So You Want to Be an Extra in a Movie

Last Updated on February 28, 2024 by Kirsten Raccuia

So you want to be an extra in a movie (or tv series)… you might just be a glutton for punishment.

Like me.

I have had a lot of people ask me what it’s like to be part of a TV or film production. And the answer is always the same …it’s rarely glamorous and constantly tests your patience.

We are human props. Extras, not actors. We aren’t there to stand out. We’re there to blend in; to be a fuzzy shadow holding a drink, to walk across the street 100 yards behind the actors. No one, and I mean no one, is likely to see us in most scenes.

We can’t sit where the actors do, even if there are empty seats. Or eat what the actors eat, even if there are leftovers. Even breathing the same air is often questionable.

There is a hierarchy, and we are on the lowest rung.

Living in Malaysia and working on international sets means I don’t always get to see the movie. But if I do catch a glimpse of myself, despite being blurred and brief, it’s pretty exciting. Then it seems worth all blisters and sweat.

Being an extra in a movie implies we are gluttons for punishment, yet we forget that every. single .time.

Indian Summers

We started in 2014 as extras in a major TV production called Indian Summers. We had no idea what we were getting into and thought it would be fun for a few days.

It was a massive hit in the UK (Channel 4) and the US (PBS) and went on for two seasons. That meant months of work for us, and it was a fantastic experience.

The Plot

The first season took place in 1932 in Simla, India, a hill station near the Himalayas. During the summers, the British powers that be would move to higher elevations to escape the relentless heat.

This was an old dilapidated home until Indian Summers revamped it

At that time, the Brits were still governing India, but the Indian people wanted independence. The show follows the decline of the British Empire and the rise of modern India, and the conflict between them.

It was explosive, naughty, devious, and political, and according to Broadcast Now, the first episode had more than 5 million viewers. That made it Channels 4’s highest-rated original UK drama in over 20 years.

The biggest stars were Julie Walters, who is a total doll. She’s been in everything from Harry Potter movies to Mama Mia and Brooklyn.

.                                                                                        Julie Walters and Henry Lloyd-Hughes

Patrick Malahide, who was Balon Greyjoy from Game of Thrones, was just as lovely and taught me to waltz during a break.

A few more well-known actors were Rachel Griffiths from Brothers & Sisters, Art Malik from Homeland, and Roshan Seth from Gandhi.

Big Budget=Better Treatment for us extras

Very blurry but still onscreen with Edward Hogg 

The budget for the first season was huge, and we were utterly spoiled. We had no idea how good we had it. Most productions don’t have that kind of budget.

Since it was a period drama and no one had clothes from that era, we had our own wardrobe and hairstyle/makeup consultants. Wardrobe found some clothes at vintage stores, but a majority of the costumes were made for us. I had two bespoke gowns made, and Mark got a custom tux with tails.

Onscreen with Jemima West of Borgias & Kidnapping Mr. Heineken

Did I mention that we were spoiled?

Indian Summers honestly ruined us for all the other extra gigs to come. We have never been treated as well as we were in that first season.

Round Two

The second season budget was severely cut. We didn’t have dedicated hair or makeup teams. We got touched up once in a while, maybe, and wore clothes that didn’t fit. No one cared because we were in the background.

Mom, Me, Georgia, & Victoria in season 2

Overall, the costumes were incredible, the sets were impeccable, and Penang was transformed into Simla. It was fantastic to be part of the series and see the behind the scenes.

If you haven’t seen it is available on Amazon Prime and it’s really good.

Hello Mrs. Money

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS7GTv1EaeE

In January of 2018, we were flown for two days to Langkawi Island to be extras in a movie. It was a Chinese film, so we needed interpreters, but even with the language barrier, they were incredibly efficient. Three to five takes per scene, and that’s it.

It was a current day comedy, so we had to bring our own clothes. We played paparazzi/reporters and had to look the part. We got there and sat in a parking lot for a few hours while the actors did their scenes.

Hair and makeup gave us the once over, put a random braid in my hair, and moved on. We only spent about four hours on set, one of them working, and then we were done.

It was the most easygoing day as extras to date.

It did pretty well in Chinese theaters, but we haven’t seen it yet. We need to find a version with English subtitles.

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In case you’re bored or could care less about being an extra, here are some other links that might be more your thing: 27 Of The Most Interesting Facts About Malaysia, Worst Mistakes When Starting a New Life Abroad, Why You Need a Reverse Bucket List, and 30 Photos that will Make You Book Your Ticket to Greece.

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SN85, A Singaporean Short Film

I don’t even know the name of this movie. It was a black and white short film, and I actually had a “speaking” part. I write speaking in quotes because all I did was scream, “Get out” a few times, and I was done.

The best part of this film? I was a nun. The closest thing I’ll ever get to being that holy–for so many reasons.

                                                                                           Just your run of the mill Jewish nun

I came to set, did my thing, and left. It was easy peasy. I had to go back the next day for another scene, but again, it was stress-free.

There were only a few extras in the movie, which meant the production team’s job was more manageable.

The more extras in a movie, the more difficult it becomes. It’s like herding cats for the production assistants. And all it takes is one guy to smile during an intense scene, and we have to film the whole thing over again.

The Confidence Man JP

We just finished filming a Japanese movie, and it was the most challenging shoot we’ve ever done.

Again, we were flown to Langkawi, but this time for five days of shooting. For about the first hour, I was all excited to be shooting is such an incredible location. But that wore off quickly.

It sounds glamorous to be on a beautiful tropical island, filming at the Four Seasons, and it could be if we were more than extras.

But we stayed 30 minutes away in some sh!t-hole with signs stating they were NOT responsible for anything stolen from the room! And there were no safes–but that’s a tangent for another day.

