May 2010

Walt Disney Pictures feature film I am Number Four extras casting call

Dreamworks Studios and Walt Disney Pictures have teamed up to bring the Sci-Fi feature film I am Number Four to the silver screen. The extras casting director in Pittsburgh is seeking local people to work on the film as background actors. They are specifically looking for young men and women 18 years and older, looking younger to be able to portray high school students.

If interested please submit a color snapshot, age, weight, phone number, and location via email:

numberfourextras@gmail.com

Filming will take place in Pittsburgh, PA from May 17, 2010 through August 20, 2010.

Production Companies:

Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies (they will most likely end up in the trash can), they do not cast the films. They hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.

Walt Disney Pictures
500 S. Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521

Miller/Gough Ink
500 S. Buena Vista Street
Animation 1E17
Burbank, CA 91521

Dreamworks Studios
100 Universal City Plaza
Building 5121
Universal City, CA 91608

D.J. Caruso's Office
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608

Bay Films
631 Colorado Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90401

Benderspink
5870 W. Jefferson Blvd
Studio E
Los Angeles, CA 90016

Producers:

Steven Spielberg
Michael Bay
Chris Bender
JC Spink

Director:

D.J. Caruso

Starring:

Diana Agron
Alex Pettyfer
Sharlto Copley
Teresa Palmer

Story:

The story line involves nine alien teens assimilating to high school on Earth after their planet is destroyed by an enemy species. The fourth of the group discovers that the enemy is now after him on Earth. The protagonist is 15. The rival race of aliens are from the planet Mogadore. They destroyed Lorien in order to strip the planet of its natural resources because Mogadore was dying, and still is, and they followed the Loric to Earth to finish the job. The Loric develop their "Legacies" (special powers) around their fifteenth year.

TNT hit series Leverage season 4 casting call in Oregon

The hit TNT series "Leverage" is currently in production in Portland, Oregon. The casting company Extras Only is seeking local people interested in working on the show as extras, featured extras, stand-ins and photo doubles for the third season.

Independent financial services group Winchester Capital is funding the series third season by investing $14 million, allowing for shooting to run through mid-August, 2010. Season 3 will begin airing Sundays beginning June 20, 2010. Leverage is a 1-hour show, and is under AFTRA contact.

Here is what the casting company Extras Only is seeking for upcoming episodes:

• Hispanic and Mediterranean adults

• People with small, older-model European cars, are especially needed.

This is for Portland, Oregon locals only. To be considered, you can register at the following website:

Leverage Extras Casting

Or you can request registration details by calling (503) 227-6055 - ask for Anami.

Extras Casting

Portland:

Danny Stoltz
635 NW 16th Ave.
Suite A
Portland, Oregon 97209

Principal Actor Casting

See the post titled Headshot and Resume Information regarding how to submit for acting roles.

Please submit photos and resumes by mail only.
No phone calls, emails or personal drop-offs.

Los Angeles:

Barbara Stordahl
Angela Terry
121 W. Lexington Drive
Suite 206
Glendale, CA 91203

Portland:

Lana Veenker
Leverage Casting
2580 NW Upshur St
Portland OR , 97210
Please state if you are AFTRA or non-union.

Production Companies:

Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies (they will most likely end up in the trash can), they do not cast the films. They hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.

Electric Entertainment
940 North Highland Ave.
Suite A
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Turner Network Television
3500 W Olive Ave
15th Fl
Burbank, CA 91505-4630

Producers:

Dean Devlin
Chris Downey
John Rogers
Kearie Peak
Marc Roskin
Paul Bernard

Directors:

Dean Devlin.
Various other directors are used.

Starring:

Timothy Hutton
Christian Kane
Aldis Hodge
Gina Bellman
Beth Reisgraff

Story:

Leverage follows a five-person team of thieves, computer experts and con artists, headed up by former insurance investigator Nate Ford, who use their skills to right corporate and governmental injustices inflicted on common citizens.

