Back ground Talent. Part 3

I worked BG on The Many Saints Of Newark. Who would ever guess David Chase is such an asshole. He didn't have a nice thing to say about anyone, and consequently, every cast member despised him. Deservedly.

What benefits come with being "number one on the call sheet"? (For eg, in a tv show where there is a main cast of 5-6 characters.)

Do they shoot from the angle showing your face first (in dialog scenes), then later turn the camera setup around and shoot from the angle showing the other character(s) lower on the call sheet?

Do they make the daily production schedule such that you have to spend the least amount of time waiting on set?

R2 congrats on being a number 1.

I have it on good authority that the directors and producers kind of expect a Number 1 to set the tone. If you're punctual, relaxed and being kind to everyone, it spreads and everyone enjoys their day. So know your stuff and be at ease. People are looking to you to make this work.

How's that for a perk?

Thanks r3. Nah, I used that name signoff to remind people the topic of my post. I'm not in your biz. Was curious how the number one (say, on a procedural crime tv show) is treated or expected to behave.

Like a smug entitled bitch, naturally.

I worked on a show a few years ago, and I did PD/SI work for #2 in addition to #14 and a few dayplayers.

#2 worked a LOT-so therefore I did-probably even more than #1, which tends to happen on some productions. I was on this for about 2 seasons, and although there wasn't much time for a social life of any kind, I would do it all again since the money was great and I was secure with my finances and health insurance for at least a year after I stopped working.

I remember hearing on the most recent 90210 that was cancelled that ALL of the former stars were listed as '1' on the callsheet, which is ridiculous. I'm sure the egos were out of control on that set and I'm not surprised the show didn't last long at all.

If you're Number 1 on the call sheet, doesn't that mean that you have to stand around longer while everyone else shows up? Seems counterintuitive to me. I would think order in the show credits is most important.

R4, on long-running shows, #1 usually does set the tone, and it filters down from there. NCIS worked well with Mark Harmon at the top, and NCIS:LA was similar. The crew members stay on the production where they are treated well, and they tend to work very well together.

In contrast, The Mentalist with #1 Simon Baker was not a pleasant set to work on; I wanted to give them another try since my first time wasn't so great, but subsequent workdays on that show made it clear this was not a good working environment. You just felt a lot of tension, people afraid of stepping on other peoples toes, etc. I only watched a few episodes and he appeared to be so charming on screen. Guess he's a really good actor after all.

Of course every set is different, and even the good ones may have lackluster days, but they still get the job done at the end of the day.

#1 is the actor/actress with the “largest” role, the one that the whole series or film is based upon. It doesn’t need to be the biggest name, or the highest paid contract, or the most lines, but usually it’s a combo of all 3. However if it’s an older actor/actress, they’re usually the biggest name and conversely work less because of it.

Thank you r8 our TV insider. I'm not familiar with Harmon's acting chops, but he seems like an old school manly alpha man from what r8 and other cast have said: I know I am top dog in this organization, I choose to be mostly humble about it, I want the whole show & set to succeed.

Have you heard what the current NCIS set is like now? Harmon retired in Sept 2021, Gary Cole is the new lead actor. Cole seems like a more shy and private guy than Harmon, and even though he is lead actor now, he can't walk around swinging his dick on set (like Harmon as top dog could) cos Cole didn't build NCIS from the ground up.

Odd position to be the new star on a long-running show.

[quote] I worked BG on The Many Saints Of Newark. Who would ever guess David Chase is such an asshole. He didn't have a nice thing to say about anyone, and consequently, every cast member despised him. Deservedly.

How would a background person know all this?

r 11 Maybe he was on set because he was a producer on it .

Chase was a producer on it. He could have been on the set.

[quote] I worked BG on The Many Saints Of Newark. Who would ever guess David Chase is such an asshole. He didn't have a nice thing to say about anyone, and consequently, every cast member despised him. Deservedly.

R1, if you're still around, I'd love to hear more about the Many Saints set.

R14-Sorry, I'm dead now.

Mark Harmon is deeply closeted.

Well, so is Tom Selleck.

Sometimes for security purposes #1 and sometimes #2 are given fake names on a call sheet.

R18 like "Enniferjay Nistonay"

Alan Cumming had a phony name on the "Good Wife" call sheets.

Hah, smell HIM!

R18, I’ve seen only numbers for 1-4, no names on one job.

#18 correct, Jim Carrey had one on 'Kidding'

A lot of shows nowadays have fake titles when they’re in production, too. The Tom Holland miniseries The Crowded Room is currently shooting under the fake title Ever’s Blueberries. One of the Spiderman films was London Calling and a Batman film was Magnus Rex. My favorite fake title was the one for The Avengers-Group Hug.

R24 I would watch Ever's Blueberries 😄

Fans still find out about the true titles r24, especially if it's outside of California- I've seen GA and MA state's film commission affiliated sites that will say where the locations and the titles are.

On one project outside of Atlanta, we had some hardcore fans show up outside the fences of an abandoned hospital and stand there for hours, hoping to see the talent exit in their cars. Said talent would hunker down (even with darkened windows to avoid being seen. Also creepy- some fans showed up at the gate of Delta in NJ at 6am- they had to have friends working there to get through security. And this was during the height of the Covid Omicron season too.

David Chase is forever bitter that he's not Martin Scorsese. Chase still has contempt for TV though he created one of the most famous TV shows of all time.

I am a die-hard Sopranos fan, and I was deeply disappointed by The Many Saints of Newark. The main story was BORING, and the only interesting bits were those with young Tony Soprano, who was made a supporting character. I didn't give a fuck about Dickie Moltisanti and his slutty mistress, and going by box office receipts neither did anybody else.

