Day players (actors who turn up on set for a day) are a regular sight in film and television. Without them, the leads would have only themselves to play off.
To be clear, we’re not talking about background artists (more commonly known as extras) who are also a vital ingredient. Day players are professional actors, usually unknown and at the early to mid stage of their careers.
Portraying small roles is a stepping stone to more prominent work either as a character actor or a lead. This progession relies on not only doing a good job, getting on with the production team, and chasing that all important footage for one’s showreel, but also making the final cut.
This is where my personal rant will zero in on its target.
Racing Reporters
Recently, I managed to get my hands on Gran Turismo, directed by Neill Blompkamp, in which I was a day player. I was looking forward to viewing my scene, as it was with one of the leads and would be a great addition to my showreel.
To my frustration, and that’s putting it lightly, wide and medium shots of the scene are used, each with a clear focus on the lead. Ergo, I was nowhere to be seen (unless you know how to spot my hairline).
To give context, I played a Dubai Reporter surrounded by a group of background artists dressed as other media personnel. On the day, the camera coverage included a close-up of me delivering my one line, which earlier that week had been reduced from two, the other given to a local social media influencer placed in the scene for what I can only guess was a film marketing strategy.
In fact, I recall there were at least two social media influencers in that scene with me, pretending to be reporters. The one that was given half my dialogue was clearly nervous and kept forgetting their lines; understandable, considering they were not an experienced actor.
After a number of takes, plus huffs and puffs coming from behind the camera, we got through it. Ultimately, I can only speculate as to the reasons they didn’t use the footage, instead relying on a wide shot.
In fairness, I must focus on the positives. The job was practically a working holiday. I had my costume fitting in Budapest, did some site-seeing for three days, then flew on the crew charter to Dubai, where I stayed for a further four days until the filming of my scene on the final day of production.
Slow as Horses
On another occasion, I appeared fleetingly in season one of Slow Horses. This time, I played a BBC Reporter delivering a report on location outside Scotland Yard in London.
Again, I thought to myself this will be a good addition to my showreel. Of course, when the episodes were aired, I appear as a reporter, as one would, on a laptop or television screen in the scene.
Plus, my ‘report’ is muted in favour of the main BBC News feed on the same screen, which I completely understand - it serves the needs and context of the story.
Again, in fairness, I’ve done it myself for my own short film projects, and I’m sure some of the actors with whom I’ve worked will be displeased with my decisions to leave their likeness on the cutting room floor.
The Laird of Ramorny
A final example, in Mary Queen of Scots I play the Laird of Ramorny (an upgrade from initially being called Moray Man #3). I appear in scenes opposite the leads but I don’t say much. Effectively, one could say I’m a glorified extra.
But unlike a background artist, I auditioned for the role, first via self-tape, then in person during the final round. The script that was given to me had dialogue which gave me the (mistaken) impression that I wouldn’t be a mute.
I recall receiving the shooting script months after having secured the job. I did a quick search to find my lines and found: none.
Again, I must lean on fairness. I was an unknown actor; it was my first feature film; I got to work with well-established actors (whom I never saw again).
Fleetingly
I could go on to give more examples, such as the time my lines were cut without my knowledge while I was rehearsing for a scene in Bollywood film Bell Bottom, or the occasion when the director of Tehran, after having asked to hear my two Hindi lines, told his PA repeatedly to make a note that my lines need to be dubbed - all while I was still standing there in front of him and being referred to in the third person.
Being a day player pays the bills, it’s fun to get away from the daily grind of life, and pretend to be someone else.
I returned to the industry in 2015 after a 7 year haitus during which I vowed never to come back.
The reasons I left are still apparent today, nothing much has changed. The business is still very much managed by gatekeepers with whom one must be in favour.
Two years ago, during an in-person TV audition , I shared my Slow Horses story with a prominent writer/director who told me that I was one of those actors who doesn’t get used very often.
In hindsight, I wish I had asked this person to elaborate.
Subsequently, I got the job.
Now, I’m playing the waiting game to see if I made the final cut.