Not Yet Meant To Be

Back in October, I mentioned that I had some news about one possibly major thing. Well, this morning I got my answer and so now I feel like I can publicly talk about it.

You see on October 26, 2006, I got to do some Background Work on a MOW entitled Stalked by a Madman (and whenever you find yourself saying that name out loud you have to say it like this: STALKED. *dramatic pause* by a. MADmaaaaaan). That morning, I was informed that I would be "The Daughter".

When I arrived on set, I was repeatedly told by multiple production members that I was the the "grieving" daughter of Bob, the next door neighbour who was just recently killed (although I was to believe that it was an accident and he fell down some stairs). My job was to stand there and watch as his body gets loaded up into the coroner's van. Also, according to the sides that were handed to us, the lead actress's character, Leeza, specifically says in the scene: "He'd been lying in the basement since yesterday... his daughter stopped by... found him..." While standing next to the coroner's van, the 3rd AD informed me that I was "distraught" by the death of my father and that is why another extra was there to comfort me.

It was at this point that my Spidey Senses started tingling. This was starting to sound like individual characterization.

Fortunately, because I'm a big nerd who happens to enjoy sifting through such things as the ACTRA Documents Library. I knew exactly what to do. I approached the 3rd AD and I asked him point blank if this would merit an upgrade. He gave me a look as if to say "Come on Nancy, you know I can't do that!" but instead simply said "No" (most of you probably know who that AD was, so you can easily imagine the look in question).

But I wasn't done there!

As soon as I got home, I looked it up on the ACTRA Ottawa website:

What is deserving of an upgrade?
Individual characterization of a role. When you are not only Joe, the Doctor, but told that you are actually Joe-who's wife left him last night, ran over his cat in the driveway this morning, has been stealing prescription drugs from the hospital and selling them on the side who just happens to be a Doctor. Suddenly, you are a very specific, unique character. You are being asked to ACT. When in doubt, ask for the upgrade.

In this case, I felt I was not only "The Daughter", I was Bob's Daughter who came over to see her father, found his dead body in the basement, and then stood outside, distraught, as the coroner's wheeled his body into a van.

I called my agent. I contacted the ACTRA Ottawa office. I emailed them all the details.

This morning, almost two months later (my guess is the ACTRA rep has had his hands pretty full lately), I got my answer:

I regret to inform you that, based upon review of the video footage, there are not sufficient grounds to warrant an upgrade in your performance category ... While your description of an individual characterization is accurate, there was not sufficient evidence in the footage provided by production to warrant an upgrade due to the distance of the shot and the fact that you were virtually unidentifiable and it was therefore impossible to discern any specific characterization on your part.

So basically, they could have shoved a dummy with a coat on in the back and they would have gotten the same results in the scene. Great.

I'm torn on how I feel about this turn of events. On the one hand, I could have been able to bump my career up a professional notch and accomplish a goal I've had for the past two years. On the other, getting my union card at this time may mean jumping right into a picket line and canceling the four short films I've got lined up for January/February.

Everything happens for a reason.