Is there a formula for how many extras are required?

Who decides an office scene requires a person holding a folder to walk past in the background?

R28, rule of thumb for present day normal people is 10 BG per artist, just to make sure they don’t have crazy Instagram makeup on, and to cover tattoos. For period/fantasy/sci-fi stuff, maybe 3-5 per artist. I happen to work on a lot of jobs that take place in the 70’s, so I’ll always ask casting to cast guys with facial hair (whereas back in the aughts, we had to glue sideburns and mustaches on), but a lot more guys have ear piercings now, so we have to cover that up too.

On one of the projects I’m on now, we’re dirtying and sweating up all the BG- there’s 5 of us and 50 BG.

The 2nd AD is in charge of the BG- placing them and “choreographing” them- when to cross, walk away, get in cars, etc.

Interesting perspective, R29, thanks.

What I get pissed about is, on big period projects, there usually aren’t separate hair/make-up stations for men and women. Women always take far longer to get their hair and make-up done and the men have to stand on line for up to an hour. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is the only show that knows how to run the men through “the works” fairly swiftly and efficiently.

That's a good AD department r30, knowing how to run people through efficiently. Did you have to get your haircut? Or just styled?

Haircuts are often done at the fittings for Mrs. Maisel, R31.

SAG-AFTRA just sent out an email that says masks will no longer be required in most situations on set and testing will be less frequent. Not great news for bg on shows like Mrs. Maisel who’ve been enjoying that extra $100-they tested you on two separate days before your shoot date (after already being tested the day before your fitting). Covid tests count as just a little more than half a day each for qualifying for medical insurance.

Yikes R33

Yeah, r33, I'm on a huge show right now, where we have yellow and red (or green for some shows) zone positives everyday (as a matter of fact, I was notified on Wednesday that I was exposed to a positive red zone individual). Apparently each production can dictate the mask and vaccine rules- Red Zone/Zone A must be vaccinated, and masks must be worn in vans.

This is not going to end well, especially with actors testing positive all the time.

SAG-AFTRA is one of the worst, most backward unions in existence. FUCK THEM!

R36 = Matthew Modine

I am worried for productions being forced to shut down, but luckily most of the network shows are on hiatus now until mid-July when they start filming again.

Network= free-to-air channels like CBS, NBC etc that have their shows' season finales airing in May now. Filming is done for the season. Old people need to have their ncis and blue bloods etc shows!

[Quote] Old people need to have their ncis and blue bloods etc shows!

I'm surprised there isn't a Blue Bloods spin-off.

Mrs Maisel has an extensive wardrobe department filled with fabulous vintage outfits. Downside is they’ve never been cleaned and they smell musty.

All the FBI shows have not only been renewed by CBS they’ve been handed two additional seasons. Good news for bg but Jesus, network television has obviously given up if they keep extending lives to these factories which grind out the sausage.

r40- isn't part of SAG-AFTRA that wardrobe needs to be cleaned after every wear? I wonder if "cleaning" means just febreezing it.

Magnum PI reboot got cancelled today after 4 seasons. The only CBS show left filming in Hawaii is "ncis hawaii" which gets a season 2 in the 2022-2023 season. So, do not expect to get much background work if you live in Hawaii!

r43, too lazy to look, but isn't Doogie Kamealoha and Hawaii 5-0 still around? A lot of films still go there (Aquaman 2, Adam Sandler's latest project, the latest sequel to Jumanji).

R43 what else is CBS is cancelling? It's been a blood bath for the CW.

CBS gives Chuck Lorre free reign to come up with the worst shit. How long did they think B Positive would last once the guy got his kidney at the end of Season One? And after Afghanistan fell, who wanted to watch United States Of Al? The Neighborhood is insulting, and Billy Gardell is starting to look like a corpse on Bob Hearts Abishola. CBS will be the first network to implode. They shovel crap onto their schedule, have no interest in promoting said crap after it starts to air, and then just cancels crap and approves more crap. WTF are they doing over there?

It was a bloodbath at the CW in terms of cancelling shows because it could be sold off at some point.

R47 it's actually amazing it's managed to run this long with how abysmal the ratings are for alot of their shows.

Question for my fellow background friends: I worked on a show 2 weeks ago and was just asked to work again next week but in a different situation. Casting director said I will not need another wardrobe fitting. The show is a period piece. Does wardrobe hold onto the outfits they put together in case the person is called back or do they not need you for a fitting since they have your accurate measurements? I was hoping to pick up a few extra bucks for another fitting.

R46 anything called Bob Hearts Abishola should automatically make the network implode.

R49 do you recall if costumes took your picture? They usually do this, in case they need to match a scene (even though you mentioned it would be a different situation).

Since your work date is next week, they may need you for another fitting, but they should probably let you know by tomorrow since Memorial Day is Monday (& majority of production will be shut down)>

I'm in Toronto and was thinking of picking up some background talent work on some shoots while I'm between jobs. Anyone from around here have experience? It looks like my best options are to go through a few local agencies, but I don't know which are the most reputable ones. Also, when it says head shots don't need to be professional, does that mean they'll take a pic off your phone?

R52 With the camera quality on phones nowadays, you can take a decent shot instead of paying someone if you are just doing this to fill in between jobs.

Stick to a basic white backdrop though, nothing fancy that would be distracting.

Solid color shirt. Natural lighting by a window if possible.

