How To Be a Movie Extra

Step-by-step Instructions

Here is what you need to do...
Step 1

First off, if you want to become a background actor, the most important thing to do is register with Central casting in person in Los Angeles.

Step 2

It is probably about a 30-minute process if you are lucky. Just go in there, you have to have all your information with you. You need two forms of ID. Your license, some other form and you have to be a US citizen.

Step 3

You register with them. They take your photo. Then you go back home and you just start calling the hotline and they will get you a job as quick as possible.

Step 4

Actually, mine only took about an hour, within an hour after I got back home.

Step 5

You have to be real committed because you have to wake up probably 5 AM, to get ready, put your makeup on, get yourself looking good, get dressed, and know, get your map ready, Mapquest it. Find your call time. My call time was as 7AM, so I had to wake up at 5AM and be gone by 5:30AM. You have to expect the worst traffic, road construction, stuff like that.

Step 6

And when you get there, you find your stage, your set, go in, and they will tell you what to do and just go from there.

Step 7

On the set of CSI-Miami, I got to see David Caruso, Adam Rodriguez, and some other hot-ass girl that was on the set. Pretty much the main characters. You don;t get to talk to them, but you get to see them, you know, just hanging out with them.

Step 8

What I did on the set of CSI-Miami was pretty easy. It was just background acting - a non-speaking part. What you pretty much do is stand in the background and just - for CSI-Miami you just put a lab coat on, and look like you are looking through files. Stuff like that, so. Its pretty easy and you get about $70, $60 for it. And I only id it for two hours. Its pretty easy. $30/hour. They made me wear a lab coat and business attire and this is pretty much hat it looked like.

Special Attention

Difficulties people often experience or parts that need special attention to do it right.

Leave early because of LA traffic.

Stuff You'll Need

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Suggested Further Reading

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Background Acting Secrets No Price

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This Student Author's Background

When did you first do this & how did you get started?

I appeared on CSI: Miami as a background extra.

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