From the old site
Extra! Extra! Read All About Herb Sommerfeld
Written by Karrie Baughman – 09/04/2010
Karrie: Obvious question, what led you to the job of being an extra?
Herb: There are no simple answers: so where, oh where do I start? Ok, let’s start with Jean Claude Van Damme. I could start with Spiderman comics, but then we’d be here all week. A friend of mine, Peter W., introduced me to the movie Bloodsport. I love it. LOVED IT!! I used to listen to a cassette recording of Bloodsport when I would go for walks, and would watch it in slow motion to learn the kicks. I would even watch TV while doing the splits between two chairs like in the movie. After years of asking my parents to join Karate, a sweet talking Polish Judo Olympic Gold Medalist named Mark K., convinced them that sports were good for kids and so, at age 16 I joined The Tom Mah School of Karate. One of the instructors, Jackson Dancey (rest in peace my dear friend), used to encourage me (a highly self conscious teenager...like everyone during the teen years), by calling me JC (short for Jean Claude), and would always comment on my “Hollywood Kicks” (these are what JC called fancy kicks in one of his movies). In Kelowna—where I am from—there is no film industry, so even though I wanted to be a martial arts movie star, the dream faded after a few years, but never completely.
At this point I didn’t even know there was a film industry in Vancouver. I had only ever been to Vancouver once during the 1988 Olympics (Go Ben Johnson!!!). I’m a huge fan of Smallville thanks to my Mom bringing the show to my attention at the start of season one. A single look at Kristen Kreuk and I was sold! Seriously, she is one of the most beautiful actresses ever. I sat next to her once during a play (Glengarry Glen Ross…starring Bill Dow from SG-1), and all I could think about was, “Gosh, I am sitting next to Lana Lang.” It was awesome.
Anyhoo, a fellow I worked with mentioned to me that he had been an extra in Smallville and I couldn’t believe it. I thought to myself, “Amazing…mere mortals are allowed to be on TV!” I asked him how I would go about doing extra work and he told me to look up his agent: Roland. So, I sent Roland an email and…nothing. I never heard back. And so, another dream faded into oblivion.
That is until a girl named Beth randomly added me as a friend on Myspace. We chatted every once and a while and I learned that she was cousin to the Ashmore twins, and through them she had done some extra work. After over a year of sparse chats with her I finally asked her how I could become an extra. She gave me her agent’s email and within 2 weeks I had my first job as an extra on Battlestar Galactica. I felt fat in the uniform they gave me. I still feel fat most of the time. Perhaps I should have a contest with Brian and Jamil to see who can get the best 6-pack by the end of Season Two, hmmm??
For anyone who has read this far, I write wherever I lead me, so I apologize for the seeming randomness. If you chart it out though it is perfectly logical.
When I first started doing extra work I had to drive 4 hours from Kelowna to Vancouver almost every time. At the time I was going to the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus to finish off my BA in English/Philosophy and then my EDUC diploma so I could teach high school.
My agent Tyleen worked hard to get me as much extra work as possible; however, I only had two goals though: Get on STARGATE SG-1, and get on SMALLVILLE!!! All I wanted was for my hand to cross the frame on those shows. I didn’t even need my face to be on TV, I just wanted to be able to say, “That’s my hand!!” After about a month I managed to get a small extra part as a waiter in an alternate reality in SG-1 season 10 episodes 13, “The Road Not Taken.”
When Amanda Tapping walked on to set I thought I had seen an angel. I saw her a couple days ago at a Sanctuary fitting (trying on clothes to make sure they fit), and I STILL am giddy around her. You see, ever since the Stargate movie starring Mr. Russel, I was a fan. I own every Stargate DVD. I owned them all even before I did any extra work. I love Stargate…more than I loved Bloodsport. I have friends to this day that I met on set that day.
A few weeks passed and Tyleen called me up asking if I wanted to be an Apollo Crew member on Stargate Atlantis. I had watched every episode and never heard of the Apollo, but I of course said yes. Turns out I was picked to be the pilot of the Apollo (because by random chance I was given the pilot wings on my uniform and the other extras didn’t). THAT WAS AWESOME!! I got to chill with Martin Wood and Michael Beach, and was in a couple scenes with the whole cast of SGA. A great day indeed. It turned out to be many many days of work on SGA.
Still, it was tough to do extra work during my EDUC year at university because attendance was required, and the drive was not always safe.
Enter the roughest time in my life.
During the last 12 weeks of the Education program the students are required to do a teacher practicum. Essentially you go from zero to 60 overnight in the teaching arena. These are the toughest 12 weeks of a student’s life. All of a sudden you become responsible for the education of a hundred or more students, and you have no idea where to begin (even though you just finished 9 months of classes, all now seemingly useless). As the 12 weeks progress, the amount of teaching you do increases so that in the last 3 weeks you are at 100% teaching load. Ask any student teacher and they will tell you this is the toughest thing they have ever done.
Well, 2 weeks before the end of the EDUC program, my mother’s two year battle with cancer came to its apex. She was rushed to the hospital and within a week or so she passed away (May 4th, 2007). Ouch.