One of my better photos I use was taken with my phone propped up on a barstool.

r51 did you try different outfits for your first fitting? It's quite possible they'll use the alternate outfits that you tried on, or it'll be like r51 says.

I think sitting around and waiting can still be interesting. Exchanging stories, gossip and finding out what filmmakers and actors/actresses are really like on set.

[quote] SAG-AFTRA is one of the worst, most backward unions in existence.

Link?

You don't need a link. You'll know just by being a member.

SAG had an opportunity to join the teamsters and become an extremely strong union but then president Melissa Gilbert torpedoed it. Cunt.

[quote]Mrs Maisel has an extensive wardrobe department filled with fabulous vintage outfits. Downside is they’ve never been cleaned and they smell musty.

I wonder how many of them have the vaginal secretions of Helen Lawson. (FUN FACT: The same musk they used as the base note in Helenesque.)

R59 🤮🤮🤮

I did background for a bunch of shows while I was living in NYC... It was interesting to see what happens behind the scenes...until you realize how MUCH happens behind the scenes and how LONG the shoots are, considering how little actually makes it into the episode.

The weirdest thing for me was that the actors (especially the famous ones that you see on TV all the time) don't actually look like anything special. I was standing next to one of them and didn't even realize - she was just a pretty woman, but with none of the 'glamour' or charisma that you see in the final product (I guess that's what lighting and camera angles are for).

I got called for a lot of nightclub scenes, and usually you bring your own outfit (unless they say otherwise). I remember how rude the costume people were as they were inspecting the outfits people had brought along - they were literally looking down their nose at people's lack of designer clothing, and one costumer actually said "This is what you brought for a high-end club?" to one of the BG actors. That made me so mad - if we could afford designer clothing we wouldn't be schlepping out to the ass end of Brooklyn at 7 in the morning for $12p/h BG work!

But my worst memory was this 'alternative nightclub' scene... I brought my own 'club' outfit, but the costume people decided to put a spiked dog collar on me! The shoot lasted for 14 hours and there was nowhere to sit (even during lunch and breaks) so I had to stand practically the whole time in uncomfortable goth boots. You get paid extra once the shoot goes beyond a certain number of hours, but the whole day/night was just painful. And when the episode aired on TV, it lasted for about 2 minutes and I wasn't even shown onscreen (probably a good thing, in hindsight).

I wouldn't do it again, but when in NYC...

I thought you could make 200 bucks a day as an extra? they even pay a lot of money for you to get covid testing. or that's what I heard

They pay $100 per Covid test day.

I worked on Friday on a show here in NY and for 17.4 hours I grossed $1141.92. Not bad for one day of SAG background work.

If you're working 17.4 hours in a day, then the poor crew is working at least 20. Shit- that is blood money.

No, R64, because it’s a period show we were called in two hours before the crew.

Yes, r65, the costumers were called in before you, and have to stay after to catalogue/put away the clothes. Hence 20 hours, unless they're doing shifts.

I did PR for a west coast soap. I often had to do background and under-five when actors didn't show up. My favorite was when I had to "bump" a main character in a bar scene and look at him like I was going to kick the shit out of him. Let me just say I was not acting lol. The guy was a royal pain in the ass. Only took one take. Fun part was I had been working out more and they put me in a tank top so when I bumped into him and mean mugged him I flexed my triceps. That and I am about two inches taller than him.

R66, yes, the costumers and bg PAs, too. But you seemed to insinuate the entire crew had to work 20 hours and that isn’t true.

r65, jeez, don't be so literal. I am part of the crew that gets to work the extra hours too (Makeup/Hair/Wardrobe), so I was commiserating with them. Don't forget the teamsters!

Jeez, don’t be so sensitive, R69. You were generalizing and I was calling you out on that. Lighten up.

*sigh*....See what we have to put up with, for months at a time?

Do daytime soaps normally shoot more than one take, R67? They may have changed since I last watched one, but given the amount of flubbed lines and other gaffes that used to make it to air I assumed they only had time to shoot every scene once unless a major star tripped and faceplanted or something similar.

Yes, they shoot multiple takes.

Interesting, these days they often don’t rehearse. They get their blocking and roll.

In the olden days, they would block and then rehearse each scene a few times. After all scenes were rehearsed, actors would go into hair and makeup and work on memorizing lines/blocking.

Budget cuts mean actors are thrown into the deep end.

R73 I was surprised that cop shows like NCIS still do table reads with the cast. Seems like extra effort. Just do the blocking in the police station sets and move on.

R74, listen to the episode of West Wing Weekly where Emily Proctor is interviewed. She is very frank (and funny) about the differences between how shows like West Wing and cop shows are done.

Can you specify which episode, R75? I don’t see her name in the listings.

Try the search function.

I love how someone who cannot figure out how to search for a podcast episode assumes other people have the mental bandwidth to remember which out of dozens of episodes a specific interview happened in.

Fuck off, R78. That is all.

Has anyone done stand-in work? If you are a stand-in for say, Tom Selleck, must the stand-in have a mustache like Selleck too? Or just the same height and body built as the TV star?

Seems like an easy gig and probably pays better than a good office job, if you can stand-in for a main cast member on a long-running network show.

It depends, R80. I do a lot of stand-in work. I currently stand-in for an actor on a series who has facial hair but have never been asked to grow any. Yes, height, coloring and body type are often important factors in getting jobs. But sometimes the DP (director of photography) doesn’t care, he or she just wants someone who will always be there when needed who is polite and not glued to their phones.

Thank you r81. It makes sense that a stand-in's hair color (or wig) must match the actor's as hair is a big source of lighting diffusion/absorption etc. Facial hair is a small swatch of hair so DP might or might not care, as you said.

