Let’s talk about jobs.
The non-acting ones.
The ones we do to fill our coffers, keep us up with the Joneses, and otherwise keep the wolf from the proverbial door.
The ones that, frankly, if pushed (with only the smallest of prods), we’d rather avoid.
From the outset, this blog has been dedicated to the Other Things actors do to stay motivated, stay creative and stay sane; the Other part of our creative “taglines”, if you will. Directing, writing, music-making…these creative endeavours complete our Actor-??? equations, and with time and four-leaf clovers they can also come to make us a tidy profit margin.
But even the most illustrious of our profession have at one time or another resorted to “filler” engagements (typing, temping, selling carpets…) to get that bread on the table and those beans in the cupboard [insert “sandwich filler” jokes here]. Love ’em, hate ’em – or simply acknowledge the inevitability of them – such gigs needn’t be the drains they might first appear. Rather than sap our creative resources, these Filler jobs can actually complement and enhance our acting endeavours, not only by providing a vital connection to the wider world, but by providing significant dollops of creative inspiration.
Role to rehearse? Audition to prep? How about sourcing a character tic from the regular at Table 5, or taking an accent tutorial from the colleague to your left? After all, acting challenges us to explore every aspect of this game called life, and such Filler experiences might hold the key to your next role. Which makes the daily grind rather less, well, grinding, and which contributes to our grand scheme to harness the power of THE SPACE BETWEEN. (See the previous post if you haven’t a clue what I’m on about.)
In this spirit of adventure and dogged positivity, I’ve dedicated this post to a selection of the most popular FILLERS (of the non wall cavity variety): Why we might choose them, How we might use them, and What they can actually do for us.
Because as Don Draper and Mad Men et al would tell you, it’s all in the marketing…
“Shop till you drop” for character ideas in retail. From the quaking to the confident, the self-assured to the shifty, shops play host to the full range of human character. Feel free to browse at your leisure…
There before us: Non-conformist as ever, Bill Murray sold chestnuts not behind the counter but outside his local grocery store.
Remember that good old acting 101: what does your character WANT? In the case of telesales, to close that deal. Test your powers of persuasion as you pursue multiple strategies to secure that sale. From gentle encouragement to the hard sell, each call is different and boy will they make you work for it. Before you know it, this persuasive practice will make you the most compelling actor onstage.
There before us: Before ‘Pirates’ there were pens – Johnny Depp sold ballpoints before heading to the Caribbean.
If it’s a hothouse of gossip and intrigue you’re after, look no further than office temping. Division, deception and conspiracy; love triangles and stapler warfare: all in a day’s work at the office. Temping offers the chance to get up close and personal with the protagonists yet retain an outsider’s perspective. But beware of long-term engagements – the longer you stay, the deeper the plot thickens….
There before us: Lady Edith of Downtonia (aka Laura Carmichael) perfected her p’s and q’s whilst working as a receptionist in a doctor’s surgery. All good research for the regular turnover of fatal accidents and diseases at the Abbey.
Pent up performance energy in need of direction? Take up teaching, the tried and tested way to let off creative steam in front of your very own private audience. Age-appropriate material is a requirement, but areas of special expertise and interest are greatly encouraged. Whether you have a desire to spread the Shakespeare gospel or a closet love for calculus, this is your forum.
There before us: Hugh ‘Wolverine’ Jackman geared up for his ‘X’-rated stunts by teaching PE.
Get into events work and ogle human specimens from theatre-goers to tycoons, footballers to fashionistas. Granted, the majority of gigs revolve around the considerably to ludicrously wealthy, but these exhibits alone will provide considerable fodder for your actorly ideas bank. Gaze on as cultures clash and egos intermingle: will feathers be preened or ruffled? See individuals pushed to the very limits of social etiquette, and watch decorum decrease as the liquor flows…
There before us: Kristen Wiig plotted her funny girl takeover whilst tending to the great and the good at Hollywood events.
In promotions the name of the game is to enthuse and entice, and versatility is the key to success. Tailoring your performance to your product and to your audience will keep your acting muscles in tip-top shape, ready and waiting for that next role. And if in doubt, revert to showbiz SOS and smile…
There before us: A pre-Dame Mirren promoted an amusement park in Southend-on-Sea, whilst Brad Pitt donned a chicken suit in the name of fried fowl.
Keeping your days free and your imagination freer: Front of House work promises minimal day-time commitment alongside the perks of peeking at excited audiences. Observe the subtle power plays of family politics, dream up the backstories for the unlikeliest of companions, and test your persuasive powers as you flirt for tips. Spy on them as they absorb the onstage action, practise your projection as you promote those programmes – and enjoy the added bonus of having songs and speeches drummed into you every night, ready for your audition portfolio.
There before us: Pretty much every usher currently working in the West End is an actor/performer on sabbatical – we’ll be in good company.
And what about waiting/waitressing, the age-old way to earn your “poor impoverished actor” stripes? Far from a tragic cliche of the industry, the prevalence of actor-waiters might in fact be the biggest insider secret of all time. In need of character ideas? Role to prep? Actors and actresses from the Golden era to present day have exploited their clients for character research, filching anything from oddball accents to costume quirks – all part of the cunning plan to score that Big Break.
There before us: Daniel Craig went undercover as a waiter before graduating top of his spy class.
So there you have it – the perks and the plus points, and the stars who’ve been there before us. From Filler to fulfilment. I hope my sales pitches have inspired you to look again at your Fillers and see them for the goldmines of inspiration they truly are.
As a lady called Betty Smith once said, “Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or the last time…”
…Because if we can make the most of every moment, not just the ones onstage, we’ll be all the more qualified, and all the more inspired, to present the full dizzying spectrum of people, their plights and and their passions.
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