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Clarifying my position

Question:

The extra doesn’t have to do a gazillion long shots, medium shots and closeups. The extra doesn’t have to do interminable reverses. The extra doesn’t have to hit his/her mark right on or risk pissing off the director. The extra doesn’t have to remember lines with a huge lens just inches from his face. The extra doesn’t have to remember those lines over and over and over. Hmmmm, Dave,  now with alll your experience I would of thought you were over all these rookie jitters. What’s up with that ?

As long as your a dayplayer, you’re still expendable. But those aren’t jitters, just the things that make film work hard compared with extra work. Feature films are a bit easier, but TV series work is intense. —     *                Daly City California                 *     ******* My typos are intentional copyright traps ******

Response:

I don’t want the role of defender of extra kind, but  to be accurate: Of course extras (maybe not in crowd scenes, I don’t know) have to do coverage. Extras may just be scenery, but the scenery has to match. Extras are not in as many shots but their time standing there is probably the same as principal actors, because extras don’t get stand-ins. What’s painful about extra work is NOT having the camera right there or lines to memorize. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The extra doesn’t have to do a gazillion long shots, medium shots and closeups. The extra doesn’t have to do interminable reverses. The extra doesn’t have to hit his/her mark right on or risk pissing off the director. The extra doesn’t have to remember lines with a huge lens just inches from his face. The extra doesn’t have to remember those lines over and over and over.

Response:

I never said it wasn’t a stupid job. Hell, I wrote my term paper about how stupid a job extra work can be. My paper’s titled "Somebody has to do it". It is, however, no more stupid than lots of jobs actors survive on, and it serves a real purpose in movies and tv. Without extras, you’re watching a play. Extras give the illusion of the story happening in a real world. Extras also serve as a greek chorus for the action. Godzilla can’t menace an empty Tokyo.

Few jobs are "stupid". Being an extra isn’t stupid. It’s just not acting and it requires no training. —     *                Daly City California                 *     ******* My typos are intentional copyright traps ******

Response:

I basically agree, but it does offer, especially in a small shoot, experience of being on a set that I wish I’d had when I shot my 1st principal role. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Few jobs are "stupid". Being an extra isn’t stupid. It’s just not acting and it requires no training.

Response:

Like most actors, I did extra work becuase I need to make enough money to eat. I never felt extra work was hard, and certanly not as hard as remembering lines and starring in the show. I think actors would complain about doing extra work because they are not really acting, just walkin back and forth on cue, and they know they should be doing something better than that. I thoght extra work was pretty fun, I met alot of people and learned alot about this business. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am still new here, and maybe I offended people right off the bat, but I would just like to say, I am not opposed to the artists that do extra work, or background artist, or whatever you want to call it.I have no problem with them working that gig for whatever reason. Its a very hard job and it takes a lot of time and patience. Whether it takes any indepth acting training or not is a matter of opinion. Some say acting is a matter of memorizing lines and not running into the furniture. What I don’t like is actors that do extra work and whine about doing extra work. If they love the business then show it. I am also, for the record, not fond of actors that get hired for talents they dont have. But that’s the nature of the biz in many aspects. there…now you can attack me for all the right reasons.

–  - Minako’s Boyfriend, SonicChaos http://members.xoom.com/SonicChaos/files.html MoonieCode(1.5) SM:6-[7] F:sMo++Ve+++:vBR X:45d+++ O:d+!:s+! P:a18:s6:w-:f+:eBr:hBl-b:t[-]:y:r|

Response:

Hmmmm, Dave,  now with alll your experience I would of thought you were over all these rookie jitters. What’s up with that ? As long as your a dayplayer, you’re still expendable. But those aren’t jitters, just the things that make film work hard compared with extra work. Feature films are a bit easier, but TV series work is intense. I only have film work experience- never uttered a line on TV- So what is it? The last moment re-writes? Or just lack of time between final script and shooting? Is an hour show more or less than a 1/2 hour. This is good stuff- thanks for sharing.

An hour drama show is shot in a week, delays not allowed. There are a lot of scenes to shoot, they always take longer than expected, and they WILL be done that day, as scheduled. The stars are in so many scnes they may be on location from 6:00 am to 10:pm. They earn their money. —     *                Daly City California                 *     ******* My typos are intentional copyright traps ******

Response:

Hmmmm, Dave,  now with alll your experience I would of thought you were over all these rookie jitters. What’s up with that ? As long as your a dayplayer, you’re still expendable. But those aren’t jitters, just the things that make film work hard compared with extra work. Feature films are a bit easier, but TV series work is intense.

I only have film work experience- never uttered a line on TV- So what is it? The last moment re-writes? Or just lack of time between final script and shooting? Is an hour show more or less than a 1/2 hour. This is good stuff- thanks for sharing.

Response:

Some say acting is a matter of memorizing lines and not running into the furniture.

- SPENCER TRACY, being playful with a reporter who ;ike most folks, just did not get what this acting "thing" was all about. That’s who said it.

