ONE LIFE TO LIVE SUMMER lNTERNSHIP reaction paper

I began my summer internship on May I 1, 1999 in the Casting Department of the ABC soap opera, "One Life To Live." I began at 10:00 in the morning at 157 Columbus Avenue, on the 2'ld floor, on that Tuesday. It took some getting used to traveling to the "west side" because it would cause me to take three trains to get to there, however the commute was all worth it. As I entered the floor for the second time (first time was for my interview), I was scared stiff, and nervous as can be. I walked over to my supervisor's, Sheryl Baker's office, and waited for direction. Sheryl took me to meet the other two Casting Director's, first Tori Visgilio, and second, Julie Madison, the head of the department. Then, Sheryl explained that the first office that I passed was mine. It was considered the Intern Office. I was truly blown away by the fact that I had my own room, phone, paper shredder, fax machine, and office supplies. How little did I know, that I would be dreading the confinement in that room with no windows. Sheryl told me to become settled, and to wait. It turned out that the spring intern was finishing up her internship, and she would show me the ropes on her final days. So I waited for the intern Jennie Slater, from Oklahoma. She came in, and she did in fact show me what to do the entire day.

My internship started with the teaching of how to answer the telephone at "One Life To Live." My job was to say "CASTING." I had to memorize the four lines that our phone company had set up for each ofthe Casting Director's and myself. Line 04 was me, the Intern Office, line 12 was Sheryl's office, line 11 was Julie's office, and line 03 was Tori's office. Jennie let me watch her answer the phone a few times, and then she gave me the chair to sit in the desk. I answered the phone for a while, until the mailman came with the mail. When I saw this mail, I could have passed out. Stacks and stacks of mail were dropped off. Jennie explained to me that this mail is not only regular mail, for example, invoices, magazines, and cards, but also cover letters, headshots and resumes from people who want to be on the show. I was shocked to see such a response to get onto this show, especially since I had never even seen it before. I didn't think it was that popular. So as the intern I learned that it was my job to open all the mail. First, mail was divided by Casting Director. Then, cover letters, headshots, and resumes were put at the bottom of each of the director's piles. Next, their smaller mailings were put on each pile. After, I had to put Sheryl and Julie's piles in Sheryl's office so she could sort out the mail on her own. Tori's mail was put in a tray by her desk.

My next assignment was to become better acquainted with the photocopying machine. Jennie and I made copies of a revision that had to be distributed to the show's staff. That tough work was rewarded with an outing to the actual studio two blocks away. Jennie explained to me that each time we went from ABC building to another ABC building we'd have to show your pass, however the security gets to know you, and they stop checking once you're a regular. I thought it would be exciting to be in the studio, and it was. Not only do you feel like you have some power by the pass, but just walking around the studio with actors and actresses all around you, -- being very nonchalant, makes you feel special. It didn't seem to faze Jennie; meanwhile I was starstruck. Jennie managed to keep my attention by giving me a tour of the studio. She showed me primarily where I had to do my work, meaning where I had to pick up and distribute mail. I had to carry this ugly 'Enrique Iglesias' bag for the mail because it seemed as if I would attract less attention with it within the close vicinity of the studio and Casting Department. The importance behind that was the fact that it would be my job everytime to go back and forth from the studio to drop of scripts, and revisions that have to be distributed, and to pick up scripts, revisions, and mail for the Casting Department, but sent to the studio by accident. After the studio, Jennie and I made our way back to the offices, and Sheryl told us we could go out to lunch. It turned out that lunch is an hour. Jennie took me to a cafe and we bought our lunch. We took our food back to the Intern Office and ate there while answering the phone. When we were done eating we didn't continue with our lunch break, but continued to answer the phone, and do tasks for Sheryl. I was shown how to fax a document to an outside party. I photocopied headshot's and resume's onto one piece of paper so that they would be on the front and back of one sheet. Jennie saw that this was all overwhelming for me, so Sheryl asked us to go check the Casting Mailbox in the studio for the last time of the day and then she let Jennie and me answer the phones for the rest of the day. The day ended at 6:00 in the evening, and I was exhausted mentally and physically. The actual work was easy, but it's just the procedures that were hard to remember and follow. For example, I never thought that I would be able to understand the computer of a photocopying machine, -- the machine had a mind of it's own!

As I interned in the Casting Department I came across experiences and challenges that I never would have been able to face, had I not done it. First of all, castings are something to be seen. The Casting Directors are given an assignment to find a person or persons to fit a particular role or roles. Usually castings were held in the morning or early afternoon around 3. Actor and/or actresses of all ages come into the waiting area, sign in on an Audition Schedule paper listing their name, agency, and phone number where they can be reached; and then they wait for their name to be called, and when their name gets called they follow me or a Casting Director to a taping room. In the taping room is where the audition is taped, and a Casting Director takes notes on the actor's or actress's performance. The process usually takes five to ten minutes.

Another task that would follow me would be to file, file, and file. I had to file Audition Schedule papers, and headshots and resumes of people who were cast for a part, who might be good for a part, who were auditioning for a particular role, and even people who were simply extras. Another task was that everytime Tori would come back from a production meeting in the studio, I would have to photocopy her notes from the meeting for Sheryl and Julie. I would always have to distribute mail to the Casting Directors, Directors, Writers, Production Staff, Wardrobe, Costumes, AFTRA, and even Security, because revisions of scripts, and casting lists would change all day long. Every week I had to mail a Cast List to seven major agencies from Abbey Gewanter to Don Buchwald. I had to update an agent list where I had to call over ten pages of numbers of all these agencies, and find out if their representatives have changed, and if their work numbers or service numbers were the same. In the Casting Department there was always work to do, and I learned from that. I saw day in and day out what the Casting Directors go through and I was able to experience this by helping out their process. I understand that as an intern you do all the manual work, and a lot of people are usually dissatisfied by that; however I feel that interning was the best experience, because you become a part of the creating process, and you get to see the final product, and you do feel good about that.

 

ABC-TV "ONE LIFE TO LIVE" (casting)