Background Acting 2024: All You Need to Know

2/1/2024

So what is background work in acting? Background acting (also called performing as an "extra") is where you appear in a production silently (non-speaking or non-singing), usually in the background to make a scene more realistic. Think of films where the main characters are walking along the street and you see a bunch of people in the background walking by – those are all background actors there to make the movie more realistic.

Some scenes don't require any background actors but others – especially war films – might hire hundreds (or even thousands) of background actors for a battle scene!

In this guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about getting background acting jobs, including:

How to find work in background acting
How to get booked solid with background acting work
How to turn a background role into a featured or speaking role
And much more...

Ready to get started?

Related Guide: Access Netflix Auditions WITHOUT an Agent

Background Acting

A lot of brand new actors decide to engage in background acting because it's a great way to get some on-set experience and meet new people. You'll get paid, learn how a real production works, and start to build confidence in yourself.

Casting directors usually don't require much experience for background acting because it's very easy – there are usually very few special skills necessary. That said, some casting directors do look for people they've worked with before (or for people with credits on their resume) because they're more likely to be reliable and easy to work with.

How Much Do Background Actors Get Paid?

Most background actors earn between $100 and $200 per day. SAG-AFTRA specifies that background actors get paid $178/day. A typical yearly background acting salary is around $58,588 for full-time work.

How Do I Get Into Background Acting?

Since you don't need formal training or experience to get into background acting, there's no excuse to not get started today. Register a profile online and start submitting yourself!

Here's what you need to do:

Create an online background acting profile. I recommend using one of these six reliable casting websites and registering online (but depending on your location, you can google things like "background acting jobs los angeles," "background acting new york," "background acting near me," etc. – there might be a registration fee so just check to ensure the site is not a scam). I've done a lot of research for the sites in the link above, and they are all legitimate and well worth the cost. Once you've created your profiles, list your clothing sizes and ensure you've got your Special Skills filled out. You'll also need to have a professional headshot (if you can't afford one, any un-retouched photograph clearly showing your face will do for now, but you should consider upgrading your photo as soon as possible).
Respond to as many casting calls as you can. It's really a numbers game. For background work, the hit rate is typically higher than it is for actors looking for day player roles, so you can generally expect a 20% hit rate, meaning for every 5 roles you submit to, one of them will turn into a paid background acting gig. I recommend submitting yourself to at least 5-10 productions per week, but be sure not to double-book yourself!
Be professional. If you get booked, respond quickly to emails, show up to set on time, and don't complain about all the waiting you'll probably need to do (many actors spend more than half their day sitting around, so you might want to bring a book). Be sure to stay out of people's way and do NOT ask for autographs from famous people (unless other people are already doing it).
Learn when you can. While on set, you can take note of how things work and what the different people do. If you're able to watch the actors, pay close attention! You'll learn how they interact with the director and you might even pick up a few useful tidbits of information to help you improve your own acting ability.
Network with people. Make it your goal to connect with at least two people per day on set. This means "deeply" connect with them, where you have a conversation for at least 5-10 minutes altogether (even if it's broken up throughout the day). Take down their contact info, give them your business card, and ask if you can occasionally reach out to say hello. I go way deeper on how to network with people in the industry in my free Actor's Toolkit.

Free Resource: Contact info of over 140 legit agencies across the world.

What Casting Directors Want in Background Actors

Even though there are no formal acting credentials required for background acting work, casting directors will often look closely for actors with specific qualities:

