects. They are talking about political issues surrounding the movie. And best of all for Disney, it is keeping the studio relevant at a time when its cruise line is shut down and many of its theme parks are still closed. And being relevant can be priceless.

 

As a final thought: what would have happened if Disney had pushed Mulan to 2021 and tensions between the US and Chinese governments continue(d) to rise. The movie might not never be released.

 

One thing is sure, the mouse knows what it is doing and no one is moving its cheese.

 

Take care and be safe.

 

Posts Saturdays and Tuesdays

Coronavirus Lights, Camera, Action!

I worked on my first commercial yesterday since the coronavirus shutdown on Friday, May 13th.

California and L.A. County approved TV and Film production to resume on June 12.

Along with the approval came a host of new safety guidelines. According to the Hollywood Reporter this includes regular testing, symptom monitoring, staggered meal times, hand sanitizer, masks, and other measures.

On set yesterday, the crew and cast size were small. Three crew and one cast member (me), in one location and the same crew and three cast members in the second location. Everyone wore masks. The cast only removed their masks right before filming. Hand sanitizer was readily available and food was served on individual plates handed out by the cook wearing gloves and mask. It was very exciting as we were all ready to take that first step into production in the current coronavirus era.

An fellow actor asked if I had to sign a coronavirus waiver as a rumor had been circling that cast and crew would have to sign one in order to work. The UFC made all of its fighters and anyone who has worked their events over the last month sign one. I did not have to.

New essential acting tools.

While I was very happy to work Friday, I have read a number of reports that crew and cast sizes will be reduced for the foreseeable future. Stands filled with spectators like in Ford vs. Ferrari, mob scenes like in Penny Dreadful, concerts, high school pep rallies, protests, speeches, all of these types of scenes will not be filmed for a while or if they are, very differently. There is discussion about using CGI to create people in the background, more tiling, and reusing people for the same shot just using different camera angles or changing wardrobe.

Changes are a part of life. Being prepared is the key.

I am thankful that I was fortunate enough to work on the first day TV and film productions resumed. I hope that it is a sign of good things to come.

I hope that things are looking up wherever you may be.

Take care.

Posts Tuesday and Saturday

The Rutles Show

Last night, I went to see the entertaining musical, Rutlemania, a spoof of the Beatles. The music and background movie were fine with some funny elements, but the two go-go dancers really stole the show. I know what you're thinking, typical guy, but my mother and aunt agreed. The go-go's smiles were infectious and their enthusiasm for their roles (as dancers, groupies and even puppeteers) was great. My mother said, That's their job. That's what they get paid for.
Give them a raise, I say.