Extras

Has anyone here ever been a TV Extra?

I've never been, but a good friend of mine was an extra in Series 2 and 3 of The Grimleys, most of which was filmed in Manchester. Also knew a few people from our year at School who were extras in Coronation Street, Grange Hill and Hollyoaks.

Yes - I was young, and I needed the money....!

When you joined the agency,how long was it before you got the call and what process happens when you are being casted?

I was in Bergerac when I was six, as was most of my family. As was most of the population of Jersey, in fact.

David

To be honest, it's trial and error with agents. The first one I had sent me for very few castings, but when I got a new agent I also got plenty of work almost immediately.

Back then (the 80s) the BBC (at least in Wales) used to book some artists direct, and I managed to get on the direct bookings list which was great because there was no commission to pay! This was in the days of the Equity closed shop, and I'm guessing that direct-booking no longer happens, although not having been involved in that aspect of television for 16 years now, I'm not sure about this, and equally I don't know how much work now goes to non-Equity members.

For a few years I did quite well out of it, picking up small parts in a number of dramas and series shot in the area. The highlights were 6 days (plus costume and make-up fittings at TVC) on The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe in 1988, spending three weeks as Tony Danza's lighting stand-in on an HTV/Columbia Pictures co-production called "Wall of Tyrany" (about the building of the Berlin Wall) and appearing as a dead body (character name Humphrey Jermyn) who'd been blown up by a bomb in 'Casualty'.... the highlight being the scene where Robson Green had to answer a call from Humphrey's wife on a mobile phone sitting in my pocket, and about the dimensions of a breeze block! Only the long shots made it into the final edit, as the make-up for that was so horrendous nobody would even sit next to me for lunch

LoL yup, i was in Bergerac myself when i was 4 or 5 with my family. We lived in Gorey then.

So hey i could consider myself an Extra. I'm famous

I've done some work in commercials as well as a BBC drama.

Lots of fun - but lots of hanging around in coaches waiting for things to happen.

I sent off for an Equity form.

I was an extra recently in a production about the life of Ian Fleming. It's going to be broadcast this Autumn I think on BBC1 or 2.

Ricky Gervais' Extras is so true to life its scary!

Not really an extra, but I did have a CSB wax on The Salon.

Have you had training george? Unless you are currently working (acting) in theatre then you won't find joining as easy as you think.

It's not quite the "closed-shop" it once was, but it's not a million miles from one.