Why be an extra on TV or in a movie? What drives people to do that? Well, what you can’t ignore is that celebrity is all around us. From the building tall pin up posters, to the TV screen, in the magazines we read and of course on the Internet. There is a certain allure to money and fame, a time honoured clamouring for the dream that is celebrity. Not many of us will even get close to that gold status of being a household name, or that guy or girl off the TV, and yet, if you harbour a desire to reach out and get close to that lifestyle, if you have an ounce of talent and/or a big enough will to try, then look into how to be an extra on TV show or movie….
Some think that this is a crass and ridiculous way of just getting up close to a star, but it can be great fun, can make you some extra money (always a bonus!) and who knows, if you stand out and make an impression as an extra then you might get your chance to get bigger and better roles. Being an extra can open doors or simply be a cool hobby and great story for you to talk to your pals about!
So how to be an extra? Well, here’s a few ideas for nothing!
Do I need to be a certain ‘type’ of person/look?
In short, no. Movies and TV shows need a wide range of extra’s, tall, fat, thin, small….you don’t need to be a Brad Pitt or Julia Roberts to get in!
Location
There’s no getting away from it, most movies and TV shows are shot in big cities, so the best chances of getting work as an extra can be found in those kind of locations.
Training?
You don’t strictly need any training, but it helps. Having an awareness of some basic acting principles helps. Maybe grab a couple of books online to get the basics straight.
Getting work?
This is probably the trickiest bit! The key is finding a good agent as most extras are booked through agencies. Sometimes, like finding any job, the best thing to do is join as many agencies as possible. Agencies may charge you a small admin fee for processing your application, look out for any trying to charge you more than say $100 – it should never cost more than that. In fact most good agencies shouldn’t charge you at all just to put you on their books. Ask some sensible questions, what movies/TV shows they have placed extras for, what they are working on right now, etc.
Will I need to audition?
In most circumstances, no. If you meet ‘the look’ that the movie or TV show is after then that is normally enough. This is based predominantly on the photo/head shot that you have registered with your agencies. This is therefore something to pay particular attention to – get a good qualoty picture of yourself, in fact it probably pays to pay a professional to do take your photos, again, don’t go over the top on this, $100 should see you to some good shots.
So, becomong an extra in a movie or TV show involves taking these first few simple but important steps. To recap, the 2 most important things to take away here are join a number of agencies and get a good head shot!
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