I was given a lot of leniency in regards to finishing the teacher program off, and I managed to finish my final project (A plan to reduce child obesity in Canada, which is an epidemic by the way).
A friend of mine called me up and asked if by chance I wanted to sub-let his apartment in Vancouver for that summer while he worked out of town. I took that opportunity and moved to Vancouver with plans to do Extra work for three months and to then teach high school for the rest of my days.
Three months passed and my friend called me up and asked if I wanted to stay in his place for another three months. He wanted to work a bit more. So, I said yes. The extra work was paying the bills…barely, and I still needed time off from teaching to let the sour taste fade from my mouth.
Before I left for Vancouver I was UBC Okanagan’s head Strength & Conditioning Coach. I was paid to make the athletes bigger, stronger, and meaner. That year UBC Okanagan had their winningest year ever. I felt pretty good about the program I gave them (that I pretty much stole from my acquaintances Charlie Francis and Derek Hansen). I miss that. I am going to write a movie about an S&C coach someday.
After the three months after the initial three months passed, my friend decided to get married. His apartment was single occupancy and so, with his help I took over his bachelor pad and have been living here doing extra work for almost 3 years. I love it. I hate it. J
Karrie: You have tweeted several times about a 5 year plan. Can you share what that is, and how do you stay motivated to stick with your goals?
Herb: I got the 5 year plan idea from the Adam Sandler movie: Big Daddy, where that older fellow dating the younger woman is said to have a 5 year plan. Adam’s response, “Ya, but he’s got old balls.” I am 34. My plan was to be teaching high school, coaching track and field, and married with children by the time I was 31. My previous plans were to be an Olympian in the 100m Hurdles, and to be world martial arts champion. Prior to that I wanted to draw comics. I think prior to that my only goal (as a 13 year old) was to be a Playboy photographer. Instead, I am single and all I have is old balls.
On a more serious note: I am currently writing a screenplay. I know everyone thinks their screenplay is going to be amazing and sell for millions, but they’re delusional. I however, plan on selling mine for 2 million against 3 million (they pay me 2 mil, and if it gets made I get another 1 mil). I’ve been writing and researching it for over a year now. At heart I am a writer. Part of acting is storytelling. If I hadn’t done extra work I wouldn’t have desired to become an actor. If I hadn’t studied acting, I would never have discovered Robert McKee’s book: Story. After reading that book I knew I was a screenwriter.
I am in a book club. We call ourselves The Nigglings (the first book we read was Tolkien’s Leaf by Niggle). We have recently changed from a book club into a screenwriter’s guild of sorts. In it are 2 PhDs, and a few guys like myself with BAs. We are a veritable think tank of movie ideas. I am working on my movie alone, and they are working on a couple amazing projects together. Give us 5 years and we will all be professional screenwriters/producers. That is my actual 5 year plan.
On days that I don’t do extra work, I write. I wake up, put on some coffee, shower, do my daily Bible reading and prayer, and then write until 5pm (I take breaks by playing http://playstarfleetextreme.com and am with the WHO alliance if anyone wants to join). I am half way finished the actual writing of my screenplay. It is in the Fantasy Adventure genre and will be rated PG-13. You will all love it.
Karrie: What shows have you been an extra for? We know about SGU, Fringe and Smallville. Do you have a favorite?
Herb: Besides the aforementioned shows, I have worked on Stargate Sg-1, Stargate Atlantis, The L-Word, Robson Arms, Reaper (I am in love with Missy Peregrym), Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, Life Unexpected, Supernatural, Eureka, Flash Gordon, Sanctuary, V, and pretty much any other TV show filmed in Vancouver in the last 3 years. I have worked on Shooter, Night at the Museum 2, Santa Buddies, Hot Rod, Damage, Russlan, and a plethora of other MOWs and Features. So many I can hardly remember.
Karrie: Your blog about being an extra was very interesting, what was your motivation for sharing your thoughts? Do you have anything you would like to add?
Herb: I needed to get the contents of that blog off my chest. Particularly with SGU, I don’t want anyone on the Cast or Crew to think that I think I am more than I am. I don’t want the actors to think that just because I am listed with them as SGU cast on a few twitter lists that I actually think I am part of the cast or that, as an extra I think I have a tough job. Actors have one of the most stressful jobs you can think of. The eyes of the world on them. They are the focus. The extras are 99% of the time out of focus, and if they are in focus, it isn’t essential to the movie or show. I have acted on Smallville and Fringe and let me say, it is very stressful. The whole crew depends on you to do your job right. I admire actors for what they do. It isn’t easy at all.
Thats all for this weeks folks, we'll post part two next week
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In our continuing efforts to bring the fans of Stargate Universe as many facets of the show as we can, we are excited to share an interview with Herb Sommerfeld. Many of you may remember him from the Hiatus Project Chats. Herb is an extra on many shows as well as a writer. We are bringing this interview to you in two parts, as Herb has wonderful insights as to his life and where his career is heading. |