Extras, Background Actors, or Walking Furniture - It doesn't matter what they are called - You can't make a Quality Film/TV Show without them.

For Close to 100 years term "Movie Extras" or just "Extras" has been the acceptable term for the Non-Speaking actors on Movie and TV Sets.

Recently there are people that feel the term "Extras' is now somehow wrong and the only Acceptable term is "Background Actor". Personally I would rather they kept their "New Title" and raised our pay.

Actually I prefer the Term "Walking Furniture" as the best job description, since we are the Set dressing that does not have to be picked up and moved - you simply have to tell us where to go. If you have worked a lot of sets, you know some people are better at 'Telling us where to go" then others.

WHAT IS AN EXTRA?
An Extra is a Non-Speaking actor. There could just be 1 Extra in a Scene or Several Thousand. The Extra could be featured (Camera is close up on them – Like the Non-speaking waiter that takes the principal Actors order or delivers their food/Drinks to the table) or they could be part of a crowd scene.

ARE EXTRAS REALLY NEEDED?
As I said earlier, Extras are the “Set Dressing” that does not have to be picked up and moved, but they do define the scene.

“Friends” had 6 main Principal Actors but all of the coffee shop scenes needed/used 30 or so Actors – the scenes could not be done without them.

We all laugh because every police car can pull up right in front of any building and park (because none of our cities have any traffic or parked cars) but even those scenes do not have empty sidewalks, building lobby’s, or elevators.

Extras help turn any set into the project location – 100 Asians on set give you a different Location than 100 Cowboys, or Gladiators.

WHAT DO I DO AS AN EXTRA?
1st Be a Professional, show up 15-30 minutes before your call time (so you are always on time – never late) dressed as you were instructed and be ready to work. You may have been asked if you had/to bring certain props – have them with you and in a condition that is ready for filming.

Examples: you may be playing a businessman and asked to bring a briefcase – it must look like a professional Business briefcase – not a hot pink plastic portfolio, not a broken briefcase with a string tied around it.

You could be in athletic wear and asked to bring:
1). A bike to ride – it can’t have a flat tire, a missing seat, be a kids bike.
2). A Football, Soccer ball, Basketball – they can’t be deflated (unless you are told they need be).

The basic job of the Extra is to simply follow directions exactly as you were told. You may not/and do not need to know why – (only the director, AD [Assistant director] and the PA [Production Assistant] in charge of your group need to know why – and they do not have time to explain every instruction to the 500 Extras working that day) but you must follow their directions EXACTLY AS GIVEN.

You must pay attention to everything going on around you on the set

You can’t leave the set or the holding area for any reason without the PA in charge of your group/location knowing and agreeing to it.

Once you accept the job, you are there from the call time until the project is wrapped for the day – you can’t leave before the others (unless dismissed) no matter what. And NO leaving at 6 PM because your favorite show comes on at 8 PM is not an Exception.

Do I Need to bring ID
Yes, For any job in the USA you must prove you are legally allowed to work in the USA. You need a Valid Drivers Licence or Government issued Photo ID Card and your Social Security Card or a Valid Passport. If you want more information or need to use a different type of ID Card go to http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=31b3ab0a43b5d010VgnVCM10000048f3d6a1RCRD&vgnextchannel=db029c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

If you are interested in learning more about background work there is a TV Interview you might want to watch.

Brian Mac Ian interviews Gale Nemec, actor and coach (Teaches a GREAT Background Acting class); Kimberly Skyrme, producer, Casting Director; and Brian Dragonuk, actor, about being an extra in a film, also known as background acting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYW2gvrTv80

In this we discuss the Importance of doing Extra work, Why it is Needed ETC

Watch DragonukConnects.com’s Newsletter under Training and the Training Center Information Bank in DragonukConects for Gale Nemec’s Background Acting Classes

I attended a class after about 5 years in the business and learned a lot. She teaches the difference between just doing an OK job and Doing the Job right. VERY Afordable and well worth the time to Attend.

Best Brian

Brian, your information is always so helpful.

I know plenty of actors who refuse to do extra work. I completely understand their reasoning. However, iIf I am free, I generally will accept the booking.

I find that it is a great way to network with other actors, learn from some amazing actors and directors, and you never know if you will be upgraded. I don't take extra work thinking that I will get an upgrade, but it does happen. I was once an extra on a TV spot, got upgraded, and made over $6,000 because it was a national commercial.

So the choice of doing extra work is completely up to you, but as I mentioned earlier, I normally walk away from an extra job with an interesting story, experience and a chance to reconnect with people I might not have seen for a while.

The following information was sent to me by Bob Leedom.

I will address this in part 2. Bob's Information is good for Most major films or TV Show but there are Exceptions. Some local work (TV Commercials, Industrials, Most Print work) is handled a bit differently - I will address that as well in part 2

Best Brian

Brian --

You asked for supplemental information from the old...I meanexperienced people. Here's something to add for the newbies under"What do I do as an Extra?":

When you arrive at "Holding"(not where you park, but where they take you and put you for the day),before you do anything else...

1. Check in (with whoever's incharge of Extras -- if you can't tell who this is, ask until you findthat person)

2. Get a voucher.
a. You cannot be paid without acompleted voucher. (We will repeat this!)

b. Fill out the voucher right away-- usually there will be an example posted; if not, ask what goes inthe blanks.

c. Remember the photo ID stuff youwere asked to bring? That info goes in the I-9 ("eye-nine")section of the voucher, which is located on the back ofthe first page.

d. Carry your voucher with you atall times, if possible. You may be asked to surrender it in exchangefor props and/or wardrobe accessories; it will be returned to you whenyou return their stuff after you are wrapped for theday.

e. Never leave at the end of the daywithout getting somebody in authority to sign off your voucher. If youdo, you cannot be paid.

Hope this helps someone. My first few times, I remember notappreciating the fine points of this voucher process, such as a fewtimes when we could be signed out and dismissed right away from theset if we had our vouchers with us, unlike those who'd left them backin Holding.

Great advice, all! To that may I add: 1) Do not engage the principals unless they speak to you first 2) keep the cell phones off the set, and 3) union (ie. SAG-AFTRA) members get to go to the head of the line at meals and check-out.

Thanks-a-bunch for sharing with me on extra work!