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Being an extra - Radio Times, January 2006 |
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RT's Danny Scott went on the set of Hotel Babylon to try life as a supporting actor.
"Thanks to Ricky Gervais, we're
all now familiar with extras -
those often forgotten faces
who drift across the
background in TV soaps and dramas.
But what really happens in an average
day for a supporting actor? (They hate
being called extras.) Are they all
desperate for the odd line of dialogue
like Andy Millman, the character played
by Gervais, and even more desperate
to suck up to the A-list talent? RT
headed for Bedfordshire and the
huge set of Hotel Babylon to find out.
The biggest shock has to be the early
start. I was due on set at 7am, which
meant a 5.30am alarm and one of those
surreal pre-dawn drives where the only
other traffic seems to be milkfloats.
Once on set, the first job is to find a nice
warm seat on the catering bus. Chances
are you won't be wanted in hair and
make-up for an hour, so you might as
well grab a bacon sarnie and a coffee.
Unless you're one of the main
characters, getting ready means little
more than a touch of foundation and
hairspray - with a number one skinhead
like me, you don't even need that - and
then you're ready for your close-up.
Well, not exactly close-up - all I had to
do was walk across the hotel lobby. But
that didn't matter. It was my big break.
So, how come none of my limbs worked
every time I heard the word "Action"?
My on-screen time lasts probably
only about two or three seconds, but
that one tiny scene took two or three
hours to film - made up of countless rehearsals, takes and re-takes. And
of the 20 or so supporting actors (SAs)
on set, only half were being used.
Like any job, the pay can vary. The
flat rate is around £80, but one SA
talked of a day on EastEnders that had
netted him £300. Mind you, that did
include a bit of dialogue and some
dancing. Some SAs, like Andy Millman,
put themselves forward for every
scene, sniffing out any lines going.
The production staff joke that SAs
are only interested in two things:
what time is lunch and what time
do we finish? That may be harsh, but
there was certainly some shuffling
of feet as the day wore on. Sitting
around doing nothing all day does get
boring. But if I get to see my ungainly
self wandering across the lobby of
Hotel Babylon … it'll all be worthwhile."
**
Now take a look at our full Hotel Babylon guide.
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