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Then There Was That Time I Was An Extra

This is the story of how I was once an extra.
"Background," if you will. 

As many of you know I am basically unemployed currently. Among other things, this means I'll do just about anything to make some cash. So when Jersey Mike told me the production he was working on was looking for background actors – correction: PAID background actors – I jumped at the chance. 

The first day we filmed at the YouTube Stages in Marina Del Rey, Calif. It was really cool to see how corporate YouTubers do their thing. 


 I spent most of the day sitting around, reading my book. 


 (Gone Girl! I'm finally reading it and I'm IN LOVE with it. I've been distracted the last few days with really concentrating on writing and pitching and job applying, but I'm nearly finished with the book and can't wait to see how the craziness ends.)

Most of being an extra is pretty boring. Even when you're in a scene there are no speaking parts, obviously. So you sit or stand around pretending to talk to people, which is weird. I had so many fake conversations about "stuff" and "more stuff" and "super interesting stuff." In one take, my fellow extra decided we should act like we were a couple. This was slightly awkward, considering my boyfriend was standing right there recording sound. But, you know, acting and all that. 

Though there was a lot of sitting around my first day as an extra, there were also perks. 
1. Being inside the Internet. Surrounded by Googlers and YouTubers was pretty insane. 
2. The co-ed restrooms.


This weirded the shit out of me the first few times I went to the bathroom. The first time, I actually walked out and asked someone if I was in the wrong one. 

3. Getting to test out Google Glass. It's pretty badass, but I couldn't see walking around with those things on at all times. My first pair malfunctioned a bit. The glasses respond really well to commands, but being used to Siri's way threw me off quite a bit at first. I'm not sure if the glasses are more or less dangerous than searching on my phone. I would run into everything if I tried moving and searching all at once. Multi-tasking can be dangerous when technology is involved, folks.  Still, it was cool to get the chance to try them out. 
SCIENCE.

4. Props, like this sad poodle, made my day. (It doesn't take much, people.) 


The second day as an extra I took literally zero pictures. (Sorry) We were just in someone's backyard filming party scenes, so it wasn't anything super impressive. Hopefully when the project is complete I'll find it and point out all of my amazing work as background. I must have been good, because I got two SAG vouchers. I suppose that's also a perk. Basically I'm a pro now. I'm super Hollywooded out. 

Cut. That's a wrap.

* 



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