Lights, Camera, Background! The Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Background Actor in Atlanta and Other Southern Cities

By Nichole Ashlyn Jackson

Hollywood has come to the south! If you ever wanted to be a background actor (movie extra) in Atlanta or any southern city, then now is your chance!

Georgia has seen billions of dollars of economic growth in the last few years because of film and TV productions. The Walking Dead, The Vampire Diaries, The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 1 & 2 and Captain America: Civil War are just a few TV shows and movies that were filmed in and around Atlanta. Now is the time for you to jump on board and be a part of the movie making experience ... southern style.

This easy-to-use guide will walk you through step-by-step everything you need to do in order to get booked as a background actor on a movie or TV show in Atlanta and other southern cities.

Here’s what you’ll learn:
•Duties of a Background Actor
•The Submission Process
•How to Get Booked
•Expectations and the Thrill of Set Life
•Protocols on Set
•List of Extras Casting Companies in 14 States (southeastern region)
•Tips and Recommendations
•Fun Stories from Set

You’ll learn all of this and more! Nichole Ashlyn Jackson has been booked as a background actor over 100 times and on 40 different productions in Georgia. Her goal is to teach you everything that she knows about the background business so you can potentially see yourself on the big screen.

She believes everyone in the world should be a movie extra at least once in their lives. It’s an amazing experience and has provided her with memories that she will never forget! And now ... it’s your turn. Let’s go be in a movie!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nichole Ashlyn Jackson
• Release date: Jul 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310132346

Nichole Ashlyn Jackson

Nichole Ashlyn Jackson is an Atlanta native who thrives on movies, books, kindness, daydreaming and serving others. She is an actress, author and adventurer who loves learning new things and growing in artistic endeavors. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her family.

Book preview

LIGHTS, CAMERA, BACKGROUND!

The Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Background Actor in Atlanta and Other Southern Cities

By

Nichole Ashlyn Jackson

LIGHTS, CAMERA, BACKGROUND!

The Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Background Actor in Atlanta and Other Southern Cities

© 2016 Nichole Ashlyn Jackson

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

The information provided in this book is for general informational purposes only. All viewpoints and opinions are from the author based on her own experiences, observations, website information and conversations with industry professionals. The references in the book are not all-inclusive but are from recommendations based on the authors experience as well as recommendations from reputable industry professionals.

Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within.

First Edition, 2016

Atlanta, GA

[e-mail]

Smashwords Edition

This book is dedicated to the Extras Casting Companies in Georgia that I have had the privilege and honor to work with. I love all of you and THANK YOU for the amazing opportunities and glorious memories.

Here’s to you: Janel, Rose, Jamie, Tammy, Cynthia, Ann, Bill, Winsome and Marty!

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE: WHAT IS A BACKGROUND ACTOR