Vera Farmiga feature film "Higher Ground" seeking extras

Ulster County-based actress Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air, The Departed) makes her directorial debut with a production called "Higher Ground". The film is based on born-again Christian Carolyn Briggs' memoir, "This Dark World: A Memoir of Salvation Found and Lost".

Filming will take place in the Mid-Hudson Valley Ulster County area of New York through July 1, 2010. Higher Ground comes to theaters in 2011.

The film is hiring extras of all types and ages. If you are interested in working as a background actor in this movie please email the following - Name, sex, age, recent photo of yourself, and contact information to:

highergroundmovie@gmail.com

The production also needs cars from 1960s and 1970s:

● Cars/trucks from 1961 or earlier.
● A powder blue convertible 1963.
● Vans from 1972 or earlier.
● Small school bus from 1970 or earlier for purchase.
● Cars from 1979 or earlier.
● Cop car from 1979 or earlier.

Principal Actor Casting:

See the post titled Headshot and Resume Information regarding how to submit for acting roles.

Please submit photos and resumes by mail only.
No phone calls or personal drop-offs.

Kerry Barden
Paul Schnee
Barden/Schnee Casting
150 West 28th Street
Suite 402
New York, NY 10001

Production Companies:

Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies (they will most likely end up in the trash can), they do not cast the films. They hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.

The Group Entertainment
115 W. 29th Street
Suite 1102
New York, NY 10001

Producers:

Carly Hugo
Matt Parker
Brice Dal Farra
Claude Dal Farra

Director:

Vera Farmiga

Starring:

Vera Farmiga
Taissa Farmiga

Story:

Carolyn Briggs grew up with modest means in the Iowa heartland. Pregnant at seventeen, married a few months later, by the age of eighteen she found herself living in a trailer with no plans beyond having more babies-until she found Jesus. It began innocently enough-a few minutes lingering on the televangelist stations, a cursory look at the Bible-and soon she had wholly given herself over to a radical, apocalyptic New Testament church. Her daily life was permeated with a sense of the divine-she spent hours a day in prayer and Bible study, wore modest clothing, even braced herself for the Rapture every time she heard trumpet music over the supermarket loudspeaker. It was only when her marriage began to unravel that Carolyn dared to question the religious dogma she had embraced for all of her adult life to date.

Open Casting Call for "Cowboys and Aliens" extras in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Universal Pictures and Dreamworks SKG are in pre-production on the feature film 'Cowboys and Aliens' starring Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig, and Olivia Wilde. The film will directed by John Favreau, and producers include Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, and Steven Spielberg. This is a major western that will be shooting in New Mexico, Los Angeles, and Randsburg, California from June 30, 2010 through September 1, 2010. A release date of July 29, 2011 has been set.

The extras casting director in New Mexico is seeking backgound actors to appear in the film. Here are some special needs:

● Men willing to grow out their facial hair, especially with mutton chops and mustaches. Please start growing hair now.

● Women with long hair who are a size 8 and below.

● Native American horseback riders.

● Children of all ages.

● These are paid positions.

New Mexico residents who fit the above descriptions please send a snapshot, along with contact information to:

elizabeth@egcasting.com

Or you may attend the following open casting call:

Where:

Plaza de Espanola
706 Bond Street
Espanola, NM 87532

When:

Saturday, May 22, 2010
10:00am – 4:00pm

You may also submit your photo and info via regular mail to:

Elizabeth Gabel
Cowboys and Aliens Extras
304 Washington SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

Minors in New Mexico must also include a Child Performer Pre-Authorization Certificate, and a Pre-Authorization Certificate Minor Extras.

Production Companies:

Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies (they will most likely end up in the trash can), they do not cast the films. They hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.

'Cowboys and Aliens'
Production Office
3000 Olympic Blvd.
Buiding 4
Suite 2200
Santa Monica, CA 90404-5073

Universal Pictures
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608

Dreamworks SKG
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608

Kurtzman/Orci
100 Universal City Plaza
Building 5171
Universal City, CA 91608

Imagine Entertainment
9465 Wilshire Blvd.
7th Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Platinum Studios, Inc.
11400 W. Olympic Blvd.
14th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Principal Actor Casting:

See the post titled Headshot and Resume Information regarding how to submit for acting roles.