SAG-AFTRA Unions: If you're in the union, you might have an easier time getting cast as a background actor because casting directors often have a union quota to fill. However, if you're looking for background acting work on non-union films, you won't be able to apply if you're already in SAG-AFTRA.
- Related: How to Get a SAG Card
Location-Based: If you're close to the production location, you'll have the added benefit of being able to get their easily. Casting directors prefer to hire actors who won't cost the production extra money, meaning having your own transportation to and from set is a huge benefit.
Acting Experience or Credits: Although no formal credits or training are required, most casting directors like to work with actors who already have some experience and credits because it tells them they are reliable.
Professionalism: You need to be on time, reliable, easy to work with, and good at taking direction. If you're not, they might fire you before the production even starts!
Professional Resume: Having a professional PDF version of your resume formatted properly tells casting directors you're professional and take your career seriously. All you need are background roles listed on it if you're applying for background acting work.
- Note: If you're applying for speaking roles, do NOT list background work on your acting resume.
Demo Reel: A reel with professional footage is not critical, but if you have some clips of yourself working as a background (or principal) actor, you can string them together in a reel to show casting directors that you're experienced and reliable.
Agent: Having an agent is unnecessary to get background work, but if you do have one, it will tell casting directors you're very serious about your acting career and subconsciously let them know they can hire you without worry.
Type-Specific Look: The more specific you are with what you look like (for instance, can you play students, cops, psychiatrists, etc.?), the easier it will be for a casting director to place you. If the background role is to play an inner-city gang member for example, make sure to submit a photo that looks like you're a gang member – don't use the one where you're wearing a suit! Learn more about finding your Type here.
Special Skills: Some background acting roles require special skills, such as the ability to ride a horse or play a piano. Be sure to list your special skills on your resume and feel free to highlight them if you include a cover letter in your submission.
Wardrobe: Having your own wardrobe (police uniform, suit, etc.) is beneficial because it can save the production money. Many casting directors prefer to hire background actors who have their own wardrobe, so be sure to mention or highlight this in your cover letter or resume.
Props: The same thing goes with props – if you have your own, you can mention it in your cover letter so the casting director knows.

How to Turn Background Roles into Speaking Roles

Most actors start out as a background actor and then slowly work their way up to speaking roles over a period of a few years. There are plenty of ways to get speaking roles, but almost all of them require finding auditions and then preparing properly for the audition.

That said, there are some cases where an actor might be able to get themselves upgraded from a background role all the way to a speaking role!

Here's what an example of this might look like:

Background Role: You might start out as a patron in a restaurant, simply sitting way in the back and eating lunch, while the two main actors are in the foreground speaking to one another.
Upgrade to Featured Extra: Let's pretend you decided to do something a bit unconventional. You know that in the scene, the actors are talking about how one of them needs to get going. So even though you weren't asked to do it by the director, you decide to raise your hand in the background to signal for the waiter to come over with the check. The director might notice your hand signal and either a) tell you not to do it again, or b) think it's an interesting way to add more realism or depth to the scene, and have the main actor try to get the waiter to come over to him first (before going to you). So then the director decides to feature you as the annoying guy in the background who is trying to get the waiter's attention, pitting you against the main character. You are now a featured extra!
Upgrade to Principal: Let's says the director wants the waiter to go to the main character first. You might decide to take another risk and shout, "Come on!" when the waiter ignores you and goes to the main character. Now the director will either a) get pissed off and tell you to shut up, or b), love it and decide to use it in the scene. Guess what? You've got yourself a line, and if it's a union production, you're now SAG-Eligible (as long as they fill out the necessary paperwork)!

Remember that directors are people too, and there are ways to get them interested and thinking about different potential ways for the scene to go – ways they might not have considered at first. As long as what you try makes sense and adds to (rather than takes away from) the scene, it has the potential to work. Of course it can backfire, but as the saying goes, no risk, no reward!

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to try this:

The more relationships you've built with the higher-ups, the higher your likelihood of success. Speaking with people and being friendly/outgoing on set will improve your chances of getting bumped to a "featured extra" because people will like you and want to give you a chance. Try striking up conversations with higher-ups when they're not busy –you can find something you either like about or have in common with them and comment on it. That should break the ice and allow you to move into an actual conversation!
Only try this if the director seems like a laid-back person. If the director seems very strict, uptight, or in a rush, do NOT attempt this or you'll risk getting yelled at (or even fired). Pay attention to how the director interacts with people on set and if he or she seems relaxed and easy to work with, you'll have a better shot at being successful.
Only do this once per production. If they don't go for it, simply apologize and don't do anything like it again. Most of the time it won't work out (although it might get a few laughs), but if you attempt it at least once per set you work on, eventually you're bound to get upgraded.
NEVER speak while the camera is rolling (unless you're given the OK). If you decide to try something like calling out a random, funny line (after you've been promoted to "featured extra"), ONLY do it while the actors are rehearsing. Never say a line you weren't invited to say when they're actually recording or you'll probably get fired instantly.

