The Actress
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The Results of the Movie Watching Saga
We really should have started watching the SAG-Award nominations the moment they showed up on our porch. In all reality… we probably should have been watching way more TV shows all year to be able to vote with confidence. But… regardless, we are done. The SAG-Award votes had to be turned in by Friday, January 17th as the awards were being given out Sunday the 19th. We were able to get through so many good films. I decided to only vote for the film categories. There were just so many television series to watch. We attempted to watch a few but after one episode it was difficult to judge someone’s…
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SAG Awards
One fun aspect of being a member of the Screen Actor’s Guild is the fact that we get to vote for the SAG Awards. We started receiving packages in the mail at the end of December. At first I was confused as to what they were. I tend to just take all SAG mail and hand it to Ben to deal with. I don’t pay much attention to it because, for the most part, I am busy with getting paint off of hands, prepping meals, and teaching four children important stuff. Maybe this time I should have paid better attention. Every day we would get more and more letters and…
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Secrecy
Much of being on set is very hush hush. Film makers love surprises. They don’t want everyone to know the movie magic and plans before they hit the theaters and television screens. So, part of my job is being an excellent secret keeper. For example, I was on a set recently for a commercial. It was a Coke/Netflix collaborative effort commercial. I had to sign two intense documents stating that I was not allowed to take photos, talk about the set or even hypothesize on social media or in person etc. This particular commercial had ten hairdressers, ten make-up artists, four costumers (even though everyone had been pre-fit into costumes…
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How Much Is Your Integrity Worth?
Recently on set I ran into someone I recognized. Now… I run into familiar people often. In fact, a common phrase on set is “you look so familiar.” Well… as background performers we all work for the same company and are all on tv frequently, so yes. Familiarity is inevitable. I don’t often remember where I’ve met people. That was not the case with this guy. No… this young man I would have a hard time forgetting. I worked a night call in November. So far my one and only night call. It was a very cold night (for California anyway, no offense to my frozen-snot folk) and we were…
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The Musical
I have so much to catch up on… sigh. Life gets crazy. I can’t fill you in on everything in this post, but I am so excited to tell you about this. I recently auditioned for a musical. Our Stake (church group) is putting on a show. The musical is an original script riddled with beautiful and inspiring well-known songs. As soon as it was announced I was determined to be in it. Jess wanted to be involved in the show as well. Ben’s schedule is so hectic that we figured it best for him not to audition. Okay… here’s the deal. When Ben works he’s often gone from before…
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The Glamorous Background Job
As a background actor, I’ve enjoyed the walking, sitting, reading, eating catered food, and talking to new people that I call “work.” It’s all been quite fun, in fact. Don’t get me wrong, there is a reason we are paid; the job has its downsides. I’ll tell you a few. 1- First off, we do the same thing over and over, like a factory assembly line. Here’s some homework for you. Pick a movie, any movie. As you’re watching pay attention to the camera angles in one scene and count them. I don’t claim to be a camera expert but I do realize that many angles make a great film.…
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Flattery
One of my favorite things about doing background work these last couple months is the social aspect. While we do work plenty, there is also usually a fair amount of time where I get to just sit around and chat with the other background actors. I’ve met some lovely people. And they always make me feel good about myself; I’m constantly being flattered. My favorite part about it, however, is the shock factor. I don’t know why I get such a kick out of it… but I do. Here I am sitting with a group of people my age. We’re usually discussing acting and the jobs we have recently worked.…
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The Short Film
After our hectic drive to Utah and frantic stops along the way, and without even a moment to breathe, we were finally on set. First, to set the stage, so to speak… the “set” was actually a house. And let me just say… I had no idea whose house this was. It belonged to a friend of someone in the cast, and she had arranged for us to be there. And it was gorgeous! Absolutely perfect for the look we wanted. And here we were, the ones in charge, rushing in fifteen minutes late, carrying bundles of food, costumes, props… and children. Have you ever seen those events where people…
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The Producer
Guys… I’m tired. I mean… more than usual. Ben and I decided to produce our own short film. We have been trying to get a film reel but have had not many chances at lead roles without a reel. So… Ben decided to write his own scripts so he can then film them and guarantee a piece for his reel that he’s happy with. We decided the first week of December that we had enough connections in Utah to cast and produce a low-budget short film. We were planning on going to Utah for Christmas so we figured that throwing in a short film would be hard work… but would…
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A New Appreciation
It has been such an adventure having the opportunity to work the same jobs as Ben. To get to meet some of the people that he’s told me so much about and seeing what he gets to see! It’s not a chance many women get to have, to do the same kind of work as their husband. I feel incredibly blessed. Recently I’ve had the chance to take a long time to get ready, just like Ben! I’ve had to re-learn how to style my hair. Yes…I did kind of forget a tad. No joke, I had to borrow my husband’s hair dryer. I can’t remember the last time I cared…
