Being a Celebrity for 0.0001 Seconds

I was given a chance to appear as an extra in an ABS-CBN teleserye. I was to be part of the office cast but I declined on the very last minute because we were told to do multiple roles. Not that I dont want to do multiple roles, but, the other said role was rather degrading.

For first timers like me, appearing in a movie or teleserye might seem to be an exciting idea because you get to experience the feeling of what the famous celebrities are feeling and get paid as a bonus, even for a few days. Here's the thing. Most of us haven't imagined up to the extent on what it would be like to really work on the actual set.


Here are some tips and facts I want to share in my 0.0001 second of fame:



1) Ask for a clear contract
In any professional or business undertaking, a contract is essential and is your only safe guard against misunderstandings. But remember, it might also work against you if you don't play your part. Just make sure that the important parts are stated, like what is required of you, how much they are going to pay you, schedule etc. I'm not sure if it works that way in the showbiz world but I'm no celebrity and from a business perspective, I think having everything stated clearly in the contract is just fair.

2) Make sure the requirements are clearly stated
My stint was just for a day. I didn't know that until I received the costume requirements from a fellow cast member and not from the casting director. The SMS message was something like, bring the following: 10 corporate attires including polo short sleeves, polo long sleeves, extra pants and slacks, neck ties, suits, formal shoes, coat, watch etc. Well, to the casting director or manager, if you are that busy, get a secretary to do it for you rather than another cast member informing me and posting your announcement on Facebook . I didn't feel bad that I backed out the last minute because when I was informed of the stint, I thought it was just going to be like a  half-day thing where I won't need to bring any other attire and will be assuming one role only.

3) Being a celebrity isn't as easy as you think
Of course, celebrities are paid higher versus my one day gig of 2,700 pesos only. When I was informed of the rate, I was thinking that it would be around 2-3hours maximum only and that's why I accepted it. Later on, I learned that the call time was 6am and it was probably going to last the whole day. Other than that, I have to personally bring my entire wardrobe! Imagine, lugging around a luggage that is as big as a bag good for a 15-day trip abroad, using that up and having it washed in just 1 day!? The 2,700 pesos would just go to the laundry services!

I also didn't expect that they won't provide the costume. If I knew that from the start, I wouldn't have accepted the gig on the dot. Going back, that is the reason why celebrities have huge cars and personal secretaries. It's not to show that they are rich and capable. They actually NEED it. Other than that, they have to worry about their acting performance and scripts to memorize. Those 2 are the most important aspects but I cannot expound on that because I personally haven't tried them out yet. It's not easy to be a celebrity.


4) No fixed schedule
I know I said that you must have a contract and have everything clearly stated. Thing is, time is something you cannot predict on their part and in my part, they would've wasted my time if I did push through. We were informed that the call time was 6am, but later on, the call time moved to 1pm. If the call time was at 6am and it was going to last the whole day, I assumed that the 1pm call time will reach up to the wee hours of the night. An idea which I don't like because sleep is essential for a productive tomorrow. Lo and behold! A few minutes before midnight, they changed the call time again to 11am! What if I was already sleeping? Take note, all announcements was made through Facebook. Wow.

I was already stressed even before I even started taping. Can you imagine how much stress I would be in when the taping day comes and I  pity the celebrities undergoing so much stress. Finally, I thought to myself, why are the celebrities doing that? Is it for the fame? For the money? Well, some are doing it for the money but for most, it's doing it because it's their passion. That's why they can stand tapings until 4am. That's why they are willing to NOT eat and NOT get sleep and rely on power naps. That's why they can take on all the showbiz politics and challenges presented to them. It's about their passion.

I've tried out a lot of new things this year. Speaking in a conference, doing speeches, being active in church fellowship, directly meeting with big bosses (for my company), initiated legal action, enrolled in Krav Maga etc. But this acting thing? It's not me. It's entirely different from what I love, which is to keep on learning, speaking to share my knowledge and thoughts -- that's why I blog. Acting might not be my passion and I'm sure that from 1 to 10, my acting skills could be a 1 or probably a 0.5. Heck, I can't even lie. How much more acting? ( I'm speaking for myself, don't be defensive :) )

So if you think that being a celebrity is the highway to riches? Think again. It's just as hard as working yourself up the corporate ladder. As hard as you starting your own business and letting it grow. As hard as being a doctor on call during the wee hours of the night. All of those has its ups and downs. Passion is what makes you stay and endure the hardships.

So next time you see a celebrity, rather than just looking at their beautiful faces and going googly eyes on them, admire their talents and the path they are going through just to entertain viewers.

Cheftonio
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