Hierarchy

I highly recommend anyone enjoying this blog to watch Ricky Gervais’ series, Extras.  It came out for two seasons a while ago and it’s pretty fantastic.  It was recommended to me when I told a friend I was getting into the Extra business. I promptly checked out the DVDs from the library and binge watched both seasons in 3 days. I hadn’t started working yet as an Extra so could only appreciate the content so far.  Now having done the work, it makes me appreciate that show so much more. It so captures some of the more humiliating aspects of being an extra, especially if you are serious about wanting to be a bona fide actor. I found it really funny.  Key and Peele also did a great sketch on what it’s like to be a new Extra on a set.  You can probably google it or YouTube it.

Besides the pay scale, there is definitely a hierarchy and it is most obvious when it comes to meal times. Principal stars and directors generally go through the buffet line first if they choose to eat in the same place as everyone else (some do, some don’t), then next goes the crew (all the lighting, camera, set maintenance, make up, hair, etc), then Union BG actors, then the lowly non-Union BG actors.  I am finding that it is not unusual for some of the best dishes to be completely gone by the time my group goes through.  It’s not like that every time but there have been a couple of times where it’s clear the best dishes have been picked over pretty clean.  Or if it is not a buffet line, then Union actors get a better grade of food than non-Union, like they may get a grilled chicken Ceaser salad with pasta and we will get a sandwich.  I’m fine with whatever—just being fed anything decent is okay by me.

The other place the distinction is sometimes made clear between Union and non-Union is where we are designated to sit while in holding (the place we are congregated while not on the set).  Sometimes the tables will actually be marked with little signs indicating Union sit at certain tables and non-Union sit at other tables.  Even though we are all cooped up in the SAME small room…..

I find that very amusing and it’s a good ego buster for the spiritually inclined.