Background Actors

[Background actors, often known popularly (but not professionally) as “extras,” are essential in creating the tone, mood, and atmosphere of feature films and television scenes.  There are background actors in all performance media, including stage plays (though that’s rare and expensive), and they have different names in some other performance forms (such as “supernumeraries” in opera). 

[The most common performing arts where background actors are found are television and film.  Movies, especially war films and historical epics, can employ hundreds of background actors.  Most actors start out in movies with background appearances.  It’s not unheard-of for a background actor to get bumped up to a “silent bit” or even a “day player,” with a contractual increase in pay.

[(Those last two film terms mean pretty much what the names imply.  A silent bit [part] is a role that stands out from the crowd, or background, because the actor has to do something significant to the scene’s plot but has no lines.  A day player is an actor contracted for one day’s shooting, or part thereof, to perform a role that never appears as a significant character in the movie.  The job may be one or more scenes, but they are all shot in one day.)

[In most cases in the United States, background work, like all film performances, is regulated and overseen by SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents screen actors in all media.  (There used to be a union called the Screen Extras Guild, which had a limited geographical jurisdiction.  SEG’s members were ultimately absorbed into the Screen Actors Guild, and SAG then merged with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists to become SAG-AFTRA.) 

[Background actors are defined as performers who appear in non-speaking or non-singing roles, usually in the background of scenes—for example, in an audience or busy street scene.  (Crowd scenes aren’t the only places background actors may appear in films and TV shows; they might be seen at a nearby café table, tending bar behind the featured actors, or walking a dog on a suburban street.  I was once a counterman at a deli (an episode of Nurse) and a cop who arrested Woody Allen (Stardust Memories, 1980); that latter gig got upgraded to a silent bit. 

[Related to the background performer is the stand-in.  In film and television, this is an actor who substitutes for a featured performer before filming, for technical purposes such as lighting and camera setups.  (The featured actor is usually in make-up or wardrobe, taking a break, or rehearsing an upcoming scene during these times.) 

[A stand-in may also work as a background actor when not occupied with his or her stand-in duties; sometimes the stand-in has a small role in the film or TV show.  (In the original Perry Mason television series [1957-66], Raymond Burr’s stand-in for all nine years was Lee Miller.  Miller also played the recurring role of police Sgt. Brice.)

[I know of people who made extra pocket money—retirees, office workers, and even teachers—by doing background work in movies and TV shows even though they weren’t pursuing careers in acting.  One acquaintance, Jack Beers, whose wife, Bertha, was a friend of my mother’s, became famous in his own right when a film of his life (Holes in My Shoes) was aired on PBS in 2009, shortly after his death at 99.]

“BACKGROUND ACTORS IN THE SPOTLIGHT”

[The following article was published in SAG-AFTRA, the magazine of the union for screen actors in film, TV, and video (vol. 8, iss. 3 [Fall 2019]); it’s also accessible on the union’s website, https://www.sagaftra.org/background-actors-spotlight, posted on 5 November 2019.] 

With the explosion of new production on a variety of platforms, background actors are in demand, and earnings are up.

But, increasingly, some members are concerned about the competition for the number of spots allocated for union background in SAG-AFTRA contracts as well as the lack of contract coverage in emerging production areas such as New Mexico, Louisiana and Georgia.

Recently, they have been on the receiving end of an outpouring of support from high-profile members, including Jeff Bridges, Amy Adams, Mandy Moore, Mark Duplass and Rachel Brosnahan. But many of these performers have only spoken out after witnessing or experiencing firsthand some of the poor treatment their colleagues who work background have received on set. For instance, Adams recalled how she was mistaken for her stand-in while shooting HBO’s Sharp Objects.

“I’ve never experienced this before but, because we looked so much alike, at one point somebody grabbed me really hard and pulled me,” she recently told THR [The Hollywood Reporter]. “I went, ‘What’s going on?’ And they’re like, ‘(Gasp) You’re not Reb!’ I went into producer [mode] and I was like, ‘You will not handle her like that.’”

In April, the multihyphenate Duplass tweeted about how appalled he was to see background performers treated badly. “If you see this happening, please gently bring it to the attention of the offender(s) and ask them to reconsider their approach. It’s an odd blind spot in our industry,” he wrote.

