In cinema or television there is a concept that represents exceptional situations and that is often an interesting resource to make the film, series or program something with which the public can connect in another way. We are talking here about cameo, an element that is little recognized but commonly used.
A fleeting appearance of a celebrity in a movie or series, such is the case of Stan Lee in every Marvel adventure on the big screen
To really understand what a cameo is, we must begin by describing it or defining its characteristics and then we can see what its value is. Cameo can be described as the act by which a director or producer of a movie, series or television show invites a famous person who is usually himself to participate in the ongoing story .
The cameo then represents a grimace or a wink that is made to the audience who, surely, knows the person in question and is surprised to see him inserted into a story where other famous actors also play fictional roles. The cameo is a resource that mainly brings grace and spontaneity to the plot. Its value usually does not have to do with characters that can really affect the story for two reasons: on the one hand, because it is understood that this famous person is not part of the plot and, on the other hand, because that figure is only invited to appear or have some minor dialogue .
Why resort to cameo
There is no conclusive or unambiguous explanation for why cameo can serve as a resource. This has more to do with adding wealth and value to a film or television piece. In this sense, the cameo can occur for two main reasons: it is common for the guest who acts as himself to want to participate in the plot both because he is a spectator or because he likes the story and, on the other hand, it is also possible that he is part of production and you want to make an appearance in the middle of the story.
As many directors have done (for example Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese and others) they have made cameos as secondary characters that go unnoticed in the background or with roles without dialogue. The same have been done by actors and actresses who can appear in special episodes of series making themselves as if they incidentally passed by the place and suddenly got into the main story.
