Extra work in films

Hey all, a little bit off topic i know, but I've always wondered how on Earth people apply to become an extra at a movie/TV programs. Does any one know? Ive made a few quick searches on the net, but cant come up with anything solid.

Basically i saw 'Casino Royal' over the weekend, it was such an awsome movie, it's inspired me soo much to try and give my nose into acting a little bit.

Thanks

Modelling agencies may be a good bet... I'm wracking my brains... I'm sure an old friend of mine did that sort of thing, and it's the sort of thing that is so much easier to get into if you have an old friend that's done it before...

It's funny you ask

about a month ago I was at a bar with a friend when a crew of people asked if they could share our bench. They sat, and we got started on talking with them. Turned out one of the guys was a director for a documentary being shot in town. After a while, he asked us if we wanted to be extras in the film. We both said yes, but only my friend went. the shoot was at 11 am and ended at 4 am, and I had alot of work.. so I just couldn't go.

So, yeah, all you need to do is get drunk and hope for the best And find out which bar those types go to regularly.

Casting agencies and hanging around shoots and finding out who people are helps too. That way you can just go up and ask.

Forgot to add... be a foreigner in a foreign land

I've known many people that have done this sort of thing here in Thailand and I have done the same thing in India - an extra in some martial arts film in the slums of Chennai... now that's a story!

Jakiloblanco, unfortunatly that wouldn't work out too well here in Edmonton, because I'd end up needing to go to a gay bar to meet someone who was in Brokeback.

Mmm Alberta.

Well Mike,

you know what you have to do.

i live in LA, where - LITERALLY - every single person you meet is an extra trying to become the next big star, so, my answer is bound to be very different, and probably not very helpful. If you lived here, it would be SUPER easy to be an extra in something. They put fliers on telephone poles for extras, there's casting newspapers in every corner store, or chances are someone you speak to during the day is making a movie and could use extras.

there are a few agencies that deal only with extras casting, however, and if you go through these places, it could almost become a steady (low-paying) job. They require you to come in and sign up, and they take a list of your skills (playing an instrument, contortionist, alcoholic, etc) and a polaroid of you, and then they call you the night before they think they could use you for something. they tell you where to show up and what kind of clothes to bring ( "today you'll be a skater punk, so dress like that", or "today you'll be the big lumberjack sitting at the end of the bar"), and you just do it. most of your day is spent hanging around with the other extras and eating craft service (snacks). then, you'll probably have an hour or so of work, where everyone is rushing around all panic-y, and at night you get to go home and they tell you if they need you the next day or not. I think they pay something like $50 a day, maybe some of the better ones pay $100.

the real gold is struck when they pick you out of the crowd. Sometimes they'll ask "did anyone here drive here in a VW beetle?" or "Is someone here 6 feet tall with red hair?". They'll be looking for something specific. If you fit the criteria, your pay just went up to maybe $300 for the day, and you may be whats called a "featured extra", or maybe they need you as a stand-in for one of the big stars.

And if they need an extra to deliver a line on camera, then you REALLY make some good money for the day! but that's rare, i think...

these would be the first places I would look, but where you are, I have no clue. Maybe one of these places have links to your area or something.

http://www.backstage.com/bso/index.jsp

http://www.centralcasting.org/index_intro.asp

http://www.la411.com/Production_Support ... /Index.cfm

jacques' way is easier!

Hey guys, thanks a lot for the awsome replies - and thanks a million for those links hype, ill have a good look at them tonight me thinks.

I've made a few research around this area, and there's nothing, nadda, not a zip. (yeah unless you want to work 40 hours a week* - sorry had to put in it). I think what im gonna do for next year is move down to Cardiff to live. They must have better oppertunity's down there, seriously, there's noware i could go around here to meet people are filming, its soo remote up here, its really hard to find new people, so i think it's time to move out!

Thanks again guys.

*Dumb and Dumber