Ben Turpin, left, and Charlie Chaplin in "His New Job", made in 1915. It was the only Essanay film that Chaplin shot in Chicago. Essanay Studios gave the city a studio that was the Walt Disney or Warner Brothers of the its day. (Via Chicago Tribune Online -- Photo courtesy Kobal Collection)
What did I do this week in film land? Well remember my last post about working three jobs under three job titles? Well add job number 4 to last week and title number 4. I did my first ever PA job on a commercial shoot at Essanay Studios. I never work with actors, makeup, costumes, unions, ad agencies– so it was all new to me. And completely fascinating. I was nervous of course, having visions of being fired by the line producer for getting the wrong salad order or something, but it didn’t happen. I found my stride about an hour in, and awesome PAs Joanna and Spencer took me under their wing and showed me the ropes.
PAing is essentially problem solving and being ready for anything from pretending your SUV is a cab to painting a sound stage at 9 pm. The shoot was for a Zaxby’s Chicken commercial featuring of course, Ditka. Lots of cheerleaders on location. Food prep was amazing for the commercial, I watched the artists prepare gallons of french fries and chicken slices to Hollywood perfection. It was a long day, and by 10 pm I was brain dead, no doubt from paint fumes.
Much like being in a war zone, you bond pretty quickly with complete strangers, so to welcome PA Joanna to Chicago, we’re headed to Second City this week for initiation complete with CTA transfers, beer and comedy. For as much as I bemoan this city, it takes this sort of thing to strike it back up for me again. This week– I like it here.