Okay, let's play fill in the blank. Finish this sentence: He is a struggling _________?
Yes! There is the quintessential stereotype of struggling poverty! The struggling actor. I know. I've been one for a very very long time. Which is one reason I am so good at being broke. When its good, its good. When its bad, you eat ramen noodles and walk everywhere. And here's one of the few positive points regarding poverty.......you've got tons of company with experience!
Most professional actors are forced to take work to compensate for those slow days at some point. At least initially. They do work that enables flexibility. Which is also convenient for people who are looking for work in their future world after they are no longer poverty people. When they can have all the lattes they want. Some wait tables. Some temp. The least committal of them all is extra work. You work that day. Maybe a couple of days. You get a little more money in your pocket to help you survive the bad days. You never have to go back again if you do not desire to do so.
Me? A movie stah, you say? No. A movie prop. It's kind of cool to watch the process sometimes though. And most of the time they feed you. Free food. Paycheck. Or, as I like to think of it, part of a gas bill and two lattes.
Here's how it works. Go to your state's film commission website and find a list of local *casting directors and the names of production companies that are producing upcoming movies/television shows/commercials. "But, Jessie!" you say. "Movies television shows industrials and commercials are only shot in NYC and LA and possibly Miami or some other large city! I live in a small sized city or suburb. Possibly podunk near a city!" Well, shut your face, Sugar Pie. No one likes a naysayer. The film industry loves a good backdrop and, due to tax cuts in many states to entice production, there is a good possibility that they are shooting something within a reasonable commute.
Very often casting directors have sites that allow you to input your information directly into their site's listing. By all means, fill in the form with all necessary facts if it is at all possible. If not, snail mail your picture and resume/cover letter to the casting director and/or the production company that is doing the background performers for productions that are coming up. Important note: A casting director gets paid by the film production as a hire to cast their productions. NEVER PAY A CASTING DIRECTOR TO WORK WITH THEM. That is a scam.
The picture should look really like you. Not prettier or younger. A professional photograph would be nice but if you have a friend with a steady hand and a sense of how to light you so you look like you without huge shadows across your face that can be blown up to headshot size, it'll do. You are broke and this is not a career builder for you. If they are shooting a movie that needs 200 non-union actors to fill a stadium, they will not care who printed your headshots. Just don't be ridiculous and make an effort to give them an idea of how you really look without it looking like you lifted it from a passport photo.
If you are doing the snail mail thing, include a cover letter expressing your desire to do background work along with hair color, eye color, height, weight, pets, musical instruments and sporting equipment that you are willing to spend the day dragging around with you and special skills like being able to ski without hitting a tree and driving legally in your state. State that you are non-union. Let them know if you have professional clothing, evening wear, any uniforms, etc. Make sure that you include all contact information. A resume is good too but if you can't swing enough info to fit onto a sheet of paper, don't sweat it. Just make sure that they can read your specifics somewhere.
Often there are open calls to register to do background work when a production company is setting up camp in town for a shoot. Even better. Show up with your picture, fill out a size card and have them take their own little picture for their files. Keep an eye on the local casting director's websites and also the local professional actor's websites. For big shoots, sometimes there are also listings in your local paper.
Then, if fortune is smiling, they call you up and ask you come to work for them. Yeah! But don't just jump in there without a few questions. The reality is that you are going to be working long hours for not such great pay. This is strictly income to compensate, not carry you. You are a non-union extra which means that you do not have the same protection as the one's in the union. Don't be afraid to say,"No thank you. I believe I have a conflict that day" if you honestly think that one of these things are going to make you regret taking the work.
What is the pay scale? Do you get over time? How long are they expecting to shoot? Are there multiple days? Don't expect much. It is not uncommon to go 13 hours and most background casting folk do not like to give you a definite time frame because it is not in their control. Do not take it unless you are compensated for overtime unless you are willing to take the hit.
Is this an exterior shot? An "exterior shot" means that they are shooting outside. Make damned sure you need the money enough to be enormously uncomfortable if they shooting outside in the North. The crew under the AD (that's the "assistant director," generally the big cheese in charge of all background doings) usually do their best to see that you don't freeze to death by giving you breaks and possibly a heater but even a somewhat cold day can get to you after 8 hours out in bastard winter no matter how many hand warmers you have stuffed in your body parts. Same goes for the summer (or in the South) if there is a heat wave. Is it worth the heat stroke? Once you are committed to the work, you will not get paid if you walk off the set because the atmosphere was unbearable.
Is this a union project? I strongly discourage working on an all non-union shoot doing background work. Extras are the most disposable people on the set and can be easily abused. Union actors have rules that a production company is legally bound to follow. They do not apply to you but they do dictate certain conditions on the set. Normally, if this is a feature film, they have to feed people and keep a snack (craft service) table for all union actors. The set does not have to provide these things to non-union but occasionally, if it is a decent budget, they let the non-union slip in there too. In fact, the morning craft service truck can be pretty awesome when it comes to breakfasts cooked to order. Also, they have to make sure that union actors have water and a place to sit. Which means you get the over flow as well. Generally, production companies try to provide humane conditions. Sometimes,though, there are buttheads who will do anything to use you for all you are worth and give you as little as possible. Your chances are a lot better of having a pleasant experience if you work a gig that is required to take a percentage of their background actor pool from the unions.
The odds are good that you will see famous people (although approaching them is a big no-no because they can bite when in captivity). You will see how a movie shoot works and watch all of the worker bees involved doing their things. You will be doing a job that requires only enough brain cells to follow directions like, "Go over there over and over again" and "Everybody mime! Don't speak! Mime!" Free food. Minimal physical stress. It is small but easy paycheck in a job that has no future commitment. And, when you get past this hump, you can tell the people in your future more profitable life that you were in a movie. You might even see yourself on the dvd release if you have a pause button and a magnifying glass.
http://www.dga.org/sitemap/links_Film_Comm.php3
*"Casting directors" casts roles in movies. It is not the same thing as "Talent agents," "Modeling agents," or "Talent Management." Folks in this category pushing themselves as people casting movies are often unscrupulous or confused. Another reason to work on a union movie.
** And, while I'm at it, people sending you out to be an extra for a percentage are doing you a disservice because you can be dealing directly with the casting director for no fee.
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