Monday, January 03, 2011

The Reality of Being a Movie Extra

By Franklin Garcia


Movie extras are those whose roles do not require lots of speaking. Also known as background artists, movie extras are expected to blend in with the rest of the other actors while filming. However, compared to professional actors, acting experience is not required. Movie extras can be anyone from different backgrounds, trainings, ethnicity or of a different age group. What extras need to take note of is that they should be able to take direction, they should be reliable, and they should arrive on the set early.

Like actors, movie extras also have agencies. There are times when the director will require a specific look, sometimes depending on the location where the shoot will be taking place. With this kind of requirement, several skills are needed, like dancing. If you're pursuing an acting career, often you'll find yourself, at the beginning of your career, working as an extra. It's a necessary step, oftentimes. If you have a good relationship with an honest agency, they'll tell you that this is often how you prove yourself.

Sometimes, extras are required to bring their own wardrobe. On the other hand, professional extras will have different kinds of costumes that make them look better with the aim of catching the casting director's attention.

There are also instances when movie extras are called in for filming but they just stand around all day waiting for the director's call. In cases like this, they basically wait. Sometimes, there are movie extras who gets the job, but eventually does not get called for filming, maybe because the part was removed from the script.

With regard to membership in an organization, movie extras are not required to be members of the Screen Actors Guild of the United States or the SAG. The reason for this is that, the SAG only has members who have speaking roles.

It is worth noting, however, that SAG movie extra members receive a different pay rate that those who are not members. Those who are members are given more and better benefits, they receive special assignments from time to time and are provided with their own wardrobe as well. Meanwhile, movie extras who are not members of the SAG are the other way around.

Just because you are a movie extra does not mean that you will become a celebrity instantly. Movie extras are occasionally discovered, the stories happen ll the time. Casting agents may remember something you did previously and give you a chance.

The benefit, however, is that being a movie extra gives you the chance to take a peep into Hollywood life and what an acting career really is. By being an extra, you are given real insight into what it takes to make a movie. This is the reality movie extras face from time to time, and it's a sobering reality. It can be a lot of work to get to that point, but it's often a necessary step in the aspiring actor's career.




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