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March 25, 2007

A day in the life of a part-time actor

A few years ago, I signed up with the local television station to be a part-time actor. The whole process has become a hazy memory and I seriously cannot remember how I got to know that they were looking for part-time actors! Anyway, they have never called me up and I thought that the audition video I had recorded at their request and my resume must have either landed in the nearest dustbin or is hidden away in some dusty corner.

To cut a long story short, they called me up last week for a role in an upcoming drama serial. It was a walk-on role of a customer who is the old friend of the restaurant owner. Since I have never tried acting on television, I decided to skip a day of work to get my 5 seconds on local television. Of course I applied for leave without telling the people at my office what exactly I was up to! Ha ha.

Anyway the day came and I made my way to the TV station, obtained my visitor pass at the gate and headed for wardrobe. After telling them what my role was, I was asked to change into a brighter colour top as the top I was wearing was too dull. After that, I was asked to go to make up. At make up, I felt as though I had stepped into a local variety show/drama as all the people hanging around were the local TV stars. It was kind of weird and I felt seriously out of place there as the people around me chatted with each other. It was not as if I could turn to the person next to me and start to make small talk!! And what will I say?? "Hi, so you are an actor?!" That will be so duh and it was not as if it was S.H.E. sitting next to me! Finally, someone came to my rescue and asked me what role I was suppose to play and which drama serial. He concluded that I did not need anymore make up and I gladly exited from the room to wait for the assistant producer to assign me to my vehicle.

I sat in the same van as the TV extras and it then it hit me that I have no idea where the van was heading. But I figured if anything, I will just hop into a cab and leave, it was not as if I was in this for the measly amount they were paying me! The hourly rate I charge clients in my day job is already more than 5 times what the local television station is paying me for a day's work! Location turned out to be a restaurant in Joo Chiat Road. There we waited for the crew to get the scene ready. As I sat there, I realised that this drama is a big production as sitting across from me, at the next table is one of local television's biggest star! (Hint: She had the opportunity to act with Jackie Chan in a Hollywood movie previously.) And several of local television's hottest young actors are also involved in this drama!! Abit strange to see these actors up close and I realised that I am really not excited about acting opposite these people, maybe because I do not watch much local television in the first place and the last local drama I have watched was years, yes, years ago! (I watch cable television channels lah.) Just to side track, I think "she who has acted before with Jackie Chan" looks really good in real life. She is 36 this year if I am not mistaken but looks like she is still in her 20s and her skin is fabulous! So fabulous that I was tempted to ask her what skin care products does she use and her daily skin regime!! Ha ha! I had to keep myself from staring at her face coz her complexion is darn good!!

Ok, now for my role. Basically, I had two scenes in the drama. In the first scene, I was to walk up to my old friend, (played by one of local television's male stars) and congratulate him on the opening of his new restaurant. In the second scene, he will sit me down at a table and introduce to me the specialities that his reataurant serves. I must say that it was very entertaining working with him. He was very nice throughout the two scenes although he is suppose to be a local TV star and have been for some years now. I NG-ed once each time for my two scenes but luckily I got them right at the second take for both scenes. However, I had to repeat my first scene several times because other people kept NG-ing!! There was not much acting skills involved in my scenes and I was one of the earliest to finish for the day. As I chatted with the extras, I was told that they were going to shoot till 9pm that night!!

My thoughts on my first television experience. I must say, I was right that I prefer television acting to stage work. Stage work is so much more exhasting as the actor has to play the same character over and over again but of course there is alot less waiting time involved. In television work, the actors spend most of their time sitting around waiting and waiting. Waiting for the set to be ready, waiting for the next scene etc and of course the script does not repeat like in stage work, where its repetitive hence memorising once is enough. Most of all, through this experience, I realise that I still enjoy acting and it was a really interesting experience so if the local television station comes calling again and my schedule permits, I will be acting again!

Posted by Fatgirl at March 25, 2007 03:56 AM

Comments

Posted by: dimsumdolly at March 25, 2007 08:22 AM

Posted by: tiggie at March 26, 2007 12:29 PM

Posted by: vitavian at March 28, 2007 11:23 PM

Posted by: Fatgirl at March 30, 2007 03:05 AM