Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Interesting life this business. When I first decided to go for this, little did I know what was ahead of me! I remember being terrified on a Ryvita test ad, my first ever job and a walk on / feature at that! - I had to mimic the woman in the advert - but everyone was completely wonderful! Make up sorted, every whim catered for - a runner asking if I needed anything - Fabulous!
After that came my first casting for Barclays Bank. Imagine, if you will, a completely empty room except for a desk and a railing in the middle of the room. I had to imagine that I was being attacked by a bear and hold a pose for 20 seconds. Now I know that sounds easy, but when it' s your first casting & a bit nervous it's amazing how many twitches seem to crop up!! Anyway, it was worth it and I got the job - forever remembered for the huge amounts of a certain hairspray which triggered off a migraine & not one person on set or from security had a pain killer....so I mainly remember it for throwing up in copious amounts once home.
It all went pretty quiet after that although of course, I did appear in the odd play or two but I digress, this is a blog about life as an extra. This year has gone just a little mad and I'm about to take on my 14th job this year. I have met some wonderful people, who I am still in contact with and some awful bitches - especially when it comes to outfits! There was I wearing my River Island suit when "Oh, I suppose you've gone for the casual look" which was said sneeringly from a young girl wearing her best Primark! However, I have found those sort of people to be, thankfully, very rare. Anyway, I had the last laugh as it was very quickly realised that she couldn't actually act, so she went to the back whilst I was given a close up :) I am now, very used to being the oldest on set but as I'm not over the 50 mark just yet, I still find it peculiar how make up artists talk to me as if I'm 92 or older! Is this something they learn in make up school?
I now try to avoid them by making myself up at home and have never yet had to remove it. However usually the hair has to be 'fluffed' and fluff they do until I look more like a 1960's version!