I filled in as an extra (or backgroound person) in Best Man Holiday last night. I've never worked as an extra before, but I knew what to expect because I've hired and directed extras before. They needed a lot of extras last night (500), so there were a lot of newbies there (Buffalo's actiing talent pool just isn't that big, especially when you consider the time commitment this movie needed).

Since it was obvious that a lot of people had no idea what to expect, I thought I'd fill you in so you can make an educated decision should you ever have the opportunity. First, being an extra is WORK. Depending on the director, you will likely be treated with respect, but you may be required to stand, walk or even scream for long periods of time. There may be a lot of boring downtime standing in hot (or cold) crowded spaces, long lines, or in uncomfortable seats. This is not for wusses. There is a reason you don't often see elderly folks in crowd shots!

Depending on the situation, you MAY get to see the principal actors from a distance. You will not be permitted to photograph them, talk to them, ask for an autograph, etc. Some actors may wave or otherwise acknowledge the presence of the crowd of extras, others may not. You will likely get to see scenes being filmed, but you're not likely to be able to hear what the actors are saying or see their faces. You will have to be extremely quiet while those shots are taken. In general, expect to act like a professional, because that is what you are. You are a pro on a job, not a consumer being pampered or a tourist out on a lark. There will be lines to check in and check out. Don't grumble. You are being paid for your time and it's part of the job.

Be sure to find out in advance what kind of time commitment is expected of you and don't be surprised if it goes into overtime. For last night's gig, I was told to arrive at 6:30 pm. I had to ask when it was expected to end and was told "it could go as late as 6 am, but it will likely end earlier." I'm pretty sure the woman recruiting me was trying to lessen my resistance by making the commitment sound like it might not be so bad. In fact, it was worse. I got out at 7 am, with the last hour spent standing in line (well, I wasn't standing...there were chairs nearby so I snagged one and dragged it along in line...I'm not proud.)

We did a lot of standing and screaming while "acting." It was a long, hard night. (Why did I let myself do this? Because I knew they were desparate for people and I figured I'd help out as sort of a civic responsibility...the call was put out by a friend of mine in the Convention & Visitors Bureau.) Depending on the situation, you may be working for an hourly or day rate. I was working on a day rate. Since I really wasn't in it for the money, I didn't bother asking how long they assumed a "day" to be. I'm guessing it's 12 hours, but there's a chance it is 14 or more -- I'll post a comment when I get my paycheck letting you know if I got overtime for the last half hour. (FYI: The day rate for this job was $120)

Obviously, working that long, you will be fed. Don't expect to leave to eat. A union production will have a craft table...a "lunch" set up for the extras. We ate at midnight, but it could have been later...they will schedule lunch when it is convienent for the production -- usually a break between scenes (it's a good idea to bring protein bars and a water bottle if you have a difficult time going for a long spell without eating). You will not be eating with the "real" actors, but the food should be good. We had a spread consisting of vegetable lasagna, meat lasagna, a nice baby mixed greens tossed salad, rattoullie (I likely slaugntered the spelling on that , but I'm too tired to look it up), cookies and a couple different beverage options. Later in the evening (or morning in this case), there were bags of chips, p,b&j sandwiches and such.

When it comes down to it, it's not bad work for someone who is used to minimum wage. It's not as hard as, say, washing dishes, you make more money and get fed well. However, for established professionals, you're likely going to be working physically harder than you're used to for a lot less money than you're used to. If you can't roll with that, don't go!


If you do decide to go, ask in advance as much about what you are expected to wear as you can. You may not get the right answers (the recruiters aren't always well informed). For instance, the casting person told me the scene was a football game on Christmas day, so I was to wear winter clothes (jacket, hat, etc.), if possible, in team colors of red and blue or to wear Christmas attire. She then said, I could wear any Buffalo Bills attire I might have. "Really? What about the logos?" I asked. "Oh," she said, "not with logos, of course." (Like there is football team attire without logos. Not!) Don't ever wear anything with a visible logo, writing on it, a picture of a character (Disney, etc.). This woman was ill informed about the team colors, too. She said blue and red as if it should be mixed...while in actuality, there was a blue team and a red team...and we were all supposed to be rooting for the blue team. (It doesn't hurt to bring a little bag with a variety of clothing options. That way, chances are you'll get to wear your own stuff rather than something some other sweaty extra wore the night before.