Keeping It Reel: An Actor's Blog

January 30, 2104 I am giving serious thought to begin writing a book called HOW TO BE THE BEST BACKGROUND ACTOR YOU CAN BE.  I worked with two of those guys again last night and it got me thinking.  One of the thoughts I had was that if you are a self-centered jerk working on a television or movie set is not going to change that fact. It's only going to magnify your personality.  You are a background actor. There are rules. Whether you agree with them or not, there are rules. Whether you feel they apply to you is irrelevant . These rules you feel don't apply to you exist for safety reasons and for production reasons. Here are some bullet points which eventually become chapters in my book: ~DON'T WANDER OFF. Stay with the group. A television or movie set is not your playground to explore whenever you are not being used. The P.A.'s, whose job it is to make sure you are assembled and ready to go onto set to work (the reason you are-remember?) don't have t...

January 26, 2014 If you trust in your song Keep your eyes on the goal Then the prize you won't fail That's your grail. That's your grail So be strong. Keep right on To the end of your song. Do not fail. Find your grail. Find your grail. Find your grail. Life is really up to you. You must choose what to pursue. Set your mind on what to find. And there's nothin' you can't do. So keep right to the end. You'll find your goal my friend. Find your grail.  Find your grail.  Find your grail. When your life seems to drift. When we all need a lift Trim your sail. You won't fail.  Find your grail.  Find your grail.  Find your grail. Life is really up to you. You must choose what to pursue.  Set your mind on what to find.  And there's nothin' you can't do. Find your grail. Find your grail. Find your grail. ~Find Your Grail, Spamalot , Eric Idle It would probably not come as a surprise to you I...

Someone once said 'When GOD closes a door he opens a window.'  I'm pretty sure the someone was a PELLA salesman.  PELLA. Viewed to be the best.   One of my doors is closing today.  There are few open windows in front of me. One is being propped up by an old ruler.  Goodbye's are never easy. Some are just sad messy. Quite often they are just awkward and messy. I think Dorothy proved that in The Wizard of Oz when she pretty much told The Tin Man and Lion 'Yeah. Not so much you two.'  Dick.  So here I go, as Tom Petty said, into the great wide open . About to find out how reel it's going to be.  Copyright 2014.  All Rights Reserved. 

January 21, 2104 To SAG or not to SAG.  A question every over 50 Hollywood actress might ask herself when contemplating a little nip and tuck here and there but of course I'm not talking about sagging, I'm talking about SAG.-ing. Being part of The Screen Actors' Guild , that is.  I not over 50 but there will be a time shortly when I will have to make some decisions.  SAG Waiver:   A SAG waiver is a necessary part of joining the Screen Actors Guild. An actor needs  three  waivers for membership. The waivers are provided when producers cannot meet specific requirements for hiring members and non members for background roles. I apparently have two waivers. One for the project I am currently working on, AMC's  Turn and one for Netflix's  House of Cards, which I filmed back in July of 2013. A ll you need is three.  Now I say 'all you need is three' like it's as easy as that.  For me it presents several problems.  For one, ...

January 19, 2014 The next few weeks are going to be an emotional roller coaster ride for me.  There's a lot going on and I'm excited and scared and a little nauseous.  I will continue turning this week. A huge thank you to Arvold Casting (http://arvoldcasting.com/) for the opportunity to work on this most amazing television series. Every day is a learning experience. Seeing how different directors work is an invaluable practical opportunity. It's the best classroom for someone in my position.  I'm watching every aspect of the production, keeping my ears open and taking it all in. Every day is a reminder that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing. My heart races every time I step onto set.  This coming weekend, January 24th and 25th will bring to an end a three and half year run with the Richmond-based improvisational comedy group West End Comedy. ( http://wecomedy.com/) I am proud of what I have accomplished these last three years. I have done my best...

January 19, 2014 "There's magic place that we as actors strive to get to and we don't always get there, but boy when we touch it. It's magic . When you're seeing the character from the inside-out, when you're walking out every day and everything you see, smell and touch and observe is coming through that character and into you and it's making sense and you're the subject. You're the eye. You're first-person seeing it through that character's eyes. That doesn't always happen. But boy when it does, and it feels like they could put a blindfold on you and put you on a spaceship and take you to Neptune and you could hop off on the planet and they better have the sprock control and you get off that spaceship because you are going to behave as your man. That is a glorious feeling!"~Matthew McConaughey,  The 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards That was an excerpt from McConaughey's acceptance speech after he won the award for ...

January 17, 2014 Being a background actor is not a complicated job.  It's simple really. You wear what you are told to wear and stand where you are told to stand.  I don't mean to diminish the craft of being a BGA , especially since I am currently working as one. Being a background actor requires focus and, yes, acting ability. You have to be a great listener and you have to be content with the fact that in the end, after all the post-production magic, you may end up as nothing more than a blurry shape in the background.  When you are a background actor you have no lines to memorize and for the most part you are just pantomiming some simple action. That is to say, in the scheme of things, its a pretty low pressure situation for you. I like to have some subtext for the scene I was cast for so I can create my character. That is to say the physicality of my character. What is my emotion? How do I feel about the principle actors performing in the foreground? What is ...

          Just having some fun while keeping it reel, folks. Copyright 2014 All Rights Reserved

I HAD ANOTHER THOUGHT. Being a background actor on a period piece pretty much means you've turned into a four year old child.  You're told not to fuss with your hair after it's been brushed. You have to be helped into your clothes.  You have to let someone know when you have to go to the bathroom.  You have to struggle with snaps and buttons when you do have to go to the bathroom. You have to stay with the group and don't stray from the group and listen when the hand goes up. You're not offered sugary, caffeinated drinks at lunch or dinner.  If you eat spaghetti they make you wear a bib. ACTING. What a funny business.  Just keeping it reel, folks.  Copyright 2014 All Rights Reserved

It just dawned on me.  I've turned into a thirteen year old girl.  I'm obsessing about my hair.  I'm obsessing about my weight.  I'm constantly checking my phone for emails and texts about dates.  ACTING. What a funny business.  Just keeping it reel, folks.  Copyright 2014 All Rights Reserved

January 14, 2014 It is a rainy cold day here in the fabulous West End of Richmond, Virginia. In other words its a perfect day to sit and do some writing...and laundry...and then there's the Christmas tree that needs to be undecorated...de-baubled? Stripped naked? Any way... I've got some down time. That's the point I'm trying to make here. We've just wrapped on Episode 4 of AMC's TURN. I say 'we' but I mean the production company. I guess in theory I'm part of the production company so.. We've wrapped on  Episode 4 of AMC's TURN And that's all I'm saying about any of that. I've said it before...you will get no spoilers or inside information from this guy.  If you have no idea what I am talking about or do and haven't seen the promotional trailer for Turn, t hen click on the link below. It is brilliant. The show is going to be brilliant.  TURN See! Did I tell you or what? I'm still have to pinch myself...

January 7, 2014 ACTION! "When you're directing an ongoing series, the tone has already been set. So a director will come in and fulfill that tone - reinforce the characters and their behavior. The challenge is to find unique ways that you can visually tell the story while keeping the established tone and the pace and the characters." Bryan Cranston I've been fortunate now to have worked on a variety of projects with a variety of production teams. From short film to episodic television to projects advertised as global television events I have had a variety of experiences as a background actor. One constant is true.  In my honest opinion, if asked who is the most important person on set, I would have to say it all comes down to the director Directors are the captain of the ship. Everything rests on their shoulders. Everything . They are responsible for everyone and everything on that set. More importantly though they are responsible for the idea...the visi...