Mandurah actors aim to inspire up-and-coming in screen industry

Mandurah mother and son actor duo, Tracy Bolton and Sam Watts, have been fortunate enough to work on a number of screen productions and share some of their tips on what to expect if you pursue a screen career.

Just over a year ago they joined the Now Actors agency in Perth, in their Talent division.

Tracy's most recent work is a TV, online and print advert for the WA State Government's Influenza Vaccine campaign.

The duo was also hired for a Perth university film shoot but unfortunately because of the pandemic, filming hasn't yet been completed.

Sam, who is also an outdoor activity instructor and first year Geology student at the Univeristy of Western Australia, recalls one of his more unusual jobs, as a stand-in for the iinet actor in one of the latest ads.

"It was a green screen shoot to simulate the effect of flying past a plane which basically involved standing all day with a heavy jetpack on my back and having a leaf blower blown in my face! The stand-in's job is to save the lead actor's energy whilst the shot is being set up. When all the technical details are in place, the stand-in steps out and the actor steps in. It's quite tiring work and requires a lot of patience!"

Tracy also experienced being a stand-in on the feature film Three Summers, directed by Ben Elton and shot in the Peel region, with many of the local community on set every day as extras.

"Although I'd been a theatre actor for many years with the theatre company Stray Cats, this was my first time on a film set and it was nerve-wracking!" Tracy said.

Aside from long days on set as an extra, Tracy was given stand-in duties for the lead Rebecca Breeds (Home & Away, Pretty Little Liars, The Originals) and then as a body double for Jacqueline Mckenzie (Palm Beach, Romper Stomper, Deep Blue Sea) reading lines to Robert Sheehan (currently in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy) to enable the crew to shoot the final moments of the film.

"Working alongside a highly professional crew, opposite Australian and internationally known actors, was quite daunting.

"I had to rapidly acquire new skills and learn how to take instruction and respond to direction with the minimum of fuss. You really don't want to be blamed for wasting a film crew's time, so the pressure was on," Tracy said.

By keeping an eye on social media groups for actors and film makers, Tracy was able to source more unpaid screen opportunities, a great way, she says, for actors to start out in the screen industry.

"I joined a number of online local screen acting and film making groups and saw a call for extras for a zombie short film The Big Day. Although it was unpaid it turned out to be a brilliant experience, dressed as wedding guests, dripping fake blood everywhere...and best of all they ordered in about 60 boxes of pizza! The golden rule is, if you don't pay your extras, you have to at least feed them well!"

When the Screenwest sponsored ABC Children's TV series Itch began filming in Albany last year, Tracy initially applied to audition through the online casting site Starnow.

"At the time it still hadn't occurred to me to join an agency and take on paid work. I just loved the experience of being on set", Tracy said.

"Albany is quite a long drive but I felt it was worth the effort as I made new connections which helped me secure paid extra work when the shoot finally moved to Perth. It was also an excuse to get away down south. The series is set mainly in Albany and really showcases all of its beauty and attractions. The BBC will be screening Itch in the UK soon as it's actually based on a book by the BBC broadcaster and writer Simon Mayo."

During a shoot on another Screenwest funded production the ABC comedy mini-series KGB, playing police officer extras alongside an impressive Australian cast, Tracy heard that Itch would be filming in Perth the following week and signing with an agency would allow her and Sam to be taken on as paid extras.

"The next week, as Sam and I sat on incredibly uncomfortable plastic stools in the extras 'holding area', with all the other extras sitting expectantly around us, waiting patiently to be called onto set and all of us jokingly complaining about the discomfort, I turned to Sam and whispered...'well at least we're getting paid for it now.' We felt like Ricky Gervaise in his series Extras."

Both actors agree there is definitely a certain amount of discomfort involved in being an extra or an actor on set.

"...hot studio lighting, depending on the weather; sunburn or mild hypothermia when you're outside on location, aching feet (always wear comfortable shoes!) aching legs, back, headaches, boredom, exhaustion, uncomfortable costumes or clothing...all for those few seconds of 'fame' and of course you may not even make the final edit. But however hard you work, the crew are working 10 times harder and yet you never hear them complain," Tracy said.

Sam has only one acting regret so far...not being able to take up the offer of being in the Sam Mendes blockbuster war movie 1917.

"A casting site in the UK emailed to see if I'd be interested in playing a soldier," Sam said.

"It would have involved army style basic training to prepare for the long days of filming outside in all weathers. I flew to the UK last summer and had hoped to fit the filming days into my schedule but the blocks of dates didn't quite work out. It's a great film featuring some of my favourite actors, like Benedict Cumberbatch, so yeah, that was definitely disappointing."

"Yes that would have looked great on his actor's CV," Tracy agreed.

"We were quite busy though. Sam celebrated his 21st birthday in the UK, caught up with friends and travelled to Amsterdam with his girlfriend and I went on a trip to Venice but before that we stayed in London and attended an acting workshop at RADA because it's always worthwhile seeking out training opportunities wherever you go," she said.

"I also attended an open audition day for a new Netflix series. It mostly consisted of dancing and the choreographer boasted that he'd taught Daniel Radcliffe to dance! I didn't remember Harry Potter dancing but it turns out he was also in a musical.

"The funniest part of the audition was getting through to the last but one round, out of about 150 auditionees, because he thought I was a professional Irish dancer. Which is probably where the saying 'fake it 'til you make it' comes in.

"We've certainly already had our fair share of experiences, on and off screen, and every single audition, training class or shoot equips you with more skills to add to your 'actor's toolbox', so it all counts and I'd encourage anyone who has ever thought about trying it out to start making connections with those already in the industry, it's the best way to learn.

"I'm in the process of developing some Screen Acting workshops for younger people, as more often than not the only courses available are in Perth, so get in touch if you would like to go on our mailing list," she said.

Tracy regularly attends industry events by Screen Australia and Screenwest on the film making process and recently wrote, directed and produced her first short film which she plans to enter into film festivals.

"The film was shot here in Mandurah with mostly local actors and it was a fantastic experience to see my concept go from the page to the screen. I had a great two-man crew and the actors brought my characters to life brilliantly, dealing with some quite challenging and emotive on-screen moments.

"Whatever side of the camera you are on, it's a fascinating business and Sam and I are really looking forward to whatever comes next!"

CinefestOz takes place this month in Busselton showcasing WA films and is well worth a visit for both actors and filmmakers.

To be added to Tracy's Screen Acting mailing list email tracybolton02@hotmail.co.uk.