Rule #13 –Push the limits of your comfort zone
It occurred to me that I’ve been summarily absent from the
blogosphere for quite a while. Since January… mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima
culpa! But there’s a very good reason why. I’ve spent the past six months doing
first person research. Yes, six whole months of pushing myself so far outside
my personal comfort zone… I don’t even recognize me. Scary? You bet! Fun? Would
I be writing about it if it wasn’t?
It all started last summer with a dare – sort of. My bestie
challenged me to join her at an open casting call in Annapolis. Hmmmm, said I…
Very interesting thought. But, for some reason, I couldn’t go to the call. But
the casting agency wanted anyone and everyone to set up a profile on their
website and get into their database. I did it. And what did I learn from that
part of the experience? I stink at taking selfies. Enough said about that.
But that database and a forwarded email from my bestie led
the two of us to Hopkins - Homewood Campus on the hottest day so far that
summer to be extras in a “political drama filmed in Baltimore”. Yes, we knew the show. And that was the day
we had to pretend we were New Hampshire primary voters, in the dead of winter,
so we could greet the Presidential candidate.
Off we went at 7 am to drive through rush hour traffic. We
got to the assigned parking garage with no problem. Once there, we queued up
with about 300 of our soon-to-be-closest friends to take shuttles to the
staging area. At least at the staging area, it was air conditioned.
Once set up in the staging area, the crew schooled us in
background actor etiquette and checked our wardrobe pieces. The colors would
determine if we would make camera or just be filler. We also had to look like
we were out in the cold, so we needed to be bundled up. Did I mention that this
was actually the hottest day of the summer so far?
We all checked make-up and got our clothing pieces together.
Then we were shuttled to the set. Outside Homewood Field we were grouped by
wardrobe. We ended up waiting about a half hour while the camera crew finished
a shot inside. Then it was time. All of us background actors got placed where
they wanted us to be. We were told what the shot was supposed to be. We were
given direction as to how to react. We were rearranged in the shot like flowers
in a vase.
Then the director himself came out. He thanked us all for
our work, since we had been at this for a few hours already. Everyone had their
marks. The main character of the scene made his entrance and did what he was
supposed to do as a Presidential candidate – work the crowd. There were several
rehearsals of the scene. Then the crew did some technical maneuvering and we
rehearsed and shot several more takes. Then we were done with that scene.
The group of us gathered outside the stadium where the
background crew grouped us again. At least for this scene, we could take off
the winter gear. We stood there, chugging water like crazy, and many of our lot
were dismissed for the day. I got to go with two others over to the trainers’
offices for another scene. But, alas, I didn’t make the final cut… why? I had
white on in a spot where it would reflect the light. Who knew?
Sounds like an uncomfortable day, doesn’t it? Weather wise,
yes. Excitement wise, no! A lot of great experiences came from this day. I
learned a lot about television production from watching how the lighting was
used with the natural background. It was fascinating to watch the changes that
one shade or blocked window could make in the look of a scene. One part of my
bucket list was checked off – the one about being an extra in a movie or TV show.
In my quest to learn more about life, this experience taught
me quite a lot. I saw how series shows are filmed in bits and pieces. I learned
who has the power on the set – the real persons that are in charge. I learned
background actor etiquette and pecking order. I learned that crazy and
mismatched wardrobe sells on television. I learned there is a perceived age
bias in shows… meaning you can’t look like you are over a “certain” age with
hair color or wrinkles. The size bias is real too, but going away in some
instances. The knowledge that your day’s work could end up on someone’s cutting
room floor is humbling too. It is what it is, in TV.
The day wasn’t a downer at all. I did spend the day with my
bestie having fun. I did see Kevin Spacey work close up. I did get “the bug”,
so to speak. And I met a friend who is active in community theater near me. Not
bad, if you ask me.
So if you are watching “House of Cards”, season 4, episode 1
on Netflix, look for me in the scene where Presidential candidate Underwood is
shaking hands in New Hampshire. I am the small white hat in the lower left-hand
corner of the long shot for a millisecond. My bestie is up close shaking hands
with the candidate.
And we both went on to community theater work with my
friend.
More on that later….
