Background Actors and films...

[CaptainJack]

Hi,
I have a question about acting. Since I dont know of any acting forums I figured I could ask here.
When it comes to movies and actors getting to a location for filming. Im gonna say that the principal actors are either flown or drove or whatever to the sets. But what about the medium and back-round actors. If you live in L.A. and a movie is set to film in Vancouver B.C. and you are just some extra do you have to make your own arrangements to get to the set? Or do they re-comp you?
Does anyone know the details of this topic?
Thank You

 

[Finn]

In other words, how to become an extra?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I don't know the answer (I figure there are others who probably do), but I would assume most extras are recruited locally, which means, if you want to be one, you have to get there yourself).

 

[CaptainJack]

If you were able to get a small part with lines, are you expected to fly yourself to where ever they happen to need you? Do they generally reimburse you or do they pay?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I don't know. Is this a hypothetical question or an actual job opportunity? If the latter, you might need to contact someone connected with the film in question.

 

[Melakon]

It would vary with the production I'd think, whether it's a major picture or some small independent film with no money. You could try checking the trade papers like Variety, or sometimes even your local paper might have a small blurb about it. I wound up getting in two local commercials as an extra just by spotting a newspaper article. No money though. One was an anniversary celebration for the city art gallery. The other was a commercial for a shopping center, so I dragged the then-wife out there without telling her what it was about. I spotted the camera crew, got us a couple of candied apples, and positioned us where the camera crew were heading. We wound up in the spot, but a baby appeared right after us, and all her students thought it was our kid.

 

[CaptainJack]

Its just a hypothetical. I was wondering what the process is? I know that if they need alot of extras they usually hire local people to do that. But Im talking about if you could somehow manage to get a small part in a movie but they film in Vancouver, would you be expected to just get there?

 

[Melakon]

If it's a speaking part, or performing some significant action (a street juggler perhaps), it's likely you'd have to audition. Then there's negotiating a contract. You'd want an agent for that if they made you an offer and it required travel. If you're Joe Schmuck and want them to pay your way, they'll probably go with someone less troublesome. If you're thinking about this as a career, you'll need an agent, but you probably won't be able to get an agent until you have an offer.

 

[CaptainJack]

Thanks for the answers guys. Yeah I know the acting thing would be HARD. I was just curious if alot of the lower tier/backround actors are all paying their own ways or if the Unions demand that it all be taken care of by the production.

 

[Melakon]

If it were a big film, and they needed people in a grandstand for a football game (as an example), you'd probably have to get there on your own. If you're lucky, they might provide a box lunch.

 

[Christopher]

If a film needs a certain number of extras, they're going to need to make sure those extras are on hand at the right time, otherwise they lose time and money waiting for them to arrive or arranging replacements. So I'd think a production would arrange transportation for its extras.

 

[T'Girl]

Earlier this month the next Transformers movie was filming some scenes about a hundred mile away from Seattle. Some friends and I were think of trying out, but we never got our act together. This is the information that was available ...

"Transformers: Age of Extinction" is seeking people who are available to work as fully paid extras and possible featured background actors in the Elma, Washington area on October 8 and 9, 2013. Elma, Washington is southwest of the Seattle/Tacoma area. The following are the casting needs:

• Males and Females, 18 years of age and older. Any ethnicity. Casting clean cut, athletic, military, business types.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Transportation and accommodations are NOT provided. You MUST either be located in the Elma, Washington area, or be located within a reasonable driving distance of the area. DO NOT submit if you are unable to work as a LOCAL HIRE in the Elma, Washington area.

To be considered, submit ASAP - current picture, cell phone, age range, height, clothes sizes to:

trans4washington@gmail.com

*****

From that it sounds like low level actors and extras are require to get themselves to the city of the filming. I watched a movie being filmed in Seattle a few years ago and they apparently bused in the extras for that.

 

[CaptainJack]

So it looks like it depends on how much of an extra you are and how many others are gonna be with you. Plus the budget of the movie.
Then there is the actor with lines. Im gonna assume most actors who get these types of rolls also have managers and agents who negotiate travel for them.

 

[J.T.B.]

Its just a hypothetical. I was wondering what the process is? I know that if they need alot of extras they usually hire local people to do that. But Im talking about if you could somehow manage to get a small part in a movie but they film in Vancouver, would you be expected to just get there?

If you are cast in a role in a production that is not being made within a certain distance of where you live, your transportation and accommodations will be covered by the production. That is expensive, of course, so they will cast every part they can locally.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I don't know the answer (I figure there are others who probably do), but I would assume most extras are recruited locally, which means, if you want to be one, you have to get there yourself).

This. Usually if they're doing an on-location shoot, they'll advertise about a week or so ahead of time for local extras, and it's usually done in the paper or local website.

 

[propita]

If you were able to get a small part with lines, are you expected to fly yourself to where ever they happen to need you? Do they generally reimburse you or do they pay?

A semi-well-known story about the "Voyage Home" extra, who really wanted a speaking role so she could get her union card. I think it's the scene when Uhura and Chekov are trying to find where the nuclear vessels are kept.

To me, the best part of that scene was the cop. His (non)expression was priceless, like, "These two are a couple of idiots."

 

[Non Sync]

I was amazed to discover that there had been a Screen Extras Guild (started in 1946).

I remember in particular this one extra during the early '80s. (he reminded me of someone I knew, so he stood out). I saw him in Buck Rogers, Hill Street Blues, and other TV shows and movies. I was mentioning to him someone while some trailers were running and he popped up in a trailer for The Devil and Max Devlin right then.

I was an extra in the movie All The Marbles (1981, Peter Falk, Directed by Robert Aldrich). We shot for two days at the Olympic auditorium in Los Angeles. Pay was something like $50 for the two days (more like a day and a half). Got a box lunch one day. All big crowd shots around a wrestling ring.

 

[Captain_Nick]

What the deuce do they mean by 'clean cut'? Transformers isn't a porno.

 

[M'Sharak]

What the deuce do they mean by 'clean cut'?

The opposite of long-haired and scruffy.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/clean-cut

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, in other words, they don't want someone looking like they came right off the street.