My Life as an Authentic Extra In A City Of Fake Ones And Other Adventures
According to one information website, the following is the definition of a movie extra:
"Extras are people in the scene of a movie or television show who are needed to create a background or simulated real environment. For example, if a scene were to take place on a commercial airliner, it would look rather silly to the viewer if the only people on the plane were the two main characters. With 30 extras sitting in various seats behind, next to and in front of the main characters, the setting is much more real and natural. The goal is to create a background or environment without detracting from the main point of action. So basically, extras are walking set pieces."
In a city filled with people doing extra work on movies, I spent several hours today being an authentic extra. Several of us ex-employees from Media Data Corporation sat at our computers or work stations for a few hours so that when various corporate bigwigs came in to take a tour of our place and possibly purchase the company (or at least an interest in it), we didn’t “appear” to be a ghost corporation in which all of the employees were laid off without pay two weeks ago. In other words, we were “sitting set pieces” needed to create a simulated real environment.
Ahh the good ol' days of two weeks ago.
Sure, I wasn’t getting paid, but the stakes, theoretically are much higher…Because all of us didn’t get paid for at least our last two weeks of work (and the company is liable for 30 days following) and we didn’t have our health care, 401K’s, taxes, etc. paid, we’re each owed thousands of dollars.
But right now, the company has almost nothing because of RussoGate 2K6. Many of us believe the best chance we have of recieving money here is that MDC is able to make some kind of deal with one of the companies that have been interested in us in the past.
The same goes for many of the who-knows-how-many investors who were bilked out of their money by Russo. Many of them are trying to help MDC make a deal.
I'd be different, I think, if there was millions of other dollars in capital the company had tied up somewhere. Suing in that case, could get us some money. But now that Russo is dead in the water (he’s allegedly appearing in court today), suing probably gets no one anything.
So, that’s why some of us are playing pawns in this game. As I’ve said before, the company has had potential deals in the past, but rumor has it that D.K.’s rampaging ego got in the way. Now, there’s a palpable sense of desperation to get something done. Whether that happens or not, I don’t know. I, and others, are just chess pieces right now, almost literally.
That’s about all I can say at this point on a public internet blog. I know that sounds funny, but its true.
Last week, a private investigator hired by attorneys from some of the investors defrauded by Russo found me because of this blog. Hi, Larry, by the way, I know you’re reading this sentence. But, I can’t risk saying too much on this stupid blog.
According to one information website, the following is the definition of a movie extra:
"Extras are people in the scene of a movie or television show who are needed to create a background or simulated real environment. For example, if a scene were to take place on a commercial airliner, it would look rather silly to the viewer if the only people on the plane were the two main characters. With 30 extras sitting in various seats behind, next to and in front of the main characters, the setting is much more real and natural. The goal is to create a background or environment without detracting from the main point of action. So basically, extras are walking set pieces."
In a city filled with people doing extra work on movies, I spent several hours today being an authentic extra. Several of us ex-employees from Media Data Corporation sat at our computers or work stations for a few hours so that when various corporate bigwigs came in to take a tour of our place and possibly purchase the company (or at least an interest in it), we didn’t “appear” to be a ghost corporation in which all of the employees were laid off without pay two weeks ago. In other words, we were “sitting set pieces” needed to create a simulated real environment.
Ahh the good ol' days of two weeks ago.Sure, I wasn’t getting paid, but the stakes, theoretically are much higher…Because all of us didn’t get paid for at least our last two weeks of work (and the company is liable for 30 days following) and we didn’t have our health care, 401K’s, taxes, etc. paid, we’re each owed thousands of dollars.
But right now, the company has almost nothing because of RussoGate 2K6. Many of us believe the best chance we have of recieving money here is that MDC is able to make some kind of deal with one of the companies that have been interested in us in the past.
The same goes for many of the who-knows-how-many investors who were bilked out of their money by Russo. Many of them are trying to help MDC make a deal.
I'd be different, I think, if there was millions of other dollars in capital the company had tied up somewhere. Suing in that case, could get us some money. But now that Russo is dead in the water (he’s allegedly appearing in court today), suing probably gets no one anything.
So, that’s why some of us are playing pawns in this game. As I’ve said before, the company has had potential deals in the past, but rumor has it that D.K.’s rampaging ego got in the way. Now, there’s a palpable sense of desperation to get something done. Whether that happens or not, I don’t know. I, and others, are just chess pieces right now, almost literally.
That’s about all I can say at this point on a public internet blog. I know that sounds funny, but its true.
Last week, a private investigator hired by attorneys from some of the investors defrauded by Russo found me because of this blog. Hi, Larry, by the way, I know you’re reading this sentence. But, I can’t risk saying too much on this stupid blog.
The last legacy of the "Petty List"