I wonder when the actor is needed on set, vs when the stand-in, well... Stands in. I feel like sometimes, the actor has to be the one there for blocking with the camera, etc.

I heard makeup and wardrobe people know all the dirt about everything and are real nasty pieces of work.

R83 and???

R82, the primary function of a stand-in (especially one for a lead on a series/film) is not just standing on a mark, it’s doing the blocking and working out each shot with the camera department. There usually is the intent to only bring the actors (known as “first team”) to set when camera/lighting are ready for them. Stand-ins are known as “second team.” Steven Soderbergh doesn’t use stand-ins at all but he operates the camera himself and works so rapidly that I guess there’s no need for them.

I've been on shows where the stand ins will have a wig (for females) to approximate the lead's hair color, or platform shoes/heels (to duplicate height) and their clothing will have the same colors as well. Then there are some cinematographers that demand that the stand in have the duplicate skin, hair color, and wardrobe as the leads so they can light them the same and have it consistent. I saw one photograph of Julianne Moore Seriously talking with her stunt double and stand in, all facing in, and you couldn't tell who was whom (who?)- I think it was for Hannibal.

According to the search function, Emily Procter's name has been misspelled three times o'er the years. (r75)

On Orphan Black, Tatiana Maslany has said her stand-in was a true acting partner because she was having to play the scenes with her, as Tatiana was playing multiple characters.

The same was true for the actress who was Rachel Weisz’ “acting stand-in” on the upcoming miniseries Dead Ringers. Weisz’ character plays twins. She also had a regular stand-in in addition to somebody who was like her acting partner when the twins had scenes together.

I've always wondered who was Anne Heche's stand-in during her time on Another World playing twins Vicky Hudson and Marley Love. Whoever it was played all those scenes twice, same as she did, I suspect.

Hair and makeup people do know all the dirt, and they have excellent memories.

Keep in mind, on big budget movies they'll have to be ready to work at 5am, coiffing and painting hundreds of extras, some of whom think this is their "big break" and want their hair to look extra special. It must be exhausting, trying to get it all done in 2 hours and having to deal with the egos and expectations of a bunch of people for whom this is a Big Day, even if they're likely never to be seen on camera.

I have heard hair and makeup people talk, and especially when they're on a challenging shoot, they need to vent. Always, always be polite with these people, because they're vital to making you and everyone else look good, and they're there first-thing.

There are also ‘doubles’ - similar to stand ins. Expected to be physically similar to the actor, often paid the same cheap rate as extras and filing a role in scenes where the character is filmed from a distance or from behind. Had a summer gig on a German project being filmed in rural Scotland. Spent days, in costume, driving or being driven around in Landrovers, taxis, buses or just standing alone or among groups of extras. The actor’s kids visited the set one day and seemed freaked to see their daddy double.

R90 It was someone named Debbon Ayer.

so you can't take out your cell phone while waiting? I read somewhere that an actor got a extra fired for it.

Cell phones are a SUPREME no-no on 99% of sets.

For one thing, studios want to keep what they're making totally under wraps. Extras are "loose cannons" who will film or take pictures of anything and everything, including costumes and props and even whole scenes if they think they can get away with it, so to cut that off at the pass, cell phones are expected to stay off and out of sight, or they each get locked up in a special room at the start of each workday and returned at the end of the shoot.

For another, film sets are not your typical workplace. People are changing their clothes, or flirting or gossiping, or there could be possible workplace violations...anything that if documented and shared on social media, could suddenly create a narrative very damaging to the production. Actors rehearsing a love-making scene? Someone in the crew making an offhand homophobic remark? Wires left tangled on the floor in a way that could later be used by someone looking to sue the production for negligence? NONE of that can leak. So taking the cellphones away cuts down the likelihood of "something stupid" derailing the project.

Think about it - if some interns came into your workplace for one or two days and were free to document everything they saw, unsupervised, how quickly would your workplace get sued, embarrassed or shut-down?

Extras don't exactly go to an Institute for Background Players or something. They're Joe Schmoes who wanted a thrill and a day's work on a film set (or legit actors trying to work their way up). The ways extras behave can really really surprise you and yes, they do get fired or sent home if production sees something they don't like. It happens.

Very informative r95. But main cast are allowed their cell phones surely? That's how they pass their time sitting in their folding chairs.

I even saw a Veep bloopers reel: main cast Tim Simons was filming, when suddenly his iphone's Siri pipes up and ruins the take.

[quote]I've always wondered who was Anne Heche's stand-in during her time on Another World playing twins Vicky Hudson and Marley Love. Whoever it was played all those scenes twice, same as she did, I suspect.

If it was filming during one of her manic phases she might have been able to zoom back and forth between marks and play both roles simultaneously.

R96, yes, the principal actors as well as the entire crew are allowed to use their cell phones on set.

There’s one particular set in NY which allows background to keep their phones as long as it’s in their socks. I’m not kidding. And it’s a period show,

R98 that's not unusual. Socks, pockets, in your underwear even...you stash it wherever you can, so long as the camera cannot see.

Some productions don't want the hassle of prying them away from people. But I wouldn't be surprised if all sets adopt a zero tolerance policy for extras at the least. Again, its risky to be lenient.

[quote]R99 Socks, pockets, in your underwear even...you stash it wherever you can, so long as the camera cannot see.

Can I put my cell phone in my underwear, on VIBRATE?

