Walking through Union Square today I had to avoid more than tourists. Security guards. Trailers. Catering vans. Wires. Will Smith has been filming a biopic in the city and the shoot literally blocked my path today. Pursuit of Happyness [sic] is also hiring extras locally.
However, you can't just hire anyone off the street to be in your movie.
A co-worker and I had a discussion on whether or not it was allowed to hire non-union actors for a movie. The gist of the SAG regulations say that a film production has to prove the non-SAG personal possess a unique skill that cannot be found in a union member. Ruling is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Update: Other reports indicate Tony Shalhoub's Monk has also been filming in the area recently.
I saw Jarhead last weekend. Go see it. There were some Donnie Darko moments with Jake Gyllenhaal looking directly into the camera.
My week has been pretty dull with work consuming all my time. I am getting better at playing dominoes while drinking though.
Next week Tina Majorino reappears on Veronica Mars. Office Space and Napoleon Dynamite are the oft quoted movies in my world right now. It almost makes me miss the days when my friends quoted Top Gun.
Tom Vek is playing Cafe du Nord on Monday.
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