Extra Roles in the Industry: How to Act in the Background

Background acting is quieter than it looks. You are not the focus of the shot, so your job is to fit into the scene and stay there. Your face, your movement, and your timing all count, and most of it comes down to a few habits. Every set has its own rules, so follow the direction you are given first.

Do not look at the lens

Do not look into the camera unless the director asks you to. Even a quick glance can ruin a take, and you may not know you did it. Keep your eyes on the scene, on the actor you are near, or on the spot in front of you. If you are not sure where to look, ask an assistant director before the take starts.

Curiosity is the usual cause. A big camera and a busy crew are interesting to look at, especially on your first day. During a long wait between takes, practice keeping your eyes forward so it comes naturally when the cameras roll.

Silent action

Most background scenes ask you to act without speaking. You might talk to the person next to you with no sound, drink from a cup, check a bag, or turn your head at a moment you are told to. On screen the people seem to talk, but the microphones must hear only the actors.

Keep your actions small and natural. Big movements pull the eye away from the main actors, and the director may ask you to tone them down. Think about what a real person would do in that place: read a menu, look at a friend, glance at a watch. Silent does not mean stiff, so stay relaxed.

The calls you will hear

A few phrases come up on every set, and each one tells you what to do.

• "Background action" is your cue to start moving. Wait for it before you begin.
• "Cut" means the take is over. Hold still until you hear that the crew is resetting.
• "Back to one" means go back to your first position and start again.
• "Wrap" means you are finished for the day.

The plain-English guide to set words covers the rest, including who the "first team" and "second team" are.

Repeat the same action

A shot may run again and again. Each take has to match the others, so do the same action in the same way at the same moment. If you pick up a cup with your left hand on the first take, pick it up with your left hand every time.

Small habits are easy to change without noticing, like where your hands rest or how you hold your head. Make a quick mental note of what you did. When you hear "back to one," return to your first position and start the action over from the beginning. If the director changes the action, follow the new direction and keep that one steady for the next takes.

Match each take

Editors join pieces of different takes together, and mismatches show. Keep your posture, your timing, and the placement of props the same in each take. This is called continuity, and it explains some things about the day. If you were in an earlier part of a scene, you may be held late so the later shots match, or called back weeks later. Early release means your scenes for the day are done. Being held late means you are in the remaining scenes.

If you are unsure that you matched, quietly ask a crew member or an assistant director how the last take looked before the next one starts. They would rather answer a short question than see a mismatch on screen.

Stay in your spot

Your spot may be a chair, a place in a line, or a mark on the floor. Stay there until someone tells you to move. A small step can change the frame, and the crew may have to reset the whole shot. If you feel pulled to move, stop and wait for direction.

Listen for cues

Cues tell you when to start and when to stop. You may hear the director call "action," or you may take your cue from an actor's line or from the people around you. Wait for the cue before you move. When the take ends, do not chat or check your phone until the crew is resetting.

Stay clear of the stars as well. Do not ask a lead actor for an autograph, and do not take photos on set unless the production says you may. Posting set photos when you were told not to, or asking for an autograph, can get you sent home, and casting may not book you again.

For more on how a set works, read the guide to set etiquette and the holding area. For why scenes need extras in the first place, read why extra actors matter. The role where you appear on camera in an actor's place is covered in the photo double guide.

To find roles where you can practice these habits, check Open Calls and read the notes on each role before you reply.