Before the pandemic, I decided I wanted to try my hand at doing some acting work. My daughter had expressed an interest in “acting”, and while I was scouring the interwebs for nearby commercials or auditions, it occurred to me that I might like doing that too.
(The same thing happened after schlepping my kids to dance class multiple nights a week for literal years. I finally tried an adult ballet class, and got instantly addicted to dance. Well, until the pandemic changed everyone’s lives and lifestyle.)
Despite wanting to be an actor I was not interested in being “on stage” in front of a live audience — that sounds terrifying to my introverted ears — but instead was interested in working small parts as background or a non-speaking extra.
As soon as I started looking for parts for kids I came across two opportunities for adults. One was a full speaking part — for which I auditioned and was passed over — and the other was for a “featured extra” in a campy cult-style film heading to the 2017 Kingston Canadian Film Festival (among other places.)
Wouldn’t you know it, I looked enough like a tourist (DSLR camera and all), that I was cast under the moniker “tourist with camera”. I spent some early mornings in downtown Kingston, well, being a tourist. I was one of a few extras who followed around a haunted-walk-style guide as she showed us some spooky local locations.
I loved every minute of it — even the tedious ones where I wasn’t doing anything at all (except taking pictures.) Watching the process of filmmaking captured my full attention, and since then I’ve sought out small (silent) parts, and managed to actually work on a few big-name productions.
Let me tell you, you don’t get into background acting for the money or the glamour. Every gig is minimum wage (or less.) And the days can be excruciatingly long. But for the bigger name productions, food is provided, and costuming can be so fun!
I worked on Alias Grace when they filmed at Kingston Penitentiary in the fall of 2016. That was by far the most intricate and interesting experience for me. It was all “hush hush” at the time (as all big productions are), but I did take some photos during my experience. I just wasn’t allowed to share them before it aired.
After being cast, there was a costuming day — which was actually Halloween 2016. I had to leave work to try on a costume, even though I was already wearing one!
I vividly remember trying on the provided costume, and it being two sizes too small. The casting team had asked for clothing sizes, but I think, because we were dressing like prisoners from the 1800s, the sizing wasn’t the same. The costumers were quite distressed that no one was fitting in the sizes they had said they were in their communications. I can only imagine the chaos that must have ensued later in the day.
The women’s inmate costumes consisted of a corset and petticoat/underskirt, full canvas long-sleeved dress, apron, and a bonnet. We sat in the makeup chairs for just the right “dirty” look to be applied to our hands and the hair peeking out of the bonnet. (We weren’t to wash our hair in the mornings, so that they didn’t have to dirty us up too much.) Once fully dressed and made up, we went into a back room and got a smattering of dirt/dirty water splashed onto our hems and lower parts of our outfits, because prison simply isn’t a clean place.
Once we were all outfitted, we waited. And waited. If there’s anything you should know about working background on big projects, it’s that there is way more waiting than there is acting. But, at least background actors are paid for their time on set – including costuming and makeup.
Related: Read my old article about the experience. My writing style has changed since then, but it’s nice to have that piece to look back on.
Being inside the penitentiary before it was open for public tours, but not being able to explore, was rough. We spent all our time inside the shop building – you know, the one with the curved staircase that is “the image” of the penitentiary. Except when we were chosen for the scenes filming in the yard outside.
If memory serves, I attended the set for three days. That’s three early-morning call times, three times in the makeup chair, and three days eating so much food I nearly busted out of my corset!
Overall I was used in four or five scenes, three of which were used in the series. On screen I am obvious in one scene (though without my glasses on, and we are all dressed the same so I can be hard to pick out), can be pointed out in a second, and there is a chance my shoes are in a third scene.
While it’s a lot of hurry-up-and-wait, it was easily the most fun I’ve had while “working.” Since Alias Grace, I have only done one other background session that involved costumes and full food, and that was for an episode of Titans – also filmed at Kingston Pen. That one was much more recent and included a full COVID test the day before, and the day of, but it was only one day of filming.
In between I had a small extra part in a movie called Corporate Prey (which I haven’t found to watch yet!) I did have a costume for that, but it was much more low key.
I got to drive a big van up to the Gananoque airport’s doors and watch my subordinates unload (or load – I can’t quite remember) some items. My title there was Supplies Manager. I was even filmed surveying the sky, looking at the approaching storm (even though it was the sunniest, most beautiful day.)
Local acting opportunities (of the background kind) have been slow lately, but next month I will be working again at Kingston Pen. It’s background for a short film — only one evening, but paid per hour.
I’ve received confirmation that they would like me to join them, as well as Emma, my 16-year-old. My husband Patrick has submitted as well, so it may be a nearly-whole-family affair! (Rose, 13, has no interest in this kind of work. Go figure – she’s the most talkative one of us all!)
If it’s a unique and super fun experience, I’ll be sure to share the details with you when I can. Often actors are under specific requirements to keep mum on everything that happens on set until after the production has been released for viewing.
Did you enjoy this content? Let me know if you’d like to read more of my personal musings!
