Question about working as a ''extra'' in movies.

[SimonMK]

''Extra'' are the actors that never speak and are usually on the background in a movie/tv show.

Well, my brother got me a role as a ''extra'' for a movie. I send photos to the agency and they accepted me.

They just told me the date they shoot and that few days before, I will have to try the costumes. And asked if I was comfortable to have my torso naked.

Beside that, no other information. Its my first experience... what am I to expect? Do I need acting skills?

 

[Torre82]

''Extra'' are the actors that never speak and are usually on the background in a movie/tv show.

Well, my brother got me a role as a ''extra'' for a movie. I send photos to the agency and they accepted me.

They just told me the date they shoot and that few days before, I will have to try the costumes. And asked if I was comfortable to have my torso naked.

Beside that, no other information. Its my first experience... what am I to expect? Do I need acting skills?

If they wanted an actor, they'd hire one. You walk by with your eyes forward or talk really softly to someone you're walking with. You sit there and eat your food quietly. You're basically a tree with eyes. Just.. be.
Be there. But not.

 

[BlueBalls]

Depending on the movie, you'll probably just be sitting or walking in the background. Unless it's a war movie, you might be asked to hold a gun on pretend to fire it. :dunno:

If that happens demand extra pay!

 

[SimonMK]

Well, they asked if I was comfortable to have my torso naked because I will play a Filipino Tribal man with Jewelry.

This is the only info I have about my role. And aren't Tribal supposed to be fully naked or its really ''torso naked'' only?

 

[BlueBalls]

Well, they asked if I was comfortable to have my torso naked because I will play a Filipino Tribal man with Jewelry.

This is the only info I have about my role. And aren't Tribal supposed to be fully naked or its really ''torso naked'' only?

I have no idea, but I doubt if this is a mainstream movie that they are going to show fully naked men flopping about on screen. You'll probably be shot from the waist up to create the illusion of nakedness.

I may be totally wrong of course, but you never know

 

[Namreg]

a friend of mine studied movie-making here in montreal, and several of his friends have appeared as extras in movies. one girl had to play a rape victim in gothika, so they paid her more because it counts as nudity. so make sure you get paid more if the nekkidness is more than torso-only. unless it's a gay tribal porno

 

[SimonMK]

I got 2 calls today from the agency. The first was a confirmation if I will be available and the second which I just got few minutes ago was about telling me there will be tigers and if I am ok with that.

They said I shouldn't be worried because they are trained and they won't be scared by me.

 

[D-rock]

If I ever make a movie I will invite the people of Freeones to come and be an extra in it. Of course I will probably have to make it some Twilight Zone type Bizarro world or a horror flick. :tongue:

 

[zell]

I was an extra in a movie once and a friend of mine has done a good amount of extra work and there is pretty much one common thing about it;be prepared to sit around for a really long time before they are even ready to use you.

I sat with a group of about 50-60 people and we waited for about 9 hours before we went down to do the actual scene,and when we finally got down to do the scene,it lasted for all of about 10-15 minutes max.Even though the waiting around sucked,it was still a really cool experience.

 

[Sicario]

A good friend of mine [Marine] was an extra in the movie Full Metal Jacket. He played a dead soldier in several scenes. The pay was great and he was lying in the dirt for three months. He did other stuff as well.

 

[Sophia_Santi]

We all want to go with you!! Hook us up!

 

[feller469]

If you don't look like a Filipino, and they are asking you to play one, that would be acting. Otherwise you are gonna be backdrop. or lunch for the tiger.

 

[Jane Burgess]

If you don't look like a Filipino, and they are asking you to play one, that would be acting. Otherwise you are gonna be backdrop. or lunch for the tiger.

Hehe lunch for a tiger. Nice one.

 

[Magnet]

I doubt you will have to show your genitals, but dont go there expecting not to. You may have to change in front of people and what not.

You will probably have to spend sometime in your underwear though.

 

[Dean Wormer]

See if they'll let you say, "These pretzels are making me thirsty"!

 

[mongo18]

They said I shouldn't be worried because they are trained and they won't be scared by me.

Well that'd be a load off my mind, I'd hate to think I was scaring tigers!

I don't have any personal experience with being in movies, but knew a guy in Australia (in case anyone didn't know, Australia has a movie industry that's been growing a lot in recent years and many "American" movies have been made there lately, anyway, moving on) who said he'd done a bit of extra work and that it was awesome. He said some days he would be in 3 or 4 movies or scenes, some days none, but every day there was a huge tent set up with craploads of food and drinks, they'd just hang out there until somebody came along and picked them, and they got paid either way. Sounded like a sweet deal.