So, what is a "day player" in acting?
A day player is an actor who works on a film or television set for a day or two and has just a few lines (they're usually in one or two scenes). They're hired for a short term contract and never on a repeat or long-term basis. Actors not considered day players include those who don't have lines (background actors) and main characters (actors who are in tons of scenes or multiple episodes). Think of a day player as the character who is asked a few questions by police in a scene of Law & Order, or a waiter who takes an order at a restaurant from the main characters. In this guide, we'll go into depth on the following:
If you'd like an in-depth list of the types of acting roles there are (such as lead, supporting, co-star, etc.) plus tips on how to find work in each, I highly recommend checking out my guide: Types of Roles in Acting: All You Need to Know. What is a Day Player in Acting?
|
Enjoyed this article?
Book more work by thinking "Outside the Industry."
Knowing what is a day player in acting and how to book more day player/co-star roles is just one part of growing your acting career.
As someone who has worked with people in thousands of industries (through my headshot business), I've been able to take growth strategies that work for businesses and apply them directly to actors – to help them grow their careers faster than most would think possible (examples: one of my clients landed his first-ever Broadway role in just 4 weeks of working with me, and a brand-new actress signed with a high-level agent in just six weeks of working with me).
I'd like to invite you to my free insider newsletter where I share my best material, including:
- How to network easily and authentically with casting directors – even if you hate self-promotion.
- How to find your Type and Brand in just 18 minutes (it doesn't require awkwardly asking lots of random people for feedback)
- How to find a hardworking and reliable agent – even if you don't have a strong resume or reel
- And much more...
Download my free Actor's Toolkit to get started and you'll hear from me a few times a week with unique "outside the industry" strategies. I promise they'll help you build a career you're truly proud of.
Martin Bentsen (author of this guide) is an actor marketing coach who uses “outside the industry” thinking to help actors book more work. He’s helped over 6,000 actors with their careers and actor headshots since 2009 and his photography studio City Headshots is ranked #1 on Yelp. He’s spoken at NYU, The New England Theater Conference, The Actor’s Green Room, and other venues. Want to book more acting work by thinking different? Start with his free Actor’s Toolkit to create new opportunities right away, or visit his website at www.martinbentsen.com. |
Some Additional Q&A
How Much Do Day Players Make?
The SAG-AFTRA day rate is $1,056, or $3,564 for an entire week. Learn more about joining SAG here.
What are Movie Day Players?
So what is dayplaying? Well, if the article wasn't enough, to sum it up in one sentence, dayplaying means performing roles where you're hired for just a few days at a time. No long-term contracts – instead, small bit parts for actors that are basically one-offs.
What are the 4 Key Types of Actors?
There are four key types of actors, which are defined as Personality Actors, who use their own personality to bring life to a character; Creative Actors, or actors who go against their own personality; Chameleon Actors, who can play a wide variety of unrelated roles; and Nonprofessional Actors who add realism to stories.
Learn more about the types of actors here.
Learn more about the types of actors here.
Articles Related to "What is a Day Player in Acting?"
If you enjoyed this article (What is a Day Player in Acting?), you might be interested in some of these:
Comments are closed.