Not My Stepping Stone

My background acting career grew from my decades-long love of film and television. I grew up losing myself in the silver screen and I wanted to be part of the magic. The late Robert Altman gave me my first job in the biz, working with Glenda Jackson and Carol Burnett on the ill-fated HEALTH.  I was hooked.  After working as an extra on 45 feature films back East, I moved to LA in 1998 and created a blog to help beginning background actors get started and to encourage experienced extras to treat our profession with respect.Background actors have a unique, tangible connection to the film and television industry. We’re insiders, right there on set with director, crew, and cast, professionals all. We should strive to be as professional as the others with whom we’re working.

I believe background acting is a worthwhile profession, not just a stepping stone on the road to super stardom. Like many others, I am proud to be in the background. Background Acting can be more than a means to an end and it’s an honorable profession that started back when movies began. There are those who believe the only conceivable reason one would choose to be a background actor is to claw one’s way up the ladder into being a “real actor.” However, others here in Los Angeles have chosen professional background acting as a career, not just as a stepping stone to fame. We actually enjoy our work for its own sake and we thrive in an environment that brings no fame but much satisfaction. 

Some actors say background work is not “acting.”Actually, when you’re doing it right, background acting is an extremely specialized form of acting that not everyone can learn. It is full of nuance and sense memory and attitude without the benefit of speech, focus or close-up.

Think of the advantages of a career as a professional background actor:

• You are on set and on screen and you’re part of the skilled team that makes the product.
• You are paid, fed and respected.
• No professional head shots needed.
• No reel necessary.
• You do not need to learn lines, pay a manager or agent or take expensive classes.
• The success of the production does not rest on your shoulders.
• You don’t need to participate in publicity photo shoots, promotions or red carpet events.
• You don’t get bad reviews, dodge paparazzi or have your every move analyzed by idiots.
• You don’t spend years clawing your way to the top where others strive to bring you down.

These days, I work more television than feature films, probably because I have aged into the less popular age range of 55-65 instead of “18 to look 12.” But, I still love the work.

Last summer, I did 14 hours on an episode of Hawthorne (TNT) for 3 seconds of screen time.  In the fall, I worked 5 hours at Studio 22 on the Warner Brothers lot doing a Cold Case and ended up on screen for 10 seconds in what we extras pray for; a “star walk.” That’s when one of the stars walks by you toward the camera. It meant I was on screen in the center of the frame through his entire walk, before and after he passed me.

I am so in love with what I do that I worked two days with 450 other extras on a stockholders meeting episode of The Office (NBC) and wasn’t seen at all but still loved the experience. I worked an episode of Sons of Anarchy (FX) last summer that involved walking back and forth on a street in Tjunga for six hours and came home smiling from the experience. (Partially because of Craig Duda, who was working as the extras wrangler on that particular shoot. Funny, funny guy.)

But, bottom line, I love being part of the entire tapestry. There are the unexpected highs (thought the Raising the Bar (TNT) wrangler hated me because she put me in the camera right corner of the court room only to discover I am directly behind the defendant when she is found guility, giving me six seconds of face time at a dramatic moment) and lows (signed for an independent feature and drove to Malibu only to be required to climb down and back up a 100-foot cliff to shoot a scene. Got so sick from the exertion, I had to bail on the shoot, which I never do.) However, I still love what I do.

I believe in treating background acting as a reputable profession and sharing the skills and attitude necessary to be good at it. I chose to be a background actor and I love what I do. Background acting is not my stepping stone; it is my raison d’être..