Let us take a moment and pretend you hear some great entrance music. I walk out onto the studio stage and I introduce myself, "Welcome to the M show. We are so glad to have you in our audience today. [Big grin.] Now I know that some of you have been wondering to yourselves, 'How do I start as an actor?' 'Why do those people do it?' 'When does it start to actually pay enough to pay the rent?' So we are are going to give you the who, what, when, where and why-ish of two types of actors."
Then I would gracefully saunter over to my chair in those high heels that look super stylish, but reminds women that pain and agony and fashion so often come hand in hand because almost as soon as I sit down the camera focuses on my face, but my shoes come off and are hidden from the audience by a random ottoman.
"To answer some of these questions for you, we have invited two guests to come and speak with us. One of them is a non-union actor, Eric. [Applause] The other is a union actor--or SAG, Screen Actors Guild Actor, Bob."
Because you cannot really see these people I will give you a brief description. These are people that you may be friends with, they are people that you may pass on the highway or give each other friendly advice on the freshness of the pumpkin you are thinking of purchasing. Eric is about 5'8" and around 35 years old and Bob is around 6'2" and is in his fifties. They are wearing dapper suits and have big smiles on their faces. Slowly the audience's applause subsides. They come and sit on the modern furniture that looks stylish, but again--really not a comfortable couch--because really, on a talk show who wants the guests to fall asleep.
M: Me
E: Eric (Michael Keaton-left-loosely-closest look a-like star)
B: Bob (closest-loosely-look a-like star Ted Knight-right)
I take a moment to joggle my cue cards and get them into the order of . . . straightness--who wants sloppy looking cue cards?
M: So, you have both been in the business awhile. How long, exactly?
E: I started as a background artist when I was 22 in a student film and my first film I was a background actor for was Stepford Wives.
B: First, let me tell you, M. The business has really changed since I started. I was a print model when I was seven and decided when I was 22 when I started making some money in a touring show, I was on stage first before I went into film and television.
I nod. We're getting some place. . . .
M:What you do is an art. What inspires you?
E: Growing up I watched a lot of character actors in film and television. Those actors inspire me.
B: Good material and direction are inspiring--including the story, script, and director--not a bad premise or a bad story because having good material makes you work harder.
M: Good. When is your job the hardest?
E: Those early morning rush calls can be brutal. Seriously, some of them you have to be ready to go around 3 or 4 in the morning--just so you can get there on time.
B: Then there are those times where you go long periods without work, or you are out in the rain and you're being a pedestrian walking -- it is so important to stay hydrated.
M: What are the easiest/best days?
E: When there is good weather makes being a background artist is so much easier.
B: Being in a principal actor are the best days--being able to work right with the stars. A little while ago I was able to work on Mildren Pierce, I was in the room with Kate Winslet and three other actors. They all had lines and I didn't but I got to work right with them. It was really great! She is really nice, but she smokes too much.
M: If someone wanted to get where you are today, what would you advise them?
E: I would tell them to start with the casting agencies and ask them about becoming a background artist.
B: Take a different career path! Become a production assistant because they make better contacts. Network consistently If you'd like start as background and then try to work your way up. It is really important to be on time, to have a good wardrobe, and keep wardrobe happy. Don't question anything. Be a happy idiot existing from show to show. Be realistic about what you look like and promote yourself in that light. For example, a 4'10" person will most likely not pass as a police captain. To be an actor, go to school, learn the craft, and never stop learning! Have fun!
As a side note: You never know what is really going to happen on set. You have to be sure what they are going to name you and your efforts in the credits, for example, in the Age of Innocence he was paid as precision dancer but the choreographer was billed as "Dance Historian" which means an enormous pay cut. They also like to try to get non-union people to do work that should be union or other background actors for example they can ask the actors to "fight," which is normally very choreographed, but when non-union are not trained they can really end up hurting one another by accident--i.e. non-union attempting to jump a background actor police line--I had someone try to climb over me--literally when I played an officer in a police line. Also, be careful of what you agree to do. For example if you agree to rollerblade--realize that you may be rollerblading for 16 hours straight even when it is raining--which can make rollerblading sixteen hours even more uncomfortable. Also, they may tell you that you'll be in smoke for 16 hours and it can be sitting next to an actor that ends up smoking five packs of cigarettes and you feel really lightheaded.
M: Thank you for these great ideas. Now, where would you like to be in ten years?
E: In ten years I want to be working steady in television or film.
B: Ten years--On this side of the dirt. I'd like more principal roles/stunt work with the residuals lasting the rest of my life.
M: What is the scariest or funniest experience you've ever had while working?
E: The funniest was when one of the principal characters tried again and again to get the door open during their take and it just didn't work.
