Mar 12, 2015
It
is such a privilege to perform as an "extra" or "background" in any
production. Directors are notoriously picky about their cast of
characters even with their background selection. So, getting a callback
is an amazing feeling and it only gets better from there. From the
preparations prior till the morning of the shoot, the buildup adds to
the overall experience.
After the callback, we may get an email or
phone call detailing specifics about our character we are playing.
Wardrobe, makeup and props are some of the things to prepare us for the
shoot. Finding materials that may work stimulates adrenaline and
excitement. Just imagining the possibilities and outcomes for the scene
is all fun and games, in a serious way.
It is always interesting
to see the other selected "extras" who play co-workers/team
members/partner etc. Meeting people is one of the best parts of this
experience. Most of the people are just as excited and happy to work as I
am! That's a lot of positive energy until that energy runs out...
Be the Star
On
a recent shoot, I brought at least three different outfits that would
fit the mould of a London Designer. Beyond happy, I got to play a
character that wasn't stereotypically Asian. Plus, they've chosen me to
play one of four designers, which sent me over the moon since that meant
that I looked like a designer.
Amazing! Fitted plaid shirts,
slacks and shoes created my character's wardrobe. I had most of those
things and paired all of my looks together.
Exciting!
I
prepared myself for an amazing day when I arrived on set. As usual, we
signed the mandatory paper work to get paid. I met my co-workers who
turned out to be engaging, friendly and amazing people! Then, we went to
the dressing room to have our clothes evaluated for our on-screen
looks. They paired up my clothes a little differently, but I didn't
mind. We were all excited and ready to be in front of the camera!
But, we learned that our session wasn't until 4pm and it was only 12pm.
Why did they ask us to get there at 11am if they weren't going to need us till 4pm? That's 5 hours! The reality of actor and background work.
The
four of us entertained each other in the dressing room while we waited.
So, I recreated a popular childhood fortune-teller game out of a napkin
with fun ideas. We got to know each other very well, but I had spent a
lot of my energy animated and engaged. When the time came to perform, my
energy took a nap. It felt like we just came back from an outing with
friends and it was time to go home. I isolated myself while the other
three conversed amongst themselves. Downhill...
Why did my energy go from super positive to super low in one day? Was it something else deeper that I wasn't aware of? YES!
Shining star
I
realized that I let other people get to me. Maybe after four hours of
interacting with the same people, I eventually let some of their
comments affect me. On auto pilot, I shut people out because either I
didn't relate to them or I didn't have anything to say. I started the
day as excited as ever to work on a production, but slowly my energy
decreased when I couldn't interact with people the way I wanted. Does
that sound normal? I've operated as such for the longest time,
but not anymore.
Why let anyone rain on my parade? I have control over my choices.
I
know that I can do anything as long as I focus. I know that we all have
unlimited amounts of energy. It is our motivation that keeps us going.
But we need to motivate ourselves to keep going. Stay strong and keep up
the desired energy.
Be the star
During my most recent
gig, I decided to practice what I had realized about my motivation
levels. Luckily for me, on this particular shoot, the other three extras
and I didn't have much in common. So it was the perfect time to
practice.
Why shut out people who we don't supposedly relate to? I wanted to continue to shine the light that is me. Just be myself and not let my perception of others get to me.
I
took initiative. When my energy dwindled, I created dialog which led to
more dialog. I spoke from the heart and related to people when I had
the chance. I seized every opportunity to engage with people in a
positive way. At the end, I shook everyone's hand as I left. It felt
good to be proactively positive. Being the star is amazing!
Do it all the time!
Reinvention
I
practice mindful and positive thinking on a regular basis. My constant
reinvention enables me to be more open to share my story.I empower
people to follow their happiness and see the world with more love in
their hearts.
Recently,
I've decided to tidy up our garden to make it more easily accessible as
if it were an extension to our house. On 8/8/15, I've dedicated well
spent time to manifest my vision of a zen garden. I've cleared areas for
cleanliness, organized and manicured plants for a pleasant presentation
and created space with positive energy. Meanwhile I've been picking
figs as they are ready to eat. Harvesting figs requires a higher ladder
to reach the ones at the very top. So, I've decided to use our taller
ladder and have placed it in the most perfect position after
experimenting different positions. VIOLA!