Response:

 The extra doesn’t have to do a gazillion long shots, medium shots and closeups. The extra doesn’t have to do interminable reverses. The extra doesn’t have to hit his/her mark right on or risk pissing off the director. The extra doesn’t have to remember lines with a huge lens just inches from his face. The extra doesn’t have to remember those lines over and over and over. Hmmmm, Dave,  now with alll your experience I would of thought you were over all these rookie jitters. What’s up with that ?

Response:

Whoa Dude- Be mellow, it is only your mis-guided, tawdry and arrogant parading of your opinion that encourages my mockery. I am sure you are a. . . human being Be Cool Be real BE

LOL…I had no idea you were a roshi…my sincerest apologies. Tawdry…outright… arrogant…deservedly so < blush mis-guided…perhaps… I am thoroughly mocked.. though mock may not be the precise term you seek, I shall abuse you no longer…. sign me AM

Response:

Whoa Dude- Be mellow, it is only your mis-guided, tawdry and arrogant parading of your opinion that encourages my mockery. I am sure you are a. . . human being. Somebody loves you. Be Cool Be real BE – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Nothing is personal, in "here", in the "ether of cyberspace"- There is the clash of dis-embodied opinions, floating independent of any facial prescence- absent then you wont be offended at my comment…thats pure b.s. and judging from your previous posts your using the "safety of obscurity and anonymity" to lash out at others based on your own insecure fears. Nothing personal.

Response:

Nothing is personal, in "here", in the "ether of cyberspace"- There is the clash of dis-embodied opinions, floating independent of any facial prescence- absent

then you wont be offended at my comment…thats pure b.s. and judging from your previous posts your using the "safety of obscurity and anonymity" to lash out at others based on your own insecure fears. Nothing personal.

Response:

Nothing is personal, in "here", in the "ether of cyberspace"- There is the clash of dis-embodied opinions, floating independent of any facial prescence- absent any dimensionality other than length and width. Within us lies the truth of the matter. And it is subjective, coherent only in our own context, our purity of essence- our precious bodily fluids. The Sun is in the east- The allness is heavy. WOW. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   When you grow up you’ll learn what you don’t like and what you’re of the opinion of just does not matter to others. well, it is a little different in a Real Life situation  than it is reading posts that are attacking something I supposedly meant three days ago…felt it was easier to start over….but now that Ive been a part of this NG for a few days..I cant help but notice there are those that just feel the need to attack anyone for any reason…. attack me I can’t remember, are you the same errant soul, posing as a director, that posted that arrantly stupid thing about directors who put actors in the way of physical harm that you learned from reading some fan magazine?  If you are, you are either stupid or a masochist. neither stupid nor masochist…well, maybe masochist, but no, never posed as a director except on a few sets, but everyone saw through that veil than too…. db

Response:

can you get to the point please – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Son of a beach! What I don’t like I am also   When you grow up you’ll learn what you don’t like and what you’re of the opinion of just does not matter to others. attack me I can’t remember, are you the same errant soul, posing as a director, that posted that arrantly stupid thing about directors who put actors in the way of physical harm that you learned from reading some fan magazine?  If you are, you are either stupid or a masochist.

Response:

Son of a beach! What I don’t like I am also

  When you grow up you’ll learn what you don’t like and what you’re of the opinion of just does not matter to others. attack me

I can’t remember, are you the same errant soul, posing as a director, that posted that arrantly stupid thing about directors who put actors in the way of physical harm that you learned from reading some fan magazine?  If you are, you are either stupid or a masochist.

Response:

  When you grow up you’ll learn what you don’t like and what you’re of the opinion of just does not matter to others.

well, it is a little different in a Real Life situation  than it is reading posts that are attacking something I supposedly meant three days ago…felt it was easier to start over….but now that Ive been a part of this NG for a few days..I cant help but notice there are those that just feel the need to attack anyone for any reason…. attack me I can’t remember, are you the same errant soul, posing as a director, that posted that arrantly stupid thing about directors who put actors in the way of physical harm that you learned from reading some fan magazine?  If you are, you are either stupid or a masochist.

neither stupid nor masochist…well, maybe masochist, but no, never posed as a director except on a few sets, but everyone saw through that veil than too…. db

Response:

Extras are also good for cushioning the impact when something expensive falls over, like an HMI light, or a crane. Those things are expensive yknow!

Response:

You figure about equal with being sued? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Extras are also good for cushioning the impact when something expensive falls over, like an HMI light, or a crane. Those things are expensive yknow!

Response:

You figure about equal with being sued?

Hmm–I never considered that angle before–maybe I should rethink my whole strategy. Thanks Becks!

Response:

You figure about equal with being sued? Hmm–I never considered that angle before–maybe I should rethink my whole strategy. Thanks Becks!

speaking of which Dramalogue has been running an ad for awhile in regards to extras being hurt by "blood" during the filing of BLADE anyone know what the deal is with that? curious db

Response:

mmmm….does that include our own posts? I was wondering, how many of us are acting as we send these messages? Does acting ever stop for an actor? Personally, I think this newsgroup is a great stage, I couldn

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