I recently tried to finagle a way to see more of my husband
who works in the Entertainment Industry. He was working on a show that was
filming an episode near our home, and I felt like I hadn't seen him awake in months.
There was an open casting call for background actors for the show and episode
he was working on, so I submitted a picture. I really didn't think I’d be
called but thought it was worth the shot. They did call back, and asked me to
work the day. But, the location had changed to somewhere far away. I still
agreed to do it; I mean a 12 hour paid vacation from the kids, YEAH SIGN ME UP!
At least, that is what I thought at the time.
I went in not telling anyone that I was married to someone in the Art Department. I was under the impression I’d get to do a lot of sitting around, I even brought Dances with Dragons to finish while sitting around for hours. I didn't get to sit around! I was constantly moving and changing clothes and doing something called a WIPE. Not like wipe your baby’s butt, but walking in front of the camera...I think that’s what it meant.
I got
to dress up as a nurse and run a gurney with a camera man and his 300 lb. camera
up and down a dirty abandoned hospital hall, OVER AND OVER AND OVER again. All
the while trying not to kick the lead actress who was running in front of me
and holding a full saline bag straight up in the air. No workout was needed at
the end of the day.
I got
to meet some interesting people; some people actually try to make a living at
doing background work. I don’t know how, $100 a day isn't very much money and
not many things are filmed here in the desert anymore. I also got to put a face
to the names I've been hearing the husband talk about for years.
When
they set me free from doing background I put on my regular clothes and finally
got to spend some time with my husband. Even though it involved heavy lifting
and running around a creepy, dark, abandoned hospital after dark, it was well
worth those 4 hours with him.
Will I
ever try to do background acting again? Not unless it’s a favor to someone I
really like. It just wasn't my thing, I didn't get to sit around, I never even
cracked my book open. It’s a lot of waiting and redoing the same thing over,
and over, and over, and over again, and again.
I’m also pretty petrified of being on film; I refused to even be sort of
facing the camera the whole day. The thing made me nervous. I was petrified I
was going to be that one stupid background person to ruin the whole shot, the
whole day. Luckily I didn't. But, it didn't make me stress out about it any
less.
I've
been instructed not to disclose the company, show, or location of the
shoot. Until after it airs, so when it
actually airs I can say which episode and blah, blah, blah…I’m pretty sure though.
That my face is not in any of the shots, my manicure, elbows, arms, and hands
more than likely are all that will be seen. It was an experience, but not
something I will ever do again.
If you
think background work is something you would like to try you can Google your area
for local casting agents. I personally wouldn't pay a company to help you get
background work, but if you want to I guess you can. You can also check
craigslist for background work.