Some agencies charge a registration fee, and some (mostly commercial background casting) will take between 10% and 15% commission from any booked work. Several casting agencies specialize only in background work, whilst in the UK the directory Contacts published annually by Spotlight lists all accredited agencies and productions. Background actors are generally selected on short notice, after all other preparations for the shoot have been finalized. Punctuality, reliability and the ability to take direction also figure prominently for these cast members. It is not entirely true that background cast members require little or no acting experience, as any type of unrealistic portrayal must include some form of imagination and acting. In opera and ballet, they are called either "extras" or "supers".Įxtras in the Krak des Chevaliers castle, Syria.Ĭasting criteria for background actors depend on the production.
In a stage production, background actors are commonly referred to as " supernumeraries". On a film or TV set, background actors are usually referred to as "junior artist", "atmosphere", "background talent", "background performers", "background artists", "background cast members" or simply "background", while the term "extra" is rarely used. Likewise, grand opera can involve many background actors appearing in spectacular productions. War films and epic films often employ background actors in large numbers: some films have featured hundreds or even thousands of paid background actors as cast members (hence the term "cast of thousands"). Performer appearing in a nonspeaking or nonsinging role in a film or playĪ background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking or nonsinging (silent) capacity, usually in the background (for example, in an audience or busy street scene).