Long hours with no end in sight

For the first three days, we started at 5:30 am and wrapped between 7:30-9:00 pm. Super long days, standing in the sun in 4-inch heels, no shade, no seats, and rarely a bathroom break. We were exhausted, and the part in my hair was burned like a biscuit forgotten in the oven.

For this movie, we were filming an extended party scene that took days to shoot. It was a continuous scene, and consequently, we had to wear the same clothes for all five days. It was an elegant party; the guys were wearing suits and the women in even gowns. We couldn’t wash them at night because there wasn’t time for them to dry, and they were dry clean only.

Imagine wearing the same sweat through clothes for days on end! Some had salt stains on their clothes, others had tree sap from trying to find shade under a leaf, and even bird poop. But since we were probably going to be blurred out in every scene, no one cared.

We filmed one scene where we had to clap and cheer over and over again for four hours. We were standing in our ballroom finery on a beach, full sun, no shade, and nowhere to sit.

Do you know how hard it is to remain enthusiastic doing the same scene repeatedly for hours on end? I’m sure you can guess.

And when we weren’t filming, we sat or stood around for hours, huddled under a plastic tarp for shade–broiling like a casserole covered with plastic wrap. One woman passed out. Others hid in the bathroom, I overheated, turned red like a beet, and was walked off set by a caring crew member. I hated being an extra.

This was our lunch area one day. About 25 seats for 50 plus people. 

Shortest days

Just when we started mentally preparing for 12-15-hour shoots, we were given two half days. And just like that, the previous days were forgotten. I loved being an extra.

Both the Malaysian production team and the Japanese crew were very kind. They were on a tight timeframe, and apparently, overtime isn’t a thing in Japan. You work until you can’t anymore.

That may be fine when you are paid well, and this is your passion. But neither is the case for us, and those first three days royally sucked.

It is one thing when you know you’re going to have a 12-hour day. You wrap your mind around it and move along because there is an end in sight. But when they continue to keep you, and you have no idea when you’ll wrap for the day, it ceases to be fun.

Do’s & Don’ts for being an extra in a movie

• Do not talk to the actors–unless they talk to you. Not because you are a lowly extra, but because often they are in “the zone” thinking about and practicing their lines. You’ll break their concentration if you start chatting.
• In my experience, the most famous actors are the nicest. It seems like the lesser-known actors are fearful that we are out for their jobs. And in some places like Hollywood, that might be true. Not so much in Penang. We are just working as extras in a movie for the experience.
• Do not try to stand out or get in front of the camera. It’s obvious, you’ll look like an ass, and the director can fire you.
• No pictures on set. None. They may let you take a selfie, but that’s it. Movies and tv shows are very secretive. No social media is allowed, and sometimes they won’t let you take a phone on set.
• Bring something to entertain yourself, besides your phone. Just in case they don’t let you bring it on set.
• Bring an umbrella for shade. It will make a huge difference if you are filming outdoors.

All that shade, but we weren’t allowed to sit there.

Tips for being an extra in a movie (or TV series)

Food

While on the set, all the food is provided, but sometimes it’s better than others, and sometimes it gives everyone the sh!ts. It’s always smart to bring some snacks.

If you’re a vegetarian, tell them as soon as you are hired, and maybe they will have a special meal for you. And by special, I do not mean above average, better, or superior in any way.

Money

Not everyone is paid the same. Try to avoid the topic of money, if at all possible. In Penang, it is a supply and demand kind of thing. There are fewer Caucasians, so they pay us more than the locals. We tried to fight that from the beginning, without success.

The locals here are very much aware of it, and it is seen as the norm, however messed up and not normal that is. Our daily rate is usually RM300-380, plus overtime after 12 hours.

Food, hotel, and transportation is paid for here. But from what I’ve read, transportation is not always covered in the US.

Clothes & Shoes

Mark had gum and tree sap on his suit, but he still wore it.

If there is any way on God’s green earth that you can bring your own shoes to the set, then do it. On Indian Summers, it took a week of bleeding feet and limping to break in my shoes. Even though my name was inside them, when the new extras came to set, they would steal them.

After that happened a few times, I hid my shoes, so no matter what time I arrived on set, they were there waiting for me.

It may seem like a pain to bring your clothes, but it is way better than wearing some polyester dress that is ill-fitting and smells like an armpit. It’s much better to wear your clothes, and stink like your own armpit, trust me.

Bathroom breaks

When you are sitting and waiting around, go. And go often. When they need you, they usually don’t give you a 10-minute warning.

Accommodation

Unless you are staying at home, your accommodation will suck. Know that going in, and you will be fine.

The wrap-up (see what I did there?)

As marvelous as it was to have couture clothing and makeup artists to touch us up, we were still extras. As the name implies, we are background, and mostly there to fill space.

It’s a love-hate relationship. When we work for 15 hours, we hate it. When we wrap after seven, we love it.

Sometimes we end up sitting for hours on end and waiting for something to happen. All we want to do is start shooting.

And other times, we’ll be in a scene that they film 60 times and all we want to do is sit down.

We can’t wander off or chat because the microphones pick up everything, and you will be shushed.

When you do get called to film a scene, you’d better be ready! It’s a hurry up and wait game until they need you, and then it’s just a hurry the hell up game.

This is my experience as an extra in a movie. It’s very different than it would be if I were in the US. There are unions and labor laws there that have to be followed, but in Penang, most of those rules don’t apply.

For some reason, after all the frustrations and sitting around, when they finally tell us we are completely wrapped, we have a sense of sadness.

During the shooting, we make promises and pinky swears never to work as an extra in a movie (or TV series) again. But when the next opportunity occurs, we jump at it.

Swearing one more time, to never do it again…until the next time.

Sound enticing? Or would you hate it? Let me know in the comments below.