Movie Extras?

[Chad Bonin]

I think someone here had mentioned they were an extra on Batman Begins...

I was flipping through the local Job News, and I saw an ad for Movie Extras, paying 200-600 a day, no experience necessary.

While I have no acting experience whatsoever other than elementary school plays, this seems like something that would be fun and profitable. Has anyone here done it, or considered doing it?

[Michael24]

I always thought it would be fun to try. I was going to try to be an extra on NASH BRIDGES a couple years ago since I lived close to San Francisco, but the show ended before I got around to calling the extras casting number.

[Caffeine King]

:eek: Where and when?!

I'd love to do that!

That movie would be taping in Atlanta or somewhere around there, right?(I'm assuming :sweat: )

[Chad Bonin]

Full Ad-

Earn $200-$600/Day
As A Movie Extra
All looks, types, and ages needed.
No experience required.
TV Music Videos
Commercials Film Print
Extras On Call:
XXX-XXX-XXXX EXT XXXX

Thus, I'm thinking they're just generally "Hey, we need an extra for Remember The Titans at Etowah High School on Friday. Are you available?"

(Remember The Titans... or another football flick... had it's football scenes filmed at a local HS)

[randomguy]

It's actually a pretty fun, no-hassle way to make some extra coin. I've extra'ed (so to speak) in a handful of Austin-filmed productions. You can pretty much count on being an extra to kill an entire day, at least in my experience, but outside of that, you really don't have much to lose. Very rarely, certain extras will even get picked out of the crowd for slightly more prominent roles, like getting a single line, for instance, or having a camera linger on them long enough for accquaintences to recognize them. It hasn't happened to me, but it did happen to a friend of mine, who wound up appearing topless (from behind) in Friday Night Lights, which I'm sure is a huge personal accomplishment for her.

Plus, there's free food.

[Chad Bonin]

Do they just tell you when it is and where to go, and you show up, sign in, and stand around?

I'm assuming they give you outfits when scenes necessitate (like Arkham Asylum), and I heard that on Spidey 1, you had to hand in your Drivers License to hold up a Bonecrusher sign or somethin'.

Seems like a fun way to blow a day.

[randomguy]

Do they just tell you when it is and where to go, and you show up, sign in, and stand around?
Depends on the movie, and whoever's handling the extras, but yeah, pretty much. I've never gotten an outfit for anything, but I'm sure you would for certain roles.

It's a perfectly fun way to blow a day, and it'll give you some good dinner conversation, so I'd say go for it.

[Lord Dalek]

I was THIS close to being an extra in Ring II.

[Discloner]

When Spielberg and his crew rolled through Newport, RI years and years ago to film various parts of 'Amistad'; I stood in a long line to give them my application to be an extra for that movie...but didn't get in.

Generally speaking, it sounds like it would be a great gig for some extra cash...but in retrospect, standing around for VERY loooooooooooooooooong days doing the same thing over and over and over would have been very taxing to my 11ish year old persona. Even today I think my patience would be worn down by the end of the production. Still...many-a-people realize it's the dream gig, so many people apply for a such a part in the movie which winds up greatly reducing your chances of getting a part in it.

Still, I'd say it's definetly worth a shot. If not for the cash, then for a fun experience.

[Enrique]

I've been a background extra on Matrix 2, Hulk, and Seabiscuit, and it is indeed fun, and interesting for someone like myself who is trying to get into moviemaking as a career.
It is mostly standing around, depending on the scene. For Seabiscuit I was in the last race of the movie in the stands, so we sat half the day and cheered the other half :p They moved us all over the stands for different shots. It was surprisingly tiring. At least they gave us old-timey hats :D
Unfortunately for Matrix and Hulk, I was part of the city background, so there was a lot of walking and standing involved. Fortunately, they let you know what the scenes are when you sign up, so you know to bring comfy shoes ;)
You gotta keep in mind that very, very few productions will pay their background extras. The only extras that get paid are foreground, and those are almost always union actors, not just someone who saw an ad one day. You do get food and some movies have things like raffles with prizes.