Please submit photos and resumes by mail only.
No phone calls or personal drop-offs.

Sarah Finn
Cowboys and Aliens Casting
588 N. Larchmont Blvd.
1st Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90004

Producers: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, Steven Spielberg, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Daniel Forcey, Damon Lindelof, Ervin Rustemagic, Chris Wade, Karen Johnson, Bobby Cohen

Director: Jon Favreau

Starring:

Daniel Craig
Harrision Ford
Olivia Wilde

Story:

The story centers on an Old West battle between the Apache and Western settlers, including a former Union Army gunslinger named Zeke Jackson, that is interrupted by a spaceship crashing into the prairie near Silver City, Ariz. The story draws a parallel between the American imperialist drive to conquer the "savage" Indians with its advanced technology and the aliens' assault on Earthlings, who must join together to survive the invaders' attack.

Universal Pictures Robert De Niro film "Dark Fields" extras casting call in Philadelphia

The extras casting director for the feature film "The Dark Fields" in Philadelphia, PA is seeking people to appear in the film as background performers. Shooting will take place through the end of May, 2010. Needed are SAG and non-union talent - attractive, physically fit, upscale looking, men and women, any ethnicity, age 25-45.

If interested, please email or send in a recent photo and contact information. Include your name, phone number, SAG status and membership number if applicable.

Email to the following:

darkfieldscasting@gmail.com

Or send via USPS to:

Heery Casting
The Dark Fields Extras
263 N. Lawrence Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Please do not submit if you are not able to travel to Philadelphia. Transportation and accommodations to and from the Philadelphia area is not provided for extras.

Extras Casting (New York): - Completed

Grant Wilfley Casting
123 W. 18th Street
8th Floor
New York, NY 10011

Principal Actor Casting (New York): - Completed

Douglas Aibel
c/o Vineyard Theater
180 E. 15th St.
New York, NY 10003

Production Companies:

Do NOT send photos and resumes to the production companies (they will most likely end up in the trash can), they do not cast the films. They hire casting directors who sort through the thousands of submissions.

Universal Pictures
100 Universal City Plaza
Universal City, CA 91608

Mandate Pictures
2700 Colorado Ave.
Suite 501
Santa Monica, CA 90404

Relativity Media, LLC
8899 Beverly Blvd.
Suite 510
West Hollywood, CA 90048

Producers:

Leslie Dixon
Ryan Kavanaugh
Tucker Tooley
Scott Kroopf

Director:

Neil Burger

Starring:

Bradley Cooper
Elizabeth Banks
Robert De Niro

Story:

Imagine a drug that makes your brain function with perfect efficiency, tapping into your most fundamental resources of intelligence and drive, releasing all the passive knowledge you'd ever accumulated. A drug that made you focused, charming, fast, even attractive. Eddie Morgan is on such a drug. It's called MDT-48, and it's Viagra for the brain-a designer drug that's redesigning his life. But while MDT is helping Eddie achieve the kind of success he's only dreamed about, it's also chipping away at his sanity-splitting headaches, spontaneous blackouts, violent outbursts. And now that he's hooked and his supply is running low, Eddie must venture into the drug's dark past to feed his habit. What he discovers proves that MDT, once a dream come true, has become his worst nightmare.

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The aim of this blog is to help people who are interested in working as a union or non-union extra. I hope the information on this page can help you achieve your goal of working as a background actor in Film and Television. I post this information absolutely free of charge, and try to verify all details as much as possible. I hope my websites continue to help talent obtain employment in the entertainment industry.

Note: All content on third-party advertisers' websites is the sole responsibility of the respective website publisher(s)/owner(s).

What is a Background Actor?

A "Background Actor" or "Extra" is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, non-singing or non-dancing capacity, usually in the background.

