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DS9 is problematic, we need to talk

It's an issue everywhere but it really sticks out like a sore thumb in DS9

Top tier DS9 is gold plated, but you know what they say about bad Trek - it's pretty bad.

I am of course talking about extras who are not paid to speak. This must be a thing right? Because in so many episodes, we break into a scene with one of the leads talking to an extra, and getting nothing but a nod or a very obviously forced facial expression in reply. This really grinds my gears. You can tell they are doing their best with what they're given, but it's the TV equivalent of removing a violist from an orchestra and replacing them with a fart machine.

How hard would it be to script in a 'yes', 'ok', or some other response which a normal person would make in a normal conversation. I submit that it would not be hard.

The Actors Guild or whoever should sort out their contracts with the TV studios to eliminate this bad practice.

I believe that a "Yes" or an "Ok" is a lot more expensive than a nod.

This is why you have scenes like:

O' Brien saying something like: "Those damn bloody Cardassians and their treacherous ways!" and some unknown looking at him expressing... empathy... with body language...
 
I’ve been doing extra works for years, if you don’t talk you usually get 70€ A day, if you do 150€, easy to see why a company with a limited budget wants to be careful here. Note that there is no guild in Italy, where I live.
What part of Italy? I was born in the Veneto. PM if you'd rather.
 
O' Brien saying something like: "Those damn bloody Cardassians and their treacherous ways!" and some unknown looking at him expressing... empathy... with body language...

YES, this is exactly what I'm talking about.

Just stump up and pay your extras already! Each and every time I see this happen I'm reminded that I'm watching a very cheap TV show.
 
YES, this is exactly what I'm talking about.

Just stump up and pay your extras already! Each and every time I see this happen I'm reminded that I'm watching a very cheap TV show.
if the budget isn’t there it isn’t there. If you felt DS9 was cheap you’d better avoid watching Babylon V, which had to cut even more corners, as they had something like a third of the budget per episode Star Trek had.

Not to mention zero budget productions such as fan films, of course.
 
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How hard would it be to script in a 'yes', 'ok', or some other response which a normal person would make in a normal conversation. I submit that it would not be hard.
It could be very hard if they started giving extras lines on shows that are syndicated and broadcasted around the world. The extra would get some money every time that's broadcasted.
 
It could be very hard if they started giving extras lines on shows that are syndicated and broadcasted around the world. The extra would get some money every time that's broadcasted.

That would just mean less money for the stars of the show. I think they would survive.
 
There's always some critique that can be made about hiring practices for extras in the entertainment industry, particularly the difficulty of becoming a SAG member when only background parts are available. But it is par for the course. They filled the backdrops of Cheers or Cafe Nervosa or the Central Perk, not to mention countless other shows. There is no reason to believe that fewer extras were given speaking roles on DS9 than on other shows. On the other hand, DS9 was notorious for hiring more extras than other shows in order to fill out the promenade. The show gave out more work than other series. To that extent, more struggling actors were able to eat and pay rent while hoping for a big break. Answer More than a few of them have supported themselves with convention appearance, which is mostly impossible outside the franchise or genre entertainment in general. Being on camera is always an opportunity, and I do know a few people who turned their 3 seconds of being visible into speaking parts (even if it did not turn into careers).
 
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