Posts Tagged ‘be an extra’

« Older Entries

Do You Want to Become an Extra?

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Becoming an extra is a great route into the world of acting and show business. No acting experience is necessary to work as an extra, but it can be an excellent way to learn the craft. Although anyone can become an extra, not everyone has what it takes. If you want to be an extra, there are certain qualities that you should have.

•    Patience
Being an extra requires a lot of patience. After you’ve attended some extras auditions and got your first job, you’ll find that the majority of time on set is spent sitting around doing nothing. Although this may sound like the ideal job, it can become rather tedious after a while. Extras should have enough patience to not let all the waiting around bother them.

•    Flexibility
An extra could be asked to play a huge variety of roles. It’s essential that you are fully prepared for the role that you are going to be playing. Cast and crew usually don’t appreciate extras wasting time because they don’t know what they are doing. Also, hours on a set can be long and impossible to predict, so you will have to be prepared to stay for as long as you are needed.

Becoming an extra can be difficult. Audition Now can make things easier by sending you text notifications of the latest extras auditions in your area (£1.50 per text with max of 3 texts per week). This service can be enjoyed by people of 18 years and over only.

Tags: , ,
Posted in extras | No Comments »

How to Get Extras Work

Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Being an extra can be a fantastic career move. It can be the start of something even bigger, but it can just as easily be a viable career choice in its own right. With access to the right parts you could be known in the industry, or you could simply use it as a chance to have a bit of fun whilst you rub shoulders with the stars. But, while it can be a hugely enjoyable pastime, it isn’t always the easiest industry to get into. So just how can you get extras work?

One of your first thoughts could be that you need to join an agency. This is certainly one way to go and there are many agencies that specialise in this precise kind of work, and if you book with the right people then you’ll be able to hear about new and exclusive castings in the TV world. But, this isn’t the only option. One of the most important parts of getting work is knowing when the casting calls are going to take place, and that’s why you need to come to us.

By signing up to our text alert service (£1.50 per text, max of three texts/week, over 18s only) you can have access to all the latest extras casting calls to ensure you never miss a thing. But, we go so much further than that. Our TV professionals will be able to help and advise you on all aspects of getting work in this industry and we regularly offer seminars and short courses to help you achieve that goal, so if you want to be an extra make sure to sign up today and see how we can help.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in extras | No Comments »

Anyone Can Be An Extra

Friday, May 27th, 2011

You don’t have to aspire to a full time acting career to experience the excitement of being on telly. In fact, if you were to count the faces in the next episode of your favourite soap or crime drama, only a handful of faces would be familiar regulars. All the rest would be guests or extras, most of which only appear on a single episode.

It doesn’t take much to be an extra. The audition process won’t involve hours of singing, dancing, and declaiming long passages from Hamlet. Experienced casting staff know what they want and how to find it quickly and with a minimum of fuss. Although your part might only be a few seconds long you will probably have to be available for filming all day or at least for several hours, but being on set is all part of the fun.

Sometimes you’ll be part of a crowd or sitting behind the main characters in a cinema or cafe. Other times you might be dead in a car accident or- if you’re really lucky – get a small speaking part as a cashier or a waitress interacting with your favourite character. The role of an extra is never demanding but it’s always exciting to find out what you’ll be doing.

Casting calls for extras happen all the time. Our alert service offers up to 3 texts a week for only £1.50 each. Anyone who is over 18 and has a little ‘extra’ time on their hands can go to auditions and be on TV.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in extras | No Comments »

Beat the Competition with Texts from Audition Now

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

If you are driven by the desire to make it in the world of television, you will be well aware of two things. The first is that you are not alone in having this dream – which means that the competition is intense for any roles – and the second is that actually getting yourself in front of the people who make the decisions is difficult, to say the least.

Sometimes even finding out when and where auditions are taking place can be difficult, but there is a way in which you can keep up to date with the latest acting auditions. This means you won’t miss out on the chance to be on TV because you can receive texts which let you know when and where these auditions are taking place. All you have to do is sign up with Audition Now and select which type of auditions you want to be kept informed of, and they will do the rest for you.

You know how difficult and time consuming it can be trying to find out where the latest soap auditions are taking place, so why not let the experts find these dates and locations for you? It may be the case that you want to be an extra in a soap, and the people at Audition Now will be able to find out when and where production companies are looking for extras for their programme. Sign up now, and see for yourself how they can help you get that break.

You must be 18 or over. To stop anytime text STOP to 84025.

Maximum 3 alerts per week, costing a maximum of £4.50 per week plus network extras.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Auditions | No Comments »

How to Be an Extra in a Movie or TV Show

Monday, February 28th, 2011

If you’ve always wanted to be an extra in a movie, perhaps you are wondering how to go about it? Maybe you have even taken some acting classes to prepare yourself for a TV role, or perhaps you have attended multiple auditions over the years but still had no success in getting into a movie? Here are some tips to help you push past that barrier and make your dream of being in a movie come true.

The first key to success is always being professional. Know what you are doing, and if you don’t know – learn. If you’ve never taken any acting classes, sign up now. Read some books. Talk to people. Let someone mentor you. Learn everything you can about the field of acting.

The next key is to be willing to take any role. Maybe you’ve always wanted to be a pretty girl in a pub that a main character fancies? But you might be more suited to the role of the main character’s child’s school teacher. Don’t be too choosey and you will have more opportunities, and more chances to get your foot in the door.

Finally, attend as many TV casting calls as you can. Find them online, in newspapers or magazines, on the radio, or try a company like Audition Now and receive expert information about local auditions via text message. (For those 18 years old and older – you can receive up to three text messages per day, at £1.50 per text.)

