Introduction
In the entertainment arena, my primary “roles” remain funder, producer, and executive producer of projects via my organization Support Our #creatives. However, my appearing on screen is happening more and more. I will not turn down an opportunity to appear on screen if so so offered. My wife Randy and I often appear together.
Personal Experience
Here is what I have learned, picking up experience from various projects.
My on screen roles have ranged from background playing an observer but not speaking, to being called into a scene at the last second and improvising lines, to featured roles briefly interacting with a main character, to planned and scripted appearances. Let’s elaborate on the planned scripted appearances. In the scripted appearances, my roles have ranged from minor to a pivotal plot-advancer, portraying a variety of character types. A character’s words in a scene can be a plot-advancer even if it involves just a few lines. How you handle yourself regarding tone of voice and body language is important too. Your character may be a person of authority or a wimp, so how you look, how you speak, your body language, and facial expressions are important. Pay attention to the director to help you get the desired effect.
How do these opportunities come about? For me, it often happens on projects I am already involved with, typically as an executive producer. The project producer makes the offer for me to appear on screen.
I have a long way to go before I feel completely comfortable speaking lines and being seen on screen by the audience. I have tons of trouble memorizing even a single line, but I have worked with seasoned actors who must learn many scenes or even carry the entire film or series episode. I have great respect for these creatives.
I cannot vouch for what happens on all projects, but I want to relate two experiences related to lines. Consider what I learned as a script supervisor: The actor does not have to speak the lines exactly as written in the script but must capture the intent in the words he or she actually speaks, consistent with the flow of the storyline. As a script supervisor, I had to become familiar with the entire script, so I knew how things were supposed to flow. On another project in which I would be on-screen, where I was having so much trouble remembering a line, I was told to say whatever makes sense based on the context of the scene. However, that is also tough and takes some experience to master.
Another thing, some producers will not make the entire script available, but only the portion(s) where the actor will be performing. That presents an extra challenge because that actor is unaware of what he/she is saying fits int the overall story.
Conclusion
I will continue to take advantage of any offers for me to appear on screen. I will get better as I get more opportunities! Will I get to the point where I am independently responding to casting calls? Will I become Screen Actors Guild (SAG)-eligible someday? That remains to be seen.
Readers, how did you get started in acting?
Creatives out there, if you want me to interview you on my podcast, please contact me. This will give you exposure to an audience in my “circle,” that you may not have reached before.
To my readers, please provide feedback or questions in the Comments. I would really enjoy hearing from you. And let me know if there are any topics you would like me to cover on this blog. Also, if you have a podcast, I would love to be a guest.
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