Septa See Me

-Joseph Tornatore down and dirty for his Septa commercial.

I got booked for two Septa commercials that should air regionally on the major stations this autumn. Each commercial is a thirty second spot. Each commercial has one lead actor supported by about a dozen featured extras. Casting decided on two general types of actors to be represented in each commercial -extraordinary attractive actors and everyday middle class blue collar people.

When the wardrobe person lifted a dirty apron over my neck before the first frame of filming, I knew what side of the ledger my acting fell on for this gig. I was separated from the attractive elite and put on a hot dog cart to play a street vender. Surrounded by low hanging tin on wheels, I knew where I stood. Thankfully, the hot dog cart is integral to the plot as the lead actress ends her Septa commute to interface with me at my cart for breakfast.

In the second bit, wardrobe dressed me in a blue mechanic shirt over a grungy white tee and blue jeans. The props girl uncorked a grease gun and did not let me report to the set until my clothes were lubricated with grease and faux dirt was thrown on me like pixie dust. When the sentiment settled, I was a slick car mechanic working on a 1969 puke green Ford Thunderbird amongst the anonymous row homes in West Philadelphia.

If anyone dare say my acting isn’t pretty, that is what I thought they wanted from me.