Working on a Film Set

If you've ever seen behind-the-scenes specials on a DVD's bonus features and been enthralled by the excitement of a film set, the hair and make up, the exotic locations, sets and the bustling film crew, then this article, written by Olivia, is for you!

Does it often seem that only Hollywood stars get to experience life working on a film set? Well, that's not true! Hundreds of people are involved making films, and not just the crew! The cast can often include hundreds of people - and most of them extras! One way of experiencing work on a real film set is by working as a background artiste, otherwise known as an extra. I worked as a part-time background artiste for a year doing various projects - don't forget there's more to extra work than just films! As an extra you can get involved in commercials, television and sometimes even photo shoots for advertising campaigns.

First let me explain my experiences. I joined 2020 Casting, a small London based extra and walk-on agency. (A walk-on is more like a "featured" extra, a waiter serving the main characters, for example.) During my time with the agency I mainly worked on TV programmes as there are more TV studios in the area that I live. However the most memorable work was the time that I spent shooting a British period film, 'The Young Victoria' in which I spent two days in Oxford in a seriously tight corset - painful fun! Luckily the agencies always give you lots of guides on what to expect and what they explained to me proved useful whilst I was working. The most important thing to remember as an extra, is that when you are on set you are only a guest for a few days (or maybe even a week), yet the film cast and crew may have been in the same location for months.

Check out 2020 Casting's article on What to Expect, which is very informative on life on-set!

"The Young Victoria" Oxford Shoot

If you really are interested in becoming an extra, and you are located in England, I'd recommend Casting Collective. I never worked with them but all the extras I worked with said they were the biggest and best. They are also reportedly the only agency that Harry Potter productions use for extras.

Would you like to work as a film extra? Here are some tips:

Let's say you've been booked for a job, and you've been told the time to get to the set or location. Here is Tip Number One; do not ever, ever be late! This may seem obvious, but timing is crucial. Be at least half an hour early as it is firstly very easy to get lost in a studio, and secondly the production manager who is in charge of the shoot likes to have everything under control. Get in the way of the person who's organising everything, and you will most likely be kicked out!

I once got chatting to another, more experienced, extra and he told me a story about how he turned up for a job 10 minutes late and the AD (Assistant Director) went nuts at him, kicked him out and vowed never to use his agency again! But as 2020 Casting say on their website, they have an awful lot on their plate;

"This person may be a second assistant director (2nd AD), a third assistant director (3rd AD) or someone dedicated just to you (a crowd 2nd or wrangler). Whoever they are this person will probably be extremely busy."

So you've finally arrived, and on time, too! Let's say it's day one of the shoot. Tip Number Two; listen to what is being said to you. Films are always on a tight schedule, so if you missed being told to move from one holding area to another, you're in trouble. Especially if it is a crowd call (which basically means there are a lot of extras to be organised), you must stay on the ball.

You also must get used to being moved around like cattle! It is crucial you remember your place as well. Getting mouthy with the AD will provide you with a strike - a mark against you that could hold you against getting more work within your agency. I found many a time that we'd be asked to go wait in one area, and after an hour be asked to go back to location to wait to be used. Twenty minutes later we'd be moved back to the holding area and not even be used for the morning. I've found whole days where we've all waited patiently to be used and then not even get to shoot. But it's the patience and professionalism that you need to get through the day, the ability to get on with other people, and accept what you've been told. It should be noted that extra work really isn't for everyone!

Tip Number Three; never, ever ask for an autograph from a famous actor or actress, even if you're on set with them. My friends have always asked me to get an autograph if I find myself close to someone that's famous but it is the worst, most un-professional thing to do! Imagine you're an actor and you're doing your job but at every filming break some extra that's only there for a day approaches you and asks, giggling, for an autograph! It's simply darned annoying. It's respectful and professional to not pester them whilst they're doing their job.

The temptation to get a signature is admittedly not that high for me! The only famous person I've been in a scene with during a shoot was Patrick Dempsey when they were filming “Made of Honor” in the south of England. I didn't really know who he was! But if you do ever get the chance to work so close to someone famous, hopefully you'd just feel too silly to go and ask for a signature in such a professional environment!

One perk of working on set is the food. Food is provided for cast and crew, and usually, the film production goes all out! It's brilliant really; if you're not shooting, you are essentially getting paid to sit around and eat! If you arrive on set in the morning (most location shoots start at about six in the morning) you’ll have access to a full variety of breakfast foods, and the lunches in the mobile canteens vary from hot meals to a buffet. Grab it while you can, as it’s free for you, and always stay at the front of the holding area as they're most likely to let you into the lunch queue first. It always helps if you’re female too - the "ladies first" rule applies everywhere!

If you do ever get the chance to work as an extra, take it. It’s really great experience, even if you do or don’t want to get into the entertainment industry. It may not be for everyone as you need patience. I would never ever suggest that you pay to work as an extra for a day - I’ve heard ridiculous cases where extras pay to work on a film set! Rubbish! Join an agency and you'll be the one getting paid to work. Money can range from £90 to £200 a day, depending on whether it's a crowd call, walk-on job or a night shift. If you have one line of dialogue (for example, a waiter asking the main characters what they'd like to drink) you can get paid double.

If you are aiming to become an actor or actress, my advice is to do a few background jobs but not take it up full time. Extra work is not a way into acting, even if a few successful actors did do a few extra jobs before moving on to acting, such as Clint Eastwood and Adam Brody, but they were most likely rare cases. Working as an extra is more like working as a crew member, not a cast member because you’re creating the atmosphere of a scene, not acting in it. Of course you can practise your acting skills in front of a camera, but it’s not like the director would pick you out from the crowd yelping "you are simply made for the screen!" and then giving a part. I would not suggest working full time as an extra if your only aim is to be in the limelight. None of our Straight From School girls ever worked as an extra to get into acting, they did it the right way.

All projects are different, they vary in what you have to do, wear, and act. How much fun you have is part of the job and who you're working with. You'll mostly find that full time extras are friendly, out going and chatty people, and meeting new people is what makes the job fun! You have to be open-minded and a hard worker. It really does pay off when you see a glimpse of your face on the screen, remembering the food you ate and the new people you met that day.

Useful Links

"Guide to Extra Work" by Casting Collective
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"So you’d like to be a film extra?" By 2020 casting
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