Article From The Kingston Whig:
“The scene was set: lights, camera, background!
Approximately 30 aspiring and fledgling actors gathered at the Broom Factory on Saturday to learn all about the exciting world of background acting and how to get started in the industry.
The Kingston Canadian Film Festival (KCFF) and Kingston Film & Media (KFM) hosted a workshop about background acting, principle acting (speaking roles) and the world of casting.
Ilona Smyth, one of Canada’s leading casting directors, led the workshop. With more than two decades in the industry, Smyth has helped bring more than 250 film, television and commercial projects to life.
In short, she picks the stars you see on the screen.
Based out of Ottawa, Smyth is the owner and operator of Smyth Casting, but is also CEO and co-founder of Background Work, an online platform for casting actors in background roles.
“A while ago, I realized we have great tools in place for principal casting, like Casting Workbook and Actors’ Access for all the speaking roles that agents and casting directors use. But there’s nothing specific to background actors,” Smyth said. “So, we made our own. It’s redefining how background casting is handled now.
“I’ve cast everything from the lead to every type of speaking role, and I find background the most difficult,” Smyth said. “We’re trying to give a feeling, a colour to the scene. We’re looking at male-to-female ratio, ethnicity, and age. There are so many things to consider.”
She explained that if you don’t have the right people behaving the right way in the background, the audience won’t be drawn into the story because the scene lacks authenticity.
Smyth said she loves Kingston and has had her eye on it for a while as a potential market for expansion. She sees Kingston now in much the same way she saw Ottawa about 20 years ago when she started her casting company.
“I spent many summers here by the water. My dad went to Queen’s, so it has a special place in my heart,” Smyth said. “Professionally speaking, it has great potential. My mantra in life is, ‘Talent’s not geographical,’ and there are some beautiful places here.”
When Smyth was 15, she started background acting herself and loved it. Since then, she has built a world-class casting company and is a member of the Casting Society of America and an executive member of the Casting Directors Society of Canada, building trusted relationships with top agencies globally.
In that time, she has cultivated a reputation for delivering standout casts under even the most demanding timelines.
Her long list of credits can be found on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB).
Smyth believes that film and TV production doesn’t just belong in the major cities and that talent should know no borders.
“I love convincing producers that I work with to come and try something new within the province,” she said. “Especially when it comes to films with budgets in the $5 million to $20 million range because in Toronto it’s so costly.”
Her casting company has been instrumental in building the current film and TV infrastructure in Ottawa for the last two decades, etching out the capital’s own little piece of Hollywood North.
It’s been a busy year for Smyth.
“I’ve done over 36 productions this year,” she said. “It might slow down over Christmas, but come January 5th, we’ve got some crazy productions lined up.”
Smyth didn’t elaborate on any details. At this early stage in the process, even working titles are often kept confidential.
She admitted that business normally does slow down a little over the winter with outdoor set limitations due to the weather.
“All these Hallmark Christmas movies that people think are shot in the winter are very much shot in the summer,” she said, laughing. “These poor background artists are out there in winter coats, hats and mittens in the heat.”
Her business partner, Sam Raza, president and co-founder of Background Works, showed the participants how to register on the platform and explained how this new tool has made casting accessible for both the casting director and the talent.
“It’s way more streamlined, more user-friendly, and more production-friendly and allows actors to control their own schedules without having to give away a percentage of what they earn.” Smyth explained. “Historically, background actors have relied on closed Facebook pages, which cater to an aging demographic. They check film office websites and often learn about opportunities too late.”
“Right now, we have a program called ‘Winter 10.’ You can create a profile with as many photos and videos as you like, and you list your details like age, size, union status, etc.” Smyth said. “All the information is there that background casting companies need to find background actors.”
At the workshop, Smyth and her colleague discussed the best etiquette for background acting on set, how to get booked, and how to network. An introduction to the business end of the acting was shared, including pay rates, taxation, union dues, clothing allowance and per diems if you are required to bring own outfits.
They went beyond the background and spent some time on principal acting — speaking roles — and what it takes to move from background to principal status.
Following the workshop and Q&A, a conversation developed between Raza, Smyth and KFM manager of film and media strategy, Tyler Platt.
Platt said that he sees future affiliations with Smyth Casting, background work and other entities like it as the Kingston film and TV production market continues to grow.
“Right now, we seem to be getting a lot of interest from sci-fi, horror and superhero producers — that kind of film,” he said. “What we’re looking to grow is rom-com. We’re trying to get a slice of that.”
Platt said Kingston needs casting directors, camera operators and general crew. He mentioned that KFM plans to “attack this with a producer accelerator program,” claiming the producer is “the first domino.”
“We want to get producers that want to actually live or live nearby so that we can get that first domino,” he said.
Mixing metaphors, he continued. “The producer is that first domino that gets the ball rolling.”
Platt said, “We’re also trying to workshop, you know, get more talent at the ground level so that they can both meet in the middle.”
Raza agreed, “That’s what I’m saying. It’s a symbiotic relationship. You need the infrastructure and background has been such a funnel for people to get other jobs.”
Raza went on to explain that many background actors often take an interest in other aspects of filmmaking once they’re in the workplace, and their background position is often a starting point or “open door” to those other jobs on the set.
Smyth suggested other casting and acting workshops in the future and Platt excitedly agreed.
During the conversation, names were dropped and the trio was quickly reminded that the TV and film industry was a small world. They had mutual friends in the business.
Platt mentioned a production company out of Tennessee just called asking what his calendar was like. They want to come to Kingston within the next couple of weeks to scout shooting locations.
This company from Tennessee wants to co-produce with Kingston, and Platt said his office might be able to help “somewhat” but again fell back on the “first domino” metaphor, arguing that without a producer and all the pieces they bring to the market, the help KFM could provide would be limited.
