The kid stays in the picture

Lights, camera, action. My moment to shine. I adjust my collar and quickly check my make up in the tram window, as the director calls “Action.” This is it. My big moment. My starring role as “Man on Tram” and the beginning of my illustrious career as a background artist.

Okay maybe it wasn’t my big moment, when you work for a hybrid creative agency like ABF Pictures, it turns out there’s countless moments and random opportunities to build TV skills you never thought you would. Whether it’s dancing Orangutans, parachuting cars or footballers in secret labs, you can never predict where the next brief is going to take you.

At ABF we’re a team, so if we’re on a shoot and a scene needs filling in we all get involved, which is exactly how I got my first cameo in a TV commercial. Along with myself, you can also spot our producer, Amber and photographer, Owen Jones in the back of shot. Over the last few years I’ve featured in a few TV commercials by chance. I’ve listed below my top 3 roles so far…

The first of my many commuter roles, 2017’s “Man on Tram” from the soak.com‘s Life Hack campaign still ranks among the best.

Integrated TV, Radio and Print campaign for Dragon Soop – I’m the whooping “man in crowd” and also “man crossing road” – not since Eddie Murphy’s Nutty Professor has there been such a seamless multiple character performance.

As every true actor must at one time tackle Macbeth, every background artist must one day tackle “Man Delivering Parcel”. I hit this milestone in 2020, some say this may be the high watermark.

To be honest, I’m happy that my on-screen career is destined to never venture beyond the background. It’s about being a part of the team rather than being on centre stage but it’s fun to be on the stage in a small way on occasion. I mean is there anything better than getting the chance to see our ads on air and shout “Hey look I’m on TV!”