feminine feminist

Extras

I have had the priviledge of delivering three short lines and featuring in the background of three scenes in what will be an amazing feature film: The Good Man. The whole thing was like entering a mini universe with different characters and languages. Instead of a bus driver, bank teller, lollipop man, there are runners, ADs, a boom guy, make-up artists and delightful chap from the Continuity department who existed solely to fill my pint every time I took a sip during a 'take'.

I had to do more than just sit there. I had to bring a party vibe. I had to flirt (it was DIFFICULT, I was just doing what I was TOLD), I had to ruffle the hair of a rather famous actor, and I had to deliver lines with nonchalant confidence pretending I knew what the hell I was doing. I was acutely aware of hierarchy - I was a lowly extra for goodness sake - but the director and his team wanted to have as little of that as possible and so we were all in the same room between takes, eating the same food and sharing the same air. I didn't notice any Evian or hot towels. The director wanted to build a sense of community which apparently is a rare treat in this type of scenario. The food was good, people were called by name, from the most experienced and expensive crew member to the extras and from chatting to various members of the crew there was a different flavour to the whole experience and that delighted me. The message of the film is incredibly challenging, getting to the hard of what it means to be good and what it means to be human... and creating a community around that makes that message even more special. The work of creating community paid off, and has left me, and others, inspired to pay that creativity forward (until I receive my Oscar for those three lines)...

posted by Feminine Feminist @ 10:10 PM