Being In The Background
Willing to Play Second or Thirty-Second Fiddle
Hello! I’d love your help with something! I’d like to start doing more concerts, in particular, in the corporate/non-profit world, as a “musical keynote speaker.” What do you think of this:
Live Music. Powerful Stories. A Keynote People Actually Remember.
Do you know anybody who could help me? email me!
As part of my crazy creative life, I get to do lots of different kinds of things like wear funny mascot costumes, act outrageous in a commercial or music video. I’ve also spent a lot of time playing fake dad to fake wives and cute-as-pie fake kids—the ideal TV family.
One day my acting agent called about a shampoo commercial that was going to star a popular country singer, so I accepted the offer to be an extra on the set. To be honest, I really didn’t want to meet her. I didn’t want to fight my way through the publicists, personal trainers, bodyguards, groupies, and grips just to say hello to someone who probably already has received enough attention to last her several lifetimes.
I found the back staircase and made my way up to a holding room on the third floor. Yes, that’s what they call the place where they “hold” all the extras until they are needed on the set.
What’s an extra? They are the nameless, sometimes out-of-focus, bodies who fill the role of “background people” in the filming of a TV show, film, music video, or commercial. Legally, you can’t film just anybody without getting his or her permission first. Local talent agencies have people in their files who are willing to take a day off of work and hang out in the holding room for several hours, for even fewer dollars, just to fill in the blanks of a shoot. Extras do things like walking behind actors in street scenes, or sitting in a restaurant eating quietly—really nothing too exciting. (For example: I got to “eat dinner” behind Phoebe Cates in the classic flick, “Drop Dead Fred”—hopefully this won’t be my claim to fame.)
The mood was light when I arrived for this particular commercial. As I walked into the room, there was a table on the left where paperwork was being filled out by the extras, and then another table where photos of each person were taken and placed into the casting agent’s files. From there, the extras aimed for the most comfortable place to position themselves for the long haul. I’m fascinated at how these strangers so quickly formed their chairs into circles and began the “holding” process.
This process includes a lot of sitting, and a lot of waiting. And nobody’s really sure what they’re waiting for. They know that they are needed to be in a commercial, but to what extent, they have no idea.
(I’ve actually worked as an extra and never once saw a camera or the set. Sometimes you’re there “just in case.”)
I found out that we were all going to be a “fake” audience for a quick clip of a staged performance by the country singer. I’m sure she’ll be lit beautifully, and someone will have worked on her hair until it’s messed up just right. But for the extras, I bet that we’ll be crowded together and told to clap and cheer on command, so the camera can capture our unleashed enthusiasm with just the right amount of spontaneity.
As I wandered throughout the room, conversations focused on movies recently seen, all the way to what “real jobs” they hold. Some bragged about their extensive “extra” experience, some read, and some slept. But, we all waited.
These extras taught me a lesson. That the value of a position is not dependent upon how much attention you get. It didn’t matter to any of these people that they might be sitting for 5-10 hours—just to be in one quick shot that had most of them out-of-focus anyway. There was a need for them to be there, and they stepped up to the plate and gave of themselves.
Our assignment that day had nothing to do with being a star. It had everything to do with being small, and staying in the background. Even though I do appreciate the opportunity to be the person starring in a commercial, the one being filmed on stage, the humility of playing second (or thirty-second) fiddle sounds like something I need to continually sign up for.
While you’re on your own journey, seek out opportunities where you can play second fiddle, and provide beautiful harmony behind someone else’s melody.
It’s been just over a year since I made this music video in my bathroom. Have you seen it? Stream any of my songs on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and Pandora!
Don't sell Fred short. The Rotten Tomatoes audience score is 77%. And Carrie Fisher was in that one. One time a director had me expel an extra from a set. Funny how we have bookend production pieces this week!