Covered in a layer of skin colored make-up and more powder than at the bottom of Paris Hilton's purse, I was finally released from the make-up chair and sent down the backstage hallway to an empty dressing room for the extra's to wait in. At this point I was still unclear what I was going to be doing exactly and who I would be doing it with, when the 2nd A.D. entered the room and handed me three pages of the script.
"That's the scene you're in. You have no lines but read it anyway so you're familiar with the sequence when we bring you out to rehearse the scene," she said and left the room.
I flipped through the pages and saw that my character (if you can call it that) was briefly mentioned as standing next to music producer called Simon. Seemed simple enough so I quickly tossed the pages aside and wandered the halls. I passed through the main hall again and noticed that the names on the doors weren't of the actors but of the character's they played. Third door down from mine was marked as the room for "SIMON".
Just as I wondered what actor I would be working with the door to the dressing room opened and there in all his silver-haired glory was ALAN FUCKING THICKE a.k.a. Dr. Jason Seaver. This is a guy that I practically grew up with. My family and I never missed an episode of "Growing Pains" and on many occasions I measured my own father's advice and reactions against what I consider to be one of the finest fictional patriarchs of all time.
"Hey there," he said with an unmistakable I could've picked out of a crowd of cheering fans.
"Oh wow. Mr. Thicke! Hi, I'm Shawn. We're working together today," I tried to say confidently.
He shook my hand firmly and patted me on the back, "looking forward to it buddy," and then he walked into the make-up room to prepare for you scene.
About an hour later we all met on the set to rehearse the scene. Basically I'm pretending to work on a computer and Alan Thicke is pretending to work a mixing board while a band in the other room pretends to play the end of a song. Thicke tells the band they suck and throws them out right as the main characters of the show enter the studio and beg him to listen to their music and represent their band. At one point Thicke is supposed to cross away from the main characters over to where I am so that they can talk amongst themselves, he then walks back to them has a few more lines and the scene ends.
They rehearsed the scene about fifty times. I stood in the background looking busy and then when Alan Thicke walks over to me I pretend to be showing him the "work" I had done on my computer monitor. Like any generous actor, Alan would mime looking at what I was showing him and commenting on the song I was supposed to be editing.
One time towards the end of the rehearsal he crossed back to me and we had the following exchange:
(Alan walks upstage and looks at the monitor Shawn pretends to work on. He leans in close to Shawn's ear and whispers.)
ALAN: The prop guys gave you a real computer to play with?
SHAWN: Yup. I have no idea what any of this stuff does.
ALAN: You know I have a son who is really into music. He know how to operate all this equipment.
SHAWN: .........you mean Robin Thicke? Like the famous R and B singer?
ALAN: Have you heard of him?
SHAWN: Didn't he get a Grammy nomination?
ALAN: He can even work the big mixing board. Know what all those knobs and buttons do.
(Alan hears his cue, nods to me and walks back to the scene.)
It was an amazingly fun day. It also helped me realize that although acting is fun and certainly was a passion of mine when I was younger, my true love is to write. I sat on that set watching enviously as the producers, writers and assistants sat around the monitors, rewrote scenes on the fly and enjoyed the instant gratification of hearing a live studio audience laugh at their jokes. Someday I'll be there. Someday soon.
The capper of this first day was that I was asked to return to the show and film another episode. My character still doesn't have any lines but that doesn't matter to me. I've had every shit job you can imagine and would gladly quit any of them to play even the smartest part in a film or TV production, in front of or behind the camera. The day is relaxed, fun, the people are nice and you get free food and all the coffee you can drink. What's not to love?
-FIN-
NEXT: SHORTER POSTS!!!! (now with 100% more comedy and 50% less subliminal messages...)
Showing posts with label acting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label acting. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
"You Better Get in the Chair" or Shawn Gets Extra Work on a TV Show (Part 1)
When I first moved to L.A. (without a place to live, any money or a job) one of my first orders of business was to go over to Central Casting and add my name to the sea of wannabe actors hoping to get some easy work as a Background Actor. Central Casting is one of the largest Background Casting agencies in L.A. and every week hundreds of actors and actresses turn in their resumes and head-shots, hoping to make some extra money by standing around in the background of a movie or TV show helping to populate the fictional world. It is a thankless job and frustrating for most career actors because you get no lines, no respect and are generally treated like cattle.
