Motion Picture Participant

[happyfilmluvguy]

I was wondering if anyone has worked on a movie or television show, not necessarily as part of the crew, but as an extra, a historical consultant, helped carry equipment around and anything else that made you involved. I know I made a thread about being involved in the movie or television industry, but I am looking more for the civilian perspective, ones who do not "work" entirely for the industry, but are called upon or step forward for the opportunity to help or be a part of the movie.

What was your personal experience of being included? How did your participation come about? Have you helped with other movies and television shows, and if so, how was one different than the other? Did it give you a new perpective on how movies are made and what was your perspective before?

 

[Starius]

When I was in college, I spent a semester as a camera man on a college tv show for part of my video field production credit. That's the closest I've been to the "industry."

 

[BWS]

Well, I was both a Saxon and a Norman at the Battle of Hastings for a film about William the Conqueror which never, as far as I know, saw the light of day. The battle was filmed at Paramount Ranch in southern California.

It was about what you'd expect; long days with lots of waiting, long walks in chainmail, hot sun, and no pay. Towards the end of the first day one of the crew (probably a 2nd 2nd AD, but I don't remember) asked me how they could keep us all from leaving, and I recommended wine and beer. Which worked. It's not rocket science.

I passed on being in the crowd for Seabiscuit, which I almost regret.

As far as television production goes, I only ever saw that as a spouse. But what impressed me most was how much smaller the sets are than you think they are. It's all in the lenses.

 

[Lady Day]

Ive been the storyboard artist for a documentary, and a couple of commercials. Nothing you have seen, yet

LD

 

[pretty faythe]

My daughters are in a B movie. Younger versions of the main characters. [huh] Still waiting for them to finish all the post productions so we can see it. It was an experience only, no pay gig. But they had fun. They got involved with it because the producer/director/star attends our church.

 

[Babydoll]

I was an extra in a local film, "Hot Rod Girls Save The World". The film was the project of a local fella that also does a cable show here in town. I'm friends with some of the gals that were the leads, and they were looking for "bad girls" to be in a gang. I thought it would be a hoot, so I volunteered.

There was a lot of sitting around waiting for the shot to be set up. We had to do several tests of lighting, sound levels, etc. to make sure it would all work for the scene. It was interesting to see the creative process... but overall, it was a loooooong day of shooting, having to do everything the same time and time again. The end of the night for us was an outdoor catfight in a muddy back yard. We shot in November, and it was freezing!

I'm the leg on the left.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I was an extra in an indepedent film. I never did see it but a while back I stumbled upon it's website and saw the preview, and this was over 2 years later. The scene was basically students rummaging through the hall of a school building, talking to one another, opening lockers, and just adding atmosphere as the actors walked through the crowd. Extras usually have to stand for long periods of time (at least it seems that way, less time passes than you think), and listen for when someone comes up to tell everyone what to do and where to go. I spent most of my time kicking around a hacky sack until they said "action". It wasn't completely spoiling and I got a feel of what extras really go through, something I hadn't experienced before.

Another time a friend of mine's father was making a commercial somewhere in Los Angeles. We travelled there and spent a little time in his trailer, and also met the director, camera man, and so on. We helped carry things about too. The commercial was for a car, and basically three cars pull up to a stop light, the middle car is a typical car, while the other two beside it are the product. They tell the guy in the middle car about a party and ask if he's going. He says no, he has to work and they all drive away. Later that night at the party, the door bell rings and they answer it. Standing at the door is none other than that guy who said he had to work, and turns out he's delivering a pizza to this party. At some point I was watching television and here comes on this commercial. I recognized it instantly.

If you ever see a band or army of people with a camera and other fancy goodies, and you have the time, go up to them and ask if they need any help. A lot of times they do, and next thing you know you're shuffling around with the crew, laughing at jokes, making friends, and you never know, you may be face to face with Tom Hanks, or carrying Paul McCartney's guitar. It's a fun ride and very refreshing at the end of the day, tiring in a good way.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I'm the leg on the left.

That angle looks interesting. Mud wrestling in the cold all for the sake of art. What did you do in between the filming?

 

[Babydoll]

At first I didn't know what the heck the camera was doing down by my legs. He originally was far closer, and I was afraid of an up-skirt shot. I was quite pleased with what I saw. It's cool!

A bunch of my friends were also extras, so we stood around chatting and ate chips and enjoyed some frosty adult beverages.

(One of the leads had to pull a stiletto on the other lead right before the fight, and on one of the takes she sliced her finger open with it. She had to do the mud fight with an open wound. )

 

[Starius]

Another time a friend of mine's father was making a commercial somewhere in Los Angeles. We travelled there and spent a little time in his trailer, and also met the director, camera man, and so on. We helped carry things about too. The commercial was for a car, and basically three cars pull up to a stop light, the middle car is a typical car, while the other two beside it are the product. They tell the guy in the middle car about a party and ask if he's going. He says no, he has to work and they all drive away. Later that night at the party, the door bell rings and they answer it. Standing at the door is none other than that guy who said he had to work, and turns out he's delivering a pizza to this party. At some point I was watching television and here comes on this commercial. I recognized it instantly.

I think I remember seeing that commercial a couple years ago!

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Pieces of a Dream

I starred in a movie based on a poem. Rod Serling's cousin (since we're name-dropping) needed to do a senior thesis or something at RIT and knew I helped out film and photography students and professors. It was shot at a go-cart track, inside a trailer, at an amusement park and various other locations and took well over a year to complete. The local cable company, before Time-Warner took over, bought it and showed it constantly. People would regognize me on the street, in a good way. Craig Serling is now the editor for The Amazing Race and Survivor and recently made a neat little movie called Jam.
This is the movie I can remember being in most clearly, there were dozens.

