What I Learned From My Experience as a TV Background Actor

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What I Learned From My Experience as a TV Background Actor

With all of the Normal People hype around the country and beyond in recent weeks, dropping the fact that I was ‘technically’ in the show into conversations has been a fun exercise in subtle flexing. While I didn’t get to rub shoulders with Connell and Marianne (although I was in close proximity to Gareth, played by Sebastian de Souza, at one point), my experience as a TV extra was an exciting side-quest during my summer last year, and one I’d definitely recommend once large crowds can gather again. The application process was quite straightforward, and a very spur-of-the-moment decision on my part. I happened to see an advertisement looking for Trinity students on Facebook one day, and having never even heard of the book before, filled out a form and hoped for the best. When I was asked to submit a headshot, no doubt intended to be a professional photo with a muted background, I simply attached my pixelated profile picture taken in a crowded museum the previous year. Despite my less-than-stellar application, I was accepted, so if a lack of experience and expertise in the industry is holding you back, let this be a lesson that they will more than likely accept anyone that applies. However, the one stipulation in getting involved in a project like this is that you must be available at very short notice, and for an extended period of time. Luckily for me, I was hopelessly unemployed, so this wasn’t a problem. Upon arriving on set, I was struck by the level of attention to detail that went into preparing the extras for filming. For such a relatively insignificant group of people, we were given the star treatment; braids, gold eyeliner, purple eyeshadow (not all on the same person- that might have been overkill); the works. These touches would more than likely never be picked up by the camera’s lens, but on the off chance that they were, we were camera-ready, fully-realised individuals. Once hair and makeup was complete, it was on to wardrobe. We were each asked to bring an array of clothes suitable for the occasion. You would think we, as Trinity students from various courses, would know what a typical Trinity student would wear - but we were wrong. As we were lined up in our finest waiting to be critiqued, the whole process began to feel like an amateur version of Project Runway. The majority of people underwent several costume changes before their looks were locked in, with some even being forced to resort to swapping clothes with a fellow extra. I was one of the last in the queue for approval, and after hearing many others getting ‘read to filth,’ as RuPaul would say, I was happy just receiving a few minor tweaks. With cardigans and jackets in tow to help change up our looks for each new scene, we set off from the extra’s base camp in the Atrium to set, or in this case, the Arts Block.

Before we began, yet another layer of detail was added; accessories. Necklaces, earrings and even rings were handed out to complete the illusion of an eclectic group of college students with their own unique styles. I was given a clear pair of glasses after being told they really suited me, which was rather ironic, as I normally wear prescription ones, but didn’t think they were fashionable enough for television. Clearly, the costume department had a keen eye for this sort of thing.

Our group mainly served as filler in the lecture halls, filing in and out repeatedly to accommodate multiple takes of tiny scenes of characters chatting post-lecture, and establishing shots of them attending class. This was such a time-consuming process for the cast and crew - all for about 30 seconds of footage. In between takes I found myself admiring their dedication, and suddenly realised the scale of the effort that goes into producing the content that I watch. I never ceased to be amazed at the scope of the production, as each extra was given their own cues to get up from their seat and move at different paces. It almost made me feel like the protagonist, albeit in my own little story. One of the most fascinating aspects of this experience was getting to witness an acclaimed director like Lenny Abrahamson in action first-hand. Whenever he would walk by, I would remember his previous work with actors I admire like Brie Larson and Michael Fassbender, and become starstruck.

The strong work ethic of the entire cast and crew was clear as they tackled any problems that arose head on, most notably the tourists - the bane of all Trinity inhabitants’ existence. During scenes filmed near the Perch they decided not to block the area from visitors, presumably to keep the natural flow of people intact. The large cameras and frequent cries of ‘action’ did not seem to deter many tourists from walking right into shots, blocking cameras and asking extras what was going on. Assistants on set tried to subtly usher them away while we carried on, but usually the damage was already done. From my point of view, it was an amusing hindrance, but I knew how frustrating it must have been for the crew trying to do their jobs. It made me shudder at the thought of helpless crews trying to film around the public in more crowded areas, like the populous streets of New York, and made me all the more appreciative of the many facets of TV production.

Oddly enough, even though I’m a major film and TV buff, my favourite part of the experience was actually my fellow extras. The many cogs that needed to be in motion to orchestrate any one scene of the show meant that we spent much of our time sitting around awaiting instructions. During this down-time I met a whole host of lovely people, and before long we were sitting together in the fake lecture halls and gathering outside for our fake lunch breaks, inadvertently adding yet another layer of detail and realism to the show. I was a naïve first-timer to the world of background TV work, but during the experience I met some veterans of the craft who fondly recounted their time as extras on Game of Thrones, proudly wearing their tales of hours spent in the freezing cold mud like a badge of honour. It seemed miles away from our relaxed days wandering around our own college and made me want to explore the world of minor TV appearances, the breadth of genres meaning there is no universal extra experience.

These observations may not be news to those of you who are involved in making short films and such, but as a humble lay-person, I found it so interesting to witness the many moving parts that go into a professional TV show, and earn some money along the way. While I didn’t visibly make it onto the big screen, the memories (and the money) were payment enough. Fading into the background is an incredible way to see what goes into making a TV show, so if it’s something you think you would be interested in, I highly recommend keeping an eye on social media for any upcoming opportunities in the future - your breakout starring role may be closer than you think.

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