working in film & television

Today, Mad Men airs its series finale. I had the privilege of working in the background of this show during the first three seasons. I'm everywhere, if you happen to watch the show... as long as "everywhere" really only covers the Sterling Cooper ad agency. I'm the secretary who looks like Marilyn Monroe (well, ya know, if a secretary could look like Marilyn). I took on the responsibility of teaching the other gals how to embody a 1960's secretary "vibe" - how to sit, walk, file, smoke, and answer the phone with the sole intent of landing a husband. Type? Fugeddaboudit.

Here's an album of behind-the-scenes pics I posted on Facebook today, to mark the finale. The only reason I'm blogging about this "momentous" occasion is that I've realized that my career in Los Angeles has been lovely and lucrative and educational and fun and varied, and over the course of the last dozen years or so, I've only had two "big" gigs. One of the two was Mad Men. I worked, on average, three long (14-hours, typically) days per week, for three or four months, at union background wages, with smoke bumps and meal penalties and overtime. Mad Men was a good gig while it lasted, and those of us who worked those first three seasons are incredibly grateful and blessed!

The other "big" gig I've had was behind the camera, as a Script Supervisor. The first season of East Los High shot during the summer before we left California for our North Carolina "hiatus/reboot". And I just happen to be wearing my "parting gift" today, of all days!

I LOVE working in the film industry. In single-digit days, I begin training as a Studio Tour Guide at Warner Brothers. It won't be a production job, but it's still in the film industry, and I'll get to act again, with scripted lines! It's gonna be fun!