B: The scariest thing that happened to me while working was when I was going to the heading in a hotel at W. 50th St. We got into the elevator and we thought we were on the right floor so we all got off and it wasn't until we were all off and the doors had closed that we realized we'd gotten off on the wrong floor. It was a hallway full of locked offices and the elevator would not come. We did our best not to panic to realize that were were stuck! The elevator would not come--no cell phone reception. Nothing. We realized after an hour of trying to figure out how to get out that we had to push the elevator button for a full ten minutes for the elevator to come.
M: Now we have a question from the audience.
[Some girl with a bright pink suit complete with a cancer pin comes out--her hair is full of pink as well--obviously a woman set on helping other women with cancer].
Random audience member: First, I have to say I love your show. [Audience cheers and whistles and fades, I nod and says thank you only the microphone man stepped away for .5 seconds and it looks like I just mouthed the words]. When did you know you wanted to be actors?
B: I was very dramatic as a child. I drove my family crazy with my constant singing. When I got my first paying job I knew that this is what I wanted to do. Especially when I got my first Broadway equity contract and was traveling. I asked my dad to take care of my expenses from my paycheck. He called me after he got my first pay check for expenses and asked if it was the paycheck for the month. The paycheck was for one week of work, about $1600 and my dad was in awe and knew it was legitimate work.
E: I knew when I was in my first student film that this is what was right for me.
At this point in the interview with Bob we were called to set, but I'll improvise. [Bob was called to another area of the set for the game show portion, the sing-off with a few pre-selected audience members--Bob wows the crowd as they all sing together in off-off-off-Broadway production of "The Star Spangled Banner."]
Meanwhile a hamster comes running out in a ball with a message on the outside. Eric picks it up and looks at the writing.
E: When have you used your gut to help you in your job? I would have to say I used my gut in the first film when I told the director something important even though it felt really intimidating.
[Eric puts the hamster down and it runs off stage, the lights clink off and on and down falls a flashing light.]
M: Eric, we're going to change things up just a little, we want you to mime the next answer--do you think you could do that?
E: Sure, M. [He stands up and the lights begin moving very quickly giving it an old black-and-white film look]
M: What excites you most about this job?
[Eric does the Charlie Chaplin walk in tune with some 1919-type of music and goes over to M and shakes her hand, moves to the left of her and pretends to shake someone else's hand and then over again to pretend to shake someone else's hand. Lights begin popping on above audience member's heads. M calls on one of them.]
Random Audience Member 2: You like meeting lots of different people!
E: [Eric nods] Yes, and there are always new things to learn!
M: Thank you very much both Bob and Eric for coming on my show. [The audience is super excited and clapping and cheering up a storm]. Join us again, next time with M.
*The links to the pictures can be found when clicking on the pictures. They are from my internet image searches and Google Images.
Then I would gracefully saunter over to my chair in those high heels that look super stylish, but reminds women that pain and agony and fashion so often come hand in hand because almost as soon as I sit down the camera focuses on my face, but my shoes come off and are hidden from the audience by a random ottoman.
"To answer some of these questions for you, we have invited two guests to come and speak with us. One of them is a non-union actor, Eric. [Applause] The other is a union actor--or SAG, Screen Actors Guild Actor, Bob."
Because you cannot really see these people I will give you a brief description. These are people that you may be friends with, they are people that you may pass on the highway or give each other friendly advice on the freshness of the pumpkin you are thinking of purchasing. Eric is about 5'8" and around 35 years old and Bob is around 6'2" and is in his fifties. They are wearing dapper suits and have big smiles on their faces. Slowly the audience's applause subsides. They come and sit on the modern furniture that looks stylish, but again--really not a comfortable couch--because really, on a talk show who wants the guests to fall asleep.
M: Me
E: Eric (Michael Keaton-left-loosely-closest look a-like star)
B: Bob (closest-loosely-look a-like star Ted Knight-right)
I take a moment to joggle my cue cards and get them into the order of . . . straightness--who wants sloppy looking cue cards?
M: So, you have both been in the business awhile. How long, exactly?
E: I started as a background artist when I was 22 in a student film and my first film I was a background actor for was Stepford Wives.
B: First, let me tell you, M. The business has really changed since I started. I was a print model when I was seven and decided when I was 22 when I started making some money in a touring show, I was on stage first before I went into film and television.
I nod. We're getting some place. . . .
M:What you do is an art. What inspires you?
E: Growing up I watched a lot of character actors in film and television. Those actors inspire me.
B: Good material and direction are inspiring--including the story, script, and director--not a bad premise or a bad story because having good material makes you work harder.
E: Those early morning rush calls can be brutal. Seriously, some of them you have to be ready to go around 3 or 4 in the morning--just so you can get there on time.
B: Then there are those times where you go long periods without work, or you are out in the rain and you're being a pedestrian walking -- it is so important to stay hydrated.
M: What are the easiest/best days?
E: When there is good weather makes being a background artist is so much easier.
