Yeah, I remember that – I was thinking more along the lines of, it would be fun to be watching L&O and know specifically that this extra or that person with one line got the gig through the Apprentice casting call. (It’s stupid, but I feel somehow invested in the Dove Bodywash ad now…)
Oh yeah, you’re right. That would be cool. And after getting to read the motel reviews earlier, I feel strangely distant from the mobile units.
I really wish they’d be clearer with the budget thing and how they calculate profit, although that would probably be ratings death.
I was seriously confused when what’s-her-face was on the phone with the casting agent:
“How much will it take to get you to come out here?”
“$500”
“We’ll give you $1000!”
“OK!”
I bet they edited out the rest of the conversation:
“All right then, how about $1500?”
“Sure thing!”
“Playing hardball, huh? $2000.”
“I’m there!”
“Fine! $2500, and that’s my final offer!”
If that extra $500 came out of their profit, there should have been a backlash from that stupid move.
Posted by Smeghead:
Tee-hee!
I kinda thought Tara offering $1000 was a good idea. The team was desperate, the casting director sounded really reluctant, and $500 might be what she makes in a day anyway (maybe a little more than a day’s pay). Doubling the price was a good way to get a guaranteed appearance from the director. It minimized the risk that she might flake out on them. My $0.02.
After laughing at Tara, I can to the same conclusion as Ichini Sanshigo. I think they had $1000 budgeted for the agent out of their $5000. I think she doubled the “less than” amount to close the deal fast. I think it was a smart ploy. The agent was curious about this deal and doubling the money makes them look more legit.
Smeghead, Trump said whoever had the greatest REVENUE won the task. Basically cash sales. Profit was not in the calculation (it is generally revenue in every challenge). There is NEVER incentive to hold any cash back that is budgeted in these challeneges unless Trump makes it clear that profit is what he wants(another departure from true business reality).
That’s why the Vegas trip on challenge #1 was a great idea. Spend EVERYTHING in the budget. You aren’t penalized for having nothing. You aren’t rewarded for cutting costs. It is all about total sales.
A quick Google brought up a few links where it is mentioned, here is a quote from CNNMoney, though the article is comparing Tony Soprano and the Trump, it says: “Trump is said to be so afraid of germs that he assiduously avoids shaking hands;”
But I suspect he also stands away to make it easier for camera shots.
Just to backtrack a little on Bren’s food request–if he genuinely didn’t know that bringing food from Manhattan to Queens was a long way, then I agree that somebody ought to have told him then instead of bitching about it later. And we don’t know what the other three were doing at the time. In any case, I absolutely agree that they seemed more pissed off at being expected to deliver food than at the inconvenience of the delivery.
And I think Tara’s offering the $1000 was really smart. People in the creative fields are forever being asked to do work for free or very low pay because the person asking thinks that the opportunity for exposure or resume building is so valuable to the creative person. Well, to a person with a successful career, that kind of offer is pretty laughable, and sometimes even a bit insulting. And it usually indicates that the potential client has little conception of the value of the work and/or what the job entails. By offering the higher rate, Tara let the reluctant casting director know that the job was “for real,” and treated it as a real job.
This obviously paid off. The fact that the casting office grew busier throughout the day suggests that there was some word-of-mouth going on. Someone made the point that an actor without an agent was unlikely to be able to meet with a casting director so easily. I’m guessing that the first few people who went in there and found that it was a real casting director, doing actual casting, called their actor friends to suggest that they come down.
…
I did read the whole thread! I did! I swear!
I’m constantly left wondering how much of the task is left on the editing room floor. Surely, there was some advertising other than yelling on the street and handing out fliers, right? If not, both teams have some 'splaining to do…
I don’t think Magna’s idea was poor. I would absolutely get a chair massage or a hand treatment on the spur of the moment. Sure, there are lots of spas in NYC, but what is the likelihood they are going to accept a walk-in immediately and are conveniently located directly in my path? I have had chair massages in the past and it is definitely worth $1 a minute.
I would not have a problem with a male asking me if I would like a chair massage. Michael was intentionally trying to make it seem creepy because he didn’t want to work. He (and others) were not explaining the concept well at all, either (For $1 a minute, you can have a relaxing massage while fully dressed and relaxed in this special massage chair, blah blah blah).
I also have no problem with the food delivery. Once again, if it was such a problem, you should have called him back and said you would arrange delivery instead. Don’t bitch later.
Net Worth’s idea was definitely unusual, and I was skeptical. I was concerned that actors may think it was a scam. I’m assuming the word of mouth of the actors who got work helped considerably to increase their revenue towards the end of the day. Angie absolutely needs to work on her telephone skills. She should have at least had a rough draft of her phone presentation before she started annoying casting directors.
/Ms Cyros
Cosign! When that irritated casting director demanded to know what she was selling, she didn’t know what to do and it was embarrassing.
But I do have to give her props for coming up with the idea. This was an example of a task where it seemed like everyone played important parts. It’s good that Kristen is gone because I don’t think things would have gone so smoothly if she had been around.
There isn’t anyone in Net Worth that I don’t like right now, except that crazy man named Chris.
Agreed. I think his problem (other than being a turd bucket) was that he thought of everything in a sexual way. His only experience with massage parlors has probably been Massage 
Parlors.
They should have played up massages as a remedy for the daily hustle and bustle of living in the world’s most stressful city.
I got hubby a gift certificate for massages for his birthday a couple of weeks ago, and he’s already used his five visits. When he went to Florida for the Capital One Bowl, he says there were massage therapists everywhere, and he got one on a gambling ship.
Around here, chiropractors are adding massage therapists to their service, and it’s working well for them. Massage therapists visit senior care centers and nursing homes. Everybody’s doing it.