05.29.07

Let’s do this thing

Posted in Uncategorized, The business of living at 4:18 pm by Athena

Sunday I spent the day as an extra on the set of DIY.  This is the second time I’ve worked as an extra and I had a blast.  When I showed up I expected to sit in a corner and read most of the time but I was actually so enthralled by the goings on that I lingered on the fringes the whole day. 

Some people hate being extras.  Many of my other actor friends despise it but consider it a necessary evil of practice, networking and paying dues – whatever that is supposed to mean.

I think it’s an adventure, and it just so happens that this last one was so much fun, I didn’t really want to leave – but I didn’t want to be one of those irritating loitering groupies.  Okay, that’s a lie, I really did want to be an irritating loitering groupie – but to tell the truth I was worried I might freak them out and they’d call the police on me for refusing to let go of the camera.

The last time I was an extra, I worked in the set of Spiral for two night shoots back to back while working my full time job at the firm. I’d get off work at 4pm and be on set at 4:30 where we shot until 4am and I ran home slept for two hours and got up to go back to work where I got off at 4pm was on set by 4:30 and shot till 4am ran home slept for two hours then got up and ran to the airport to go to Utah for Christmas break. Whew.

That first night we shot a sequence in the rain and I had to walk past the oncoming talent in the downpour several times, go inside dry off and warm up then go back out and do it again.  We did this four or five times.

Someone said to me, “Suffering for the sake of art.”

No. Not really.  I did it because it was fun for me.  I wouldn’t have bothered if it wasn’t fun – I’d have just gone home and gone to bed.  Atmosphere makes all the difference and it was a great atmosphere as well as a great mini adventure and although I was ridiculously loopy at the airport from sleep deprivation, I was bummed that the movie wrapped and I wouldn’t be able to go back and do it again.

On Sunday when I sat on the set of DIY I found myself yet again in a great atmosphere.  They had food and laughter and a great Director named Jeff and a bunch of people who really wanted to be there.  You can’t ask for more than hanging out with people who love what they’re doing. 

I’ve heard horror stories of people who get treated badly as an extra, but my two experiences thus far have been great.  It’s long hours for no pay, but you get to talk to people from all walks of life (on Spiral I hung out and played cards with a group of college kids and on DIY I hung out and talked with a transient who came in for the day because there was food), it’s great people watching as well as getting a better idea of set etiquette and the terminology of movie making and yes, let’s not forget you get to be in a story, a real movie. How cool is that?

The most powerful thing about being there on Sunday, was that it was great internal validation for what I want to do with my life.  I was happy there. Really happy!  Despite people grumbling around me or people shifting because they were tired of standing, or complaining that they wanted to go home – I couldn’t stop grinning (which caused the Director to tell me I needed to look more irritated for the camera in one particular scene) but I couldn’t help it, I was just having so much fun I couldn’t stop smiling. 

This, in and of itself was a fabulous revelation to me – that by making the statement that I want to be an actress and a writer – I’m on the right track.  It makes me happy, so it’s what I should be doing. No more excuses.

Let’s do this thing.

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