I don't want to be an actor. I don't look as background work as beneath me. I see it as an opportunity to get paid while standing around on a movie/TV set, which is infinitely better than working in a gas station, McDonald's or some other boring day-job. That's why I felt no pressure the day I went to Central, handed in my head-shot, resume (with NO film or TV credits) and processing fee (everything costs money here, even trying to get work costs money). I also felt no pressure when I NEVER HEARD A WORD FROM CENTRAL over the next 9 months. In fairness, if you're serious about background acting you can't just turn in your head-shot and walk away. You have to call their hotline everyday and submit yourself for as many roles as you think you'd be good for if you REALLY want to get the work. I never did any of that which is why I never got work and ultimately forgot I was even in their system...until they called me a few weeks ago.
My phone rang. I answered and hear, "Hi, can I speak to Shawn DePasquale please?"
"This is him," I say.
"Hi Shawn this is Jessie over at Central and I'm just wondering if you would be available for Monday and Tuesday of next week," comes the kind voice over the phone.
Now, at the time I was working a job I LOATHED, so even though I actually wasn't free and still didn't really know what this call was about I still said, "Sure."
In retrospect I realize this was stupid. I really didn't know what I was being asked to do, didn't even realize "central" was "Central Casting", but I figured at the time anything had to be better than what I was currently doing, so I inquired further, "What's this for exactly?"
"The show is called I'm In The Band. It's a Disney show. Tapes in front of a live audience. They need you to play the part of a music studio technician. Two days work," he said and then went on to explain the details.
When I hung up the phone I immediately called my current boss to tell him something important had come up and I wouldn't be in the following week for two days. I then went to the closet where I keep my head-shots and double-checked what I looked like in them to make sure I hadn't changed anything since taking the pictures. Luckily I had been growing my beard back for the past month because I am fully bearded in the head-shots and that's certainly the reason they picked me.
The following Monday I arrived at the studio, parked, walked to the gate, got my pass and heading towards Stage 10 where they shoot the show. Along the walk I passed signs for other Disney shows that I was familiar with but had never seen (Suite Life of Zack and Cody!) and finally arrived at Stage 10, sweatier than I wanted to be but still excited for the day.
The studio (and as I've grown to learn, MOST studios) was surprisingly relaxed with their security once you get in the front gate. After I had my lot pass no one looked twice at me or stopped me from walking anywhere. When I finally arrived at Stage 10 I just sort of wandered inside and started to look around at the sets built for the show. The first one I saw was the recording studio where I would later film my scene. It was impressively detailed, complete with a WORKING soundboard, computer with sound mixing software and a separate room for the band complete with large Plexiglas window between the two rooms.
I continued to wander through the sets; past a garage and the full living room/kitchen set that stands in as the main character's house until I reached the end of the stage where a full breakfast buffet had been set up by craft services. It was here that I was finally greeted by another person, the show's 2nd Assistant Director, who introduced herself to me, welcomed me to have as much food as I wanted and then instructed me to sit in the bleachers (where the studio audience would sit that night) until I was called for.
As I loaded my plate with eggs, potatoes, the best bacon I've ever had in my life and a few silver-dollar pancakes, I tried to contain my excitement which was growing in pace with the mountain of food on my Styrofoam plate.On the outside I was just another Extra, happily eating and waiting for my day to begin. Inside I was an overly giddy man-child, thankful this was my job for two days but already depressed that I would have to go back to my REAL job later that week.
A large portion of the rest of the day was spent sitting in the bleachers watching them pre-record several of the scenes that the studio audience would watch while they set up the scenes they shoot live. I broke up this time with several more trips to the craft services area (THEY HAD A SMOOTHIE MACHINE!!!) and a few walks around the studio lot. Finally the 2nd A.D. wrangled myself and the few other actors there who were playing background roles and brought us backstage to get approval by the show's make-up and hair people.
We went through two sets of doors adjacent to the stage and were led into a large hallway lined with the stars dressing rooms. Loud music blasted from behind each of the doors, creating a cacophony of noise in the hall. The A.D. stopped us at the only open door in the hallway which led into the hair/make-up room.
"I got the extra's here. Can you take a look at hair and make-up?"
The hairdresser stopped what she was doing, glanced up at me and said, "Hair's fine."
The make-up lady stopped what she was doing, glanced up at me, made a face like someone who bit into an onion and said, "Um....you better take a seat."
To be continued.....
NEXT: MAKE UP! LIGHTS! ALAN THICKE!
