Filed under: Uncategorized
February 2007
I hope each of you is well! I suppose some of you aren’t in Wisconsin, but a shout-out to my home state seemed to be in order. My parents were here for the weekend, and though I continue to be glad to be here, Wisconsin sure sounds appealing sometimes.
Well, I don’t know when all the shows I have worked on will be airing, but later this week, two of them are scheduled to be on. Since I’ve said it several times already, I figure I can stop saying “I really don’t know if I will be on or not…you might just see my elbow.” Though some of you may recognize my elbow, this would obviously be sort of anticlimactic. So, if you’d enjoy watching these shows, please do, and we can be excited together if I show up on the screen.
The Office airs Thursday night at 7:30 central time on NBC. During one scene, Michael (Steve Carell’s character) walks across a campus at a business college, and I play a frisbee player in a hooded sweatshirt. During another scene, Michael speaks to a class at the business college, and I play a class member in a corduroy jacket. I think it fits to include that working on this show was SO MUCH FUN. STEVE CARELL IS FREAKING HILARIOUS. The day went by very quickly. I’ve spoken with several other extras over the last few weeks who worked this show, and they all agreed it was their best background experience so far.
On Friday, the episode I worked on of Close to Home is scheduled to air on CBS. If you watch the show, be on the lookout for me among the people watching the proceedings in the courtroom. I had on a black suit. Also, the elbow comment from above takes on meaning because I stood in for the hands of one of the actors on this show. Again in a black suit, they videotaped my shoulder and arms as I held the picture of a suspect. I spent two hours putting Oil of Olay on my hands to prepare for the shot.
If you want to watch one of the shows but don’t know which one, watch The Office! So funny.
January 31, 2007
Extra is actually not the most accepted term for one who does extras work. Early on I learned the term “Background Artist,” from which we can derive that my current profession is “Background Artistry.” It sounds sort of like how I was a “Brand Representative” when I worked at Abercrombie and Fitch when I was 17. In any case, I like being an extra. Or Background Artist. Or…whatever.
So, two weeks ago, I went in to Central Casting and signed up to work as an extra. I filled out an I-9 form, I stood in front of the camera, and that was it. That afternoon, I called the casting line to see what they needed and the next day I was on the set. Some of the more noteworthy elements of extras work are the following:
1. Lots of free food. It’s called Craft Service, and it’s really something! Two days ago, I arrived at a set at 7:00 am and did not leave until about 7:00 pm, and they provided breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with any snacks and soda, coffee or juice I would like. Snacks include granola bars, protein bars, fruit and candy. It’s a pretty sweet deal.
2. Background artists stand right on set with the regular actors. They are getting the big bucks, of course, and I am making $7.50 an hour, but nonetheless, there they are. Last week I was an extra on The Office for a day, and Steve Carrell intercepted a frisbee that another guy and I were throwing back and forth.
3. One drawback to extras work is that hundreds of people are all calling the same casting director for the parts. Thus, I don’t think it is an exaggeration to say that each day at about 2:00, I find myself hitting redial hundreds of times in a row. In any case, usually one gets through and has work for the next day.
4. One never knows if one will be visible to the audience in the final version of the show. They film from various angles, and often one is part of a crowd, besides the fact that stuff could just plain get cut. If anyone is watching, though, it is possible that I will show up on the shows “Close to Home,” “Standoff,” “The Gilmore Girls” and “The Office.”
Filed under: Uncategorized
January 17, 2007
I am now here. Last week, I was part of a big conference called IMTA, which stands for the International Modeling and Talent Association. It is the conference where Ashton Kutcher and Katie Holmes were “discovered.” There were judges there and some agents, which, as far as I can tell, any prospective actor needs one of. Probably about 2000 people took part, and there were modeling, singing, dancing and several acting divisions. The most noteworthy part for me, perhaps, was a dance I did with a mop to the song “Sway,” by Dean Martin. So yes, I did dance with a mop in front of 2 or 3 thousand people. It was really fun.
On Friday, those agents that expressed interest in talking with certain performers requested that they come visit. Some people were requested many times, some not at all, and others somewhere in between. I was in the in between group. I did not set the river on fire, but a couple of talent agents and one (EEK!) modeling agent wanted to speak with me. Now we’ll see if any of those contacts will actually be interested in representing me. That would be great. But if not, well, we’ll see what happens elsewhere!
I hope you are all well. Next time I write, I hope to fill you in on what it’s like to be an extra! I am signed up to be a bellboy in the background for Gilmore Girls tomorrow.
