Being an Extra in Perth
Here in Perth, there are films being made every week. There is a thriving little industry and most people who live here don't even know it! There is a lot of fun to be had and lots to learn by being an extra.
However, if you want to know more and search the internet for “how to be an extra” or “become an extra” then you'll get lots of results on how to be an extra – in America! Pretty good information if you are headed to the U.S., but not much help for those here in Perth. If you're lucky, you'll find some results for Sydney or Melbourne.
Perth is a bit behind everyone else, but there are still opportunities for people here in Perth to be an extra.
If you are really serious about being a professional extra, then you'd need to move to the Eastern States where most of the Australian TV series' are produced. Although there is an industry in Perth making films (both short and feature length), there is not (yet) enough work for extras to make a living from it.
First: what is an extra?
Extras are sometimes called Background, Atmosphere or Non-Principal performers. A cynical director might call extras “self propelled props”.
When you watch a movie, you will see the stars as the focus of attention, but there will be people moving around in the background. These people don't talk, don't interact with the main characters and generally don't do anything interesting. But if they weren't there, the scene would look empty and wrong.
Look at the scene below. See that old guy in the right of frame? Bet you didn't remember him. Bet you don't remember what the other people in the diner looked like or what they said either. But they were there, they handed over their wallets to the robbers and they watched Samuel and John walk out.
These are extras, these are the unsung hero's of cinema.
What does an extra actually do?
The common answer is “not much”.
The correct answer is “exactly what they are told”.
For those that have never been on a film set, there is a lot involved in making a scene. If something simple is being recorded (such as two people talking to each other) then you need to put the camera (and all the lights) on one side to record the first actor, then you need to move the camera (and all the lights) to the other side to record the other actor.
This means that there are only a few minutes of time the camera is actually recording and long stretches where there is a lot of activity as lights get moved, camera equipment is set up, make-up is touched up, props and such get moved around and so forth.
This means that the people making the movie have a lot to keep track of. And if the film is being shot in Perth, then the crew will be fairly small. This makes it important for extras to follow instructions and remember what they are supposed to do and when.
Prerequisites to being an Extra:
You don't need to be an actor to be an extra. You don't need previous experience or even need to be pretty. However, there are a few skills that directors are looking for:
- Patience: Much of filming is “hurry up and wait”. If a shoot runs for five hours, you may only be “extra-ing” for half an hour in total. The rest of the time is waiting for things to happen. Luckily, as an Extra you don't need to do anything extra.
- Be willing to do extra: Often there will be a flurry of activity as things get moved around between takes. The director may want to point the camera in a different direction and now all the equipment is in the shot and has to be moved to a different room, or tables and chairs need to be moved out of the way to make room for a dolly. More hands make light work and will help the shoot progress faster.
Having said that, don't touch anything unless being told to (or given permission). - Be consistent: if you are sitting in the background, don't move to a different chair until instructed. Nothing worse than editing a scene and noticing that people have moved around between takes. Or take your jacket off. Or be waving your arms in one take and sitting still on another. You need to keep doing what you are doing until told otherwise.
- Pay attention to continuity: if you are involved in a scene that takes several days to record, make sure your clothes, hair shoes, watch and everything else are the same on all days. Guys: if you have stubble one day, don't be clean shaven the next!
- Do what you say you will do: if you are going to be at a shoot that takes several days and you commit to all the days, make sure you show up for all the days.
It can make things very hard on a shoot when people are there one day but don't show up another day. If you can only be there for part of the time, tell the director / producer right at the start so they can use you in shots that won't require you to come back the other days. - And most importantly - turn your phone off! Or set it to silent if you need to keep it on. Having a phone ring in the middle of a take ruins the take, annoys the crew and distracts the actors (who have a head full of lines memorised).
Also, the electronic interference a phone generates (even when not making a call) can be picked up by the wires of microphone cables and be heard on the recording, so if you have a mobile, don't stand near the audio gear.
What to do on location
If you are working as an Extra, there are a few simple things to keep in mind while filming is taking place.
Don't move things around! Continuity is a huge problem, and discrepancies often aren't noticed until the scene has been edited. If you move things around between takes (such as picking up an interesting looking prop) then they won't be in the same place for the next take.
A large production will hire trained crew to watch for continuity, but in Perth there are very few projects that can afford to have someone specifically for that role.
Be respectful. Don't go rummaging around inside bags and cases. Don't pick up and play with the crews' equipment. If the scene is being shot at a private residence, don't wander into other rooms or open drawers. If it is at a business, don't go into the staff areas or play with computers.