Remember – never give up. Who knows what’s right around the corner?

Tags: , , ,
Posted in extras | No Comments »

Prop Awareness: On-Set Etiquette

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

Let’s assume you’re fairly new to the acting game. You’ve passed the auditions stage, and now it’s time to get on set and perform to the masses.

On a production of any size, prop care and respect is incredibly important. Smaller productions generally can’t afford to lose or break props, whilst larger productions definitely need to keep a close eye on their comprehensive, high quality set and prop inventory.

Whatever the reason you’ve got into the acting game – to be on TV, to be an extra, to give the already-established film stars a run for their money – there are a few on-set manners to do with props you should be putting into practice no matter how great a star you may become.

•    Ask before touching or picking up any prop – no matter whether or not you think it could be yours. The job of a prop assistant is stressful, and made no easier by people picking up the props and misplacing them.
•    Safety first. If you’re unsure about how to use a prop, just ask for a little advice and direction. It might slow production for a moment, but better that than halting it thanks to injury or a broken prop.

No matter how great your on-set manners, you will need to be 18 years or over to use our service. The cost to receive up-to-the-minute information detailing all the latest acting, extras or modelling auditions is £1.50 per text, with a maximum of three texts per week.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Auditions | No Comments »

Extras Work And The Opportunities

Friday, August 27th, 2010

It would be a mistake to think that by doing extras work you will get your big break in the film industry. Long gone are the days when you could fill in as an extra and hope to become a star that way. As an extra you have very little contact with the movers and shakers in a production company; and the work won’t give you much opportunity to shine in front of the camera.

However, if your ambitions are more realistic then there are opportunities for you in doing extras work. For a start, there is the reasonable pay. It is true that you are expected to be on call all day on a shoot, and the day itself may start as early as six in the morning, and not finish till well into the evening; but you will be remunerated correspondingly, and at a basic rate of over £100 a day, enough regular work as an extra can see you through the lean times.

Also, though you may not be discovered as the next big star, conversations happen that can lead to more work, and not just as an extra. All acting work is temporary, and actors as well as directors are on the look-out for future possible colleagues. Take along your CV just in case the opportunity comes up.

Great opportunities for extras work come up with us at Audition Now, and we can text all the latest of them direct to your mobile phone so you don’t miss out.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in extras | No Comments »

Extras Work For The Trained Actor

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

When you are starting out as an actor, it can be an eye-opener, as well as a money-spinner, to do a bit of extras work.

Very often this is work that film and TV companies are happy to have untrained people do: as ‘background artistes’ the last thing that is wanted is for the real-life backdrop to a scene to pull focus from the main action in the foreground. Often non-actors are as adept as actors at being invisible.

Sometimes, however, it can be advantageous to have specialised skills. Not only does it help out the production company, but it can also bring you some extra money. This may be where a car needs to be driven in shot, or a small piece of dialogue has to be said. These are the most basic examples, but it can happen that particular stage skills that you have acquired in your training as an actor turn out to be useful on set.

Some actors make it a rule for themselves never to take on extras work. Others are less ‘hardline’. It can however be worth your while if you are starting out on your career, if only because it is an insight into the basics of working onscreen. At £100 or more a day, it is also one way to ‘keep the wolf from the door.’

At Audition Now we offer you access to all the latest opportunities to work as an extra, texting you direct to your mobile phone.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in extras | No Comments »

An Agent For Extras Work?

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

There are no particular advantages to having an agent if you are looking for extras work. Some people do, and some don’t: some even sign up with several agencies, in the hopes of making a career out of being an extra.

Usually agencies have a continuing working relationship with the major production companies, so they will have access to a lot of work opportunities: this is not unique to London, because other major cities in the UK have active production companies that need extras. Of course, London offers the widest choice.

An occasional problem is when agencies demand a fee to ‘represent’ you with a photo in their directory. There are plenty of dishonest operators who just want your money, so you need to check who it is you are dealing with. You could for example look up their entry in Contacts, to see how established the agency really is.

Even if the agency is established, you can still not be sure that they will look after you more than anyone else. Nor that they are the agency best placed for landing the next contract with a production company – to avoid the same bunch of extras on screen, production companies ring the changes on who they deal with.

If you want to work as an extra, here at Audition Now we offer you an excellent information service on the latest acting casting calls and work opportunities, without any of the complications you might come across through trying to set yourself up with an agent.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in extras | No Comments »

The Talent Needed For Extras Work

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

If you’re starting out in extras work, you may wonder what particular talents are required.

First, there is no need for any training. If you are needed to do anything that requires a particular skill, then it may be that you are contracted in a different way, and you are not simply classed as an extra.

On most occasions, people will not expect you to have distinguishing looks; you are a background artiste, which means that you are needed in the background of the shot, like wallpaper or scenery, so features that mark you out will be to your disadvantage. In period pieces, some particular facial features may appear anachronistic, although make-up can usually help looks blend with the period.

This means that your greatest value to the scene is your anonymity and the more you melt into the background, in both your looks and your movements, then the more you are likely to be wanted. In addition, film and TV companies want their extras to be responsive, cooperative, and polite to the others on set. Willingness counts for much; you will be remembered if you are someone who can help out in an unforeseen difficulty.

Reliability and punctuality are other key characteristics of the ‘talented’ extra – and patience, of course. Hanging around waiting is a large part of the job!

At Audition Now we can line you up for plenty of extras work, texting you opportunities direct to your mobile phone. Do you want to be an extra?

Tags: , , ,
Posted in extras | No Comments »

« Older Entries