The Perks of Being a Film Extra
First-Hand Access to Movie Magic:
Working as a film extra gives you a unique opportunity to see how films are made up close. If you are interested in the film industry and popular culture, it’s a brilliant opportunity to get on set, observe the cast and crew and watch the production unfold. Time and time again, I am blown away, often by the sheer scale of the sets, the amount of crew, and the attention to detail in the costumes and props you can see.
Meeting Industry Professionals:
You have the opportunity to work on all sorts of different types of sets with Casting Collective ranging from major ‘Hollywood’ film sets to prime-time TV shows and small independent films or commercials. You will begin to see some familiar faces as you go on more and more assignments, getting to know other background artistes and the ADs, and even hair, make-up and costume staff will become familiar. It can be a lovely opportunity for working with up-and-coming actors and directors, and getting to know crew members and other background artistes.
A lot of the artistes with Casting Collective have established lifelong friendships with each other, sometimes spanning decades. It’s great when we can offer artistes the chance to work with their friends (if the scene allows!!). There are also instances where people who have started doing the odd Stand In job here and there with us now work pretty much full time as professional Stand In’s – often for specific famous actors who will request them time and again. Others have gone on to eventually work with the costume or make-up department or had opportunities to work in the AD department too, so if you are interested in any aspect of the filming process, there may be further opportunities that the experience of working on a film set can give you.
Unique location experiences:
Often the work we do will involve sending artistes to work in locations that are usually off-limits to the general public. Sometimes famous landmarks have to be closed to the public. Perhaps they have closed Westminster Bridge or Trafalgar Square for a Tom Cruise film, or you are inside the National Portrait Gallery after hours. It can be very exciting and thrilling. You may have been sent to one of the many beautiful stately homes in the UK that are used as the backdrops for many productions too.
As well as the ‘on location’ shoots, you will also get to work at the major film studios like Pinewood (the home of The 007 Stage) and Shepperton, where the history of all the films made there before is thick in the air. Access to these locations are very strict these days, so it feels exciting to be able to work at such locations.
A Peek into Hollywood Glamour:
Even though extras aren’t always in the spotlight, they experience some glamour of being involved in a high-profile production. Wearing exquisite period costumes and having your hair and make-up perfected by a professional to transform you into whichever character you are playing is a unique experience working on a film set can give you. The corsets the women sometimes have to wear with the beautiful period dresses can be a challenge, though! Extras can sometimes land minor speaking roles or be upgraded to featured extras, leading to additional perks like increased pay or a bit more screen time if you are lucky!
Extra Income with Flexible Hours:
Many extras find that the flexible nature of the work allows them to balance it with other commitments, be it another job or school. While it’s not always full-time work, it can be a rewarding additional income.
The film and TV pay scales are set by the Unions, the FAA & Equity, so there are financial structures in place so you understand what to expect financially. Most days are made up of a basic daily rate for 9 hours of work, plus holiday and travel pay and then overtime depending on start and wrap times and the opportunity for additional supplementary payments along the way. As a very general ballpark, on a film, we usually estimate anywhere from between £130 – £250 per day, depending, of course, on these various factors, but Casting Collective will let you know your rate of pay and estimated hours before hand. A nice continuity sequence of a few days or even weeks at a time can prove fairly lucrative.
One of my personal favourite memories is being on the set of ‘Star Wars – The Phantom Menace’ in the late 90’s at Leavesden, long before the studios had been developed into the state-of-the-art ‘Harry Potter’ studios of today. There were not many people on set this particular day, and as I was standing with the extras, Samuel L Jackson was just chatting to the AD Team to one side, and Frank Oz and his team of puppeteers were rehearsing with Yoda on the other, actual Yoda! What a day! It was amazing. Watching how they operated the puppet and being on that set at that time was magical. It was the first ‘new’ instalment of Star Wars which the world was waiting for. It felt very surreal and I felt very blessed to have had that experience and been part of the production at the very beginning of my career. Not every day is quite like this, though, and while being a film extra comes with its own set of perks, there are also unique challenges involved.
The Challenges of Being a Film Extra
Long Hours and Uncertainty:
Often call times for extras will be very early in the morning, usually 5 or 6 am and you can expect to work all day into until the day finishes when they call Wrap. Extras often have to deal with long waiting periods, sometimes with little to do between takes. Days on set can extend far beyond a typical 9-to-5 workday. Its a great idea to be prepared for this waiting around, take a book (often phones have to be handed in at the start of the day) some people knit and some just like to chat!
Repetitive Tasks:
Film production often involves multiple takes of the same scene. For extras, this can mean repeating the same background action dozens of times, which can be monotonous. It’s so important to maintain energy and focus, even during repetitive tasks. Also, what you put in you will get out, so the more engaged you are with the production when you are there, they better your performance and experience will be.
Lack of Recognition:
Being in the background means that extras just done get any recognition. The idea is that the atmosphere the extras create is so authentic that its almost ‘invisible’ .Its not usual to have worked for days on a project and given your performance 100% and you aren’t even visible in the final cut. This can feel disappointing when you have rallied your friends and family to the cinema to ‘spot’ you and you are nowhere to be seen.
Non-Glitzy Conditions:
Although films portray glamorous settings, the actual work environment for extras can sometimes be quite the opposite. There might be extreme weather, uncomfortable costumes, or minimal facilities. Always wear layers if it’s chilly, bring snacks, and think ahead to the predicted weather conditions and be prepared.
Being part of something that millions of people may watch can be thrilling, even if it’s just for a few seconds! So if you fancy the chance to be immortalised on screen Sign up!
