Years ago I moved from Texas to New York to be an actor. That effort got me work on Saturday Night Live, doing background work on TV shows, and touring the country as a ninja turtle (among others). I ended up leaving all of that for Corporate America, but found my way back to the arts over 15 years ago in numerous capacities. Now in 2023, I thought it might be interesting to see what it’s like doing background work again as an older person who isn’t a young eager actor.
So I did.
(Spoiler alert - I won’t be giving the name of the show I worked on until after it airs.)
As the song goes, you take the good you take the bad…let’s just say there are lots of pros and cons to doing this kind of work in and around NYC.
As a filmmaker, I loved watching the director and the camera team work. Such an interesting dance in working on a multi-camera show. Very impressed with how the director oversees such an enormous shoot. I loved watching how many scenes are happening within the same location…at the same time…all being shot from different angles. So in that respect, I used this endeavor as a tool for my own film work.
As a fan, there is some fun to see characters you love from a favorite binge on set and hanging out with them…sometimes getting into small conversations in the bathroom line or over the craft services table.
Speaking of that, craft services is the food people graze on all day. Not the best way to spend your time. Not the best choices. Better to take your own healthy snacks to set. Plus (depending on the size of the shoot) these lines get very very long.
Chatting with others there, I learned that people do these long 10 hour days for many different reasons. Lots of retired people do it as a way to make a few bucks, get some free food, and socialize with other people. I noticed some of them making plans to hit a bar together after we would wrap for the day.
However, some of that socializing is problematic on set. They beg you to stay quiet in between takes, but when the director says “cut” - it’s almost as if people can’t help but talk. The director in me wishes all would be quiet…especially when you have 100s of people, but I also get people’s “need” to discuss what they felt they just did on that take. Mind you…these background scenes are far away from the main action at times and not important to the plot, but to these performers…it’s an Emmy winning role.
You have all types on set, from camera hogs (those racing to where they believe they’ll get in the scene) to those mentoring newbies by telling them where to look for their next gig. I will admit at times I wanted to help some out by simply telling them you don’t move on ROLLING, you wait until you hear BACKGROUND, but I bit my tongue.
As far as the cons of it all, you feel like cattle being moved around or a tourist on a vacation excursion when bused from holding to set. Non union performers are treated like steerage on the Titanic while union get breaks and food & water (when non union could go hours without being given anything). As a matter of fact, we didn’t even get a proper lunch break…it was easier for them to pay the overtime and not stop the action to feed all these people. When there is food given at the end of the lengthy day, lines are so long and adults act like animals or lord of the flies attacking the table. I just wanted to sign out and run. (For someone living outside the city, tack on your travel and these days can become 14 hour days.) There is also an entire class system happening (see steerage comment above) which extends to how the second second ADs treat the background performers. They are in charge of you on set. They tell you what to do, where to sit, when to speak, when to eat and in doing so…well lets just say power can go to people’s heads. They do a lot of talking to the background performers as children…but I suppose the adults act like kids so the workers treat us as such.
In the end, the director and assistant director can make you feel a real part of what occurred as they thank you for your time. At least that’s how it was where I worked. The entire room feels as if we really helped those scenes in some strange way and in theory: we did. I’m sure every set is different and if you’re dealing with fewer background extras, the feel of the day is probably different as well. Would I do it again? I’m sure I would. (The money made can go towards my Broadway ticket buying addiction.)
Would I make a career out of it?
I don’t see that happening.