If I keep accepting roles as an extra, will I always be seen as a face in the crowd?

Shax

Shax

I'm currently registered with an agency that regularly gives me work as a walk-on or background artiste (an extra).

I have been with this agency for over a year and have been nothing more than a face in the crowd or the random person that walks past in the background of a shot.

I'm still young and I'm looking for more acting experience in the Film and TV industry other than just being an extra. What would you reccomend I do in order to get cast for more important roles that include dialogue and actions?!
 
I'm not sure how agencies work where you're at, but I'd suggest finding some short films to grab speaking roles on. Start small if it's not working the other way.
 
Regular work is regular work, and entries on your resumé should always be welcome. Besides, it's an opportunity to network and to watch your higher-on-the-food-chain peers doing their thing.

A friend of mine - we met when her son and my daughter attended the same pre-school - is a SAG actress who works several times a month; she makes more for one day than I do in several days. She has worked with - meaning speaking lines with - some very big names plus doing some stunt and body double work.

Once in a while I get the chance to converse with actors at ADR sessions; most of them are of the opinion that a gig is a gig.

I had one of those periods as a musician playing hotels and one night stands in dive bars - what the hell am I accomplishing? Then the hotels got a little classier, and I started meeting "names" who would be staying there, mostly musicians musicians and bands spending the night before moving on the next day. But they would come in for a drink, talk with us because we were good, offer war stories and advice, and the occasional contact. Once in a while they would even sit in which was always the bomb. Nights like that started making it all worth it. I started picking up nice sessions and substitution gigs and meeting more people. And as they say, it's who you know.

So I would say keep doing the extra gigs, you never know where they might lead.
 
Shax said:
I'm currently registered with an agency that regularly gives me work as a walk-on or background artiste (an extra).

I have been with this agency for over a year and have been nothing more than a face in the crowd or the random person that walks past in the background of a shot.

I'm still young and I'm looking for more acting experience in the Film and TV industry other than just being an extra. What would you reccomend I do in order to get cast for more important roles that include dialogue and actions?!
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I definitely invest in some acting lessons at a reputable course.Then try to find a better agent or if not better,one who specialises in Actors and not extras.
 
I worked as an extra for 3 years in Los Angeles. It was great experience learning how to be on set for hundreds of different hollywood films, TV shows, commercials, and music videos, but it was mainly just that. A learning experience. Background work rarely ever leads to speaking roles, so in order to be proactive, you need to separate that from your career goals.

In LA we have LACasting.com where you can register a profile and submit yourself for paid or non paid acting roles. You'll get called in for an audition pretty regularly. Once you get a feel for auditioning, you need to get some headshots taken. Make sure the photographer knows what he's doing.

Once you've got headshots and a resume (hopefully with some acting classes on it) you can buy a book that lists talent agency addresses. Do your research and figure out which agencies are looking for actors with your look, then mail them your 8x10 printed headshots and resume in a big envelope.

I've done 3 separate mailouts to commercial agents. The first time I sent about 25 envelopes, the 2nd time 10 envelopes, the third time 5 envelopes. All three times I got just 1 phone call from an agency. I went into each of those meetings and got signed on as one of their clients.

Commercial agents are easier to find, theatrical (meaning movies and tv shows) agents won't sign you without a lot of experience.

Extra work got me into SAG, but I have since quit acting altogether and turned to filmmaking. I feel much more in control of my career :)
 
Thanks a lot for your replies guys! Found your advice and personal experiences very helpful!
I think I'll definitely invest in regular acting lessons and try to find auditions for some short films or local filming projects so that I can create a showreel and put together a portfolio of headshots in order to send to agencies that are looking for actors with experience other than just extras! :)
 
I have never been an extra but I know many.

As moonshield said, being as extra is not the lowest rung on the
ladder to speaking roles. Casting agencies that specialize in extras
do not usually also rep actors for parts. It is generally a dead end.
I know many people who have started as extras hoping they will
climb the ladder but get stuck where they are because the money
is okay and they get comfortable.

Get out as soon as you can.

Here in the States (well, in Los Angeles anyway) there is almost a
bigotry against people who spend too much time as extras. It's a
fine place to start - three months, maybe nine - but if your goal is
to be a working actor, you need to move on quickly. An agent will
be more impressed with you if you have two credits in good short
films than 20 films as an extra. The harsh reality is people in the
business do not see extras as actors.
 
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