Sometimes I think I’m just too nice. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving people the benefit of the doubt, but when red flags keep popping up, at some point you have to draw the line and know when to say no. There is a stereotype out there that actors and models can be very flaky and unprofessional. I don’t fall into that category. I’m too type A and OCD to expect others to be anything but on top of their game and professional. That is one of my painful personality flaws. So when I experience other actors or even directors, photographers, other creative people I have been scheduled to work with as unprofessional, it really sucks. It’s just part of the game I keep telling myself. Yes, it really is.
I’d like to share the story of what happened yesterday, so that perhaps I can better understand how I could have seen it coming, and what precautions I can take in the future so that I do not waste hours or days with folks who just don’t have their shit together. I agreed to do a photo project with an out of town photographer that was coming to LA. Body painting and corset designer, trade for print. That means no pay. I’m totally cool with that when it’s professionally done. By the sound of everything up until a few days before the shoot, it seemed it was gonna be a great gig. I received an e-mail requesting a confirmation of the day and time I was to participate, and I was given the address of the event. Ok, done.
As the date got closer I was expecting some sort of information/instructions on hair/makeup/wardrobe. Nothing came so I e-mailed both photographer and producer inquiring about preparation. No reply for a couple days. Ok, perhaps they are busy. The night before I get a call from the photographer requesting funky curly hair and make-up done. Great, no problem.
Morning of, I get a text that they have found a great location to shoot, different than the original. Vague directions saying about .8 miles past Zumirez beach in Malibu, entrance to the left, park on PCH. OK. I drive out to Malibu, past Zumirez .8 miles and I find myself at Zuma Beach. It’s 9:20am. My call time is 9:30am. I text and call, “Are you at Zuma beach?”. Answer is no, I’m supposed to turn on Westward. I was never given the instruction to turn on Westward (later to find this info was e-mailed to me at 7:30am on the day of the shoot, but was never told this info, only received vague directions via text half hour after the e-mail was sent.) So there I am at Zuma beach, I ask, “is Westward past Zuma?” I get a very confident “YES.” I drive and drive up PCH and am not seeing Westward. I turn around, now having gone 5 miles in the wrong direction, I find Westward, it is the street right before Zuma beach.
Alright, I found it!!! I turn on Westward and drive about a half mile to the beach, now it is obvious the instructions to park on PCH are wrong. I find a spot on Westward, park, get out of the car with my backpack and walk to the beach. Ok, what am I looking for? I call to see where I can find them, they say right on the beach, but when I ask again, they say they are not even there, they are in Topanga Canyon, just passed the flying pig statue. “We will be there in 10 minutes.” WTF??? They obviously don’t know how far away they are. Out of towners, benefit of the doubt. But why was I assuming they were already at the location? Am I crazy? At this point it’s 9:45am, during my conversations for directions and texts, they were acting as if they were already there, never said they were trying to find the place.
10:15, 10:30am. They are still not there. I finally get a call asking if that was me sitting on the bench, they just passed me and are looking for parking. “Yes, that’s me.” Finally, they are there. I’m still giving them the benefit of the doubt. In any event, I’m enjoying Malibu, gazing at the ocean, wishing I had my bikini and a sun umbrella with me. I wait another 15 minutes, and I haven’t heard from them. So I call, “we are parked about .5 miles down the road by the restaurant, we will unhitch the trailer and come pick you up.” By this time, the road is packed with cars looking for parking and heading towards the paid parking lot. I conclude that’s not a good idea, by the time they get to me and drive back it will be another 45 minutes. I say “I’ll meet you infront of the restaurant.
Patience is such a freakin’ virtue. All the time I’m getting more and more upset about the situation. The perfect curls I put my hair in that morning have completely gone flat and my make-up felt like it was melting off and I was starting to sweat. It was a hot day at the beach and I’ve been waiting for for tweedle dee and tweedle _____ for over an hour and a half. I try calling a friend and my boyfriend just to get validation and agreement that I should just abort this mission. No answers. I don’t want to be mean after already waiting so long, but how much more can I stand of this stupidity? There I am, standing infront of the restaurant it’s almost 11am. I don’t see anybody. Every second that goes by, I get more pissed off. I’m thinking “I’m going to let these people body paint my naked body, and I’m going to take pictures on this crowded beach after all this stupidity?” “I’m doing this shit for free and this is what I get?” “Why the fuck am I so nice when others are unprofessional?”
The phone rings, it’s my boyfriend. I tell him what’s up, the tardiness, the heat, the super crowded uncomfortable beach conditions. He says the perfect thing. He would say he reached his limits and bail. Yes. I have reached my limits. I call and tell the lady I’m leaving, she says “OK”, doesn’t try to dissuade me in any way. At this point I was the only model who did not flake out on them for the morning shoot. Haha!!! I walk back to my car, sweating. I get a text from her, “Sorry, blah, blah, parking sucked, if you want to come park in the paid parking lot, we will pay you back.” Yeah right. I found that kind of funny. 1 minute later the photographer calls, I do not pick up. I’m in a state of almost crying but also being relieved I don’t have to deal with them ever again. I drive back to the valley, treat myself to lunch at Leanore’s and take a long Sunday afternoon nap (4 hours)!
