Diary of a Background Thespian

I started doing background work back in NYC many many years ago. I was starting to take acting lessons and wanted, no, yearned to be on a set. I was told by an agent to start with background work. It would give me a sense of what goes on during the making of a movie or TV show. I'd learn some technical things as well as get used to being in front of a camera, even if I'd only be in the background. Bottom line, as an actor, you have to develop listening skills as well as learn about camera angles, eye lines, etc. It's a great beginners classroom, the world of background acting. So I took the advise and I started working background. Since NYC, I've done it off and on here in LA. Lately, (thanks to our magnificent economy and the dried up commercial landscape, GRRRRR!) I've gone back to doing it on a regular basis again. At first I was resistant, almost militant about returning to the background. I had a very successful commercial career as a principal actor for se

I’d like to start this blog entry today with a clarification.  I’m NOT an EXTRA! WE are not EXTRAS! Please refrain from ever referring to us as such. Thank you. As you can tell, this is a touchy subject with some of us. Don’t get me wrong. I’m fully aware that the term “extra” is often used to describe background talent. In fact, Ricky Gervais produced a very funny and successful HBO series about background talent; the name of the show, EXTRAS .  However, let me take this opportunity to set the record straight. No matter what anyone tells you, we are NOT EXTRAS. The word extra connotes something superfluous, unnecessary really, just there as an addition.  We are not superfluous. We are not extra baggage or extra actors on a set. We are absolutely necessary and in fact, in some cases, we are THE essential ingredient that makes a scene work.  Can you image for example, the movie TITANIC , without the hundreds of background actors floating in the water screaming for their l

The best part of being a Background Actor is that you get to be so many different characters. One day you can be a nurse, get to wear scrubs and play with a stethoscope. The next day you can be a police officer, wear the uniform, get a prop gun, handcuffs, baton, the works! Or the next day you can simply be a regular Joe Schmo walking down the street with your jeans, iPod and cellphone as Tom Cruise or George Clooney runs down the street past you chasing a bad guy...not that I've ever been on the street when George Clooney is running but I'm sure some lucky BGA has! The closest I've been to The G man was when he was stopped at a light on his motocycle and I was in a car next to him. I was admiring his bike when I looked up and saw it was George Clooney. Ladies, he IS as good looking in person as he is on screen. Sorry guys, I just had to throw that in there. Anyway, I've been a nurse (several times), a teacher, a detective, and even a Wall Street executive. For that c