Generic bald man just waiting for Sandra Bullock's call
'Hello Graeme, we need a generic bald man to inconspicuously occupy a seat on a bus, four rows behind Sandra Bullock '“ are you available?'
This is the phone call I’m optimistically expecting in the coming months having registered as an extra yesterday.
The open casting session for MovieExtras.ie took place in Belfast’s Europa Hotel, attracting a steady stream of people of all shapes, ages and backgrounds.
The common thread being our desire for escapism by putting our names down for something a little bit different.
Those putting themselves forward included Grahame Jellie, 39, a joiner from Belfast who has previous experience as an extra on Games of Thrones, and retired carer Brenda McMeekin, 65, who fancied trying something a little bit different now she has more time on her hands.
The old model had been for movies and TV shows to hold their own casting auditions for extras, giving rise to day-long queues of hopefuls.
Nowadays MovieExtras.ie, and countless agencies like it, take on the job of accumulating databases of potential extras for movie and TV studios to pick from at their leisure.
“Almost everyone uses this model now – it makes sense financially and timewise,” said Peter Dalton, marketing manager of the Irish extras company set up in 2002.
It really couldn’t have been easier to sign up. I filled in some personal details on a form and then had my picture taken, holding a number and smiling. The process took all of 10 minutes.
I did not have to demonstrate a range of moods, nor was I required to use any of the lines from Taxi Driver I had been practising in the mirror the night before.
Peter explained the next step: “The production will get in touch after working out how many extras it needs on certain dates. We’ll contact our extras to check availability. Almost all filming is during the day on weekdays so the biggest factor for an extra is availability.
“Sometimes the production will ask for a specific type of person, but more often they want a general cross-section for crowd scenes.
“The whole point of being an extra is to blend in. Extras are there to bring a scene to life. If you’ve got your two main cast members having a chit chat in a main street, you want everyday people doing everyday things.
“Why extras are used is so they’re briefed on what’s going on and know not to look at the cameras or stare unnecessarily at the stars.”
MovieExtras.ie has helped its extras get paid roles in more than 2,500 productions including Into The Badlands, Love/Hate, and Fair City. In some cases extras have gone on to get supporting roles.
“A lot of that comes down to being a good extra – they turn up on time, they take direction well, they’re agreeable,” said Peter.
“You don’t approach the cast. That’s the big don’t for an extra.”