How to Deal With Hollywood Jackholes What STILL Haven’t Paid “Contagion” Film Extras Since February

Now it was a little funny earlier this year when a high level person at Rich King* Casting started quoting sub-minimum wages for extras in that new Contagion movie starring, I don’t know, everybody, you know, these people right here (and let’s throw in Famous Movie Director Steven Soderbergh too – he’s a luminary as well):

But then somebody, no not somebody from the local Film Commish and not any MSM reporters (who don’t seem to be aware of what the minimum wage is in the place where they live and work), but somebody up here in the 415 got word down to Los Angeles County about The Law ‘n stuff.

So fine, the RKC people changed their minds and decided to pay extras “$80″ for up to eight hours (and then they finally did the math and decided that $79.36 would be the wage, cause, you know, después de todos, dinero es dinero.)

But now word comes that RKC thinks it’s OK to pay people up to six weeks** later?

And the extras still haven’t all been paid?

And RKC is ignoring contact attempts from said extras?

Could all this be true?

Well let’s hear from a Real Life Contagion Extra:

“I got in the film as well, but its now mid April, and I have not seen the payment in the 6 weeks that the casting company stated. Got my work receipt right here – would be nice if someone from this casting agency would follow up with my contact attempts.

“It was still a really cool day either way. I got to see an amazing set up of the set @ Candlestick and didn’t mind standing/sitting around all day. That is what background extras do. All of these girls were being very rude that day saying “when are we going to meet the stars”, and “I can’t believe they are making us stand around”, and “come on! I wan’t to be in the movie already!! Shortly after one of the assistants heard those remarks, our group was dismissed for the afternoon. It is like they never listened to what they told us at the casting meeting at Fort Mason, or the information the casting directors told us over the phone when they offered us the part. I did not get an email confirmation after that day, but a personal phone call.

“Would be nice to see my check, but I will give them a bit more time to respond since I bet the other 5,000 are hounding them as well. I mean come on – I am on unemployment – it would be nice to have the $79 bucks right now, but I can wait a bit”

Now, isn’t it ironic, dont’cha think, that a company what has a cavalier attitude about at least one kind of wage and hour rule would drag its feet about making payments? (Well, maybe not, in my experience.)

Anyway, all you non-union extras ought to form a union or something so you can start playing hardball with the Hollywood vanga vanga.

So why don’t you pay all your extras ASAP, Rich King Casting? Like posthaste or something.

Thank you.

Now, speaking of Hollywood, wouldn’t you like to see a list of all the movies that Steven Soderbergh has seen the past twelve months? Sure you would. See it after the jump.

*Forget about Obama’s birth certificate – I want to see the one with “Rich King” printed on it, and oh, Sandy Beach too, I want to see one of those as well – I think Hollywood still has a few guys around with that name.

**I should make a horror film – it’ll be about the horrors of Regular People dealing with Hollywood People. It’ll be called 42 Days Later.

Per Obsessed With Film, these are the movies what Steven Soderbergh has caught during the 12 months after March 2010. Add them to your NetFlix queue today, why not?

Haywire

Primer

Exit Through the Gift Shop

All the President’s Men

Panic Room

Dune

Please Give

The Godfather

The Special Relationship

The Godfather Part 2

The Tall Target

The Social Network