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Though I have experience in theater and background work I wanted to start to add more credits to my acting resume. I looked for potential opportunities on my favorite casting site, Actors Access, and applied for roles that best suited me. I came across a particular role for a TV series based in Knoxville, TN, about a 5-hour drive from home. The role mentioned that if booked accommodations would be provided during my filming. I read the short breakdown and submitted the requested photos...
The Breakdown:
What is a breakdown? A breakdown is a brief summary of a character and/or production that someone is casting for. In this case, my breakdown was super vague. It just gave the character's first name, demographics, and that I must be comfortable with handcuffs and being placed in the back of a police car. It also required that I submit a photo in the likeness of the provided photo. I submitted what was requested and waited to hear back.
Within 48 hours I got a notification that I booked the role on the series and was given details for wardrobe. The wardrobe required that I wear a dress with a thigh slit. If I had a dress I could bring it from home. If not wardrobe would provide me with attire. Let me back up a bit. I like to define myself as someone conservative and wholesome. The request for this particular dress made me cringe. As someone who is also actively involved in my church thoughts of condemnation and conviction immediately started to sweep in. I didn't have a dress of my own with a thigh slit so I knew that when I arrived in Knoxville I had to go shopping. Target had just what I needed and at a comfortable and appropriate length. I was ready to go on set!
The Day Of The Shoot:
Casting wanted us to arrive "hair and makeup" ready so I did my makeup and hair in the hotel and drove over. "On Set" was in an apartment in an apartment complex that honestly looked really shady. But it fit the location of where the scene needed to be, so I understood. I learned that my character was a stripper involved in the murder and theft of about 3 people. Let me stop right here...
A stripper. I did not sign up to be a stripper! Well, I did, but I didn't know until after I was booked. This is one of the things that I have come to learn about the industry. They do not, and are not required, to give you all of the information about your character. They do however have to inform you if your character is to be intimate or slated to have implied or actual nudity. I stay far away from those roles, as they just don't fit me and I'm not comfortable. And if i'm honest, I am unsure how to back of a role without legal complications. If you know how, comment below to help me in case I ever need to.
So, I'm on set, as a stripper, and we are going through the scene and actually having a great time. I had the best cast mates and the director was really cool. Also gratefully I was fully clothed and not asked to remove anything or be intimate with anyone, which made me so much more comfortable. Until the next day.
Day Two Of The Shoot:
On day two of the shoot we filmed at another location, an actual sex club. I looked around at all the craziness and the God-fearing woman in me was just utterly disturbed and disgusted. I didn't want to touch anything in there with a 100-foot pole. I prayed and was ready to GO! We shot our scene there and I exited that facility as quickly as we could. We had one more scene to film and had to go to the next location.
Filming goes smoothly there, except for the cold Knoxville rain. We wrap and I grab the contact info of my castmates to keep in touch and head back to the hotel to prepare for the long drive home.
All in all, I did actually enjoy this experience, despite feeling completely blind about my character and being in some very questionable environments. I was glad that God protected me and didn't allow anyone to request that I do something compromising, even if it was just acting.
Lesson: Read very closely the breakdowns before you apply and always, ALWAYS, PRAY!