Extras On Television

[weecalf]

Isnt is annoying the way extras in scenes on television are so animated .Is it true that about in 7million become actors .May be well payed but are the really necessary.

[EDDIE51]

'Extras ' are told what to do and how to dress and behave by the production team.
They don't just do as they please.

[factor-fiction]

Is it true that about [one in ?] in 7 million become actors.
No. The maths makes that impossible

[weecalf]

okay 2 then .Like when the paid actor /actress is saying summit no matter how far away out of earshot the extra is they are nodding in agreement

[Gizmonster]

I'm not really sure what question you're asking here.
Are you asking if extras are really necessary ??
If so, can you imagine a scene without extras ..... The Rover's Return, maybe, with only the "real" actors and no other people, not very realistic is it ??
I've been an extra on Prime Suspect (Scent of Darkness) ...... I remember that day very well :)

[sandyRoe]

rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb....

[weecalf]

Well that allright then

[bednobs]

if 2 in every seven million are actors, that would make around 20 actors in the uk

[EDDIE51]

An 'extra' is an actor / actress , they get paid to do it.
A lot of extras never want to do anything else it can be a life time job. After a few parts as an extra they may get offered a small speaking role, even just a single word, but that is enough to get them a credit on the film and a much higher pay packet.

[weecalf]

okay have it you way but extras are what it says on the label above and beyond what needed .

[EcclesCake]

Well crowd scenes would be rather depleted with out extras!

[weecalf]

If the scene calls for a crowd then they should be allowed to speak not just nod in agreement with something they have not even heard .

[factor-fiction]

Don't they have to get paid more,if they speak? Or don't they have to be union members or something?

[weecalf]

Think the have to get paid so the director instructs them nod as much as you like but no speaking in a crowded bar yeah that looks really ordinary .

[EcclesCake]

That would be a nightmare for the soundman! That aside, as Factor has said Equity are very strict about what extras can and cannot do.

[Smowball]

Well seeing as most extras don't speak they have to then exaggerate their othe movements ie nodding or else they would look like statues.

[weecalf]

Then point I was making was, it does not look real so why persist with it in this day and age.

[bednobs]

because empty pubs also daon't look real

[weecalf]

At the price of drink that would not be surprising .Just look at the extras in the next programme you watch some of it is cringeworty.

[tonymclark]

The preferred term is "Background artist".

If they speak they get a higher fee, so are instructed not to speak, apart from which, it can play havoc with recording. Scenes are filmed from different angles one at at time, so any noise in the background would chop and change with each different angle chosen for the edit.

The director doesn't instruct the background artists, again, they would get a higher fee for being instructed by the director, it is the assistant (or 2nd or 3rd assistant) director that instructs the background artist.

And as EDDIE51 says, many background artists are quite happy to do their bit and not be an actor front of stage.