I’ve previously written about the importance of learning to tell which professional opportunities will benefit your career and cleared up some (regretfully) popular misconceptions about background work.
I don’t want to dismiss background work altogether, however. It does have its benefits. I recommend to all new actors that they have at least three background experiences:
Once on a feature film set (a real feature, not a student film or shoestring indie film)
Once on a primetime television set
Once on a daytime television set
I recommend this because unless you’ve ever been on a real set you have no idea what it’s like. Trust me on this. It’s not like you see in the movies or on television. And the kinds of sets that I described above are all different—just because you’ve been on one doesn’t mean you know what the others are about.
Why is this important? Because someday you are going to finally earn a speaking role on one or all of these kinds of projects. When that happy day finally arrives you do not want it to be the very first time you’ve stepped onto that kind of set! Shooting sets are high-stress environments. If you know what to expect you will be better prepared and less susceptible to unpleasant surprises that will interfere with your ability to be on your game and deliver your best work. If you’re caught off-guard and get distracted and can’t deliver the goods I can promise you that you’ll never be invited back. Don’t be that guy!
Once you have worked a day of background on each of the aforementioned types of project you need never do background again unless, of course, you like it.
Next week: final thoughts on background work.