Learn about the different kinds of Extra work, and why movies can't get made without them!
By Wyatt Elling
Extras are extremely important, and even though their main skill involves completely blending into the background, one glance toward the camera can bring a production to a halt. That said, there are different categories within the extra world with different levels of responsibility.
1. The Day Extra. This is the lowest rank in the extra army. The Day Extra is what you usually think of when you talk about background actors. They walk in crowds, they hang out in parks, they eat in restaurants, they march in armies, they hang out in bars, and any other regular activity that is taking place in the background of a movie scene.
2. The Special Extra. This is the next step up from a Day Extra. Special Extras have a particular, non-dangerous skill or talent that needs to show up in the background. They naturally call more attention to themselves, because whatever function they are performing is more critical to the setting than a random passerby or patron.
Special Extras do things like play an instrument in the background of a club, drive a car in the background of a street scene, ride a horse in the background of a ranch, ballroom dance at a gala event, and so forth. People looking for work as an extra should keep in mind any skills like these they have, no matter how mundane, because casting directors need specialized background actors all the time and it's very important that they perform naturally to keep up the realism of the scene.
3. The Silent Bit Extra. This type has the most opportunity for personal exposure. Unlike Day or Special Extras, you're supposed to notice a Silent Bit Extra, if only for a few seconds. These are non-speaking and non-credited roles, but the Silent Bit Extra interacts briefly with a featured character.
This could be a waiter who takes an order or delivers a meal partway through a conversation. It could be a doorman at a building who smiles at the main character and opens the door for him. They serve a minor role in the narrative of the film, and their faces are usually featured clearly for a few moments. Silent Bit Extra roles don't pay more than regular extra roles, but you can add the spots to your demo reel, appear prominently in a feature film, and interact with big-name actors.
Want to find out why you shouldn't turn down a background role? Click here to read: Why Background Actors are Extra Important!
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