War films and epic films often employ background actors in large numbers. Some films have featured hundreds or even thousands of paid background actors. Likewise, grand opera can involve many background actors appearing in spectacular productions.

On a film or television set, background actors are usually referred to as "Background Performers", "Background Artists" or simply "Background," while the term "Extra" is rarely used.

In a stage production, background actors are commonly referred to as "Supernumeraries". In opera and ballet, they are called either 'Extras' or 'Supers'.

SAG-AFTRA

The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is an American labor union representing over 150,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. The current organization is the result of the March 30, 2012 merger of the Screen Actor's Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

According to the SAG-AFTRA Mission Statement, the union seeks to: negotiate and enforce collective bargaining agreements that establish equitable levels of compensation, benefits, and working conditions for its performers; collect compensation for exploitation of recorded performances by its members, and provide protection against unauthorized use of those performances; and preserve and expand work opportunities for its members.

The Screen Actors Guild was founded in 1933 in an effort to eliminate exploitation of actors in Hollywood who were being forced into oppressive multi-year contracts with the major movie studios that did not include restrictions on work hours or minimum rest periods, and often had clauses that automatically renewed at the studios' discretion. These contracts were notorious for allowing the studios to dictate the public and private lives of the performers who signed them, and most did not have provisions to allow the performer to end the deal.

SAG-AFTRA is the primary performer's union in the United States. The union is affiliated with the AFL-CIO. SAG-AFTRA claims exclusive jurisdiction over motion picture as well as radio, television, Internet, and other new media. Internationally, SAG-AFTRA is affiliated with the International Federation of Actors.

How To Qualify For SAG-AFTRA Membership

A performer becomes eligible for SAG-AFTRA membership under one of the following two conditions:

1) Proof of Employment.

SAG-AFTRA membership is available to those who work in a position covered by a SAG-AFTRA (or AFTRA or SAG) collective bargaining agreement. Any person qualifying through work as a background actor must have completed three days of work as a background actor under a SAG-AFTRA (or AFTRA or SAG) collective bargaining agreement.

2) Employment Under an Affiliated Performers Union.

Performers may join SAG-AFTRA if the applicant is a paid-up member of an affiliated performers union (ACTRA, AEA, AGMA or AGVA) for a period of one year and has worked and been paid for at least once as a principal performer in that union’s jurisdiction.

All new members pay a one-time-only initiation fee, plus the first semiannual dues at the time of joining. The national initiation fee rate is currently $3000.00 (initiation fees may be lower in some states). Annual Base dues are $198.00. In addition, work dues are calculated at 1.575 percent of covered earnings up to $500,000.

Once you are a member, you must abide by the rules of membership, starting with Global Rule One and the No Contract/No Work Rule. And, whether you are a SAG-AFTRA member or not - NEVER accept work during a Union strike!

Becoming a SAG-AFTRA member is a very important milestone for every working professional talent in the entertainment industry. But you should not be in a rush to join unless you are absolutely certain that you are ready to compete for professional performing jobs. For actors, you should prepare yourself by studying acting and improv, doing live theatre, and perform in non-union on-camera productions in order to build your resume and gain extremely valuable experience.

How do I get three SAG-AFTRA background vouchers?

Excellent question; there truly isn’t a simple answer. The best way is to work as a non-union background actor as often as possible and do a great job, showing up on time and bringing the proper wardrobe.

Occasionally there will be an immediate need for a certain look or ability on the set and if you are in the right place at the right time you will be offered a SAG-AFTRA voucher. Sporadically a casting director will offer you a SAG-AFTRA voucher if they are unable to locate a SAG member who fits the requirements of the production company.

Demo Reel Information

An actors demo reel (or "demo tape") is a short compilation of clips from professional acting work on films, commercials, and television shows. It is usually no more than a few minutes in length.

A demo reel IS NOT the same as an "Audition Video". An Audition Video IS a homemade video that you make when casting directors are accepting audition video submissions.

