Extras, Background Actors, or Walking Furniture Part 2

WHAT SHOULD I TAKE TO THE SET WITH ME ?
We already Discussed the things you were asked to bring - Props Needed for you to do the job you were hired to do. And we discussed the ID you need so you can be paid.

It is also possible for you to be asked to bring clothing changes (up to 3). This happens because you might be shooting Scenes today that are for different days in the film or even different locations for the same day.
Union Actors are paid an additional fee for each Change - Non-Union actors are not.

On some sets you will be working all day but on other sets you will spend most of the day in Holding. A good book to read, crossword puzzle book,
Etc will come in very handy.

PLEASE REMEMBER on 99% of sets there is no place for you to leave your things while working. No Safe place for you to leave computers or other Electronics.

WHAT IS HOLDING?
Holding is the area where you sit and wait for instructions and to be taken to the set to work. Most of the time it is also the area you will eat your meals in - So you can’t leave anything there that would be in the way of those getting the area ready to serve your meal to you.
You might also be directed to arrive there or check in or out from there.

WHAT DO THEY WANT TO KNOW WHEN I’M ASKED IF I’M AVAILABLE ON A CERTAIN DATE?
Unless they give you additional information - They need to know that you can work anytime in that 24 hr day and that you want to work on that project. I have had 3 AM call times, 6 AM call times, and 8 PM call times.
Most sets I have been on are 12-14 hour days but I have been 17-18 hours on a set.

WHAT IS A CALL TIME?
Your call time is the time you are told to be at the location you were given and ready to work.

WHY CAN”T I BE TOLD MY CALL TIE IN ADVANCE?
Most Movie or TV Show sets film for multiple days. The Union Actors and Crew are contractually required to have a set amount of Drive time and Sleep/Rest time before returning to work. For some jobs State and/or Federal Law also require a set amount of Sleep/Rest time before returning to work. Until the Production Wraps for today they have no idea what the call time is for tomorrow.

HOW LONG WILL I BE ON THIS JOB?
Until the shoot is done - There is no other answer. Most days are usually 12-14 hours long but Camera or other Equipment Issues, Actor issues, Location Issues can push a scheduled 12 hour day to 15, 16, 18 hours.
No matter what happens - you are there until the shoot is finished and you are told you can leave.

TV Commercials, Industrials, Print as usually between 4-6 hours.

WHEN DOES THE JOB START?
I have had 3 AM, 6 AM, 10 PM Call times (and every time in between). I have shot the Sunrise and then Sunset on a boat on the Bay. A lot of times a location (Building, Courtroom ETC) is used during the day and only available for filming overnight.

HOW DO I GET PAID?
Each Job is going to be different but Most Major Films/TV Shows have a paymaster (An outside Company Hired to handle Payroll, Taxes, Unemployment and Workers Compensation Insurance, Any Health & Pension payments to the Union, ETC)

The Following Information is for the Larger Film and TV Show productions working under a Union Contract. Usually The paymaster handles the Non-Union Extras the same way as the Union Contract states.

In response to my asking the Experienced Actors to Read Part 1 of “Extras, Background Actors, or Walking Furniture” Member Bob Leedom sent me the Following:

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 in charge of Extras -- if you can't tell who this is, ask until you find that person)
2. Get a voucher.
a. You cannot be paid without a completed voucher. (We will repeat this!)
b. Fill out the voucher right away-- usually there will be an example posted; if not, ask what goes in the blanks.
c. Remember the photo ID stuff you were asked to bring? That info goes in the I-9 ("eye-nine") section of the voucher, which is located on the back of the first page.
d. Carry your voucher with you at all times, if possible. You may be asked to surrender it in exchange for props and/or wardrobe accessories; it will be returned to you when you return their stuff after you are wrapped for the day.
e. Never leave at the end of the day without getting somebody in authority to sign off your voucher. If you do, you cannot be paid

The only thing I can add to Bob’s Information is that the paymaster might be working on 25 Movies or TV show across the country at the same time so you must be accurate and answer ALL the Questions.

The Person inputting the Information from the Voucher into a computer (in California or Detroit) does not know what Production you are on, your rate of pay, the job you were hired for, or anything else that they can’t read on that voucher.

And Yes, they will put incomplete or Illedgible forms on the side and Process the 15,000 - 20,000 others that they can read and are complete. The set aside pile will be worked on when they get to them. If it is not important to you that you get paid - it is not important to them either.

WHAT OTHER WAYS CAN I BE PAID?
On Smaller sets (TV Commercials, Industrials, Print, Non-Union Independent Films ETC) If they are Union Contracted Shoots (Print and Non-Union Independent Films will not be under Union Contract) there will still be a designated paymaster but it can be the Production Company Shooting the project or a 3rd Party (outside) paymaster like most Large Union Films or TV Shows have. If this is the case, they will have some kind of voucher and the procedure to get paid will be the same. Non-Union Actors working on these sets are also usually handled the same way, just like the larger sets.

For Non-Union shoots (Including all Print work) Actors are working Freelance.
This means:
1). No Local, State or Federal taxes are deducted from the Check
2). The actor as a Self Employed Person is responsible for Both the Employee and Employer shares of FICA Taxes.
3). There is no Unemployment Insurance or Workers Comp Insurance paid for this shoot.

The Check itself could come from:
1). The Agent or casting director that you went through to get the job.
2). The Photographer or Production Company shooting the Project.
3). The Advertising Company that hired Photographer or Production Company shooting the Project.
4). The client that hired the Advertising Company, Photographer or Production Company shooting the Project.

The Worst Case is that it comes from ALL of them and takes 60-90 days to do so.

Here is how that works.

1). The Actor has to invoice the Agent or Casting Director after the shoot is done.
2) The Agent or Casting Director then invoices the Advertising Company
3). The Advertising Company Then Invoices the Client
4). The Client then Pays the Advertising Company
5). The Advertising Company then pays the Agent or Casting Director
6). The Agent or Casting Director Then pays you

I Know that doesn’t seem like 60 - 90 day worth of time but these are Businesses - They do not drop everything and process an invoice or even a check (Checks need several days to clear before another check can be written off those funds). The Companies involved could also be a Thousand miles away.

That’s All for today
Look for Part 3 Soon