A Background Actor’s Dream Gig
Or nightmare gig — depending on your perspective
Let me be real about background acting. Only rarely is there any acting involved. Usually, you cheer — or walk from one spot to another — or clap for a performance. Background actors don’t need to take courses in how to act to score a job.
So yesterday, I had an odd lot sort of gig. Fifty bucks for one hour at a Midtown Manhattan location involving what was called a motion study — whatever that is.
The listing did advise that improvisational skills would be required of those hired. “Hey! I can improvise. Sign me up,” was my reaction. They accepted my application.
I arrived on time at a generic office building and rode to the plush offices of my employer where I was ushered into a room with another guy who would be my improvisational partner.
Our “director” was a young/hip/friendly dude who handed us a few sheets of paper with directions on what we needed to do to get paid.
On those sheets were descriptions of ten different scenarios during which I and my partner would riff for five minutes. Interesting.
One had my partner as a courtroom judge and I as a juror trying to get out of jury duty. With absolutely no preparation, the cameras rolled and we riffed for…
