“Zanshin is a term used in the Japanese martial arts. It refers to a state of awareness – of relaxed alertness. The literal translation of zanshin is “remaining mind”. In several martial arts, zanshin refers more narrowly to the body’s posture after a technique is executed.” ~Wikipedia.
Arriving early as always to begin an odd schedule of seven random days shooting a pilot during my (oh-so-hoped-for-two-week) hiatus, the Security Guard at the gate (a gazillion miles away from my stage) gently admonished me for arriving before my call time. “We don’t generally let people on the lot if you’re over an hour early” he apologized.
But seeing as how the only alternative was for me to sit in my car and idle for the next four minutes whilst traffic backed up behind me, he kindly printed out my Visitor Pass.
“Well executed” I patted Cecilia’s (my Toyota’s) steering wheel, who hummed modestly as we pulled into the parking structure.
Ooh, the excitement of a new show!
Ooh, who would I meet?
Ooh, who would I “be”?
I certainly had a sense of “relaxed alertness”, in that I was a bit sleepy, yet excited about whom I might get to perform for and what characters I might get to portray!
“You’ll be shadowing the Mom and the granddaughter, and doing the Voice Over in the Cold Open B” my AD instructed me, as I fervently marked my script’s cast list. “And we may not have the granddaughter for the Run-Thru, so just be prepared” he trailed off, rushing about to tend to other business on his headset.
Feh…
Piece of cake!
I’d worked more difficult shows in my DREAMS!
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What I didn’t anticipate however, was unwrapping an eggy, cheesy and hammy croissant breakfast sandwich to hopefully jumpstart my day which unfortunately smelled suspiciously like a combination of old airplane food and feet.
And suffice it to say, by the time we broke for lunch, my little body was rebelling…
“Just a heads up” I alerted my ADs. “Waves of nausea happening! Sweating profusely! Thought you all might need to know…!” I gurgled unpleasantly.
“Well then, stay near a trashcan” one of them recommended, head down as he typed busily into his laptop.
“Closest bathroom is over at the commissary” our Stage PA piped up helpfully, pointing a friendly finger toward an exit door.
(OY! This was NOT how I wished to tackle my first day!)
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With fifteen minutes to go (and “to go”) before Run-Thru, I scampered around the Warner Brothers lot in search of some sort of concoction at the nearby gift store, only to happen upon a FABULOUS skull and crossbones bracelet that I absolutely HAD to have (screw the fact that I didn’t qualify for the studio discount – they only had three bracelets in stock!); made a store employee belly-laugh at my graphic t-shirt that said “The ONLY thing we have to fear is FEAR ITSELF… and spiders…” (which he squealed at and agreed with!), and eventually wound my way with his direction to the Nurse’s Station under the big Red Cross sign a few buildings down.
“What can I do for you?” the lovely lady asked.
“I’m guesting on stage 19 and I’m having a bit of tummy trouble…” I whispered. “Do you by chance have any kind of Pepto-Bismol thingy?”
“No. We don’t have ANYTHING like that” she shook her head negatively.
(Oh dear God, this was going to be a VERY UNCOMFORTABLE Run-Thru!)
“I’M KIDDING!” she giggled. “I’ve worked on this lot for sooo many years!” she laughed; “and you are NOT the first human being with tummy troubles! So, what are your symptoms, sweetie?” she wondered maternally.
“Um, nausea: and it seems to be headed, uh, south…”
“Here, take two packets” she nodded, palming me a couple packages of belly-friendly chewable stabilizers. “Use as directed and I hope you feel better honey” she smiled sending me on my way.
And with some probable pink chalk in my teeth, a few minutes left prior to Run-Thru on my watch (and a bitchin’ new bracelet!); I managed to make it on-set, on-time, Bismuth Subsalicylate tablets (really? Windows Vista didn’t spell-check me on THAT?) dissolving in my mouth, my AD informed me that I would indeed be performing cold for the Producers.
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Sans introduction and any fore-warning to our Producers, Writers and Cast, I leapt up on cue in the middle of our first scene together and embraced the Star of our pilot as scripted, standing-in for a ten-year-old little girl.
And clutching our Hero as “his niece” had rehearsed, I wrapped my arms cozily around our Leading Man for two lines of dialogue who stared at me blankly like I was an on-stage stalker.
AWESOME!
Curled up on the floor with my shoes off in a corner (in respect to our Set Dec and Props personnel), I laid splayed on the carpet as our television play continued into the Second Act, when once again I delivered a line in lieu of our adolescent Actress who was still unavailable.
“I guess I should’ve said ‘filling in for “Hannah” is…’” our Director kerfuffled to the Network and Producers; searching for my name which completely eluded him.
AWESOME!
But by Act Three, I was busily embracing my zanshin:
All of my techniques had been executed on stage, I was ever-so mindful of my alertness, and frankly, all I wanted to do was be released from work and sent home to allow the Bismuth Subsalicylate tablets to assist in resuming my normal body’s posture!
(Translation: I just wanted to be HOME and near my own bathroom!)
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In “hindsight” (if you will), I did find some humor in the fact that between our Hero and our Executive Producer who both have ties to the Oscar nominated movie Bridesmaids, what better pilot for me to have had some uncomfortable bodily function issues?!
AWESOME…!
Wishing you all a non-crappy day at work,
~Hollywood Martial Artist Pepto P ;)
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