Anyone Ever Been An Extra In A Movie? A Couple Questions

[Hotwire]

I've recently applied to be an extra for Transformers 3!!! They will be filming in DC, soon have advertised a casting call. My questions really revolve around what this is going to involve. I've never done anything like this before. What kind of time commitments are required? Does it pay? What's the audition process like?

Any help would be great.


For anyone else interested, here's the link to the add.
http://film.dc.gov/DC/FILM/For+The+Community/Casting+Calls#0

 

[CelticPredator]

From what I read....you stand around, and you CANNOT talk or LOOK at the actors.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

They filmed on my campus last year and a guy I knew was hired as an extra. He was paid $90 I think. Had to wake up at about 6am. Stood around and did nothing in the cold for 9 hours. I imagine it's something you do once because you think it'll be cool. After that, you realize how much of a complete waste of time it is.

 

[Sundancer]

From what I read....you stand around, and you CANNOT talk or LOOK at the actors.

Do not look directly at Ben or Matt or you will be fired!!!



Spidey-Bat pretty much nailed it. I have some friends who were extras in The Kingdom.


It is useful for budding actors who want to pad their resume.

 

[Metamorpho1977]

I was an extra on Halloween 2. I stood in a hospital waiting room near the beginning. They didn't even put it in the final cut, but I made 150 dollars off of it.

 

[Hotwire]

Thanks for the input, guys. I am hoping they call, but not holding my breath. Would be pretty cool to be able to say, "That's me!! Right there!! The back of that head!!" Right now, the best I've got is that I sold some clothes to the wardrobe guy for Enemy of the State, which came from a Sak's 5th Ave.

 

[Alchemyst]

Thanks for the input, guys. I am hoping they call, but not holding my breath. Would be pretty cool to be able to say, "That's me!! Right there!! The back of that head!!" Right now, the best I've got is that I sold some clothes to the wardrobe guy for Enemy of the State, which came from a Sak's 5th Ave.

Here's hoping that ur on the film, hopefully they won't do some quick cut and you come across as a blur lol jk. Good luck

 

[Ugfugly]

I was an extra for a tv show called Inspector Morse when I was a teenager. It was mostly just doing the same thing repeatedly in the background. Lots of waiting for the sun to come out or the light to be right etc.

It was fairly boring but the food truck was awesome and not bad pay for a day's work doing nothing. (Specially for a teen).

 

[Suirou]

Basically what everyone above says.
Just don't look or talk to the actors.
You get paid depends on how much screen time you got.
Don't even look at the camera.

I was an extra for Final Destination 3.
I was just one of the HUNDREDS of fans in the racetrack.
Didn't even get a glimpse of an actor.

 

[Heretic]

I've never been an extra, but have been on many sets. The guys above are giving you the info you need...and yeah, for the most part you can't talk to the actors unless they are just down to earth, cool people...so I wouldnt advice walking up to them. Like i said, my time on movie sets has never been related to be a crew member, so there's been times where I've gotten in conversations with the actors (Kevin Bacon comes to mind as being very nice). One that was NOT nice was Andy Griffith of all people. I happened to be at a commercial he was shooting, and he was a tyrant to everyone within earshot.

 

[Metamorpho1977]

The crew from Extreme Makeover Home Edition stopped in the Quik Trip where I used to work one night and stocked up on coffee.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

My cousin and his parents were asked to be extras in Spider-Man. They declined.