Looking for your big break? How to get cast as an ‘extra’ in movies, shows filmed in NC
A film crew in Charlotte currently working along Moxie Mercantile on Commonwealth Avenue presents the opportunity for some to get on the big screen as an “extra.”
Extras, also known as background actors, are the folks you see quietly living their lives behind the main characters and their adventures. For some, it’s a one-time chance to get a behind-the-scenes look at how filming works. For others, it can be a foot in the door to launching a career in the entertainment business.
And the opportunities for background roles aren’t just limited to Hollywood, with movies, television shows, and more filming in Charlotte and throughout North Carolina this year and beyond.
Here’s what you’ll need to do and know to take your first steps towards becoming an extra:
How to get cast as an extra
Landing a part as an extra starts with keeping an eye out for “casting calls,” notices that movie, television, music video and commercial crews send out asking for people to audition for roles, including background actor roles.
You can search for casting calls, including ones specifically looking for folks in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Southeast, through casting companies, such as Advanced Casting, Backstage and Central Casting.
Once you find a casting call, you can apply for an extra role. The application process may involve submitting a resume, photos of yourself and more.
Do extras in movies and TV shows get paid?
Non-union actors working as extras will typically be paid “between $100 and $200” for a 10-12 hour day of work, the acting industry website Backstage estimates.
If you’re a member of the Screen Actors Guild — the union that represents actors — you’ll likely get paid more, according to Backstage.
In addition to a “base rate for background work” for union actors of “roughly $170 per day,” extras may get paid more under certain circumstances, such as using a “special skill” such as playing a sport during a scene or having to get wet.
Union members may also get meal allowances or mileage reimbursement, according to the Los Angeles Times.
