That one time I was kinda on a TV show

Some people know this little tidbit about me, but I figured I would share one of my personal beliefs within this update. I am a firm believer (at least with my life) that I have 3 parts:

1. Job
2. Theatre
3. Relationships

Of course, there are more aspects to my life than that, but those are my big 3. Thus far, I have never been successful in all 3 at the same time. With 2? Sure, that happens quite a bit. Never 3. And it's so weird, but it's become a goal of mine to obtain all 3 like Pokemon. I want a job I love, successful theatre gigs, and a healthy (or at least partially) relationship. It's the happiness trifecta!

The reason I bring this up is because I have been at a big goose egg of success for a while now. It was a trying time, especially since it this period occurred during my birthday. Which, by the way, very sobering experience turning another year older with no job (theatre or occupation wise), currently single, and drunk off your ass singing "Don't Rain on My Parade" with a bunch of lovely queens. I keep saying my life is like the most depressing sitcom...anyway, I digress...

Thankfully, things started picking up for me. Not job wise-I've applied to 20 different places with no success. And definitely not relationship wise-I can barely make rice, much less find a mate. Thespis luckily smiled down upon me and blessed my theatre-y life, which, at the end of the day, it's what I moved here to do in the first place. So, while having money and tail might be nice, theatre is truly what provides my fuel to make it through the day. I'm ok with that.

I was offered an extra role on a TV show! One of my favorite TV shows, actually, which made it even more awesome. I was also offered a role in a Christmas show at Stage 773. I get to be the play floozie, which is hilarious to me because this and the other show I'm in that starts in January both have me as the floozie. It reminds me of high school when I always played the prostitute in every show. I guess my legs help.

So, yeah, exciting week! I wanted to update with my new successes and also provide a little journal of what my experience was like as an extra. It was a really interesting and informative experience. I probably have no shot of being seen when the show airs, but it was an experience. And I'm changing the names of stuff just cause. Not because I'm going to badmouth it or anything, but just in case someone goes google crazy. Who knows?

Here we go:

My Extra Day on that one TV show that rhymes with Shameshess

I just happened to see the posting for an extra call on the casting agent's Facebook page. They were shooting all this week and needed extras for 5 different shooting days. I thought, hey, I'm not doing anything, I might as well try! So I sent in all my information, and they got back to me with all the call information and what outfits to bring and the time I had to be there. Which was 6:15.

6 fucking 15 in the morning.

That's really not that bad, but when you have to take the train downtown, it's very time consuming. I had to do the Chicago math equation in my head: "Ok, so I have to be there at 6:15 AM, which means I have to leave the apartment by 5:15 AM, which means if I want to shower and look nice I have to wake up at 4:15AM, which means I need to set my alarm for 3:45AM with 3 times for snoozing."

As some of you know, I am definitely not a morning person, but this time I woke up pretty easily for this since I was so excited. I got ready and headed to the train with my bag of clothes/shoes/stuff to do/etc. And this was the train at 5AM when I got on.

I don't think I've ever been up at 5AM in Chicago sober...

It was crazy empty. And it stayed like that until I got downtown. I think 2 or 3 people got onto my car, but that was it. This was my sleepy face for the hour-long trip it took.

Shit, my hair is really long...

I show up to the sight and even though it's 6:15 AM, the place is bustling. They closed off 4 blocks of street in the downtown area next to some random buildings. I walk through the area and there are trailers and food tables and cameras and boom mikes and everything that you could imagine being at a shoot. I find the extra holding area, and I get the chance to meet some of the other extras. I'm the youngest one there, which was a little bit intimidating. There were about 10 of us total, mostly older actors. I felt like I was in a Reading Rainbow episode with how diversified the group was, which is to be expected, I suppose.

Then they rushed us to the set immediately, where we filmed the first scene of the day. They put us in random spots on the sidewalk and told us to walk this way or walk that way. I got the chance to walk all the way down the sidewalk, which was pretty cool. The scene was an SUV driving down the street to pick up a guy. I didn't realize who the guy was until he walked by me. Then I saw it was the one of the lead characters, Steve/Jimmy played by Shmustin Shmatwin. I'm such a huge fan of the show, so I about peed my pants when I realize it was him. We did the scene like 12 times, and it was surreal having random people walk by and asking me what we are filming. Not them, we. I was a part of it. Albeit small, insignificant part, but a part nonetheless.

This was a bit of the behind the scenes set. It doesn't even represent the amount of cameras and filming equipment that was there. I tried to take pictures on set, but I didn't want to be "that extra", so I tried to be sneaky about it.

Filming interior scenes in the SUV

Director's chair!

Then we went back to the holding room and had some free breakfast. We were chatting, shooting the shit, and then Shmustin Shmatwin walks in and starts talking to us. All I can say is that I went into a daze. I remember him calling William H. Macy "Macy" and that he smelled like a pine forest. It was magical.

We shot 2 more scenes after that. More walking. My character motivation all day could be summed up as "Do do do, I'm walking to work. I'm walking and I...wait...what THE FUCK IS GOING ON?". Basically. The second scene they had the SUV swerve out of an alley and almost run into a car on the street. The third scene was cool because I got picked to be one of a few extras for background. The SUV parked on the sidewalk and Shmustin Shmatwin jumps out, climbs on top, and scales a fire escape on the side of the building. He was such a badass, too, because he did it by himself (even though the stuntman was standing off to the side just in case) and without a wire. Here's a picture of it happening.

Shmustin Shmatwin is boss

Then we were basically done for the day. We were scheduled to stay until 6pm, but they finished early. Thankfully, they let us have lunch, which was almost just as awesome as the shoot itself. This is my first experience with Craft services, so I felt like a middle-aged man at a strip club. The spread was tight! I probably ate my weight in food because I realized I don't know the next time I will eat this nice again. Here's my lunch plate of glory.

I didn't add a picture of my second plate because...well...I'm a lady

All in all, it was a fun experience. I loved being on a big-time filming set to see how everything worked. I've done work in front of a camera before, but this was completely different and professional and not for youtube. It was fascinating watching the actors and the director and all the film crew. I think I told my mom once I was done that it was one of the most humbling and inspirational entertainment experiences I have ever had. I was just a lowly extra on this set and probably the bottom of the cast and crew chain (even below the interns and craft service people). But, being in that environment and seeing the magic happen made me realize that I want to do this again. I want to get a role and do film/TV work. Thankfully, I'm in a wonderful city that has many more chances to do that. Except not with porn. Never with porn.

Fin.