Thinking of registering as a film extra - any budding thespians out there?

[5129frederick]

I've always fancied myself as a film extra - you know, the fifth Centurian on the right, waving a sword!:-D  That sort of thing.  Now that I'm about to hit the big Six Five I'd be readily available to go anywhere.  Googled it, and came up with thirty-odd pages of film extra agencies, ranging from £10.00 - £30.00 to register with them.  I reckon with just one assignment though, I'd get my money back.  Apparently they're treated as fodder by all, but it could be interesting and who knows, Somebody might spot me as a potential John Thaw - that was how he started out.  Two of my cousins were accepted for film work. 

Has anybody out there tried it, and did it show any returns' or am I likely to pay my £30.00 and hear no more about it?  Is it worth enrolling with the more expensive agencies?

[aernethril]

No idea but can I have your autographed photo before you get famous please?

[mustard-tree]

If you are looking for work, then it is you who should be getting paid.

I always think that if anyone asks you for money, then it is a scam.

 "am I likely to pay my £30.00 and hear no more about it?"

Very probably

[bankhaunter]

Near where I live they made a television series based on WW1 and a number of unemployed young men got parts as extras.

They found there was a slight snag when they went to collect their unemployment benefit.

WW1 army haircuts were easily recognised. 🙂

[lhasa.two]

I suppose researching the reputations of the agents would be a good idea before handing over any money to them. Do you have to get an Equity card to be an extra or is that only necessary if you have a speaking part?

Perhaps your brothers could point you in the right direction re the Agents?

[margaret*e]

I would be dubious of anyone asking you for money to register, lots of conmen out there.

[5129frederick]

I don't have any brothers - only those who are in Christ: read my o p cousins, not brothers.  No, you don't need an Equity card.  Only if you're taking a speaking part.  Anything over four words.  The reason being is because you're not an actor - you are merely a "live prop".  They're often referred to as "Noddies" because you'll see them slightly out of focus in a restaurant background scene muttering away and nodding occasionally. 

Most of them do charge, but they are terribly, terribly coy about revealing how much they charge, and are quick to point out that they do not pay you, until the film company pays them!  I certainly wouldn't give up my dayjob!  When filling out your c.v. you put yes to everything: can you ride a horse?  Yes, even if the last time you sat on one was at Blackpool!  You've got to sell yourself, and download two shots of yourself, one as a Mr. Niceguy, one as a b*****d.  For the latter, I chose an aggro pose about to lob a brick through a pub window.  You've never seen the barman come out of the pub so quickly!  :^O:^O:^O:^O:^O !!!

[amandacleggart]

 The term 'noddies' is also used to refer to the cutaway shots they film of interviewers responding to their interviewees which they edit in later to flesh out the interview and make you think they had the budget for 2 cameras :^O

I was an extra back in the 90's when I used to work in the biz (I made props for TV, theatre and film). I didn't have to pay anything to be on the agency books but the pay was pretty poor considering you have to pay for your own transport to and from the locations. The extra work just seem to fizzle out.

Frederick, make sure you take a good book if you do it. There is a LOT of hanging around doing nothing for hours!

[cee-dee]

You regularly see "noddies" on the news.

The newsreader might say something like "Our Chief Crime reporter is outside ebay Crown Court now. James, what's happing there now" and the shot will switch to the reporter on the scene who will be poker-faced and nodding before he starts to speak.

He'll have been told they're going over to him and he'll eventually respond with an answer to the pre-arranged question.

Also, you'll see reporters "nodding" when they've pre-recorded an "interview" and the newsreader is supposedly asking questions live. Sometimes you'll hear the newsreader gabbling quickly while they try to finish what they're supposedly asking before the next bit of "news" from the reporter starts.

Noddies are highly irritating, there's no need for it.

[5129frederick]

Getting paid to do nothing - man, this gets better by the minute!  I know what you mean.  Nothing is more soul destroying than jury service.  The last thing to read is a newspaper.  Ten minutes later and you sit there on the floor twiddling your thumbs.  Trial by jury is almost always in the defendant's favour - unless it is something serious like GBH, you'll generally find there is a genuine supressed anti-police attitude. 

Getting back to what we were talking about, I read somewhere where one director went absolutely bananas - some dummy stared into the camera and smiled as he marched by, so thirty German "Soldiers" had to march a couple of hundred yards all over again!

In the early seventies they were making a 1930's epic.  At some stage a horse and cart had to drop something off on the side of the road.  That poor horse just stood there out of view hour after hour!  It looked so forlorn, as did it's rider. 😄

[10phizz]

Why not join your local am.dram,.........no chance of pay of course but you might have some fun.even as a scene shifter (assistant director)