Why I Am Not An Extra Right Now

So I was talking to this guy whom I know through the local movie-making scene and out of the blue he asks me if I want to help be an extra for a shoot this Saturday afternoon.  He said it was 10 to 3, when I was free.  I haven't done extra work in a while, and I wanted to help this guy out because I feel like I failed him in not picking up programs for him after Vikings games (long story, and so boring that I probably won't talk about it).

But in the end, I didn't do it.  A bunch of reasons:

1. It's be nice if I were paid.  Most extra work doesn't pay, and I have (and plan on still) helping out as an extra for small, no-budget shoots like this one is supposed to be.  But I have had more of an eye on trying to monetize my time whenever possible.  And at least on that column of the ledger, it doesn't succeed.
2. While this is one of the few shoots that is actually in the metro area, it's still pretty far.  I also needed to fill up my car (my first fill-up!  Oh, the car grows up so fast!!) and I didn't think I was going to wake up in time for me to remember to gas up, go to the gas station to gas up, and then get to set on time.  Yeah, I could have just woken up early and do all that, but ... well, see 1.
3. He asked me to pick up a guy from White Bear Lake, which is clear across the other side of town from me as well as from the site of the shoot.  My friend is a movie lifer.  I have no idea if he's even making money doing this, but I even if he isn't he doesn't care, because he loves to make movies.  (He also likes sports, we bond over sports.)  So I assume he has an "all hands on deck" attitude when it comes to making movies.  So if he can help people for a production by arranging a ride for them, he'll do his best to, well, be a producer.  I don't mind that, I really don't.  But going from home to the other side of town, and then back to the other, other side of town?  Naw, I wasn't feeling that today.
4. I think I needed to spend some time cleaning out my old car, and I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to put in enough time to do that and get to the shoot for call.  Turned out I didn't spend that much time cleaning out my car, but still.
5. Finally, this is the killer fact that I was afraid would happen, but it probably would happen: Shoots always go long.  When they say it's going to end at 3, it definitely isn't going to end at 3.  I don't know if I blogged about this, but I was an extra for a movie that actually did get a semi-wide release.  I was supposed to report in the evening and get out around midnight or so.  I was there until daybreak.  Ridiculous, but I've found out moviemaking is quite ridiculous.  I don't remember any time where I was let out when they initially said we were going to be done.  And while I had those five hours free, I bought a special ticket to the Minnesota United game tonight where I get to go on the pitch and everything.  Plus, since I am working 12 hours these days, my parents and I don't have dinner together except on weekends, so I really thought I had to get home by around 4 to eat with them and then go to the game in time.  (Don't forget that it's Mother's Day Weekend.  Maybe I should eat with Mother these two days.)  I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to do the shoot and get home by 4 ... well, unless it was 4 in the morning.

So I got up at around 7, tidied up my room till about 9, got out and cleaned out my car a bit, then realized I had to mail a rebate because Saturday was the last day it could be postmarked.  That took me till 10:30, so by then it was already too late.

Since then I went downtown to watch English Premier League soccer, took a nap in my car, then went to Caribou to type this.  I honestly have not agonized about my decision once this afternoon.  Hope my friend is OK and I hope he forgives me.