Working Part-Time as a Movie Extra
August 1, 2008 Part-Time Passions No CommentsPart-Time Work in Film Helps Pay While You’re Having Fun
A friend of mine recently threw off the shackles of her mundane, rat-race job in Corporate America without really looking for a backup job. When she inquired whether I thought it was a waste of time for her to work as an extra on film sets, I was surprised. Of course, she’s not an actress, or one of those girls who thinks she’s an actress, or a part-time model who really just wants to break into “the biz.” My surprise, however, came from how she thought it would be a waste of time.
Working as an extra on films, commercials, music videos and TV shows part-time is a great learning experience and a really fun way to earn extra money. What most people don’t realize is that working in the entertainment industry is, by and large, excruciatingly boring. All that razzmatazz on Entourage is just a cover-up, and most people have Turtle’s job, or work as an assistant to someone else. However, if you are hellbent on making it in Tinseltown, working as an extra is a good launching pad and a good way to see for yourself how a movie set actually functions.
Movie Extras for Part-Time Work and Play
Overall, the work is pretty simple: stand there, wait, stand there some more, shout a bit, keep standing. Like I said, bo-ring. The fun part comes from the people you meet and the physical experience of being on a movie set — that’s not something everyone can lay claim to. Best of all, this is the only kind of work in acting that is truly steady. There is always a need for extras, so you can work as much or as little as you like.
If you are unsure about a career in acting in films but never took an actual acting class, this is a good way to see what goes on behind the film. For the rest of us, this is an easy paying gig that pays upward of $100 a day to just stand, walk or fill up space. Sign up with a casting agency so you know when shoots are taking place, or look on Craigs List, but be careful it’s not a, ahem, more adult kind of set.Of course, this is the kind of job meant for people in Southern California and the L.A. area, but New Yorkers, Chicagoans and other major urbanites should be able to find listings for extra work without any problem. Bring a book and a deck of cards to keep you and any new friends you meet entertained while the crew takes breaks. Then start bragging to everyone about how much of a jerk Natalie Portman really is (just kidding, Natalie, you know we love you and your sweet self).
