Working in TV Part 2

So you have decided to create that profile have you?

Remember this is not like your usual CV, it doesn’t really matter what qualifications you got at school, whether you were head of the student union, or the need for references. Productions and agencies would like to know about the person that you are now so honesty and optimism are important. By all means mention your previous job roles or careers, no need to list employers etc, just mention that you were previously a chef, a barrister, a market trader, a police officer, anything really. In this world selections are often initially made from applicants who have real life experience in the roles being cast.

Be prepared to spend some time with a pad, a pen and a tape measure. Accurate measurements are important, just remember that supporting artists of all shapes, sizes, creeds and colours are needed. Time to gain confidence in yourself as you are, that scar on your face that you have spent years trying to cover up can now become an asset in helping you to stand out and gain roles.

There is no standard "look," there are roles for everyone out there, of all ages. The key is to write down more about your calm, patient character, or your ability to adapt to new situations quickly. Reliability and the willingness to work on short notice are a must, as is the ability to get up and out at some ungodly hour of the morning to be on set at a studio 40 miles away.

Car drivers are most in demand because some locations can be out of reach for public transport at the time you are needed. There are also opportunities to drive your car, or a production car, on set. Tight filming schedules lead to the need for pretend traffic jams on location rather than the unpredictability of trying to film scenes out on real roads.

The skills and experience sections are not for listing every school production you ever appeared in (unless you have just left school of course). Just a general mention of having been involved in amateur dramatics, or guided tours, or work-based role play activities will all demonstrate that you have the confidence and some experience in a vaguely similar world to what you are hoping to enter.

List skills such as swimming, football, silver service, camping, fly fishing, needlecraft or UFC fighting. Have a think about all the things that you see people doing on screen behind the lead actors, these are all the things you could be far better at doing than someone else.

Period dramas have demand for skills such as wood chopping, fish gutting, carriage driving, heavy lifting and carrying of mysterious hessian wrapped bundles down at the dock scenes. You may never have done any acting in your life before, but your ten years as a builders labourer and hod carrier are far more valuable when productions need people who can lift and carry the same huge bundle up the same ramp for 20 takes without passing out or throwing a tantrum.

Work your way through the sections, the first profile is always the most difficult but once you have that done it will become much easier to adjust and adapt it as you build up your experience and your understanding of what is, and isn’t, relevant.

As a supporting artist you are not signed to an agent, you have the chance to join as many agencies as you wish that supply background actors/extras or whatever term they use, for TV and film. I will explain more about the agencies in part four. For now, your challenge is to get that profile written and get yourself involved. In part three I will give you an idea of what to expect when arriving on set. This may seem like I am jumping a few steps here as I still haven’t explained how to get yourself that first booking, but it is important to give you an idea of what the heck it is you might be letting yourself in for.

To be continued.