Who Hires Background Actors

Who Can be a Background Actor

What Skill Sets Are Needed To Be a Background Actor

What Are the Working Hours of a Background Actor

How Often Does a Background Actor Work

Where Can I Do Background Work

How Much Money Does a Background Actor Make

CHAPTER TWO: THE SUBMISSION PROCESS

How to Find Extras Casting Companies

Background Actors Submission Instructions

Information Included in Casting Call Posts

Age and Age Range

How Frequently are Casting Calls Posted

How Much Notice is Given for a Background Actors Role

Is There a Submission Deadline for a Background Role

Is There a Submission Limit to Be on the same TV Show or Movie

Types of Roles Production May Need

Intimate Expectations with Roles

Physical Expectations with Roles

CHAPTER THREE: GETTING BOOKED

How Do They Contact Me

What Information is Provided Once I’m Booked

Receiving Your Final Call Time

Rush Calls

Fittings

CHAPTER FOUR: WELCOME TO SET

First Things First, Check In

Wardrobe Approval

Hair and Makeup Approval

Facial Hair and Haircuts for Men

Time to Sit Around and Wait

Who’s in Charge

Is Lunch Provided

Crafty

Booking Your Car

A Million Takes

Keeping Holding Clean

Security

CHAPTER FIVE: SET RULES AND ETIQUETTE

Don’t Look into the Camera

Background is Your Action Word

Don’t Talk but Pantomime

Don’t be Weird

Always be on Time

You Are Not the Star

Report all Concerns and Problems

You Have the Right to Say No

Don’t Leak Information or Take Pictures of Certain Actors

Hide Your Water Cups on Set

Pay Attention, Follow Directions and Listen

No Sleeping on Set

Don’t Change Your Wardrobe Approved Clothes

Keep Up With Your Assigned Props

Have Fun

On Set Vernacular and Background Terms

CHAPTER SIX: AND THAT’S A WRAP

Check Out Process

When Do I Get Paid

The Voucher

Submit For the Next Role

IMDB Credit

CHAPTER SEVEN: POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FACTORS

Pros and Cons of Doing Background Work

The Potential of Doing Background Work

You Never Know What to Expect

Transitioning From Background Actor to Principal Actor

The Treatment of Background Actors on Set

What If I’m Not Given the Credit That I’m Deserved

CHAPTER EIGHT: EXTRAS CASTING COMPANIES IN THE SOUTH

Georgia

Louisiana

North Carolina

South Carolina

Virginia

Florida

Texas

Mississippi

Tennessee

Alabama

Oklahoma

Kentucky

Maryland

Arkansas

Southern Region

State Film Offices Websites:

CHAPTER NINE: TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Pictures

Extras Bag

Email, Email, Email!

How to Get On Camera

Be Mindful of Bumps

Look Out For Yourself

Report Bad Set Experiences to the Casting Directors

Be Careful of Double Booking Yourself

Try Not to Cancel Too Often

Always Wear Comfortable Shoes

Be Mindful of What you Submit For

Always Be Early

The Payroll Company is Technically Your Boss

Tattoos

How to Keep Getting Booked

Thank the Casting Companies

Go Forth and Flourish on Set

CHAPTER TEN: INTERESTING STORIES FROM SET

A Conversation with the One and Only Hugh Jackman

Down Time on Set with Will Ferrell

The Best PA Ever!!!

Captain Pike to the Rescue

Crazy Background Actor

Famity

A Moving Speech on Selma

I Am The Walking Dead

A Long Night of Endless Love

The People You Meet

Feeding the Homeless

Bring On the Games

Favorite Roles I’ve Had

EPILOGUE

REFERENCES

*Excerpt from Resources for Atlanta Actors: The Tools You Need to Book the Job

*About the Author

INTRODUCTION

Who doesn’t love movies? The thrill of a car chase, the screams of an innocent victim, the passion of star-crossed lovers, the tears of a grieving mother, the laughter of the goofy sidekick—the list goes on. Oh the horror, the drama, the beauty of it all! The big name actors seem so far away and untouchable on that huge screen. The possibility of setting foot on a movie set seems as likely as winning the lottery. It only happens to people who live in California and it will never happen to you in a million years!—or so you think.

What if I told you that being on a movie set is a real possibility? That seeing one of your favorite actors perform their magical craft right in front of your eyes is a very likely scenario? That you could very well hear your favorite director give directions to actors and make on-the-spot production decisions? What if being smack dab in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of a movie set—even though you aren’t an actor, director, producer, or crew member, but a regular, average, everyday person who lives in the south—is TOTALLY POSSIBLE. If that sounds appealing, this guide book is for you.

Everything presented in this book is from my own personal experience, observations, and communications with people in the industry. I worked as a background actor in Georgia for nearly two years and have been on a film, TV, or commercial set over 100 times and on over 40 different productions. In this book, I will share everything you need to know to make your dreams come true as a background actor on a movie or TV set in Atlanta and other southern cities. So sit back, grab some popcorn, relax, and enjoy the great read. You’re about to be in a movie!

CHAPTER ONE:

WHAT IS A BACKGROUND ACTOR?