Pay attention! Often directors will give short instructions and won't repeat themselves. Many of the films being shot in Perth are made by students, or people at the start of their careers and may not have the experience to give clear directions. If you're not sure - ask!
As an aside, you also need to be a little thick skinned as well. You may be waiting around and nothing may appear to be happening so you start chatting with another extra when someone screams out “be quiet!” Don't take offense, just follow instructions to the best of your ability.
Keep Quiet! This is very important when dialogue is being recorded so that they can record “clean sound”. If a director tells two extras to “talk amongst themselves”, what they mean is “interact and look like you're talking, but just mime and don't make any noise”.
This may feel awkward and unnatural, but it is important in order to record good quality audio.
Follow instructions. Most people are familiar with the call of “Action!” at the start of a take. But extras may not be required to move on the call of action.
For example, an extra may be required to walk across the background when an actor delivers a specific line. The good news is that extras usually won't be asked to do anything complicated, and someone (like an assistant director or producer) will normally prompt extras with a hand wave or something.
Before the call of “action” the director will talk about the scene and tell people involved where to stand / sit / walk. This “pep-talk” is called “blocking”, this is where extras will be told what to do and when.
Stay in control of yourself! This is very important. Don't show up drunk. Don't show up under the influence of drugs. If the scene is being shot at a bar and you're asked to drink, make sure you only sip (so you don't get drunk and so that the level in the glass stays the same in the scene). Most times you'd be given coloured water rather than alcohol.
Communicate! If you're not sure, ask. If you need to step out (like go pick up kids from school) then let someone know where you are going and why (and when you expect to be back). Feel free to talk to other people (when they aren't busy). If you need to leave early, tell somone - at the start of the day, not just before you leave!
And most importantly, don't look at the camera! Unless specifically told to do so, extras should never look directly at the camera. Doing so can ruin a shot.
If you're not told specifically where to look, then find something to concentrate on. If you are concentrating on a specific place, then you are less likely to look away from it. If you're just thinking “don't look at the camera” then odds are you'll be momentarily distracted by something and then you'll look at the camera!
Having good peripheral vision helps so that you can keep an eye on which way the camera is pointing without looking at it.
What to wear?
Generally speaking, productions in Perth won't require elaborate costumes for the extras and will simply ask you to wear your normal clothing (though they may specify casual, formal, specific colours or other conditions).
What you do want to be aware of is that usually you can't have logos or company names visible. If your only clean shirt has a large “Nike” logo on the front, you may still get used as an extra, but you'll be told to face away from the camera.
Great! I want to be an extra - how much do I get paid?
In Hollywood, over East and on large productions extras generally get paid an hourly award rate with bonuses for additional duties (such as dialogue, overtime, use of special skills and so on).
In Perth, the vast majority of extras are needed on low or no budget productions, so extras are usually unpaid. This is offset by most productions only needing extras for a few hours on one day (rather than every day for weeks on end) so it can be an enjoyable day out rather than an onerous job.
Productions that are paying for extras will usually use a casting agency rather than relying on random people off the street.
Many productions will provide some food as well if the shoot runs longer than five hours, though it does not hurt to ask before the day so that you can bring something in case there is none supplied. (And if you bring something, you won't need to go for a drive if you get hungry.)
Finding opportunities to be an Extra
There are a couple of places where people put up calls for extras.
The FTI forums are a great place to keep an eye on and almost every fortnight (if not every week) there is a call for extras, somewhere.
If you're on Facebook, look up The Perth Film Network where a lot of productions put up calls for extras. A good place to keep an eye on if you're in Perth and want to be involved in the film business. Also, have a look at their main website for workshops, larger productions and other information about films being made in Perth.
There may be other Perth-specific places where production teams advertise for extras (such as in the newspaper). If you know of any, let me know via the contact page and I'll add them to the list.
Casting Agencies that operate in Perth:
There are several casting agencies in Perth that keep track of actors and it may be beneficial to join with one if you want to take it further (generally it is actors who would sign with an agency rather than those who just want to be occasional extras). There may be costs involved in being listed with an agency, contact the specific agency directly to find out.
Annie Murtagh Monks & Associates (WA)
http://www.anniemmcasting.com.au/
Actors Now (Perth and Melbourne)
http://www.actorsnow.com.au/
Frog Management (Perth Only)
http://www.frogmanagement.com.au/
Additional reading (mainly to do with larger productions in America):
- American be-an-extra guide
- Extras page on About.com
- Report on being an extra from the Sydney Morning Herald (specific to Australia, though mainly Sydney-centric)
It's a fascinating industry, with many varied and odd jobs. Being an extra is a good way to see how a production is run and see people doing some of those jobs.
Last updated: July 2011