The new series "Body of Proof" premiered as a mid-season replacement on ABC in the spring of 2011. Dana Delany plays medical examiner Megan Hunt, a character who is a mix of the main characters from "House" and "The Mentalist" as a keen physician whose knack for observation helps her solve crimes. I will say that it is refershing to see a female as a lead as a smart, character-driven role in this sort of show. And if the formula hits its stride and finds an audience (like the aforementioned "House" and "The Mentalist" have), it could have several successful
seasons. However, what you may not realize is that this network show is not being filmed in Philadelphia, despite the fact that the show is set in the city of Brotherly Love.

"Body of Proof" is in fact filmed in Rhode Island. They started shooting in the summer of 2010, and each episode employees about 280 extras, and requires a crew of 175 - all of whom are local hires. That's great news for the people of Rhode Island, since the work is going to them. But it's not so great news for the talented cast and crew in the Philadelphia area would would have been interested and available to work on the show in the very city where the fictional events are supposed to be taking place.

The reason they are filming in Rhode Island instead of Philadelphia? Two words: Tax credits.

Maybe if Pennsylvania had gotten it's budget in order sooner rather than later, Philadelphia would have had a fighting chance of getting the production to call the city home. Tax credits have worked for PA in the past, but when they didn't get renewed right away, it interrupted the pipeline in the film-planning process, forcing production companies to look elsewhere.

Philadelphia has lured several major movie productions to film in the city, most recently "Limitless" and "How Do You Know." And if you don't remember hearing about them when they were filming, it's because their working titles were "Dark Fields" and "The Untitled James L. Brooks Project" respectively.

Films are great opportunities for local cast and crew when they are in town, but they are temporary. After a few months, the production packs up and us locals are suddenly available again for other work... like another film.

However, with no productions slated to come to Philadelphia anytime soon, local actors might consider traveling to Pittsburgh (where the film "Perks of Being a Wallflower" starring Emma Watson is set to shoot) or New York City (which has productions of both movies and TV shows currently in production).

TV shows have the potential to offer continuing work for cast and crew provided they get renewed for another season. When "Hack" was on-air, it lasted for three seasons from 2002- 2004, and unlike "Body of Proof", it was filmed entirely in the city of Philadelphia.

But filming at TV series in the location the story is set is more the exception, rather than the rule. The recently canceled "Cold Case" did most of their filming in Los Angeles and Burbank, but they would bring some of the principals to Philadelphia once or twice a season to shoot some key scenes at the actual Philadelphia locations, rather than relying solely on establishing shots to make the show appear as if the story is taking place in the area. Although, don't let that fool you, either. I remember working on the show as a background player at a shoot that took place at Girard College, but the location in the storyline was supposed to be the University of Pennsylvania. So sometimes, even when the production is shooting on location, they still need to find a substitute.

Writers strike and my shows

It's January 2, 2008, and the late night TV shows are to start airing new episodes tonight. David Letterman will be the only one to have his guild writers with him, as he owns his show and negotiated his own agreement with the WGA.

I looked up Wikipedia to see how long the daily soap operas could run. I knew they have scripts several months in advance, but the strike has been on since November 5, 2007. According the this Wikipedia article, the soap operas only have scripts thru January 2008. So maybe we'll be looking at daytime TV reruns soon, too.

Surprising to find in that same article was the news that The Daily Show and The Colbert report would start airing new episodes on January 7, 2008 - without their guild writers. This USA Today article stated, In a joint statement, Stewart and Colbert said: "We would like to return to work with our writers. If we cannot, we would like to express our ambivalence, but without our writers we are unable to express something as nuanced as ambivalence."

What is TV coming to?

Though I am currently a non-union on-camera actress, the fact that production stopped on so many TV shows have stopped production is not good news for one who wants to work. However, I support the writers as they have very reasonable demands. Though how long is this going to continue if the studios are strong-arming their shows back into production without WGA members?

Hopefully, it's simply a matter of time before a settlement is agreed upon. Until then, we may have to suffer thru some less desirable television programs.

"Pass the Buck" on YouTube

The movie short which got me into IMDb is now available on YouTube.

I'm not the next Maytag spokesperson

Because I'm a woman.

Yes, they are searching for the Next Maytag Repairman.

But in answer to the question Is there a chance the next Maytag Repairman will be a woman? here's what their website FAQ answer is:

No. We researched the idea of a Maytag Repairwoman within our base of loyal Maytag customers and determined that, for now, it is important to stay true to the gender of the character as he has become known in American pop culture.

Well, it is merely a marketing campaign, and yes, it's part of the business - being rejected for any number of reasons I can't control: my gender, my color, my height.

But darn, I think I would make a great Maytag spokeswoman!

You know what this means, though? It just means that there's another gig I'm meant to have instead of this one. Eh, I'm already booked when they are holding auditions in NYC anyways.

TV women are just too skinny

Two weeks ago I was flipping thru and I caught a bit of Desperate Housewives on ABC and I was just so surprised at how ill the principal actresses appeared on screen. And then yesterday I was on the set of Cold Case, those actresses are a little on the too skinny side, too (they were also shorter than I thought they would be in person, but I digress). Then I see Kirstie Alley on the Jenny Craig commercials talking about how much weight she's lost and I don't think she looks all that wonderful. Sure she looks better than she did, but remember when she was skinny?

And I wonder, why am I so hypersensitive to this? I don't think it's simply because a few years ago an indie casting director told me I reminded him of Kirstie Alley and I looked all insulted. It was when she was doing Fat Actress.

It's no secret I used to be fat. Though I am by no means thin now, I am in thinnER, and most importantly, I FEEL HEALTHIER.

I am also an actress, and though I am talented a great deal of my success has to do with my image. I've had success with particular acting roles on-camera and live as well as some modeling, but it's always had to be - to some extent - qualified as "plus-sized". The sad fact is, I'd likely get more work if I were skinnier.

However, I am not going to starve myself to work. Even though my annual income as an actress could easily make me a "starving artist." I have always insisted that any exercise / diet plan would have to be for me to feel and look healthier simply because I wanted to do it for myself. Not for a career, not for a guy... as soon as I insist that others' approval hinges on how I look, I am defeated before I even begin.

I don't really know where I was going with this post. When I started I didn't think that was where I'd end up. Well, that's part of the fun of blogging, I suppose.

But don't be surprised if I get all caddy and comment on the red-carpet happenings at tonight's Golden Globes.

(cross-posted to miranda_lane on LiveJournal)