Do you put ads on Craigslist? If so what do you say? Do you have success on getting extras for free, or do you pay them say minimum wage? How early do you put the call out? What other sites or places to put the call out? If paying, do you treat them as employees(non union) and withhold taxes, or do you just cut them a check or give them cash? How hard is it for you to get extras?
Where do YOU find extras?
- Thread starter TinselTown
- Start date
That are many questions.
I put a call out as soon as I know what I'm looking for and when it has to be shot. You can't be too early with that. Too late, however, is easy.
I indeed use messageboards. I'm not in the US, so I don't use Craigslist. And I use facebook and Twitter. Plus I ask the actors I already know for suggestions.
The more money you offer, the easier it gets
The more quality you offer, the easier it gets
The more fun you offer, the easier it gets.
So if you are making something they think is fun and you can deliver topnotch quality AND yo pay a lot: it should be no problem to find extras
I put a call out as soon as I know what I'm looking for and when it has to be shot. You can't be too early with that. Too late, however, is easy.
I indeed use messageboards. I'm not in the US, so I don't use Craigslist. And I use facebook and Twitter. Plus I ask the actors I already know for suggestions.
The more money you offer, the easier it gets
The more quality you offer, the easier it gets
The more fun you offer, the easier it gets.
So if you are making something they think is fun and you can deliver topnotch quality AND yo pay a lot: it should be no problem to find extras
No.
Whatever is needed to push the buttons to get people involved.
Yep.
Extras here cost more than minimum wage.
It depends.
My own contact list mostly. casting agents get the best results. In my area, Starnow and Facebook are the go to sites.
Not my job.
Not that hard, but they can be unreliable. Even if you're paying.
haha I'm only offering minimum wage. If the TV show Portlandia offers minimum and they have a proper budget I definitely wouldn't go against the grain there. I don't know how to make it more enticing other than saying there will be pizzaThat are many questions.
I put a call out as soon as I know what I'm looking for and when it has to be shot. You can't be too early with that. Too late, however, is easy.
I indeed use messageboards. I'm not in the US, so I don't use Craigslist. And I use facebook and Twitter. Plus I ask the actors I already know for suggestions.
The more money you offer, the easier it gets
The more quality you offer, the easier it gets
The more fun you offer, the easier it gets.
So if you are making something they think is fun and you can deliver topnotch quality AND yo pay a lot: it should be no problem to find extras
I wonder how far people are willing to drive/commute to be an extra. I'll try the usual suspects. Facebook, craigslist, backstage, and ask the actors. It shouldn't be too hard to get 30 or so extras.
Ultimately I see why even big budget films keep getting delayed. Pretty much anything can delay a shoot.
I have had the best success putting my information under "Things To Do" Events in the local newspaper. It is free and the readership is almost all nearby people.
that sounds like a good idea. But I assume id need a minimum amount already confirmed--as mentioned earlier friends/family of actors. Because the paper is usually "things to do THIS WEEK in *Insert city* so people just show up but you cant really expect it. It would be great if I had a few confirmed extras and more is just icing on the cake.
Two restaurant scenes. Luckily the two restaurants are literally side by side so we plan on filming one during the day, and the other when the sun goes down at 4:40pm.
Then a gallery opening scene--on a different day. In any case, the extras have to be dressed up a bit.
I've generally had cast & crew reach out to friends and family, including aspiring actors. I promise to feed them and give them an IMDB credit (as "restaurant patron" etc), which is attractive to the latter group. When we shoot away from my/our home base, we've had the location manager hang up flyers and put notices in people's mailboxes in the neighborhood, explaining the project and what we're looking for.