A background actor, also referred to as an extra, is a person who makes up the background activities of a scene. Background actors are the people in a scene who are not the principal actors and do not have dialogue. They’re of vital importance to the production. Imagine, if you will, two actors in a scene having a conversation in a restaurant. Would the scene be believable without a waiter or waitress walking around with food and busily taking orders from other guests? Would it be a believable scene without one single person dining at the restaurant other than the two actors? How many restaurants are empty of staff and guests? None!

Here’s another example. Let’s say you have a scene in a movie where the main character is giving a speech to a crowd. Would this scene make any kind of sense if the actor was talking to an empty room? Of course it wouldn’t. Movies simply can’t function without an amazing group of background actors.

A background actor’s job can be very simple, ranging from sitting at a table in a restaurant to walking across a room with a tray of dishes or sitting in an auditorium listening to a speech. Or a background actor’s job can be rather complicated, ranging from playing a game of football with choreographed plays and tackles to playing a piano on stage or even playing a zombie. But no matter the role, movies always require background actors because without them, you have no movie. Period.

Who Hires Background Actors?

In the movie industry a production company hires a casting agency to cast all actors for their film: everyone from the star of the film to the person with one line. But what about the background actors for the film? Well, the production company also hires a background actors casting agency, commonly referred to as an extras casting agency or extras casting company, to cast all of the background actors. The extras casting agency essentially does everything the casting agency does, but for the background actors. They go through the script and pinpoint all of the scenes that require background actors. Then they discuss with the director and producer and sometimes other crew members the quantity and type of background actors desired for each scene: gender, age, ethnicity, special skill sets, and other specifics. Depending on the project and type of scene you may need a few dozen to a few hundred or even several thousand background actors. After this process, the casting director of the extras casting company provides a list of needed background actors for the director to approve.

Who Can be a Background Actor?

While working as a background after, I constantly heard these phrases when the term ‘extra’ was mentioned.

"A background actor has to be an actor, so I can’t do it."

"I’m not skinny enough to be a background actor."

"I’m not a model so there’s no way they would pick me to be a background actor."

The beautiful thing about background work is that literally anyone can do it. You don’t have to be drop-dead gorgeous, or someone with rock hard abs, or a theatrical actor with 10 plays under your belt, or a social butterfly with a charming and charismatic personality. None of these are requirements for doing background work. For the majority of background roles, the production team prefers you not be those things. Most background work on movie and TV shows reflects normal, everyday, average Joes. The world of extras is made up of all types of people with different backgrounds, body types, ethnicities, ages, facial features, skill sets, physical appearances, personalities, and experiences. From my time working on film and TV sets, I’ve seen all types of people working as background actors—from people with physical disabilities to the elderly to infants. The truth is, ANYONE can be a background actor.

While there is a background role out there for everyone, it’s also true that certain scenes call for specific types of people. If the scene shows the college-aged main character at a frat party, it’s very unlikely that the director would want to cast an 86-year-old man as a background actor in the scene. The movie industry tends to be highly specific with who they want for each scene. And when I say specific, I mean down to a tee! They may only want 18- to 20-year-old Caucasian females with brunette hair for one scene; or 35- to 40-year-old Hispanic males with amputated legs; or 78-year-old or older African American men who are active chess players. It all depends on the scene.

Type casting and stereotypes definitely play a part, because at the end of the day that is what will be believable on screen. If you’re a blond, female, Caucasian, 20-something, then you will be cast as a cheerleader over a gang member. I’ve seen people get offended because casting only wanted Hispanics for certain roles, or only young, skinny, beautiful women for other roles. But that’s how this industry works; they want what they want. It’s pointless to get upset that you can’t submit for a particular role because they aren’t asking for someone who is your gender or your ethnicity. You will find other castings where they are requesting your gender and ethnicity and you can apply for those. It’s best to look for the roles that do fit rather than trying to fit into a category that doesn’t apply to you.

What Skill Sets Do You Need to Be a Background Actor?

This may sound obvious, but the most important skill set you need in order to be a background actor is the ability to listen and follow directions. That’s it. No