New York Local Board member and Background Advisory Committee Chair Avis Boone agrees.

“In New York, while shooting exterior scenes in January in out-of-season wardrobe without proper breaks and a place to keep warm between shots, sometimes background actors will ask for hand warmers and be told that they only have enough for the crew or the talent [industry jargon for featured performers]. Even though background actors are a key ingredient to make a scene look real, they are often an afterthought when it comes to the things like being given proper breaks, water and safety rides,” she said.

Some performers, including Bridges, Moore and Brosnahan, used their time onstage during the last awards season to single out their stand-ins and background colleagues. While accepting the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series [The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, 2019], Brosnahan saluted “Our too-often unsung background actors who worked the same hours as us and share the same union as us. I couldn’t be luckier to be a part of this amazing group of artists.” Moore made a similar shout-out during the 25th annual SAG Awards in January [2019], telling This Is Us background performers: “Our show wouldn’t be what it is without you.”

Bridges, too, has talked about how his longtime stand-in, Loyd Catlett, has been essential to his work, acknowledging their 50-year collaboration during his Oscars acceptance speech in 2010 and while receiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award [an honorary award for “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment”] at the 2019 Golden Globes in January.

SAG-AFTRA leaders have also made the working conditions of background performers a priority. Last spring, President Gabrielle Carteris made a point of visiting Central Casting, the industry’s largest employment facilitator of background performers, to hear directly from members about their on-set experiences.

“Background performers are our fellow actors, our fellow members and so critical to all of our shared success,” she said after the visit. “We perform together and we fight for our protections and fair wages together — as one union.”

Ron Ostrow, chair of the National and Los Angeles Background Actors committees, said the recent attention has been a morale booster. Still, he encouraged other high-profile members to speak up, not just in public forums, but in the moment if they see something happening on set.

“Background actors want it known that they look at this like a profession. This is not something that they just go and hang out and do. They know their obligations. They know how to make a scene look good,” he said.

Ostrow noted that while some of the 56,000 members who do background work each year do so to supplement their careers, others have dedicated themselves to the craft. “There are people who are doing this full time who are raising their families and making their benefits,” he said. “They know how to bring their game to this — not just their wardrobe, props and cars.”

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“5 WAYS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF WORKING BACKGROUND”

[The information below was published alongside the article above in the same issue of SAG-AFTRA magazine; it, too, was posted on 5 December 2019 at https://www.sagaftra.org/5-ways-get-most-out-working-background.]

Get a copy of SAG-AFTRA's Background Actors Contracts Digest

Richard Markman, an alternate on the Background Actors Committee, said that he will often pass out copies to new members so they can understand the protections of each contract — and understand any adjustments that they could be due during a production. When he sees new members dog-earing the booklet, he feels a sense of pride. “That to me is such a victory: I have done my job,” he said. “They want to know what their rights are and what they’re entitled to.” Find the Background Actors Contracts Digest and a downloadable PDF at sagaftra.org/background-actors-digest.

Don’t address adjustments with production staff.

Samantha Hartson, a member of the National and Los Angeles Background Actors committees, advised background performers to note any adjustments that they didn’t receive and file with SAG-AFTRA after their work has been completed. “Don’t make a production of it on set. File a claim with the union,” she said.

Treat background work like a job.

“It doesn’t matter how little the job is or how big the job is; it doesn’t matter if you’re just a cross, take pride in it,” said Hartson. [A cross is the movement of a background actor who passes through the view of the camera.] “Don’t be looking to sit down as soon as you can. People are always watching you.” She also advised members not to carry their phones on set and stay close during breaks in shooting. “You never know when they’re going to need you,” she said.

Keep your headshots up to date and target your submissions.

Photos that don’t match your current look will annoy casting directors. Hartson and Markman both stressed that members should keep their photos current with Central Casting and L.A. Casting. “Submit for who and what you are. Be honest about your age range. If you’re 60 years old, don’t submit for 40 unless you actually look that age,” said Markman.

Bring the proper wardrobe.