It can be scary to step out of the box and take a small risk like this but again, no risk, no reward. It's the actors who think and act differently – the ones who don't let their inner fears deter them – who most often get the biggest opportunities.

3 Numbers All Actors Should Know

Knowing how to book background work is important, but it's just one small part of growing your acting career.

If your goal is to act full-time, you should know these 3 numbers:

40-60 Submissions – This is how often full-time, working actors submit themselves (whether they have an agent or not) each month.
10-20 Auditions – This is how many times full-time working actors audition (or at least record and submit self-tapes) each month.
3-5 Bookings – This is how often full-time working actors book real, paid acting jobs each and every month.

If your numbers aren't there yet, that's OK! It's certainly not easy to audition and book that much.

But those are actual, real numbers from busy, working actors who didn't just get lucky.

Those busy, working actors started at the beginning – for them, the biggest question swirling in their minds at the time was:

How do I get taken seriously by casting directors when I don't have good credits or footage? And how do I get credits/footage without being taken seriously by casting directors?

It's the classic actor's catch 22.

When we're struggling to get our careers off the ground, our minds can slip into "desperation mode" and start looking for quick-fix solutions. We'll ask ourselves questions like:

"Should I take another acting class?"
"Do I need better headshots or should I pay to shoot a reel?"
"What's the fastest way to get an agent?"

But questions like those mean you're focused on Tactics, instead of Strategy.

Think about it this way: Would you bake a cake by randomly sliding a pile of flour, eggs, and chocolate into the oven? Of course not! How you combine the ingredients, the temperature you cook it at, and for how long are all just as important.

Similarly, the long-term, well thought-out strategy you follow as you grow your acting career matters. A LOT.

That's why "strategic thinking" is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself as an actor.

So today I'd like to give you a gift: 3 tools specifically designed to help you start thinking and operating strategically.

These tools have helped over 14,000 actors so far, many of whom have gone on to:

Book Broadway roles
Land network television and Netflix shows
Sign with agents and managers
And much more – faster than you'd expect (you can see some success stories here).

My free Actor's Toolkit will help you BLAST through the actor's catch 22 so you start getting WAY more auditions and bookings every month.

The Actor's Toolkit

The Top 6 Casting Websites to Find Auditions, plus 3 specific submissions strategies to get higher-quality auditions from them
3 Pro Actor Resume Templates, professionally formatted (they work on any device – just add your info)
Contact info of over 140 Top Talent Agencies & Submissions Techniques to save you the hassle of trying to find legitimate (non-scam) agents

Send Me the Toolkit!

Martin Bentsen (author of this guide) is an actor marketing coach who uses strategic thinking to help actors book more work. He’s helped over 14,000 actors with their careers and actor headshots since 2009 and his photography studio City Headshots is ranked #1 on Yelp. He’s spoken at NYU, The New England Theater Conference, The Actor’s Green Room, and other venues.

Want to book more acting work by thinking strategically? Start with his free Actor’s Toolkit to create new opportunities right away, or visit his website at www.martinbentsen.com.

Some Additional Q&A

Is it Worth Being a Background Actor?

Absolutely! You can gain on-set experience and be paid while doing it! But if you're looking to grow your career as a professional actor, background acting credits won't help. You'll need speaking credits for that!

How Long Do Background Roles Last?

Background roles typically last just 1-2 days, but in some cases they might last months (depending on where the production is taking place and whether they need the same set of background actors for lots of scenes).

What are Some Other Words for Background Actors?

Some other words for background actors in films include "extras," "junior artists", "atmosphere", "background talent", "background performers", "background artists", "background cast members" or even just "background." For stage, background actors are called "supernumeraries," "supers," or "extras."