If you've ever wondered what it's like to be in show business, there's a really easy way to do it: Just sign-up to be an extra. It's really that simple. All you have to do is register with a background acting company such as Central Casting, pay their registration fee, take a picture and you've finished step one.
Step two is nearly as easy. You call into their service and you'll hear voice recordings of casting agents who describe certain types they're looking for. Usually, they break it down by gender, ethnicity and then more specific qualities. For example, the way I got my first "break" was when Women's Murder Club (a Fall 2007 detective series on ABC) was looking for Asian desk clerks and uniformed police officers.
I used to be a clerk in college so I knew I could play one. But when I spoke to the agent, she informed me that the clerk role was already booked. I was disappointed, but she said she was still looking for cops. I told her I could do it, but that I didn't have a police uniform. She laughed and said that if they could only hire people with uniforms, they'd never get anything shot in Hollywood. I didn't need a uniform because wardrobe would provide one for me. That's not the first time I felt dumb, but it sure made me feel like a rookie.
So I was booked and step three was to get to the studio at the correct call time. Every production has a call time that may differ from day-to-day depending on what they've been able to shoot or where they are in the script. Your call time could also depend on what role you fill and what time that scene takes place. If it's a scene that takes place at night outside, your call time could be in the early evening.
I've been on a shoot before as a production assistant, and that's when I figured out that out of all the different departments in a shoot such as the grips, camera, production and catering, it was the talent that was treated the best. They got to sit around while everyone else was working and worked only when everything was already set-up.
Background acting doesn't get much recognition because you don't get any speaking parts, but it's an integral part of the process. An office won't look like an office on the screen if there aren't any office workers working in the background. Can you imagine New York City without the hustle and bustle of city life?
Also, while the crew is usually dressed in shorts, jeans and t-shirts, talent gets to dress-up in their costumes. It can be a lot of fun if you're playing a police officer, cowgirl, nurse or a variety of other roles. Although it probably wouldn't be fun to play a garbage man, at least it's fake trash that you're throwing away.
Depending on the production, you're also fed pretty well and have access to the craft services table. The nicer the production, the better you're fed and the more luxurious the treats are.
If you're a writer, background work is great because most of the time, you're on hold and just waiting for the crew to set the shot up. That gives you a lot of time to work on your material. Since I'm a poker player, I was hoping the studio would have wi-fi, but unfortunately, I don't think they did so I just brought a good book to read.
However, I didn't get through much of it because there are so many people in the waiting room who have a lot to stay about the industry. Interestingly, there were a wide variety of people from all kinds of backgrounds, but everyone had their own unique history and reasons of getting into this line of work.
The main goal for most background talent is getting into the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) because making it into SAG qualifies you for higher pay rates. Background talent used to have their own union, known as the Screen Extra Guild, but it merged with SAG in the 90s. There are basically two ways to get into SAG. One is to collect three SAG vouchers which makes you SAG eligible. The other is to get a principal role (a speaking part) which qualifies you under the Taft-Hartley Act.
If you get into SAG, you then get the benefits which range from health care to the almighty residual pay when you get a residual check when the program you were on is played on television.
There are other reasons you may want to become a background actor like just being able to walk around the set and see famous actors. Whatever your reasons are, remember, it's show business not show goof-off so you should treat it as such. Productions are collaborations and filled with professionals so be sure to be one. In the end, you'll gain the respect of your peers and can have a lot of fun doing it. That's why they say, "there's no business like show business!"