Some big films (Marvel) and commercials (Apple) will even ban most crew except department heads and their keys to use phones- they'll put little stickers on the cameras so you can't take photos. Marvel/Disney will even monitor your browsing or logins on the web if you're on their wifi. The BG on those projects will have to check their phones in with production, and they get them back at wrap.

Remember when people didn't carry phones with them every single damn place they went?

I remember on the original Law & Order back in the 1990s there was a free phone in the holding area and the background (then known as “extras”) would get pretty nasty to those who’d stay on it too long between breaks.

I worked on Succession a few months ago and was shocked that they didn’t ask us to sign NDA’s because the episode involved a major plot twist. Wardrobe people are, for the most part, miserable. I find them to be the most angry and abusive on set. Mrs Maisel is finally coming to an end. I’ve had such bad luck with that show including putting me on hold for an episode and letting me hang for months without telling me it wasn’t happening. They reached out last week and asked if I wanted to be a talk show audience member in the final episode and I passed. Most disorganized show I’ve ever worked on.

Has anyone worked on Capote and his women yet?

R104, tell us more about Succession. Such a great show!

Mrs Maisel staged a huge firework display. No one was informed, no notice. Buildings shook from the explosions. The city didn't inform residents either, nothing on 311 webpage. Thought a bomb went off. Tuesday nite 9 pm. That mayor of NYC is a mouth breathing dud.

Succession is very tightly run and the PA’s and wardrobe people are the nicest I’ve ever worked with.

^ That's refreshing.

Succession really is one of the best run shows there is. The crew on it really does seem to be an extremely cohesive unit. They could be smug as shit because their show has won the Best Drama Emmy twice but they’re not. And yeah, the costume department (the word “wardrobe” is apparently a no-no now) is wonderful,

My problem has never been with film crews in the neighborhood. My problem is the ignorant goons who show up the day before to hold the parking spaces on the whole block, smoke reefer and drink while lounging on the stoops, without any sense of courtesy toward the residents. Law & Order, Mrs. Maisel, and FBI are the worst offenders.

i can't remember but I there was a tv series filming close to a place I was at and they fucking clapped after every take or something. It was late at night. like around 11pm. the whole group would just clap! so fucking annoying. on a weekday!

Crews usually only clap when the 1st AD announces “It’s a season/series/picture wrap” on whatever actor has just finished his or her last day.

R113, I don't know what was going on but there was a lot of clapping for at least 30min. It was late at night and maybe they were finishing up or something...not sure.

R112, that puts another slant on an incident I heard from behind the scenes of filming [italic]Angel[/italic] years ago, where residents of an alley dumped urine out their windows onto the proceedings during a night shoot. If it was disrupting people's sleep (particularly of families with babies or small children) I can sympathize with the urge to demonstrate displeasure with the crew.

R115, that apparently also happened on the set of Streisand’s The Mirror Has Two Faces, night shoot on West End Avenue.

I could understand wardrobe being a miserable bunch, having to clean and maintain costumes between each use and hoping the actors don't get stains on the clothes. They're probably willing to do it for the main cast, but might get huffy with background's costuming.

If you're a production assistant, your main job could be the designated jacket holder for a main cast during hot outdoor shoots.

I did a film in another county where it was the height of summer at the time. Only one other actor was, like me, working under SAG rules and the contract was followed to the letter (two other actor unions were involved, it was a big international project). As all of my scenes were outdoors I got a bad sunburn on my bald spot after the first day, which was very red and peeling the next day. I wasn't in too much pain, but as we'd just started shooting production was alarmed. Apparently meetings were held and everyone was apologetic, so until the end of the shoot I had a PA in place who held an umbrella over me to keep it from getting worse in between takes!

I offered that if given the umbrella I could do it myself, but it was a done deal, and the PA remained in place until we wrapped!

R115 probably not the worst thing that's happened on the set of Angel.

With period shows using vintage clothes, they cannot dry clean a lot of them, esp for BG. What the costumers have to do every day is to spray down the costumes with vodka, and lint roller them. The usually make the women wear vintage bras (esp the 40's/50's) and girdles/corsets, which also have to be cleaned as well. Gotta schelp all that shit around (including hats/shoes/jewelry) early morning to all the actors/BG and collect/categorize/clean at wrap.

Worked the last five days on Mrs, Maisel. Jealous, bitches? Hah. It was for one particular sequence which will be a climax of sorts. The actor playing Lenny Bruce wasn’t there, dammit. There were about 150 of us each day but we were treated extremely well by the PAs. The costume supervisor Dan had his crappy moments but he ended up being rather sweet. I think he was extremely relieved that the show was finally ending.

Not jealous, wont support the franchise after the big middle finger that production gave NYERS.

Congrats R121! $$$$$$$$$$. Did you shoot at Steiner or in Manhattan?

I can't stand background roaches! They stink.

I did background for “Girls” before it premiered (ie nobody had heard of Lens etc). I didn’t interact with the main actors at all but actually got some direction so felt like I was acting!

R123, we shot the final week at Steiner. Which is a fucking pain in the ass for those of us who have to take a subway, especially early in the morning. But last week was worth it. I think we grossed around $2500.

R126. That’s fantastic! Yup, Steiner is a pain in the ass especially if it’s a 5am call.

So do you put yourself down as self-employed on your tax returns?

Just out of curiosity, how common is it for extras to be warned about hooking up with with the main cast? Like through DMs...

r129- Maybe back before 2010, but now, unless they're specially directed to look or pretend to interact (e.g. barista), they cannot speak to the principals at all, unless spoken to. Male principals used to chat up hot BG all the time- I don't see it as much now.

