Feature or not to feature?

Shortly after, I was asked to do a 'Vox Pop". This, apparently, is an informal interview. I would be asked questions in front of a camera - sounded simple enough. I was then asked if I could take on a second job for that day, same place, different director - well, I thought, daft not too! Off I went to Hampton in Middlesex, very lovely place - very Jeremy & Jemima with gated communities. The shoot was in a private house so, I arrived on time (having explored the area for the previous hour, of course), bounced in, saying "Hello" to everyone and was shown to a small, albeit, adequate room where three other girls were waiting. After tea, I was asked to go to the kitchen, don a pinny and demonstrate how to make croissants from a pack of ready pastry. This was such a blast from the past as I had previously made these over 20 years ago! Nothing quite like having warm croissants & coffee in bed on a Sunday. I hasten to add this was B.C. (before children). So there I was, being filmed sipping tea (cold tea at that) and making croissants. Once made, I had to sit on a stool, eat the croissants, be interviewed & filmed at the same time - not an easy task. Sadly, I didn't gel too well with the Director who was asking the questions so answering didn't come automatically. The sad thing was, I got on great with the client so perhaps they should have switched over although I doubt if the director would have been too pleased!
The second half of the job was for a Mexican sauce. The director came into the room and told one girl that she wasn't needed for the afternoon. I had my toes and fingers crossed that I wouldn't be sent the same way as it was a low paid job and the train fare high! Before we started we were given lunch, which was quite unexpected - homemade tomato soup & fresh bread with a cheese board to follow. I think this was the sweetener for what was about to follow. We were handed scripts to be learned within the hour. This wasn't quite what I had agreed to when I took the job. Although I find script learning no problem, the fee didn't in any way reflect the effort of line learning. However, it was to get a whole lot worse...Having learned my lengthy script, one girl said that she needed to leave early so we agreed to swap slots. Unbeknown to me this also meant swapping scripts...When my time came, I went in to the room, rehearsed my lines to camera only to be told,
"We've changed the script. You've got a new one."
I had just five minutes to learn the new one and to be filmed saying said script whilst being filmed serving cannelloni to a young lad playing my son. Fortunately, it all went well & we finally wrapped some time after 6pm. It did teach me something though - always expect the unexpected!

Do It Yourself!

My next job took me to a place near to the O2 centre for a well known D.I.Y store. I was, as usual, far too early ( I am always without exception an hour too early resulting in either lots of walking around the area or reading in the car). Eventually I arrived to meet A.D and have a bite to eat. Breakfast is always one of the highlights of the day - fried, boiled, poached, grilled whatever - they can normally do it for you. Initially, people were quiet towards each other but everyone got to know each other as people were paired off. To my delight, I had the pleasure of being paired up with a Shane Richie look a like & we very quickly discovered we had the same sense of humour resulting in non stop laughter for the rest of the albeit short, day He was very keen to be visible in the commercial so was very chuffed when he found out we were to be a couple choosing bathroom tiles just behind the main actors. I immediatley took on the role of "Wife choosing tiles" & he looked quite shocked when I asked him which tiles he preferred.
"My God, you're really getting in to this!"
We then, spent the rest of the day meandering amongst the plants and wheeling our trolley in and out of the entrance at least twenty times!
When the commercial aired, I did have a slight smirk when I saw that we had been blurred out which of course, started my new name as "Mrs Blur!"

The Stardom Bustop

I often wonder about the youngsters that come in to this game. People of a certain age (well, ok then, my age!) take the job for what it is & actually the more of a 'blur' you create as a Supporting Artist, the better it is. However, many youngsters want the instant stardom. They believe that by being an extra they will be discovered. They won't. Oddly enough, it is usually the people who have never acted that seek the stardom the most. These are people who have never been near a stage, never experienced the highs (& lows) of an acting workshop or have any experience of any acting anywhere. How do they know they want to act unless they have experienced it & been given direction? Furthermore, how do they know if they're any good at it? I've worked hard for the last 21 years, experimenting with different forms of acting, worked with numerous Directors, writers, groups, individuals & learned hundreds of scripts. Learning about Characterization, interacting with the other actors, researching various emotions is essential whether on stage, film or TV. These others, seem to think that they can just stand in the middle of everyone and say "Here I am" and expect someone to  fish them out of the big pond.