 

[Naphtali]

In June 1999, Gary Foreman, Gary Foreman Productions, called me to consult on a documentary he was producing on Revolutionary War soldier, Patrick Ferguson.

Having more than a decade's research available, and a biography of Ferguson complete in draft form, I was referred to Foreman by Phil Edwards, supplier of the Ferguson rifles for Foreman's documentary.

My responsibility was to minimize any errors of fact or interpretation by the script writer and talking head, Dr. Paul Hutton.

I became ill shortly after the consultation. I have no idea whether the documentary was shown, or, if it was, whether Hutton's script was the usual pablum, or as thought provoking as it should have been.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I'm the primary historical consultant on a proposed biopic dealing with the lives and times of a certain radio/tv team on which I have a certain level of expertise. The screenplay was completed several years ago, by a writer with both a personal connection with the subject matter and a strong track record in Hollywood, but so far it's not been picked up for development. But the writer does have Connections, and I keep hoping that someday....

I also performed the voice of a crotchety Maine chickadee in an animation pilot currently under development, but the last I heard they'd cut my role out of the script. So if there's any other crotchety Maine dialect parts out there, I'm at liberty.

As for what these experiences taught me about the business, well, I did the historical consulting on spec, so I learned never to depend on such work for actual renumeration. And the second experience taught me that doing animation voices is a lot different -- and a lot more tedious -- than doing radio ever was!

 

[goldwyn girl]

I worked as an "extra' for years and while some of the shoots were enjoyable most were long, boring and dull. For the Australians here I was on nurse on "All Saints" for 3 years, the worst job. I did movies, TV, commercials, print ads. The occasional speaking part, which would get me more attention from strangers than I'm comfortable with. I would do it again just for the dressing up and pretending to be someone else factor. But then I think of the long hours and poor pay and have second thoughts. My favorite job was a commercial set in 1968, it was a wedding and I was a bridesmaid. Unfortunatly when I watch anyhting now I look to see what the background people are doing and think about how many takes it took to get that shot. Sort of spoils things now.

Here are two shots from the TV series Farscape. Coup by Clam episode, I'm the blonde in th crown.

 

[dhermann1]

I posted this July 2nd

Me and my Hat are in a Movie!

This may not crowd Iraq off the front pages, but I thought a few people might get a charge out of this. I came out of my office at 125th and Lenox in Manhattan today, thinking about lunch. I saw a movie shoot going on and went to check it out. BTW, I was wearing my dearly beloved slightly beat up Montecristi Panama. Suddenly this guy comes up to me and says he desperately needs extras RIGHT NOW, and do I want to? In less than New York nanosecond I said yes. The film is "On the Hook". It stars Frank Langella, Elliott Gould, Laura Harring (va va voom!) and Corey Johnson. So (after hanging around for a couple of hours) I sat in front of Langella, Johnson and (va va voom) Harring at a table in the back room of the Lenox Lounge, a classic (and VERY vintage) Harlem jazz joint as they did their scene. Later some of the real SAG extras came in, one having just come from being one of 400 extras for the new Indiana Jones flick.
Anyway, my face may or may not be in the front of the frame for this scene, if it doesn't wind up on the cutting room floor. But I'm one happy boy tonight. And the best part is I got a SAG waver voucher, which means that if I do this 2 more times I automatically get a SAG extra card. Oh, and of course the hat IS in the scene. Never did get lunch.

I also extra-ed in an Eric Roberts movie, "The Ambulance". I was in a crowd scene, in the back with my back to the camera. Didn't get paid, but they bought us pizza. Long hot boring day, but fun. I've done a couple other comparable things over the years, nothing to get excited over.
I also once got my face on the Today show, actually. They had a film crew at the Cat Club, filming the NY Swing Dance Socieyt, maybe 1989. I had 30 seconds of fame, babbling about how great Swing Music was. My mother's neighbor saw me and called her, all excited. That was the best part.

 

[The Wolf]

I was an extra in a low budget movie with Bruce Dern called "On the Edge".
They were looking for runners since it was about a runner. Since I was in track in high school I signed up. When I got to the location they had too many runners and not enough crowd so I became a crowd member.
I felt sorry for the continuity lady that tried to keep people in the same spot for each shot.
The first day of filming I got a sunburn so bad the skin on my face was peeling off. The next week we continued filming and I had healed by then. We didn't get paid as extras but we got free Pepsis, Capri Sun and Its Its on our breaks. The extras were an ornery bunch and Bruce Dern put up $100 of his money to be given as a raffle to one of the extras, the winner would find out who after filming.:eusa_clap
I did it because I'm a fan of Dern so I was just glad to meet him he, like Dan Aykroyd, was very nice (unlike Howard Hesseman). I figured I would have a one second flash on the screen in which I would tell people "look that's me". Unfortunately I didn't see myself anywhere in it.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Tamamiko]

I was an extra in the Pippy Longstockings movie filmed in my tiny town in Florida back in the 80's. All you see in one of the scenes is my little (then) blond mop trotting out of the school house in something of a mass exodus.

 

[Jack Scorpion]

Parents are in the biz. Me, no. A couple extra gigs over the years, but I don't think even my head were visible in any of them.

 

[Tomasso]

I stopped by one of my local Chicago watering holes this evening and found a movie called Wanted being filmed across the street, it stars Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman. The restaurant's banquet rooms had been rented out to the film company for the extras wardrobe and changing area. I jokingly asked one of the crew if they needed another extra and she said yes but that I'd need to change into some Fall clothing. I was contemplating it for a moment until my corned beef and cabbage dinner arrived at my table..........[huh]

 

[Harp]

I was contemplating it for a moment until my corned beef and cabbage dinner arrived at my table...

O'H's still serving out the St Patty's corned beef and cabbage ?