I’ve worked as ‘featured background’ where I’ve been in scenes with cast members but don’t have any lines. I smile and nod if they smile and nod first otherwise I don’t look at them until they yell Action. Between takes one of the actors told another actor that I was ‘odd looking’ and they laughed. I could tell she was a major cunt and she’s also a lousy actress.

R130 thanks for answering. Maybe it's different if said actor made it a habit to continually sleep with extras while also high as a kite.

I always wonder why people who are successful can't be pleasant, rather than laughing at others. I guess in creative fields it's because so many people are fucked up.

R131, please give us the actor’s name.

hey 131. name names

OP, R131 etc... are sets generally - generally - nice places to work? Or are they typically wildly under pressure and stressed? We all like to imagine the creative spaces are great work environments. Overall, is it still a place where you can't believe your luck or it is just a day at the office in the end?

I imagine sets depend on your role. If you are the script supervisor overseeing the continuity, that might be one of the most high pressure roles on set, besides the director and maybe AD. Versus being a low-level lackey who does their task and smokes.

Grateful actors always say they love working on set. I can see why, know your lines and marks, and the rest is gravy. Literally, you can tell a PA "I want gravy from ABC diner" and they'll run to get it for you.

R137, I think the costume department are under the worst pressure on sets.

[quote]So do you put yourself down as self-employed on your tax returns?

Actors, background and everyone working on a tv show is paid by a payroll company and is issued a regular paycheck with taxes withheld, which legally makes one an "employee".

On-set sex/romances happen more often than people in the industry care to admit. There's just too many high-profile stories of leading ladies hooking up with co-stars, producers, directors and other crew members. Among other examples. I guess it's an easy way to meet people and emotions are running high.

They are called "showmances", and leading men do it too.

[Quote] On-set sex/romances happen more often than people in the industry care to admit. There's just too many high-profile stories of leading ladies hooking up with co-stars, producers, directors and other crew members. Among other examples. I guess it's an easy way to meet people and emotions are running high.

Which is why it's funny when people still freak out if an actor cheats. Like of course they do. Why is that so surprising? Or you have the opposite with ____ would never cheat because they're married lol

Has anyone worked on the top secret Amazon show FALLOUT aka HONDO? Where are they shooting?

Crew member- currently working on Minx S2, Six Thirty (AKA Lessons in Chemistry), and will be working on Joker 2.

For some reason i thought Minx was cancelled. Glad to hear it's getting a second season.

Will Austin Nichols be back for Minx season 2? Will his prosthetic?

R142, Fallout/Hondo is shooting on soundstages in Brooklyn (Steiner) and Long Island (Gold Coast).

R147. THANK YOU!

I will not do television now, only film. I worked on a few television shows at the beginning of my career (wardrobe in the 90s), and I hated it so much.

Mrs. Maisel is a hell set for the wardrobe people.

r146, as far as I know, no.

Worked on Hondo. Production put a piece of tape over the camera on our phones. Fine. No problem. They also locked up our phones before we went to set. We were told in advance but the reality is we were away from our email for 3-4 hours at a time and missing out on availability checks for other work. They’re worried about leaks yet we were not asked to sign NDA’s. But, like I said, we were warned in advance but I don’t think many of us realized how stressful it would be to not have access to email for extended periods of time.

I heard that a bg lady on Feud: Capote’s Women took a Covid test yesterday, showed up to work this morning, got hair done and then was told she’d tested positive and was sent home. She was around other bg, PAs and the hair person for two hours. The other bg supposedly were notified by email in the middle of the night but for some reason her diagnosis didn’t show up until around 9 am. Ouch.

It’s going to be a rough winter in this business, between Covid, the flu and RSV already wreaking havoc.

I’ve taken a PCR test on Friday and reported to set on Monday with not so much as a rapid test in between. Stupid. I could have gotten Covid anytime between Friday afternoon and Monday morning. There are productions that go along with Covid testing because they have to and productions that actually take it seriously.

R152 are entire productions still being shut down by covid, like a few had to in January 2022 (right after new year)? Or just re-casting guests and re-writing episodes if a main actor gets covid? CBS scripted shows still doing masks for crew, main cast free to walk around unmasked and... Blow out birthday candles.

Does anyone know which studio is home to Feud? Steiner? Kaufman Astoria? Thanks.

Steiner, R155.

R156. Thanks!

I did a co-star on BILLIONS this week and it was a very smooth set. It was a cramped location for so many crew and background actors. But the director was laid back and nice, and everyone was in a good mood. It's really nice to be on set when the atmosphere is positive and calm.

R158 sounds like a dream.

I gather one of the regular directors on Billions is a snotty piece of shit, though.

R93, Debbon Ayer is now married to Rob Morrow. She guested on his TV show, Numbers. He was the lead. She was just ok as an actress, IMO.

Well, I feel like a dunce! I thought Debbon Ayer was some made up character, a la Dora Dumbfuck. A play on "debonair."

These were good threads while they lasted.

I’m going to be doing bg in the Black & White Ball sequence on Feud: Capote and his Women. Jealous, bitches?

r145, got cancelled in the Great HBOMax/WB Blood Bath. But got picked up by Starz this week.

Please don’t stop posting

I was background in "Shallow Hal", specifically in a nightclub scene, you can see me in the final cut of the film. As much as I hate to admit it, Gwyneth Paltrow was a sweetheart. Shot the shit with me, and others. Nice girl, as long as you didnt act like she was a big deal. Saw her at a local musicfest, and she spoke to me, and remembered my name. Jack Black was a stand off-ish dick.

A friend of mine was on set doing bg on the first day of Season 3 of Only Murders in the Building and Meryl Streep was there. So that was fun.