If you’re required to bring wardrobe, bring wardrobe. Markman suggested going a step further and having multiple looks for the character available, in case the casting director doesn’t like the initial selection. “The production absolutely loves that,” he said. “Personally, I bring wardrobe for whatever my role may be. If you’re cast as a lawyer, don’t bring a pair of shorts.”

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“WORKING BACKGROUND”
by Katie Doyle, CSA 

[Katie Doyle is a Hawaii casting director;  her article below was posted on the SAG-AFTRA website on 1 April 2016 at https://www.sagaftra.org/working-background.  The Casting Society of America (CSA) is a professional society of about 700 casting directors for film, television, and theater in Australia, Canada, India, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  The society is not to be confused with an industry union.]

When prepping for principal or background actor casting, we look for folks who have an understanding of the basic technical components of a television or film set, and who can follow production rules and instruction. Of course, everyone needs that first opportunity, and working as a background actor is a good way to get familiar with what actually goes on in the world of film production. 

The technological advances in our industry have impacted every aspect of film/television-making. The pace is faster and the stakes are higher than ever before, which translates into multitudes of schedule changes that affect everyone, including the background actors. This can be very frustrating — especially since the casting department is often the last to receive the information.

It used to be the exception to the rule when large-scale schedule/shooting changes occurred. Now, changes are the accepted norm. The casting department relies on advanced technology and good old-fashioned telephone-calling to keep up with the daily/hourly changes given to us by production. But, if you want to work in this industry and stay sane, it’s best to be adaptable. If you don’t want to do background work, say so. 

If you want to work, here is a quick reminder to use these very basic tools: 

VOICEMAIL: Make sure your voicemail is set up and able to take messages. So many times we get a recording that says, “This user’s voicemail is not set up.” We can’t hire you if we can’t reach you. Please check your voicemail regularly — especially if we are in production. (See above regarding "changes.") 

EMAIL: Have a simple email address that you use for business and check it regularly. You need to check your trash, junk mail/spam folders to see if our correspondence has been sent there — especially in the beginning of a project if your system doesn’t recognize a new email address.

EMAIL REPLY: Reply to emails that require replies with the proper information in the subject line so your email won’t get lost.

READ the email we send and print out your maps and wardrobe instructions so you have them handy — we give background actors a lot of information. It’s frustrating when you call with questions about something that has been clearly explained in the email. 

HOTLINES: Numbers and procedures vary from production to production — as a general rule, it’s good to check in the evening after posting time and then once more in the morning before you leave the house. Most often, these are not set up to receive messages, so please follow the instructions given to you at the time of booking.   

And that’s a wrap.

[There are other jobs in movies and TV that are similar to background acting.  (Make no mistake, by the way, that it is acting.  I once was part of a street crowd for a scene set in the dead of winter in 1981’s Rich and Famous.  The problem was that not only was the scene shot in summer on location in midtown Manhattan, but it was during one of the heat waves we used to have here once or twice a summer when the temps reached three digits.  There we were, wearing winter coats, hats, gloves, and mufflers—I even had on a Russian ushanka (fur hat with ear flaps)—while swallowing salt pills and wearing nearly nothing beneath the heavy coats.  Between shots, we sat on air-conditioned buses, then hopped out to do another take, pretending we were shivering in sub-freezing weather.)

[One similar film gig to background work is “looping,” or dubbing dialogue or other verbal expressions in post-production.  Like some background jobs, actors can be selected for special skills or talents or possession of special clothing or equipment.  (This information is listed on the actor’s qualifications at the union—the actors are admonished to update this list frequently.)  I was called once because I owned a complete army uniform (kept from my service which had ended only a few years earlier) and another time because I had a dog.  (I was a guy walking his dog in Greenwich Village in 1980’s Willie & Phil, written and directed by Paul Mazursky.)

[I got one gig because my résumé indicated that I spoke some Russian; the job was for Real Men, a 1987 Cold War spy comedy starring Jim Belushi and John Ritter.  The producers wanted to dub in some off-screen Russian phrases in the background during chases and fights.  When the small group of actors met at the sound studio, we were also asked to do some Russian-accented English as well.  In the end, we also did some ordinary English background dialogue, mostly in a scene in a crowded bar and one at an L.A. farmer’s market, and we “sweetened” a couple of fight scenes by dubbing some grunts and groans to enhance the slug-fests.]