Being A "Proper" Actor On Set...

I shot a short film yesterday here in San Francisco.  Short films are the rage;  I don't know what happens to them, they end up being submitted to film festivals mostly.  I've been on sets for crazy huge million dollar productions and tiny productions, where it's just a camera, the director does the sound, lights and everything else.  And lots in between.

The production yesterday had a crew of 7.  There is a child in the opening scene, he's on for 5 seconds, I chase him off as the character, then it's me for the next five minutes on screen. 

I was thinking about how to be professional.  Being professional mostly means, keeping your mouth shut.  

The film I did yesterday is terrible, I think it will be a disaster.  I had a million opinions on making the story better but I am there as an actor, not a writer.  I was hired because I am a clown/actor, they wanted something physical with the acting.  I don't think the story will work.  Oh, well.  I'm sure carpenters build kitchens they think are ugly and still work keeping their judgement to themselves. 

On a set, stay positive.  I stayed on the set itself for nearly two hours while they fussed with lights and sound.  Being there in front of hot lights, is long and boring.   This is why they hire stand-ins for movie stars.  I volunteered to be on set, because you need a body, with the skin tone of the actor to adjust lights.  It's boring but it's part of the job, it's my being professional.  I sat there and played on my phone.  

This can't be understated arrive early.   You will always sit around on these things, always!  But the actor is the least/most important part of the shoot.  There is a crew working on angles, sound, lights.  This takes hours, the acting part, is the shortest.  But in the end, poor acting, poor movie.  You will be treated like a prop sometimes, then when your job happens, you are very very important.

Don't wander off.  Shout, "going to the bathroom".  If you leave.  

Be friendly.  You walk in after weeks of planning.  Don't chit chat with the crew.  Often they are waiting to do their job.  Talk, but keep the conversation very light, so they can break away easily, without being rude.  

We all think we're pretty important, save all that for your family.  

Don't offer to move things, it gets in the way.  You are like a model for an artist, they are painting and you need to hold still.  You wouldn't pose for an artist, then offer to get them a coke in the middle of the pose.  Film is just like that.  

When you shoot, take direction.  Let go of the "I've been doing this a long time" thing.  Yesterday was hard for me, the director was terrible, so I didn't know how to perform the thing.  He spoke English very haltingly and was afraid of telling me what to do.  I did what I could.  I kept my mouth shut, I wanted to shout, "tell me what to do?"  I took what I could from what he said and applied it, without the "I know what I'm doing" attitude. 

They seemed happy.  I had to do the performance over and over and over. 

You can't tell by the photos but it was a Twilight Zone sort of feel to the shoot.  I just can't help but pose.  

Feel free to ask questions if you are dying to get in front of the camera.  I've spent years and years in training, it's hard to come off comfortable.  I'll give my small bits of advice.