On long-running shows or procedurals, what kind of instructions would the director give the actors?

DL fave Mariska, Meloni, Mark Harmon have played their routine roles a thousand times, what could a director have to say to them??

Gaga needs to lay off the lip fillers. It's a pity she got that buccal fat removal procedure done, however she is a very down to earth gal. Extremely quiet, but will break out in song once in a while.

R158. Billions was on location, on my block. The PAs and crew were their usual rude selves, attempting to block residents from their own sidewalks and buildings.

The shitheads on The Rachel Brosnahan Show did the same thing a few months ago on my block, including giant fucking lights.

R168, When I used to work BG, I worked NCIS quite a bit, and they were always short days due to the fact the director did only one or two takes. This was when Mark Harmon was working specifically.

That's awesome r172. Do you remember the names of the directors you worked with? Mostly old white guy directors? Michael Zinberg is still grinding at it.

Terrence O'Hara unfortunately passed late last year of cancer, but he was still working NCIS up until a few months before his passing.

I think Capote is wrapping this week. They were looking for mourners last week. I'm guessing they're for his funeral.

R174-They were keening over the death of network television.

R174, according to someone I know on the crew Feud/Capote’s Women doesn’t wrap until the end of the month.

Has anyone worked in Feud Capote? I’d love to see Naomi Watts in action in the set. I’ve heard she’s very relaxed and low stress.

R169 you're on Joker 2?

Are they doing a new take on Harley or something akin to her original incarnation?

R83

They can be. My first day as an extra, I sat with them over lunch and they were talking about this one girl (another extra) who they hated because she asked for too much, and about how bad their last film shoot was, how all extras want special attention with their hair and makeup...and how exhausting we are.

LOL - definitely don't piss them off or ask for special treatment. They will talk shit.

But I've also had really sweet hair/makeup people who appreciate some chitchat and jokes. They tended to be younger though. The grizzled vets are a different story.

Do you guys think it's okay - or even expected - for extras to flirt and use the day as a paid speed dating exercise?

I find that gross, but I'm admittedly too professional and by the book sometimes.

I helped get a friend, a girl, work as an extra and she legit spent the entire day collecting numbers from guys and holding court like The Bachelorette. I was really not impressed.

Fine, you're only coworkers with them for one day but still...you're coworkers. It isn't a bar. And also, I got you hired so your behavior reflects on me. Be discreet. Pick one person you really like and get their number....don't openly giggle with dozens of guys when you're supposed to be keeping quiet and seeming respectable.

Right?

I've seen lots of flirting going on in holding. It's fine. Friendships are made or renewed, numbers are exchanged. As long as you do what you're told and don't disrupt the set the PA's don't care.

R173 Pretty much what you said.

When you mentioned Terrence O'Hara, I did momentarily confuse him with Terence Nightingall, who directs a lot of NCIS:LA episodes specifically. RIP to the former.

It's been a very long time since I worked NCIS:LA, but an even longer time since I worked NCIS, but fondly remember it running like a well-oiled production.

Happy to say I do remember working both shows for the better.

R173

EDIT: Terence Nightingall was primarily in the camera department more than being a director, but that's about right for me getting my 'white collar' crew members confused!

R183 I forgot to tell you that another long-time NCIS director James Whitmore is still going strong and working a lot too! They are all older white men, but T. O'Hara was fondly remembered as cussing like a sailor. Whitmore has a kinder grandpa aura, I believe.

Speaking of cinematographers, is it true they have a rep for being snooty? And is there typically only 1 hair trailer? Seems reasonable to have a men's hair and separate women's hair space, as both sexes have different hair needs with men sometimes needing fillers.

r178, I'm assuming (they only tell us what is happening the day we shoot). She's at Arkham with him, but not as psychiatrist HQ, but as a patient, and they definitely have a relationship He's mesmerizing to watch.

R183 I don't think I ever worked when Whitmore directed; someone who I do recall was an old thin white man who was constantly smoking. As in, I swear we'd cut so he could go get a quick smoke outside. Of course I cannot remember his name; but I believe he worked both NCIS shows.

Interesting observation about cinematographers, when I work 2nd team, I'm usually forewarned that the DP (Director of Photography) either 'hates SI's (Stand In), or he's a real piece of work. Not on all sets, but there were definitely quite a few where we were told beforehand by crew, or other long-term second teamers.

And most sets I've been on have had one hair trailer. If it's a huge production though, they may have two, but for the most part, I've seen one. Then again, I haven't done BG in forever, but that is what I remember.

R184, my post above was meant for you-

[quote]R18 Sometimes for security purposes #1 and sometimes #2 are given fake names on a call sheet.

What use is it to be #1 on a call sheet if you’re not #1 in people’s hearts?

I wonder about this.

[quote]r28 Who decides an office scene requires a person holding a folder to walk past in the background?

[quote]r29 The 2nd AD is in charge of the BG - placing them and “choreographing” them- when to cross, walk away, get in cars, etc.

Yes. Though like at every job, there’s the standard way, and then there are exceptions. There can be twists and quirks that get extras placed where they are onscreen. I had a few small roles in film and TV, and in one I was to be chatting in the restroom of a gay club. The principal actor was in the stall and I, a drag queen, was fixing my makeup in the mirror as we chatted.

Then in another shot I had a conspiratorial line to one of the men who were all leaning against the wall, lined up outside the stall waiting to use it. These were all non speaking players. It made the most sense to speak to whichever man was at the front of the line, because they’d be right by the sink I was at.