B: Being in a principal actor are the best days--being able to work right with the stars. A little while ago I was able to work on Mildren Pierce, I was in the room with Kate Winslet and three other actors. They all had lines and I didn't but I got to work right with them. It was really great! She is really nice, but she smokes too much.
M: If someone wanted to get where you are today, what would you advise them?
E: I would tell them to start with the casting agencies and ask them about becoming a background artist.
B: Take a different career path! Become a production assistant because they make better contacts. Network consistently If you'd like start as background and then try to work your way up. It is really important to be on time, to have a good wardrobe, and keep wardrobe happy. Don't question anything. Be a happy idiot existing from show to show. Be realistic about what you look like and promote yourself in that light. For example, a 4'10" person will most likely not pass as a police captain. To be an actor, go to school, learn the craft, and never stop learning! Have fun!
As a side note: You never know what is really going to happen on set. You have to be sure what they are going to name you and your efforts in the credits, for example, in the Age of Innocence he was paid as precision dancer but the choreographer was billed as "Dance Historian" which means an enormous pay cut. They also like to try to get non-union people to do work that should be union or other background actors for example they can ask the actors to "fight," which is normally very choreographed, but when non-union are not trained they can really end up hurting one another by accident--i.e. non-union attempting to jump a background actor police line--I had someone try to climb over me--literally when I played an officer in a police line. Also, be careful of what you agree to do. For example if you agree to rollerblade--realize that you may be rollerblading for 16 hours straight even when it is raining--which can make rollerblading sixteen hours even more uncomfortable. Also, they may tell you that you'll be in smoke for 16 hours and it can be sitting next to an actor that ends up smoking five packs of cigarettes and you feel really lightheaded.
M: Thank you for these great ideas. Now, where would you like to be in ten years?
E: In ten years I want to be working steady in television or film.
B: Ten years--On this side of the dirt. I'd like more principal roles/stunt work with the residuals lasting the rest of my life.
M: What is the scariest or funniest experience you've ever had while working?
E: The funniest was when one of the principal characters tried again and again to get the door open during their take and it just didn't work.
B: The scariest thing that happened to me while working was when I was going to the heading in a hotel at W. 50th St. We got into the elevator and we thought we were on the right floor so we all got off and it wasn't until we were all off and the doors had closed that we realized we'd gotten off on the wrong floor. It was a hallway full of locked offices and the elevator would not come. We did our best not to panic to realize that were were stuck! The elevator would not come--no cell phone reception. Nothing. We realized after an hour of trying to figure out how to get out that we had to push the elevator button for a full ten minutes for the elevator to come.
M: Now we have a question from the audience.
[Some girl with a bright pink suit complete with a cancer pin comes out--her hair is full of pink as well--obviously a woman set on helping other women with cancer].
Random audience member: First, I have to say I love your show. [Audience cheers and whistles and fades, I nod and says thank you only the microphone man stepped away for .5 seconds and it looks like I just mouthed the words]. When did you know you wanted to be actors?
B: I was very dramatic as a child. I drove my family crazy with my constant singing. When I got my first paying job I knew that this is what I wanted to do. Especially when I got my first Broadway equity contract and was traveling. I asked my dad to take care of my expenses from my paycheck. He called me after he got my first pay check for expenses and asked if it was the paycheck for the month. The paycheck was for one week of work, about $1600 and my dad was in awe and knew it was legitimate work.
E: I knew when I was in my first student film that this is what was right for me.
At this point in the interview with Bob we were called to set, but I'll improvise. [Bob was called to another area of the set for the game show portion, the sing-off with a few pre-selected audience members--Bob wows the crowd as they all sing together in off-off-off-Broadway production of "The Star Spangled Banner."]
Meanwhile a hamster comes running out in a ball with a message on the outside. Eric picks it up and looks at the writing.
[Eric puts the hamster down and it runs off stage, the lights clink off and on and down falls a flashing light.]
M: Eric, we're going to change things up just a little, we want you to mime the next answer--do you think you could do that?
E: Sure, M. [He stands up and the lights begin moving very quickly giving it an old black-and-white film look]
M: What excites you most about this job?
[Eric does the Charlie Chaplin walk in tune with some 1919-type of music and goes over to M and shakes her hand, moves to the left of her and pretends to shake someone else's hand and then over again to pretend to shake someone else's hand. Lights begin popping on above audience member's heads. M calls on one of them.]
Random Audience Member 2: You like meeting lots of different people!
E: [Eric nods] Yes, and there are always new things to learn!
M: Thank you very much both Bob and Eric for coming on my show. [The audience is super excited and clapping and cheering up a storm]. Join us again, next time with M.
*The links to the pictures can be found when clicking on the pictures. They are from my internet image searches and Google Images.
Just as a side note, the people in this are real--just the imagined interviewing circumstance is not real. . . no hamsters--sorry!
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