Complaint Review: Textras Casting Company

I haven't been able to work in the HORRIBLE Austin, TX economy and have been jobless for two years.

A friend of mine found me a job in a movie as a "background extra" and I not only got meals on the set and snacks but I was paid minimum wage and was GRATEFUL because I made enough to pay the taxes on my house and keep it from being seized and auctioned.

I was so glad to get the work! It WAS work.

Then that same casting agency informs my friend that there is a movie with William Hurt and the friend can get minimum wage again and food if my friend will go to the movie set. Well, William Hurt won an Oscar and I know he doesn't come cheap. So there was money to be had to pay the extras like me.

I signed with another casting company called Textras.
Two partners run this one named Jack Frost Sanders and Ben Parsley. I showed up for the filming only to learn that my friend's casting agency was paying my friend minimum wage BUT the people at TEXTRAS were NOT. THEY WEREN'T PAYING ANYBODY ANYTHING THERE!

Mr. Sanders' bio states that he has been in Austin since 1995.He came direct from Las Angeles, CA. Apparently he thinks that we in TEXAS are such PROVINCIAL RUBES and so golly gee... aw,shucks.. overwhelmed by being in a BIG MOVIE around BIG MOVIE STARS, that we will be willing to WORK FOR FREE. So his people were NOT being PAID! Nonetheless, HE WAS BEING PAID! He was going to keep the finders fee the movie people gave him and the wages he was apparently supposed to pay us ---- otherwise, why was my first casting agency paying and him not paying?????? It was the SAME movie.

Well, of course, I went with my friend's casting company. I saw Jack talking to one of the ladies who owns the first casting company. Then there was another call for extras that went out and NOBODY was going to get PAID this time from NO EXTRAS from EITHER casting company. That really hurt me.

I STAYED HOME. ALMOST EVERYBODY ELSE I KNEW DID TOO!

They had NO idea how badly I needed the money. And even if they did, they wouldn't have cared! I might well lose my house because of unpaid taxes this year.

The "snacks" provided for us at that second shooting were just a large bag of chips someone got at a wholesale outlet and tap water. Period.

As the Bible says, you need to pay a laborer his/her due!
Maybe there are a few "Starstruck" fools out there who can afford to work for free... I cannot.

I, on the other hand, do not really care to be around H'wood people any more than I have to. They can make all kinds of hell for those of us who aren't in their socioeconomic caste and they can buy their way out of ANY trouble they cause or involved in causing, leaving others not as fortunate to take the fall. Many of them use drugs with impunity, get drunk and whatever and their mega money and their people get them out of it. Anyone else dumb enough to associate with them is blamed and left holding the bag ( of dope) or whatever...No thanks.

ALL I want to do with these big shot movie star guys is shoot the scene with them and then GET OUT OF THERE. HOBNOBBING with the ULTRA rich and famous when I am barely getting by is NOT an option with me. ALL I want to do is get my paycheck. Period.

I would like to tell Jack and Ben SHAME ON YOU for depriving poor people with no other way to make a living of their pay!

I love both of you dearly but I can't afford to work for free. Minimum wage is NOT that much to you all but it is MY LIFE'S BLOOD and it means my VERY EXISTENCE!

Please, show some compassion to the rest of us out here in one of the worst and longest lasting Depressions in the Austin,TX since the 1930s. Please pay us.

This was in August, 2004.

Anonymous
Ausitn, Texas
U.S.A.