Some folks make a career out of being background talent, while others just try it for fun or a side job. Being a extra on a television or film set is one of the easiest and most fun jobs to get paid for. Some folks feel it is a glamorous job.
Being an extra in a movie is an important job in helping a movie create a scene by realistic environment. I like to think of it as being wallpaper or moving ants. While being an extra on a movie set takes no experience, it is a job, so you should still be professional.
Serious actors do not like to take these types of jobs as it is said that if you take too many of these parts, it may hurt your career if casting directors pigeonhole you as a background actor or Standin. Some schools of thought do not see extras as acting, as it does not require any acting experience.
I am a serious actress who takes training, but I’ve also known the realities of having to pay rent in New York City. If you’re a union actress, it beats temping, catering and waiting tables to afford those acting classes! I also see some set experience as valuable to honing a craft.
Read How to be a background extra in a movie/tv show
Tips on What to Expect as a Movie Extra
Arrive on time to set
You want to make sure you arrive on time they request. This is called your call time. It’s always best to get there early in case you have difficulty finding the location. A caveat to arriving early is that you might get to grab a meal before getting called to set, but this does not happen all the time, especially in the case you are Non-Union talent in which you must wait for the Assistant Director’s team (or the managing Production Assistant) to announce your meal breaks..
If you are a StandIn and Photo Double, your call time is different; it is the time you must be on set.. not at basecamp location.
Check in with Background Extras table
There will be a check in table – you’ll recognize it by the long line of talent holding their wardrobe, backpacks and rolling luggage. The Assistant Director’s team will check you in and give you a waiver to fill out. This is important– it is your time card, tax and citizenship forms for work.
Wardrobe & Hair/Makeup
As you’re waiting, you may be directed to go to wardrobe and hair/makeup.
Get fed on set
One of the perks of the job is that it comes with designated meal times. You cannot take unscheduled breaks as they will be given to you.
Union talent must receive meal breaks within six hours from the time of their first call. The second meal break must be called within six hours from that and meals should be the same as Crew. Should this fail to happen, Union talent gains a meal penalty, which results in additional pay for union rules having been broken.
Non-Union talent can get either the same meal options as the Union background talent or they may be a bagged meal of the bare minimum. You get scheduled meal breaks but this is designated by the Production Assistant in charge. In either case, at least you’re not packing your home lunch.
Night shoots
Sometimes, you may get called for a night shoot. This means you’re shooting at night and you can end anywhere from 1am to 6am. If you’re working on these shoots, best be prepared for the long haul. One time, I forgot what night shoots can be light and brought a lightweight jacket… at 2am, I was cursing myself trying to find areas of warmth on set. We didn’t wrap until 6am.
Hours & Pay
Days can be short or long (8 -12 hours) and it is based on how many scenes they need you in. Your day will be spent waiting to be called to set. Pay can range from $100 to $287 based on whether you are non-union or union and your state.
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Set Etiquette for Movie Extras
- Be prepared to hurry up and wait. Be prepared to wait for hours.
- Do not ask the actors for photos
- Do not bring your mobile phone or cameras on set. On set you will have signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Anyone caught filming will be sent home.
- No posting photos or information on social media.
- Be quiet. Filming can be in progress and they can pick up a lot in sound.
- Be on-time, professional, friendly and take direction.
- Don’t be late or a no-show. If you are notoriously late or do not show up, the casting agency will blacklist you and they will not hire you again.
- Do not be rude or talk back. If you are reported to have bad behavior, you will not be called back. One girl sassed a production assistant about not wearing her mask. Originally she had five days of work on her project, but that was her last day. I got called for the remaining four; that was a good $1200 paycheck she turned over to me.
- Do not take unscheduled breaks.
- Do not bring family, friends or pets with you.
- Do not look directly into the camera. They’ll have to re-film it.
- It’s okay to be featured (aka upgraded to be seen next to or interacting with the star) , but if you want to keep working for a continued paychecks on that show, do not get featured. Once you are seen on-camera, casting won’t call you for a while, because you’ve been seen in a role.
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What to bring to set as an extra?
Aside from the usual things you may be requested to bring, such as wardrobe and identification, you’ll want to consider additional things. Most extras don’t think about being prepared for their work day until it’s too late.
As you will be waiting most of the time, consider where you will be in holding. Non-union talent should be the most prepared. I know this sounds bad, but depending upon the production, their well-being may be the least of concern to the production. When I lived in New York and just got out of school, I took non-union extra work as a fun way to pay bills and I’ve had to work anywhere from a stadium in the summer heat to rainy outdoors and even winter.
If you are called for a park or beach scene, it means you’ll be outdoors and be at the mercy of weather. Indoors may be sheltered but may not have air-conditioning or worse, have air conditioning on high. Imagine sitting hours in these conditions. If you are working mid day to evening, your climate may change from heat to evening cold.
General
- Book or reading material to pass time
- Extra Snacks in case you don’t get craft service.
- Telescope collapsable chair
- 10,000mAh Power Bank
- Carabiner or S-Hook (to hang your bag anywhere or lock it to your chair)
- Pen to fill in your forms.
- Optional: clipboard
- Lavender Hand Sanitizer spray
- Driver’s License, State ID or a digital photocopy of your Passport
Wardrobe Concerns
- Flip flops
- Shawl
- Shoe inserts for extra padding
Outdoors
- Light jacket
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Tissues or face towel for hot days
- Handheld or electronic Fan
- Mosquito repellent
- Sun Bum Reef Safe SPF 50 Vegan Sunscreen + Face Stick
- Collapsible stool
Indoors
- Jacket or shawl
- Body Wrappers 27″ Legwarmers ( for ladies dressed in skirts)
Things to Know Before Working as an Extra
Useful phrases to know getting to your work assignment
Basecamp– The base location you will arrive at for your call time.
Holding– The room or area they keep background extras so they are close access to the film set, but out of the way of production. There will be chairs set up; sometimes tables too.
Crafts/Crafties – Crafts is the refreshments department for talent and crew. They are stocked with drinks and snacks to keep fueled up. Always check with your wrangler before visiting crafts as you might be needed on set or in holding. Also, there may be designated areas for Union/Nonunion/Crew.
StandIn – The person that stands in for the star, so the camera and lighting can prepare the next shot. This person is typically a body double of the actor with similar height, complexion, hair, weight. Sometimes, they don’t look anything like the actor, but they are a friend of the casting agent.
Photo Double The person that is a body double for the star. They will do scenes that are small and that the actor is not needed for. They do need to resemble the actor with similar height, complexion, hair, weight as they will be on-camera but only body parts are shown.
Honey wagon – Toilets and dressing rooms
Useful phrases on a film set
“Background Action!” – This is the action cue for extras talent to do their activity so when the director calls “Sction”, you are already in a natural flow of movement.
Action! – This is the cue for the principal actors to do their scene.
Back to One! – This means go back to the first step where you started. This command typically comes after the director calls Reset .
Reset – The is the command to the crew to reset the camera and sound back to the beginning.
Turning/Turning Around – The camera and crew is being told to shoot opposite of where they were filming.
Tip: Watch where the camera is filming because you might be moving in one camera angle, but when the director orders the camera to turn around, it will be filming in the opposite direction from your activity. You might not be required to do anything during that shot. However, if that is too confusing, then just keep doing your activity. It won’t hurt.
Martini shot – This means it is the last shot and everyone can go home
Check the Gate – To the camera crew to make sure the camera gate is clean. This signals that the shoot is about to end.
That’s a Wrap – This is the end, let’s all go home!
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