Background
Acting
by
Sean Gaffney
Featured
Article
from the December 2001 issue
Title Index
Topic Index
Scripture IndexArticle Listing:
The Touchy Stuff:
How to Handle Edgy ScenesThe Unspoken Contract: How to Keep Your Audience Satisfied
Method Acting and the Church Drama Team
Incorporating Drama into Your Church’s Ministry Program
Don' Call Us...We'll Call You!
Cross Where and
Don't Break What?Let Me Check...
I'm Only the Assistant DirectorSeven Deadly Sins of Directing
Finding Your Character from the Inside Out
Why Some Christmas Dramas are Doomed for Disaster
How to Take it From the Page to the Stage
What to do When the Unexpected Happens on Stage
Do You Know Where You're Coming From?
What Your Kids Get From Drama Ministry
What to do When Your Drama Team Doesn't Care Anymore!
10 Things to do Before Your Performance
Extraordinary Lessons from Peculiar People
Tech Talk: Costumes
Jeni Fabian's costume book recommendations
Maybe it's because
you want more realism in a restaurant sketch, so you choose to add two
tables of customers behind the main action.
Or maybe some newer team members need experience, so you add a few actors
walking in the background of your city street scene.
Or maybe it's simply time for the Christmas pageant, and you are stuck
with a few rows of shepherds, angels and a couple of wise men.
No matter what got you to this point, you now have background actors,
without lines or script direction. So what do you do with them?
Background actors (or extras) can add life to a scene, filling out the
action and pumping up the energy. Use of such roles has the added advantage
of giving stage time to more than just those with speaking parts. Still,
the utilization does come with its own pitfalls.
DANGER! WARNING!
Background actors can destroy a scene in any one of three ways. The first,
ironically enough, is by inaction. If the extras are lifeless and unfocused,
the energy of the scene is sapped. Ennui is contagious; the audience will
become as listless as the human scenery. The energy of the supporting
actors determines the energy and focus of the audience.
However, if the actors in the background are too energetic, they just
might hurt the scene by creating chaos. With too much electricity in the
background, focus on the foreground is lost. Chaos translates to sensory
overload, risking an audience shutdown.
The third risk is distraction. This happens when an extra becomes more
interesting than the main action. This could be as simple as a sudden
movement, or as complex as a mimed battle with a waiter over the check.
The key to successful use of extras is to support the main action of the
scene with energy, focus and subtlety. Here are a few tips for controlling
the background.
SPECIFICITY
Give your background actors specific actions and goals. Rather than a
simple "Stand over there," give them an objective. "You
want to get the best view of the baby; struggle for a good look, as if
at the Macy's parade."
Further this by giving the actors individual goals. (Or better yet, have
the actors come up with their own individual goals.) For example, when
the shepherds are confronted by the angel choir, one fearful shepherd
may choose to try and hide. Another may immediately begin to worship.
Yet another may be frozen, spellbound by the spectacle.
Tell the extras to come up with background stories for their characters
- who they are and why they are in that scene. They should name their
characters - first and last names. And just like the speaking roles, each
extra should have his own inner monologue, his own goals within the scene
and his own individual reactions to the action.
The more the actor creates a character with motives and goals, the less
you will need to do to stage him in an appropriate way. And suddenly chaos
is diverted into objective, and inaction subverted by purpose.
GROUP MOMENTS
Choreograph group moments into the sketch. Cue the background actors when
to be noisy and when to be quiet. Perhaps there is a crucial moment in
the foreground where you need the background to freeze, or shift focus.
Remember the old E. F. Hutton commercial? On the mention of the broker's
name, all eyes became focused on the speaker.
Such moments can add great comic effect, or even great dramatic effect.
Picture the classic entrance of the gunfighter. A western saloon is alive
with noise and bustle, complete with a jovial piano player. Suddenly,
the piano stops, along with all conversation; every eye is riveted on
our hero (or villain) standing in the swinging doorway. Something important
is happening, and we know it. Why? The background actors told us so.
The bonus for your extras in such situations is the knowledge that they
are the ones who generate that moment: They are active participants in
the success of the scene.
INCLUSION
Your best aid in working with extras is the simplest one: Include them
in the purpose of the whole work. What is the goal of the scene? What
is the main point the scene builds up to? And how are the extras supporting
that goal?
Such discussion has dual benefits. First, your actors will start working
with you, rather than acting aimlessly. Second, you now have sensible
reasons for toning down or beefing up the background action. "Moving
at that moment breaks our focus on Bad Bart," is more effective than
"Billy, would you stop that squirming?"
Use of background actors can add energy, heighten focus and give an old
sketch depth. Make the most of the background, and your foreground will
thank you for it!
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