Well, anyway, I shall continue plodding along whichever path opens up to me & will leave them standing at the proverbial bus stop to be a professional passenger forever seeking the stardom stop.

I wish them well.

On the buses!

Next, I was asked if I would take a somewhat, low paid Corporate job involving buses & cameras (no comments pleases!). The idea was to film us from all different directions as we became pick pockets or victims, assaulted people, or got unwelcome advances from young men (sadly, I missed out on that one). I was sitting next to the clients representative, unbeknown to the director who proceeded to  ask the client rep. to play a drunk & aggressive passenger. Throwing her hands up in horror she protested saying:
"I am not an actress! I can't act!" and looked toward me beseechingly. From nowhere this confident voice said:
"No problem, I'll do it." I looked round to see where this voice had come from only to see all eyes looking my way. Slowly it dawned on me that actually it was me speaking!
I was dressed in my daughters best Chavvy coat (I  was asked to be a 'chav') so I pulled up my hood, shoved my mock Ugg boots on to the opposite chair then started to be a sleepy,  and very unhappy drunk. I also had to attack the Clients rep as she tried to get  past me. I only had one shot at this so I thought let's just go with it & hope it goes down o.k.
When I finished there was this horrid silence.....before a round of spontaneous applause! Phew!

Having put my toe in the water of "Supporting Artist" (never quite sure whether it should have an e on the end or not), I got a call to be part of a certain detective series for two days. I turned up at this very wet & muddy place somewhere near Broadgate From a very muddy place we were transported to offices to play office workers. Having been pampered for my first two roles, I was suddenly told to sit in this cold & draughty bus. Everybody was eating so I ambled across to where the breakfast was being doled out. I wasn't quite brave enough to stand on the steps of the van to order breakfast - after all, I didn't know what I could have or couldn't have and what if I ordered the wrong thing - if I didn't like it I didn't know where to dispose of it - AAARGH! I opted for the nice and safe fruit salad and a coffee. Of course, I pretended that I knew exactly what was going on. I began talking to a lovely man and his wife who proceeded to take me under their wing(s) for which I will be eternally grateful for. We were 'travelled' to location (no I have no idea why they use that word either but they all do) .This was to be my first time experiencing the "A.D". I think ours was number 3A.D but by the way he acted I believe he thought he was in charge of everything....For the majority of the morning we ran from desks, screaming as a maniac came towards us wielding a gun full of acid. Shoes were flying in all directions, people were disappearing under desks, some were knocked to the floor - and some were stood at the sidelines not being used. We had coffee (I nearly offered to get the main actor a coffee and had to be restrained - well, I didn't know who he was with his ipod firmly glued to his ears, I thought he was one of us.) It was then that things took a turn for the worse. The A.D decided that my time for fun had come to an end. At first he did this by standing just a few inches away from me, whilst choosing people to be on set, and totally ignoring me. In the end I gave up and went and sat by a window and got out a script I needed to learn. Nope, that was wrong as well. He assumed I was sleeping on set! I got told off for that and he didn't want to listen to anything I said. After lunch we were told to go to the right if you'd eaten, left if not. I suddenly felt this hot breath on my neck "And where do you think you're going? " I explained that I'd eaten and was standing on the right. Well, this just seemed to anger him even more! In the end he became so petty that he would actually whisper to people to be on set just so that I would miss my cue. I believe to this day, that he honestly thought I was someone else that had maybe upset him in the past but thats one person that I hope I never bump into again!!

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!

Work

Well, what a fabulous couple of months it's been! Had a couple of good corporate jobs,
a film, 5 days for BBC3, filming next week for BBC1 with a penciled job for the week after.

Met some lovely people both young and old and had some amazing food which was very unexpected - fish kebabs, scampi, salmon, prawns....yes I know it's all fish but as I don't cook fish very often at home, I take great delight if someone is cooking fish for me.

Last week in Hemel Hempstead, I discovered the Magic Roundabout. Two of them in the UK so I'm told. Very confusing when you first start over it and theres an arrow going to the right!!
Tried to get Pink Sat Nav to avoid it but it seemed to take great pleasure in always going over it...

Looking forward to the month of May. Show in June which seems to be coming round just a little too fast for my liking....MUST get round to learning those lines!