How You Too Can Break into the Entertainment Industry
By: Amy Diana Ramirez
Boulder County, CO (The Hollywood Times) 03/4/24 – Lights! Camera! Action!
Have you ever fantasized about being involved in a major motion picture – or your favorite television show? It doesn’t have to be just a dream; it is positively within reach.
On March 4, 2024, valuable insight into obtaining enviable background acting opportunities was shared with the Hollywood Times by Brenda Storer.
California-grown, New York City-seasoned, and hailing from Generation X, Storer presents with an authenticity of voice, plus the quintessential resourcefulness of the “Latch-key Kid Generation”. In the late nineties, she completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology at California State University. Chico, living and working on campus as a Resident Advisor. Years later, once she relocated to the Big Apple, she obtained further education to advance an emergent career as a web designer and developer.
Television shows that she has worked on include the following: Law and Order, Billions, The Blacklist, Feud: Capote and the Swans. [The eight episodes were based on the book Capote’s Women.] She was also involved in the show And Just Like That. Perhaps most remarkably, she has appeared in the renowned dramatic series of macabre humor titled Succession. During the Hollywood Times interview, Storer stated that she became an avid fan of the show before being involved with it. It seems fandom turned into subtle stardom.
In case you missed Succession, it may be worth your consideration. It has been well-received across all seasons for its writing, acting, directing, musical score…virtually every aspect of its creation. The interactions among the key characters are highly nuanced and their behavior is undeniably nefarious. Strangely enough, the result is an undeniably captivating show.
Now one might wonder if it is necessary to be a diva or a dancing dynamo like Storer to score such plum opportunities.
“You don’t have to have anything” exclaimed Storer, when asked if a wide wheelhouse is necessary (Hollywood Times Interview March 4, 2024). The fact becomes clear that one does not need to possess any remarkable skills or talents to step into surreptitious stardom. Storer got across that what is important in a candidate, however, is a receptiveness to taking direction. Not having that capacity can pose problems for the director and everyone else. It seems like the last thing a sound stage needs are an errant extra.
Displaying nonmainstream body modifications could also make it harder to break into the entertainment industry. Displaying a slew of public piercings, extensive ear gauging, or in-your-face tattoos – including those done directly to the skin of one’s face – can be major deterrents too. Storer explains “Tattoos are actually even more of a concern than hair color, because most tattoos are copyrighted artwork; Casting notices will ask if you have any visible tattoos,” Storer, March 10, 2024.
Once in a blue moon, radical features may be selected by scouts, but such radical self-expression is best avoided before attempting to break into the entertainment field. Oddly enough, according to Storer, a more “generic” look can be a sound strategy for landing background gigs in TV and film. Applicants can be added to an inventory with photos and stats.
Storer shares that such work does not provide enough for most of us to live on, so it is a job for those seeking something other than financial compensation. [Note: The ability to spend an entire day on set is also a requirement for background acting, not to mention foreground acting.]
PART III Interview with Storer:
Last, Storer emphasizes the fulfillment and opportunities that background work has brought her She encourages those reading right now to consider looking into doing the same side work.
As a California State University, Chico undergraduate, Storer naturally gravitated towards the Performing Arts while completing a degree in Psychology.
It’s uncanny how much the author and Storer have in common ~ they both grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, both studied in NYC, both studied psychology, both were involved with cheerleading, and both were Resident Advisors…RAs in the same residence hall, the same floor, the same academic year: (1995 – 1996). Yes, perhaps you sense that Storer knew this author before the Hollywood Times interview took place. The fact is they met each other 29 years ago. As RAs, the two women worked together…in an intensely interactive capacity. and then the two became chill housemates the year after being RAs. They lived in a charming, old white House with a cat named Veruca.
It was during that time in Chico, California the author came to know Storer exceptionally well and vice versa. Sure, they zoomed for the Hollywood Times interview, but they have not seen each other – in person since…maybe the millennium. 2024 may be the year that they reunite and toast their latest lucky breaks…breaks like being in Law & Order…and even landing this journalism job with the Hollywood Times.
Consider for a moment the idea that this year may be yours to spring forward spectacularly; it may be time to expand your world with some substantial steps. Emphatically, Storer stated that background acting is “so easy” {to get into} (3/4/24), so why not? The thrill of show business may await you. It is a straightforward way to make dreams come true. One iota of stardom can light up your life. and the art that is yielded can survive and even thrive past one’s lifetime.
If you are curious about what else Storer does besides background work, please visit brendastorer.com.