I thought I would be a little more naturally sparkly if it were someone I thought was cute, so I scanned the line, spotted an extra I responded to, and asked, “Can he be the one I talk to?” They put that guy at the front and shuffled the others down. I whispered to him to try to stand up on his toes as much as possible, as he was a little under my height and then I wouldn’t be looking down at him. He was nice.

I felt kind of bad for the guy originally at the front, and that one could have trained at RADA for all I know and been a great actor. But a lot of the time quick decisions are made based purely on one’s looks, and that was one of them. And it’s all subjective, and chance. The guy I responded to had a preppie, wholesome look. If a different actor playing my part liked slinky Filipinos, maybe they’d have made a similar request and a different extra would have ended up more featured in the shot.

In Marsha Mason’s autobiography she said she was an extra in a commercial (?) with Peter Falk when she was unknown, there was something about her he liked, and he asked that she be put near him on the escalator so she’d be in the shot. So sometimes extras are reshuffled that way.

I did bg work on Gossip Girl and about 10 of us sat around a conference table getting chewed out by Malcolm McDowell. There was a stunning older woman sitting right next to MM and would obviously be in the shot. At the last minute they moved her out of the shot and put another older actress in her place. It was clear that they didn't want anyone to pull focus.

No, the 2nd 2nd AD is in charge of placing the bg.

The 2nd AD does a lot of the hiring, talks directly to casting and is responsible for organizing paperwork like the call sheets. The 2nd AD is also known as the key 2nd.

More than once, I'd be used on set only once they'd already shot with everyone else and wanted faces who weren't already established in scenes...and then I'd be placed in the furthest corner, or with my back to camera.

So, so ugly.

I worked on a police procedural one season and guest star Eric Bogosian pointed out in a real police precinct there would never be so many cops in uniform strolling around. Now I notice it in every cop show!

I worked as a stand-in on a show set in Maine and casting brought in 80% bg who were either Black or hispanic as core for a squadroom. Really? For a squadroom in Maine? It looked ridiculous.

[quote]R193 I worked on a police procedural one season and guest star Eric Bogosian pointed out in a real police precinct there would never be so many cops in uniform strolling around.

Little bitch needs to keep his trap SHUT if he doesn’t want a mob of extras to descend on him, ripping him limb to limb.

Hah, that’s how I always felt about The Good Wife and The Good Fight. It always looked like Grand Central Station in there and there wouldn’t be that many lawyers/assistants walking down hallways from office to office and desk to desk.

Has anyone had luck getting bg work with Casting Networks? I get maybe 3-4 jobs a year with them. And it's very expensive.

Rereading the other Background Talent threads and damn, there’s some good shit in there.

I think the WGA will go on strike in May followed by the DGA and SAG-AFTRA a month later and TV/film production could be halted through the summer. Which would be devastating for everyone but the issues on the table are just too big. Platforms like HBO and Netflix randomly pulling shows because it’s in their best financial interests not to pay residuals is the tip of the iceberg.

The writers will most likely go on strike in May followed by the directors and then the actors. If you work in film and TV you might want to make summer vacation plans.

Most of the studios forced the writers to write a full season out, so at least shows in production won't shut down due to lack of scripts.

A lot of shows wrap for the season by May, anyway. At least the network ones do.

[quote]Back ground

Oh dear.

R198 I expect many network tv shows to suffer a shortened 2023-24 season (with late LATE fall premiere), instead of the full 22 episodes per season.

A big shame if for any reason you greatly enjoy a network show like NCIS, Grey's, Chicago Fire, whatnot.

Can you imagine getting through the fall without new eps of Chicago Fire or Chicago Med??? However will these viewers get by?

I seriously struggle to think of any new network shows I have any interest in.

It's not only that everything is on streaming services now...it's like my appetite for scripted shows I end up following for 8 years has completely died.

I've been bingeing older shows and prefer them to new stuff.

Are any of you part of the 750 BG for Joker 2 in NY? That amount of BG staggers me.

Nothing could ever beat the 1600 bg on I Am Legend. I worked those nights under the Brooklyn Bridge. It was horrendous.

R207 any tea on Will?

He was fine, R208. He didn’t slap anybody on set. We were thrilled to be sent home just as we arrived on Friday night because Will decided to fly out to LA for the Golden Globes, after all.

r207, that amount is staggering too, but on Joker, every single BG has to be coiffed, groomed, and made up as well, as it is a period piece.

I have read all three threads and really enjoy hearing about everyone's experiences. So much so, that now when I am watching shows, especially procedurals, I find myself watching the BG people and what they are wearing, are they carrying anything (files, newspapers, coffee) and watching how they walk, etc. I usually have to rewind to catch the main character's dialogue! I never realized how much BG people add to the show. Keep up the good work, DLers!

R209 i'm glad it was a slap free set 😄 I forgot that Willow is also in I Am Legend.

How are you background talent holding up with the writers' strike now?

I've heard that there is at least one member of the castor crew who has some sort of major meltdown every day on a TV or film set

R203, I will miss Blue Bloods, OG L&O, Todd, and Chicago Med. That’s it.

Tough times for bg with almost nothing shooting in NY and LA.

I’m hearing that some SAG members who work as bg are being paid to picket for the WGA. I guess these could be the same losers who got paid to attend Trump campaign rallies in 2015/2016.

Casting office in NYC for Ryan Murphy’s Anerican Sports Story aka Gladiator is contacting union bg actors today to work as non-union poker players. What the fuck? Murohy should be put under investigation for his conduct the past two months. I believe rumors he’s paid off teamsters.

See you on the picket line, y’all.