Becoming a movie extra requires no special skills, just the ability to follow directions and blend into the background. Extras are chosen based on physical characteristics and may spend a lot of time waiting on set. While formal training isn’t necessary, it can be helpful. Professional actors are usually hired as extras by major studios, but independent filmmakers may choose locals for background scenes. Making connections with talent agents is important for finding work as an extra.
It doesn’t take any special skills to become an extra in a movie, just an ability to follow orders. Extras are actors who blend into the background of a scene to add visual interest. The background actor rarely has lines, so it’s relatively easy to become an extra.
Movie extras can appear in any scene where incidental people are needed. They can be chosen as part of a crowd of people walking down a city street, a band of marauding soldiers, a diner in the back of a quiet restaurant, or any other scenario imaginable. Extras may spend most or all of their time on set, just waiting to be called. It is important that the background actor be punctual, patient, and able to guide with little fanfare.
Usually, extras don’t audition in the traditional sense. They are most often chosen because of their physical characteristics and ability to blend into the scene. Sometimes a special skill is required, such as juggling or playing the guitar, but usually no extra talent is needed.
While talent isn’t necessary, the best way to become an extra is to gain some formal training in film acting. There is little time to learn on the sets of a major motion picture, and even the lowliest extras are expected to fully understand the protocols. Big movie studios usually hire only professional actors as extras for efficiency’s sake. Generally, a large percentage of a film’s extras are members of the actors’ union, and the rest are hired on the recommendation of a talent agent.
Finding a job as a film extra means making connections with the people that count, especially talent agents. A good agent will be able to help you become an extra, in exchange for a small percentage of your earnings. It is best to choose an agent established in one of the great film capitals, such as the cities of Los Angeles, California or New York, New York, in the United States; or the city of Hyderabad in Bollywood, India, for example.
While major studios prefer to hire professional extras, it’s relatively common for independent filmmakers to choose locals to appear in background scenes. A movie company might post a notice for an open call, inviting the entire city to try it out. Anyone who appears can be chosen, and there is usually little or no payment involved. Attending open streaming calls is an unlikely way to become an extra, however, unless you reside in an area where independent cinema is common.
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