Universal Drops the Ball - The Columbus Seven

I typically do not write negitive things unless I really think it is necessary. I believe this is one of those times.

I'm not even going to get deep into this YET as I would like to hear from other of the Columbus Seven. The one I talked to last night was still so angry he does not want to put it on paper.
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Everyone knows that when you become an extra in a movie you are pretty low on the totem pole with respect. You go in expecting to be treated basically like a prop.

However - you still expect to be treated with kindness and respect and dignity.

From what I had seen first hand this treatment had "for the most part" taken place.

Not so on the last day of filming in Columbus, for seven extras that were all told they were to play a very important roles that night, there were only seven of them.

Again - I will only tell briefly of the low lights and save the real stories for if and when I get something in writing from any of the people involved, who rightfully so, sent letter of complaints for the complete and total ineptness Universal showed time and time again for fourteen hours.

There are MANY indiscretions I'll skip for now but some include forgetting about one woman getting her hair done that resulted in burning the hair. Blaming HER for not knowing where her outfit was. Sending all the other extras and their personal belonging back to Columbus, leaving that same woman behind even though the others extras kept insisting she was missing and still in wardrobe.

The woman found herself alone with no purse and was told that getting back to Columbus was not their problem, she was the one that had missed the boat. Luckily a friend was watching on the street and she got a ride back to . . . . THE WRONG place.

The extras were taken to a church that the drivers THOUGHT was the holding area where they waited and waited and waited.

Finally after an hour or so they were found and YELLED at "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE - YOUR MISSING LUNCH"! (It's 9:00 at night).

But the real indignities were yet to come.

How about making one guy, a wino, laying in the street not moving for three hours. Problem was they never told him the scene was over two hours ago. They just let him lay in the street in the cold rain for three hours while they shot street scenes a block away. They told him - "Lay here and DON'T move". He didn't for three hours in the rain.

Another guy was told to walk across the street. Problem was he had no glasses and he was so far away he could not hear his cue, even though he kept telling the PA he could not HEAR.

So he just walked when he THOUGHT he was suppose to, for hours. Untill someone ran up and yells "WHAT ARE YOU DOING" and he explained. Then was told rudely that scene was over hours ago and he was confusing the other actors "GET OFF THE STREET".

Or when two woman were in the holding area for four hours waiting and at 3:00 in the morning walked down the block to get coffee and were scolded at that they could not be there and to "GET BACK TO THE HOLDING AREA UNTIL YOU ARE CALLED". Two hours later and thirteen hours from the start with them see NOTHING of the movie, they were told it's a wrap, go home.

Now we all know that being an extra is a low low job but we also expect that Universal will treat the actors with SOME sort of dignity and care, but letting a guy lay in the street for three hours NOT in a scene? Forgetting people in the wrong city and saying "it's YOUR problem"? Yelling at them for following instructions? I don't care WHO you are this is NOT the way to treat people.

Not Living the Dream.

Remember - these are not Extras like in California who are hoping to MAYBE get attention for bigger roles or to supplement their income. They are there for the thrill of helping out in a movie and if they are told to jump off a cliff, they will with no questions asked.

I think Universal needs to take better care of their local assets that are there to help and to stop taking advantage of people.

I know a few of the Columbus Seven read the blog and would love to hear your stories. NOT to blast Universal but to maybe help them in seeing where they really blew it and perhaps help them in fixing these problems in the future.
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A Night At The Kurth

If the owners only knew what went on in that back room LOL

Oreo's and kittens was the theme last night as there was an exchange (not Oreo's for kittens)!

Meet Dillinger
This is Dillinger in his more awake time.


And here he is after a night of partying at the Kurth.


Tears were shed as Dillinger went to a new loving home in Oshkosh.

Have a great Saturday and talk to you tomorrow.

Rod and DJ (who over did it a little last night - not drinking but with her cold).