How to Be an Extra in Australia

Often referred to as supporting artists or background actors, extras play nonspeaking roles in film and on TV; they flesh out the world and subtly add to the sense of realism. 

Most extras will simply be asked to sit, stand, or walk while a scene is shot, but some productions will call for you to depict zombies or frontline soldiers.

The Guinness World Record for number of extras belongs to Richard Attenborough’s 1982 film “Gandhi,” which used a staggering 300,000 people for the film’s funeral sequence. Today, it’s not unusual for major scenes to be filled with a combination of real-life extras, digital copies added in postproduction, cardboard cut-outs, and even inflatable stand-ins to save on expenses.

You may also hear the term “featured extra.” This refers to a background actor who’ll be more involved in the action of the scene and therefore likely recognisable in the final cut. However, featured extras are still nonspeaking roles A “bit part,” meanwhile, is the term for those who have up to five lines of dialogue.

Broadly speaking, there are three routes you can explore to become an extra: 

• Sign with an extras talent agency
• Create a profile on online job boards
• Network 

Signing with an agency is a good move for those who want to take this pursuit as seriously as possible in Australia. In exchange for a commission and/or fee, these agencies will submit you for suitable projects and operate as a middleman between you and the production. There are a number of agencies Down Under that are either exclusively for extras (such as MAMM International, MCTV, OnCue, and Real People) or that have an extras branch within their wider talent offerings. Research your options thoroughly, then reach out to any who feel like a good fit. Many welcome unsolicited submissions via online registration forms on their website; otherwise, email is typically the preferred method of initial communication. 

Well-known casting sites such as Backstage, Mandy, and StarNow are available if you’d like to create and manage your own online profile. The key here is to ensure your photos, physical details, and contact information are accurate and up-to-date. Some will also add a résumé of their previous credits working as an extra. While this can provide welcome reassurance to a production that you’ve been around the block, so to speak, this isn’t essential or advised if you’re eventually looking to move into principal acting roles.

Finally, jobs and avenues for future opportunities can be sourced via good old-fashioned networking. Ask actors you know whether they do background work, and if so, how they find it. Friends who work in film or TV production may be able to introduce you to their connections. If you happen to pass a set in your neighbourhood, see if you can—as unobtrusively as possible—ask where the team hired their extras.

For the most part, extras don’t have to audition for roles and are booked solely off the headshots and physical details they provide—hence the importance of having these be on point.

However, you may be invited in for a fitting and/or “look-see.” In a fitting session, you’ll meet members of the costume department, have your measurements taken, and perhaps be asked to try on several variations of apparel if costuming is being provided. A “look-see” exists to make sure you do actually look the way you’ve portrayed yourself in your submission, and to potentially test out any special skills you claim to have (e.g., playing a musical instrument or sport).

In the rare instances you are asked to audition, casting director Melanie Forchetti says: “Get ready to be in the moment with whatever situation we throw at you.” Although you might not have dialogue on the day, you’ll typically run through a quick meet-and-greet (which may be filmed) and then be asked to improvise around a given situation. Commit yourself to adapting to whatever direction you’re thrown and not taking yourself too seriously. If you can, have fun! Production ultimately wants to work with positive, can-do people.

As per the 2021 Equity Minimums set by the MEAA (the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance), extras will receive the following hourly rates for a minimum four-hour call:

• Film: AUD 32.89
• TV: AUD 29.51
• Commercial: AUD 35.24

If “lunch” is cut short, you can expect a little extra added on. If the shoot runs over, you’ll receive overtime pay. Your earnings can be further boosted if you’re featured or required to utilise specialist skills. 

While it may be possible to make a living as an extra in the U.S. or U.K., it’s an unlikely scenario here in Oz, simply because our industry is smaller. That said, finding a solid day’s work on occasion is absolutely possible.

The short answer is absolutely anything…and waiting. A lot of waiting. 

The specifics of the production and your role will dictate what you should expect when the camera is actually rolling, and this will vary wildly. An epic crowd scene in the next Marvel blockbuster will be a very different affair to an intimate café shoot for “Rosehaven.”

In either case, time spent waiting is a guarantee. It’s therefore wise to bring a phone charger or power bank, novel, or puzzle book to keep you occupied. A bottle of water and some snacks can also go a long way. 

When you arrive (early, of course), you’ll want to have a photo ID with you and any requests that were made to you by production (costume options, for example). You’ll sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) and then be introduced to the second AD (assistant director), who’ll be your contact for the day. 

Logistically, having your own means of transport can prove invaluable. Call times can be very early or very late, and locations might not be well connected to public transportation options.

There will usually be a designated holding area where extras will set up camp. You might be ferried to costume and/or hair and makeup, to set, and—if your call includes it—“lunch” (which simply refers to the main meal of the day and can be scheduled whenever). Some days, however, you won’t end up leaving the holding area. If, for whatever reason, you aren’t used, don’t take this to heart. It happens to every extra at some point. Rest assured that you’ll still be paid for the time spent reading your book or having a chat.

Ultimately, your attitude will be the determining factor in your personal experience of the day, as well as production’s impression of you. Forchetti says: “If you’re cast as an extra, be a great extra. The talents that are grateful, professional, punctual, and take direction are the ones that get hired again. You’d be surprised how many times I’ll get feedback from production about the extras that were amazing on set. Clients will start to request you if you’re good.”