Ever wanted to be a Movie Extra? Here's what it's like.

There are casting agencies in every major city. Just do a google search. the one I used was ECA (extras Casting Atlanta) and they do most of it through facebook.

Getting the jobs is actually pretty easy once you are signed up.

Mike, thanks partly to your story here and then partly to an old family friend who was signed on as on extra on the local "alternative" show "Portlandia", I signed on to an agency, got a few "notices", but nothing came through and then my life situation changed and I had to drop out. But, it was a fun thought! The agency not only did casting for "Portlandia" but also for the show "Leverage", which was filming here in the Portland/Vancouver area, but I've heard that they are shutting down production...

tonylong wrote in post #15541741
Mike, thanks partly to your story here and then partly to an old family friend who was signed on as on extra on the local "alternative" show "Portlandia", I signed on to an agency, got a few "notices", but nothing came through

Should we make any conclusions about your unwillingness to audition on the casting couch, while Mike was quite willing?!

Wilt wrote in post #15541953
Should we make any conclusions about your unwillingness to audition on the casting couch, while Mike was quite willing?!

Heh, well the director doing the "couch" auditions, well...

More like a muddy creek. It was so hot and humid the day we filmed. Still waiting on the trailer. Film will be released in October.

Hoping to get on with the film Solace tomorrow. Colin Farell and Anthony Hopkins.

MikeFairbanks wrote in post #15984852
Hoping to get on with the film Solace tomorrow. Colin Farell and Anthony Hopkins.

I just finished reading a five page thread where you said you weren't going to be an extra again. What happened?

A year went by.

But also the pay was really good on the job I was Hoping to get today.

However, I didn't get a call back on that job.

The only jobs I will take are the stand-in jobs. They pay well. Being a regular extra is only eight bucks an hour. The others are about thirty an hour. But they're hard to get. You have to look just like the star you're standing in for. Waist, hair,height, size, etc. All measurements. A stand-in literally just stands there while the lights, mics and cameras are set up. Then when everything is ready the royalty--er--actor comes in to do the filming.

I was hoping to stand in for Colin Farrel but they didnt email me back.

Oh well.

Uh was the actress Reese Witherspoon? Did you ever catch a glimpse of her? Thumbs up to you if you did. Sounds like a great experience.

Yes, Reese Witherspoon. The film was Devil's Knot (trailer STILL not out yet).

No, I didn't get a glimpse of her, even though we were about fifty feet apart for two days. I was in the open-air, sweating like a hog. She was in an air conditioned trailer livin' the good life. She didn't even come to dinner. Assistants too plates of food to her. But, then, she was pregnant at the time and probably wasn't in the mood to socialize with a bunch of bored extras.

But she was gracious enough to autograph a couple pictures for my kids.

Oh, and she's an American Citizen. She has the right to stand on American ground!

I've "accidentally" walk in on several TV and movie shoots in NYC.
Once, 'Ugly Betty' was shooting on Coney Island. I simply strolled in, stood on line with other extras, and when shoot began, started to walk... and yes, walked right past America Ferrara.
I had this devilish urge to high-five her, but thought perhaps I might end up in the shot. Though I've never watched a single episode I might but the DVD.

Willem DaFoe was shooting on Brighton Beach some strange scene of him standing in a suit on the beach, and a helicopter flew by shooting him as I and a group of others were standing around.

It's kinda amusing to see all the enthusiasm from folks on the "outside" of the film industry. I've worked in the film industry (post production) for about nine years now, and I'm so used to actors and directors wandering around the studios I've worked in that I just barely even notice them. Then again, I've never been particularly interested in celebs, but my point is that it's so ordinary for Hollywood folks to be around me that it's just part of my job. I also hardly ever watch anything I work on. It's funny, because I love my actual day-to-day tasks (I'm a CGI artist) but I actually kinda dislike the film industry and Hollywood in general.

But it's cool to see how much pleasure others derive from being a part of the production.

If you seriously like watching movies, then it would be so very cool to have been involved in any of them.

I had to laugh when the buffet was described in so much detail.

I've had my share of movies. By chance I ended up getting into the union and then it became impossible to stop working.

On The Sentinel I was a "papparazzi". They gave me a 10D with a flash, full battery and no CF card! Michael Douglas was just two meters away from me.

A lot of movies... the pacifier, the ice princess... cinderella man... some TV show about cadets... in WW1 documentary I was a german soldier...

that zombie movie with town surrounded by the river... The name escapes me now... it was a good scene requiring scuba gear with the zombies coming out of the water...

It was interesting to see how the sets were lit.

I wish I had taken more pictures. It seemed like a job at the time, but it would've been a great photo opportunity.