It is NOT necessary to send in a demo reel when submitting for extra roles. Only submit a demo reel if the casting directors request it, or through an agent.

Extras Calling Services

There are companies that are termed "Calling Services" or "Booking Services" that charge fee(s) to obtain extra work for you. These Calling Services are not contracted by production companies as Casting Directors are, rather they are independent services that work for the individual extras that sign up for their service. The fee is usually on a monthly basis, however some use a per-job-booked fee structure also.

Most Extras Casting Directors use these calling services often, especially when they are casting large amounts of extras for a specific production. It is much easier and less time consuming to make one call to a Calling Service and tell them what they need than it is to call each and every extra individually.

Once an extra signs up for a Calling Service, they provide them with photos, clothing size forms, and contact information. Then it is simply a matter of letting the Calling Service know your availability. The booking service will submit their clients based on their availability to all of the extras Casting Directors, and the Casting Directors can book as many or as few of these extras and give the booking service the call times, wardrobe requirements, shooting location, etc., to forward along to their clients. It is then the responsibility of the Calling Service to provide the details to their extras and confirm the booking.

Extras who do not use a Calling Service must constantly call recorded casting lines that the extras casting directors set up, and then call a separate number if they fit exactly what is on the recorded line. The competition to get work this way is extremely fierce. It is a generally accepted reality that extras who use respected and legitimate Calling Services are booked far more frequently than those who try to do their own booking.

The fees that Calling Services charge range from around $45 - $75 per month depending on your union status, age, and the number of days that you are booked during the month. There also may be an initial registration fee that can be as low as $20 to over $100 if they require a first month fee and last month fee in addition to the registration fee.

Should I Do Extra Work For Acting Experience?

I personally feel that if a person does not have experience, doing extra work is a fantastic way to get used to being on a film or TV set. It gives you an idea of how things work and allows you to become comfortable on a set without risking "burning bridges" if you get nervous and a little stage fright.

I myself did extra work in the beginning of my career and it helped me tremendously. I had terrible stage fright, but I became very comfortable after doing background work for a while.

So the answer is yes, doing extra work will help you. It doesn't pay a whole lot, but the experience you get is valuable.

Acting is like any other job, the more training and experience a person has, the better chance of getting the job. But at the same time, we all have to start somewhere!

Types of Background Actors

General Background: Person of atmospheric business which includes the normal actions, gestures and facial expressions of the Background Actor’s assignment.

Special Ability: Background Actor specifically called and assigned to perform work requiring special skills such as tennis, golf, choreographed social dancing (including square dancing), swimming, skating, riding animals, driving livestock, non-professional singing (in groups of 16 or less), mouthing to playback in groups of 16 or less, professional or organized athletic sports (including officiating and running), amputees, driving which requires a special skill and a special license (such as truck driving but not cab driving), motorcycle driving, insert work, and practical card dealing.

Stand-In: Background Actor used as a substitute for another actor for purposes of focusing shots, setting lights, etc., but is not actually photographed. Stand-Ins may also be used as general background.

Photographic Double: Background Actor who is actually photographed as a substitute for another actor. A General Background Actor who is required to do photographic doubling shall receive the Special Ability rate.

Day Performer: A Performer who delivers a speech or a line of dialogue. A Background Actor must be upgraded to a Day Performer if directed to speak, except in the case of “omnies”.

Omnies: Any speech sounds used as general background noise rather than for its meaning. Atmospheric words such as indistinguishable background chatter in a party or restaurant scene.

Advice for Child Actors

1. Have fun and enjoy every performance.

2. Learn as much as possible from the professionals you work with.

3. Get your rest, and drink plenty of water!

4. Be respectful and do what you are asked to do to make the child wrangler's job easy.

5. Remember you are there to do a job.

6. Share the experience with your friends and family.

7. Visit as many places as you can.

8. Be thankful for the opportunity.

9. Use your down time to keep up with schoolwork.

10. Laugh, Laugh, Laugh.

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