Strictly Background
I’m not quite convinced that I want to hang with these people for 80 or 90 minutes. There’s something touching and yet profoundly underwhelming about being a background extra (and maybe a wee bit sad), but here’s the trailer regardless. The doc’s called Strictly Background and I’m told it’s “about to make the festival rounds.” I trust I don’t have to explain what that probably means.
People who are professional extras have no chance to have a real acting career. Its a sad pathetic lonly low-paying gig. Unless you are Sag, and the you get bumps up the ass. And these sad pathetic losers think by doing a docu. will help them? They are all schmucks.
Extras give themselves a bad name. They behave like children; as a site rep, I’ve had to deal plenty of times with extras wandering in places they shouldn’t be and being disruptive, mooching off of other productions’ (i.e., not the one that’s paying them that day) food tables, stealing toiletries from restrooms, etc. And then they think they’re entitled to honor and respect. Scumbags, the lot of them.
Clearly, all extras should be exterminated. From the posts here, they do not deserve to breathe the air that the rest of us do. I recommend shoving them in ovens and burning them to death…
People, get over yourselves. The tone of some posts on here continues to amuse me.
I filled in for a friend on a $5/hour extra gig on a TV movie back in 1995. Wow, what a miserable experience. Since I didn’t know I should bring something to read, I sat around for about 11 hours listening to the other extras complain. The only fun ones were also doing Showgirls across town, so they had fun stories (mostly about playing cards out-of-frame while naked women danced all around them). I’m not sure any movie could do justice to that day.
filled in for a friend on a $5/hour extra gig on a TV movie back in 1995. Wow, what a miserable experience. Since I didn’t know I should bring something to read, I sat around for about 11 hours listening to the other extras complain. The only fun ones were also doing Showgirls across town, so they had fun stories (mostly about playing cards out-of-frame while naked women danced all around them). I’m not sure any movie could do justice to that day.
yea, it pretty much sucks unless you make some good contacts and there is good money.
it sure ain’t like the early days of hollywood.
Hey,
I’ve seen this flick and it’s great…very intriguing and different. It gives a great look at this whold subculture.
All those folks out there heaping insults upon insults on those supposedly unfortunate folk who DARE to work as background actors (as though they are subhuman and merit such treatment) should realize something: you get back what you put out. So watch it with the venom, as eventually the universe will return it to the sender.
Insofar as ‘Strictly Background’ is concerned, if you have a valid criticism of the film that is one thing. Otherwise, bite your tongue!
A friend found and pointed out to me this page.
I am astonished at some of the posts, mostly from people who clearly have not seen the documentary on which they allegedly commenting.
Wendel at ArcLight:
”And these sad pathetic losers think by doing a docu. will help them? They are all schmucks.”
It’s such a shame we also lack your witty repartee [bg]…
Gabriel:
”Extras give themselves a bad name. They behave like children; as a site rep, I’ve had to deal plenty of times with extras wandering in places they shouldn’t be and being disruptive, mooching off of other productions’ … food tables, stealing toiletries from restrooms, etc. …. Scumbags, the lot of them.”
To what th’heck sets have YOU been? I’ve seen some annoying background people *I’d* even classify as “extras” but mostly such are All Talk. I’ve never witnessed anything such as what you describe.
Meanwhile, it’s really nice to know there are (SAG?) Site Reps who are so openly considerate as to include the professional background artists in with those same amatuers you describe. Smooth.
Tim at July 9, 2006 12:32am:
”I’ve seen this flick and it’s great… very intriguing and different. It gives a great look at this whole subculture.”
Where did you see it when?
I only saw the one invitational screening at the Raleigh Studios a few months ago.
While the humour wasn’t surprising, I didn’t expect how heartfelt it is.
Also to JoJo [at June 28, 2006 10:33am] and to anonymous [at July 21, 2006 09:41am]:
Awesome posts. My feelings exactly.
Badger
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