I don't want to be an actor. I don't look as background work as beneath me. I see it as an opportunity to get paid while standing around on a movie/TV set, which is infinitely better than working in a gas station, McDonald's or some other boring day-job. That's why I felt no pressure the day I went to Central, handed in my head-shot, resume (with NO film or TV credits) and processing fee (everything costs money here, even trying to get work costs money). I also felt no pressure when I NEVER HEARD A WORD FROM CENTRAL over the next 9 months. In fairness, if you're serious about background acting you can't just turn in your head-shot and walk away. You have to call their hotline everyday and submit yourself for as many roles as you think you'd be good for if you REALLY want to get the work. I never did any of that which is why I never got work and ultimately forgot I was even in their system...until they called me a few weeks ago.
My phone rang. I answered and hear, "Hi, can I speak to Shawn DePasquale please?"
"This is him," I say.
"Hi Shawn this is Jessie over at Central and I'm just wondering if you would be available for Monday and Tuesday of next week," comes the kind voice over the phone.
Now, at the time I was working a job I LOATHED, so even though I actually wasn't free and still didn't really know what this call was about I still said, "Sure."
In retrospect I realize this was stupid. I really didn't know what I was being asked to do, didn't even realize "central" was "Central Casting", but I figured at the time anything had to be better than what I was currently doing, so I inquired further, "What's this for exactly?"
"The show is called I'm In The Band. It's a Disney show. Tapes in front of a live audience. They need you to play the part of a music studio technician. Two days work," he said and then went on to explain the details.
When I hung up the phone I immediately called my current boss to tell him something important had come up and I wouldn't be in the following week for two days. I then went to the closet where I keep my head-shots and double-checked what I looked like in them to make sure I hadn't changed anything since taking the pictures. Luckily I had been growing my beard back for the past month because I am fully bearded in the head-shots and that's certainly the reason they picked me.
The following Monday I arrived at the studio, parked, walked to the gate, got my pass and heading towards Stage 10 where they shoot the show. Along the walk I passed signs for other Disney shows that I was familiar with but had never seen (Suite Life of Zack and Cody!) and finally arrived at Stage 10, sweatier than I wanted to be but still excited for the day.
The studio (and as I've grown to learn, MOST studios) was surprisingly relaxed with their security once you get in the front gate. After I had my lot pass no one looked twice at me or stopped me from walking anywhere. When I finally arrived at Stage 10 I just sort of wandered inside and started to look around at the sets built for the show. The first one I saw was the recording studio where I would later film my scene. It was impressively detailed, complete with a WORKING soundboard, computer with sound mixing software and a separate room for the band complete with large Plexiglas window between the two rooms.
I continued to wander through the sets; past a garage and the full living room/kitchen set that stands in as the main character's house until I reached the end of the stage where a full breakfast buffet had been set up by craft services. It was here that I was finally greeted by another person, the show's 2nd Assistant Director, who introduced herself to me, welcomed me to have as much food as I wanted and then instructed me to sit in the bleachers (where the studio audience would sit that night) until I was called for.
As I loaded my plate with eggs, potatoes, the best bacon I've ever had in my life and a few silver-dollar pancakes, I tried to contain my excitement which was growing in pace with the mountain of food on my Styrofoam plate.On the outside I was just another Extra, happily eating and waiting for my day to begin. Inside I was an overly giddy man-child, thankful this was my job for two days but already depressed that I would have to go back to my REAL job later that week.
A large portion of the rest of the day was spent sitting in the bleachers watching them pre-record several of the scenes that the studio audience would watch while they set up the scenes they shoot live. I broke up this time with several more trips to the craft services area (THEY HAD A SMOOTHIE MACHINE!!!) and a few walks around the studio lot. Finally the 2nd A.D. wrangled myself and the few other actors there who were playing background roles and brought us backstage to get approval by the show's make-up and hair people.
We went through two sets of doors adjacent to the stage and were led into a large hallway lined with the stars dressing rooms. Loud music blasted from behind each of the doors, creating a cacophony of noise in the hall. The A.D. stopped us at the only open door in the hallway which led into the hair/make-up room.
"I got the extra's here. Can you take a look at hair and make-up?"
The hairdresser stopped what she was doing, glanced up at me and said, "Hair's fine."
The make-up lady stopped what she was doing, glanced up at me, made a face like someone who bit into an onion and said, "Um....you better take a seat."
To be continued.....
NEXT: MAKE UP! LIGHTS! ALAN THICKE!
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