How to Be a Successful Background Performer in the Film Industry
Or, as the crew calls us, a prop that eats.
When a shoulder and wrist injury, followed by two failed surgeries, forced to me give up my thirty-seven-year long career as a physiotherapist, I began writing full time.
But, as many of you are probably aware, writing is a somewhat less than lucrative career. Especially at the beginning. I had to put in my time honing my craft and sending my work out to small publications for little or no pay. I remained hopeful that eventually higher paying ones would accept it, and one day, I’d land an agent and a book deal.
Until that happened, though, I needed to find a way make some money. As a self-employed professional, I had no pension to fall back on. I desperately wanted to bring at least a little money into the family coffers.
I live in Greater Vancouver, affectionately known as Hollywood North. Every day there are countless productions being filmed here, most of which require a significant number of background performers.
A writing compatriot of mine had mentioned that she worked as a background…
