Copping It

Date: August 2009
Job: Rush
Location: Moorabbin

It's my second 'acting' job, my first as an 'extra', and it's a top quality cop show that I'm a fan of. Anyway, I've been told to ‘wait here’ but that was ages ago and it’s getting boring and it’s cold and if I step a few metres away from the crowd of crew and extras I can not only see Rodger Corser filming his scene but I'm in the sunshine which is so lovely and warm on this cold winter’s morning. But then the AD (Assistant Director to the unitiated) waves at me madly to get back! I could accidentally be in the shot! Oops!

We film several takes and I’m in two shots. I'm wearing my new suit (no black allowed so I just had to go shopping) and carrying a brief case and I think I look pretty good. I'm paired up with a guy who's also wearing a suit to make a corporate couple. At first we're onlookers in the background and then we move into a station arcade. The bad guy-a greasy haired drug dealer- runs right past us, chased by actors Nicole Da Silva and Josef Ber. Can’t wait to see it! You'll see me for sure! In between takes, a bogan on a bike stops and asks the two 'cops' if they caught him. Ms Da Silva tells him it's all pretend, that they're filming a TV show, but he refuses to believe her.

Anyway, weeks later, when I finally get to see the episode on TV, I’m just a dark reflection in a shop window and a momentary figure in the distance.

I tell myself they couldn’t have done it without me.