Wow! I could be a movie extra/model. (and I sure as hell could use the money right now).
So I called the number for the agency in the ad just to see what the deal is. Basically you pay them a one-time fee of $98, which is fully refundable within a month, and they inform you of auditions. If you get there on time you have a good chance of getting the job.
The guy sounded pretty genuine (sp?) on the phone (not like he was trying to sell me something) and so I was about to give him my credit card number when I figured I’d just consult the boards first.
I mean, do they really pay extras even the minimum claimed above? Seems like your average Joe-Shmoe off the street would do it for free just to be in a movie. And are these agencies really providing a useful service, or do they simply copy and paste a list of auditions from any publicly available list that everyone has access to?
and why the heck would they need money up front? Sounds like they’d be better off getting a percentage of whatever their clients earn to keep the money coming in.
OK, I’m getting more and more skeptical by the minute.
It’s illegal in New York State for an employment agency to charge you a fee in advance in order to get you a job. Give the information to your local authorities; they’d be very interested.
For the record, film extras don’t get paid much – I’d say if you got $50 a day for the job, you’re lucky (for a nonspeaking crowd scene). If you say anything on screen, or do business, you can get something more, but it’s unlikely that, based in New York, you’d be able to live on it, and highly unlikely you’d make back the $98.
BTW, where on Eastern LI? I’m originally from Southold, myself.
Back when I was an extra in “The Patriot,” I met a few guys who worked regularly as extras. It sounded like it was all DIY, registering with casting agencies and picking up leads from the other extras.
Do I have to pay a lot of money to get registered with the Extra’s Casting Agencies?
Absolutely not! The average registration fee is around \$25.00. Beware of advertisements that claim they can guarantee work for you. The SCAMS typically get you in the door and charge an outrageous sum of money. They claim to have lots of projects and promise to get you booked. Legitimate agencies don’t advertise in the newspaper, nor do they post ads at pay phones. They also do not promise to get you work. The truth is that you either look right for a part or you don’t. In other words, if you are short and very skinny, don’t expect to be booked as a bodyguard.
Moe – casting for “background” (aka “extras”) is usually done by a casting agency that gets a commission from the production company – not the actors!
The production company calls up the agency, says “we need 14 people, men and women, no children, between the ages of 45 and 65…” the casting agency calls up appropriate folks on their roster, the production company pays the casting agent, who then takes a cut off the top, and pays all the actors.
Legit agents (and this is for actors, musicians, anyone) get their money from a percentage of your profits (often an agent or manager will take 20% of the net income you generate). If it feels to you as if the “agent” is making an income from the actors’ processing fees, something is very wrong.
It used to be that legitimate extra casting companies did not charge a fee. I don’t know if that’s true now, since it’s been a while since I’ve done it. I paid a fee at the last casting company I registered with, and they guaranteed that I’d get work. I did get one job, and it paid for the fee.
Here’s the problem: You have to be able to work. Most films are shot during the week. If you have a regular job you will have to take time off of work to be in a film. You must seek out the jobs, often by calling the company and asking, “Do you have anything for me today?” When you are offered a job (yes, the companies will call you if a project is looking for your type) you must accept it; otherwise you will not be seen as “reliable” and they’ll stop calling.
You will need your regular clothes, but you may also be required to bring a suit. Or you may need to bring three different wardrobes, so that you can change to suit the role. You will need to be on time. Actually, it would be better if you showed up early. Don’t get in the way. Everyone on the crew has his or her job, and they usually don’t like (or are permitted) to have your help. Be courteous. Do whatever is asked of you. Don’t leave early.
You can make a living as an extra as long as your needs are not great. But you really have to hustle. In my case, it was much better to have a steady income at my desk job.
