Being an Extra in a Movie: A Shoot Day From Start to Finish

A shoot day for an extra follows a rough order, though the details change from one production to the next. You check in, fill out paperwork, see wardrobe, go to hair and makeup, wait a long time, film your scenes, and wrap. The minutes on camera come after a lot of setup, and the whole day is usually about 12 hours, sometimes more, and seldom less than 8.

Before you leave home

Days often start early, sometimes at 5 or 6 a.m. Some early calls include breakfast from the production, but the booking note may say "come having had breakfast," so read it twice. If it does not mention food, eat before you leave.

Casting usually emails wardrobe guidelines the evening before, so check your email that night. Read the booking details again for the call time, the address, and any parking notes. Set a second alarm if early mornings are hard.

Plan to arrive 15 minutes early. On a film set, that is what "on time" means.

What to pack

the clothes casting asked for, in about 3 looks (sometimes 3 to 5)
your driver's license and Social Security card, or a passport
a book, your phone, and headphones
a phone charger
a snack, and water
a jacket for cold, or a rain jacket for rain

Leave valuables at home. Holding often has a security guard, but people come and go.

Finding the set

Look for the location signs. They are usually yellow, though they can be another color, with arrows and the production name or a code name on them. They point you to the parking area. Follow them until you reach check-in or base camp, which is where the trailers for cast and crew are and often where you report.

Check-in and paperwork

Give your name to the assistant directors, called ADs, and fill out your paperwork. The first form is the voucher. It holds your basic information, including your Social Security number, and comes with a W-4. In a state with a film tax incentive, you may also fill out a form that shows you are a resident of that state. That is why you bring identification.

More shows now use digital vouchers and digital time cards on your phone, and some ask you to finish the paperwork the day before. Read each form before you sign, and ask the production about any line that is unclear. For how pay works after the form, read Movie Extra Casting: Getting Paid and Keeping Records.

Wardrobe, hair and makeup

After check-in, you usually see wardrobe. Wardrobe picks your outfit from the looks you brought, so a plain choice helps: solid colors, no busy patterns, no logos or brands. For a period piece, the production may provide the costume and fit you first.

Next comes hair and makeup. Follow their instructions, and wait for approval before you add anything extra.

Holding

Then you wait. Holding is where background waits, and it can be a big room, a gym, a tent with air conditioning, theater seats, or a hotel meeting room. There are usually folding tables and chairs and places to change. Often lunch is there too. The way holding looks depends on how many extras are booked. Film Extra Work: Set Etiquette and the Holding Area covers how to behave there.

Dress for the weather on outdoor scenes. Holding is usually indoors or in a heated or cooled tent, but the walk to set may not be.

Walking to set and your first scene

When an assistant director calls your group, follow them to set. Assistant directors run the crowd, so listen and do what they ask. They show you where to stand or walk.

You will hear "background action." That is your cue to start moving, such as crossing a street or talking quietly with the person beside you. Do not look at the camera, and keep your voice low, since a microphone may be nearby. When the director calls "cut," the take is over. Stay where you are until the next instruction.

Repeating takes

A scene is often filmed many times. Each run is a take. After each one, the crew usually says "back to one," which means go back to your first position and start again.

Do the same thing each time. Keep your pace, your path, and the hand you use to hold a cup the same. If you want to change something, ask an assistant director first, since small changes make takes hard to match.

Lunch and waiting

Lunch comes about 6 hours after the crew call. Background is often called earlier than the crew, so you may not eat for 7 hours. Bring a snack. There are no set break times besides lunch, because there is so much waiting.

Night shoots

Some days run overnight. Night shoots usually start just before sunset and end just before sunrise, and they can last several days in a row. Sleep during the day first.

Wrap and going home

If your scenes are done early, you may be released early. If you are in the remaining scenes, you may be held late. Continuity is part of why: shots have to match, so you can be held late or called back weeks later if you were in an earlier part of the scene.

When you wrap, return any props to the prop department and any wardrobe you were given. Change into your own clothes, then check out with the same ADs you checked in with. Then go home.

If you are booked for a second day, the ADs may give you the next call time on set. Otherwise, the casting office that booked you sends it.

To learn how casting works before you reach the set, read The Ultimate Guide to Background Extras Casting. For habits that help you get called again, read Movie Extra Work: Habits That Get You Booked Again.

Before your next booking, read the booking details twice. Write down the call time, the address, and the name of the person who will meet you.