BOOK OF JOB

As an acting extra bad on-set behavior can have a massive affect how much work you get.

Some good rules are;

Arrive early, If you are new, watch and learn from your more experienced colleagues,

1. It’s worth bringing a book because you can be on set with nothing to do for hours, be patient. But when you are asked to do something do it straight away. Treat the cast and crew with courtesy and respect,
2. Food is provided, but know your place in the pecking order - the bottom, Never bother to the stars! If they initiate a conversation then reply, but you are there to do a job, you are not being paid to be a fan or to fill up your autograph book.
3. On set misbehavior will endanger your chances of being asked back or even sent from set there and then.

Keep Your Eyes And Ears Open.

This not only applies to taking advice from more experienced extras on set as mentioned above, but it also applies to finding work. Adverts, films and TV shows are filmed all over the country and when an outdoor scene is shot then locals can get work as extras. The adverts for these jobs can be found in the local press and though they are at the lower end of the pay-scale, they could be the start of something bigger or just a good experience.

Get A SAG Card.

There are two types of extras, those with a Screen Actors Guild card (SAG) and those without. The Screen Actors Guild was set up to improve the working condition of actors. A SAG card means you get paid more and hopefully your career develops more quickly. Every extra starts without the card then as they do more and more work their chances of getting one improve. The basic rule is the more work you get the more more likely it is you'll get the card, once you get the card the more money you get paid. Easy!