Congratulations! You’ve now registered and you’ve been hired to work on a production. Your casting director will provide you with a complete set of instructions including wardrobe, parking, the filming location and a call time for your job. As you approach your filming destination, watch for signs posted by the production company to direct you to parking and extra’s holding.

Extras Holding is the designated waiting area for background actors until they are called on set. In holding, you will meet with a Production Assistant (PA) who will supply you with your payroll voucher and other necessary forms.

Here are some tips to follow while on set:

• Bring several changes of clothing to set; the wardrobe group will usually select the best outfit for you.
• Women should arrive hair and make-up ready. Bring along your cosmetics for touch-ups.
• Bring 2 forms of identification such as a driver’s license and Social Security card.
• Arrive earlier than your call time in order to fill out your pay vouchers and other paper work.
• Bring a book, magazine and things to occupy your time. Be prepared to wait around while scenes are being set up. (Typical days can last 12 – 15 hours.) Also bring snacks.
• Lunch is usually 30 minutes. If sharing the same lunch/dinner line with crew members, allow the crew to eat first.
• Follow all instructions and be easy to work with.
• Be careful around electrical equipment as sets can be dangerous and chaotic.
• Turn off all cell phones and pagers.

Here are some NO’s and I mean No if you’d like to work again.

• Do not bring cameras on-set.
• Do not disturb the director and actors by asking for autographs or taking pictures.
• Never wander around on set, and stay where you are placed.
• Never talk or make noise while the cameras are rolling unless instructed to do so.

Never initiate a conversation with the stars, its ok to speak with them if they speak to you first, but do not start a conversation.

Do want to stand out? Always look at the director when he/she begins talking and listen intently to instructions.

Movie Set Terminology
As an extra, you will need to be familiar with movie set terminology in order to perform your job. The following are common on-set terms.

“Background Action” or “Background”
This is the cue for extras to begin their scene movement. It is spoken before the actors get their “action” cue.

Action!
Only the director can call this, it cues the primary actors to begin their scene.

Back to One
The assistant director (AD), is asking everyone to return to the point where they began their scene, the first position for another take. Extras/actors should repeat the same motions.

Bump
Additional money paid to an actor or movie extra that is over and above your pay. (Usually for providing something extra like the use of your car or bicycle for a scene)

Call Sheet
A listing of scenes and cast required for a day

Call Time
Time you are needed to be on the set

Cut!
The director says that to stop filming and acting

Mark
A place marking or denoting where to stand

Picture’s Up or Standby
Means everyone on set including crew needs to be absolutely quiet

Principals
Actors with speaking parts or stunts involved in the storyline

Rolling
Means film is rolling, cameras are shooting

Stand in
A person used in place of another actor (usually for prep work for a scene)

Wrap!
‘ That's a wrap’ - the filming day has ended.

This sums up the initial steps to take to become an extra in Chicago. Good Luck, and I hope to be seeing you in the movies! Writing for Sarah’s Backstage Pass, this is Lisa Junco.