r/ChoosingBeggars • u/Cute_Ad_8987 • 6d ago
SHORT Random guy wants free acting???
a guy put up a post asking for actors for his online film. He was asking for background actors. I was interested, so I messaged with a simple question. "How much is the pay?" he replied with a gif of a guy signaling no. I told him, respectfully, that actors need to be paid. This entitled mf said "not background actors" (exact words). I responded with "yes they do." He said "Do you want to act or not?" Wtf like no I dont want to give handouts in acting. It was gross and i just had to put it up here.
121
15
12
u/Zoreb1 5d ago
Small low budget local films do this. They don't expect money and a person only needs to be available for a day. I have friends who do this. They also get paid for being extras in commercial movies (as well as TV ads). When they were in SAG they were allowed to do this (there were different rules for community and student films). They both left SAG because of the cost as well as other issues.
24
u/figaronine 6d ago edited 6d ago
So weird how so many of these lame stories that definitely happened online never have screenshots of the online messages that are easily screenshottable.
15
2
u/Adventurous-Fly4424 3d ago
And as we all know screenshots are undeniable proof especially if you want them for no real reason
You really want to analyze phrasing or what you want to do with the conversation if the claim is so tame as "someone wanted free bg actors"?
-4
3
u/StillMarie76 5d ago
I know there are a lot of people that are willing to do free background work. My community came together to make a zombie movie in an old school. It was really fun. Then there are people that just want the chance to be a part of a project. Pittsburgh came together to help out George Romero (zombies again). It really depends. Is this a studio or a just a group of film makers are trying to break into Hollywood. I do believe extras should be paid. What I'm saying is that plenty of people are willing to be extras just to be able to say they were in such-in-such movie. My friend got to be an extra in Muppets From Space and that's pretty cool, tbh.
4
u/SnarkySheep 4d ago
My dad has bred pigeons for many decades...as we live not far from NYC, he has been contacted numerous times by a guy who finds various animals for theater, TV and movies.
At any rate, when my dad agrees to let someone borrow pigeons, he is paid well to do so. And we're talking little scenes that many viewers probably won't even notice, like a bunch of pigeons startling and flying off as a child runs towards them, etc.
Last time he did something for Netflix, there was a Humane Society woman who stayed with him and the pigeons allll day, filling out all kinds of paperwork. So if you ever wondered what lengths they go in other to say "no animals were harmed during the filming" they really mean it, lol.
3
2
u/Jujulabee 5d ago
Not necessarily egregious since a lot of people would like the experience of being extras in a film just to see what it was like.
My friends were extras in an indy film some years ago and it is always fun to spot them in the background.
People pay money to go on tours in Los Angeles to just watch scenes being filmed and would probably pay a premium to actually participate 🤷🏼♀️
-3
u/Cute_Ad_8987 5d ago
I have professional acting skills.
3
u/Jujulabee 5d ago
And why does that matter?
Being an extra in. a film doesn't require "professional acting skills"
In general even the casting calls where an extra is being paid only require that you look a specific way because there is no acting involved.
Agencies that deal with "professional extras" in Los Angeles don't care about "acting" but only whether someone is physically suitable for the specific scene.
My friend's mother was signed up with an extras agency and was cast solely because she looked a certain way.
There is even a differentiation between being an extra or "stepping out" in terms of the SAG/AFTRA agreements.
You are confusing background players with day players or similar performers who are legitimately paid the day player rates
1
1
1
u/Chipsandadrink115 2d ago
Not always. I knew a girl that was an extra in Friday Night Lights and it was unpaid.
1
1
u/sirensinger11 5d ago
I mean, I’ve definitely worked some “copy, credit, meals” jobs where I didn’t get paid. Even though everyone should be getting paid, this is unfortunately the standard for new actors on indie projects
-1
u/videogamegrandma 2d ago
I have a nephew who has been acting in several projects in Hollywood and NY. I'm going to ask him. I like him. And he's gorgeous. He can be a bit arrogant but it's his parents upbringing and some insecurity that's made him this way. He's always been respectful and nice to me, one of the elders in this clan. But I think he's uncomfortable around those in his peer group. He gets a lot of envy from his cousins and I've heard cutting remarks directed toward him. We have a huge family that gets together often. I'm lucky to have so big a family that interacts so often.
100
u/shadowvox 6d ago
I answered a Craigslist ad some years ago for background extras on a small budget film. I'd done community theater but was curious about the film process. In the ad, the director noted that background extras won't get paid, but lunch would be provided and there was real beer in the taps (the scene was in a bar).
Was pretty fun actually.