Sometimes this can take days. But then the phone rings or your e-mail pings with good news from your agent. You got the part! So what now? How do you ensure that you’re prepared on the day of the shoot? And what can you do to be sure you have a successful day on set, and they can’t wait to hire you back? Actors get paid for the time they get ready for their role, as well as the time they spend in production. In this first of a two-part blog series, I’ll cover what you need to do at home to prepare for your time on set. In part two, I’ll discuss what expectations a production company has for an actor once he arrives on set and how to make the best impression on the production team and your fellow actors.
Check E-mail Often and Confirm, Confirm, Confirm!
Production details start filtering out shortly after you’re hired. You need to let us know that you have your script, know your call time and are set to show up at the right place with the proper wardrobe. When we don’t hear from you, we have to track you down. And tracking down people makes us cranky. A simple “received” or “thank you” after each and every e-mail lets us know you have what you need and assures us you will be here on the day of the shoot.
Learn Your Lines.
Work on the script the moment you get it, and memorize your lines verbatim. There are some productions where taking creative liberties with a few words here and there might be okay, but typically, Contrast Creative’s projects are not those productions. Many of our scripts have an educational component to them and have gone through multiple levels of approval by medical professionals, government officials and/or experts in their fields. Content has been carefully scrutinized so that dialogue and situations are both factually and realistically presented. We often have technical experts on set with us ensuring that each word is spoken as written. Time is money in production, and if you’ve memorized your lines in a different way, it makes for a very long and costly day for all of us.
Now Move With Your Lines.
You’d be surprised how many actors memorize their lines perfectly, but can’t walk and spew medical or banking jargon at the same time. Once you are off book, we suggest running your lines while doing various household chores such as doing the dishes or folding laundry. Doing the “robot” when you get on set (say a line….move….say a line…..move) doesn’t work. Actions and words need to be fluid and work together.
Proper Wardrobe is Crucial.
Read directions carefully regarding wardrobe as soon as you receive them, and follow them exactly. Many production companies count on actors to supply their own clothes. Instructions are sent out days in advance to give actors time to review wardrobe requests and to let us know if they can’t provide the necessary clothing. Frequently, an actor shows up on set saying that he didn’t have the colorful options we asked for, so he just brought nine shirts, all in different shades of brown and grey. Yuck! Guess who is now making a panic trip to Wal-Mart?
We need to know immediately if anything we ever ask of you is a problem. We’d much rather go shopping a few days before a shoot than a few minutes before we’re supposed to roll camera. If you don’t have a lot of choices at home and can’t afford a new wardrobe, buy a few different options, but keep the tags on. Typically, we’ll only use one item, and you can return the rest. Or visit your local thrift store; you can find a wide variety of clothing at prices that won’t break the bank.
We thrive on wardrobe options. Remember, producers aren’t just dressing you. We’re coordinating you with everyone else who is in your scene, as well as the rest of the project.
Give Me a Head with Hair…….
Pay careful attention to instructions about hair. Often we will ask for men to be clean-shaven or to get a trim before coming on set. We might ask a woman to be sure she maintains the same hair color or haircut as her headshot or audition. It’s very disconcerting to have an actor show up with a drastic haircut, full beard or three-inch roots when they didn’t audition that way. We don’t always have a hair and makeup person on set, but even when we do, a last minute shave risks a facial nick or redness that can be hard to work around.
I once made a guy cry who was supposed to arrive on set clean shaven. True story. The client wanted no facial hair, and Grizzly Adams showed up with no scissors and no razor. The actor said he didn’t really want to shave his beard, so he thought he would give us “options.” He had driven five hours to get there, and almost his only option was to leave. I still feel bad about it, but the guy didn’t follow directions. When I get stressed out, sometimes I still see flashes of his fuzzy beard. Follow directions, plain and simple. So now you know what to do at home to be camera ready. But what if you’re unsure of how it all unfolds once you’re on set? I’ll take you through what happens the moment you walk in the door. I’ll tell you why it’s not okay to bring your grandma on set and who to listen to for instructions. It might just be the difference between one acting job turning into another!