SPOT THE DODGY FILM EXTRA! I should know... I AM ONE!

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Ok, so I've been working as a Film Extra for 10 years now. You probably recognise me from films such as The Fifth Element, Evita, Gladiator, Star Wars 1 & 2 (sorry, but I'M the reason they're a bit crap), Sexy Beast, Tomorrow Never Dies, Notting Hill, Entrapment etc. I know you can NEVER tell that I'm in them and that I might as well be lying but it's all the gold truth.

I want to know, if anyone out there can give us a list of scenes where there's a dodgy Extra that's either coking up a scene (like the stormtrooper hitting his head in Star Wars, or in The Godfather, at the wedding where there's a kid stitting down who looks right at the camera), or having a real bad acting moment haveing a 1 line or silent interaction moment with an actor, and completely ruining the scene, like when pee Wee Herman is in his own movie as a bellboy and is fluffing up everything.

Dunno if this will be a popular thread, as it might be difficult to think up and scenes like this, but give it a try. While I'm here I might try a new thread, about funny or weird sories that you guys may have heard drom people on set of films or if you might have even been on one yourself. Like me having heard stories of Tom Cruise being a real sausage jockey homo - not that there's anything wrong with that.

But do the Extras first please.

[Pacino86845]

What about the dodgy ninja in Batman Begins, the one that whacks himself in the head with the obviously (due to his fuckup) plastic sword?

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Hehehe!!! I've got one.


Who remembers in Breakdance 2, when they're doing that massive concert at the end, and then there's a shot of the audience cheering, and you can definitley, and so easily spot a girl sitting down on the left hand side of the screen, waving her arms high up in the air with a tight revealing top on, exposing her










-















HAIRY F*CKING ARMPITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ngggggggyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhhh!!!! !!!!!!!!

Even worse than Turbo's dodgy Lenny Henry lookalike stuntman rolling down those stairs that looked nothing like Turbo, the stuntman was so studly!!

What about in Zulu, when a horse turns round with it's arse right in front of the camera and does a big shit? OK, not human, but an Extra horse anyway.

I bet he got his paychit docked when signing out at the end of the day, and kicked off a big row with the 2nd Assistant Director right there and then I reckon.

[Lady Sheridan]

Most of the extras in "Braveheart" are awful. You can tell they are Irish military, due to the shaved heads (which they try to cover up with truly awful hair pieces). Watch them next time--you'll notice they never know when to shout, they glance around at each other.

The best one is at the end though. As they run towards the camera, and Mel Gibson is giving his "they fought like warrior poets" speech, this guy on the right of Brendan Gleeson is desperately trying to hold his kilt down as he runs. Clearly he's probably wearing it the Scottish way, and is fearful of his wedding tackle appearing on film, forever.

[TheBaxter]

Ok, so I've been working as a Film Extra for 10 years now. You probably recognise me from films such as The Fifth Element, Evita, Gladiator, Star Wars 1 & 2 (sorry, but I'M the reason they're a bit crap), Sexy Beast, Tomorrow Never Dies, Notting Hill, Entrapment etc. I know you can NEVER tell that I'm in them and that I might as well be lying but it's all the gold truth.

Andy Millman???

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Who?

[TheBaxter]

[The Vicar]

I love it in North by Northwest, just before Cary Grant gets shot in the cafeteria ( or some such place), you can see this kid at one of the tables putting his fingers in his ears.

[Nachokoolaid]

The one I'll always remember is in the closing seconds of Teen Wolf before it freeze frames at the end of the film. Look in the top left of the screen, and there's a guy with his fly down. In the middle of the shot, he realizes it, sort of tries to cover it, and then zips it up. Hilarious.

[Ribbons]

There's this one scene in In Good Company where a guy gets fired. He's not the extra. But as he's walking to the elevator, there's this extra in the background who's "talking" to another extra, and then all of a sudden she stops mid-conversation, pivots and just stares at the laid-off guy until he leaves. I don't know what she was thinking, but it was really distracting in any case.

[Lady Sheridan]

Kirk, I do want to know some of your stories about being an extra, I really hope you post them. Especially if they involve naughty gossip.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

God I dunno what to do there Lady S. Believe it or not, I hate bringing attention to myself, and I don't wanna bore people with stories that they won't listen to anyway, but we'll ahve to work something out, something that incorporates other people to give certain similar stories also.

Can you really imagine me, sitting on a high chair with all my memoirs or storybooks telling you, as my listening children sitting on the floor, all my Film Extra stories?

I'll tell you this though. I have heard some stories of Tom Cruise actually being Dumbledore for real life though. Though I dunno wther to belive it all or not.

I did have a nice quick, lovely chat with Helen Mirren the other week on Prime Suspect though, and she truly seems to be a delightful woman, who is extremely interested in other people and quite uplifting and illuminating to be awound.

God, imagine if I was to work with Arnie!!!???

I'd never live to tell the tale. I'd be dead from too many Arnie HHAAAAAAHAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAsss or NNNNNNGGGGGYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGGGGHHHHHHs ssss from hanging out with him.

[TheBaxter]

helen mirren was HOTT in excalibur

[BuckyO'harre]

At the end of Logans Run,when everyone is outside... someone gives the live long and prosper sign.



Sweet mercy,Jenny Agutter was hot. Why did they have to cut the nude ice sculpture scene? ugh

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Heheh... around a the time that a the Mummy remake, she come out, I invite a the Stephen Sommers to a the villa a so's a my family, they can a watch a the private screening, eh?

Inna the scene with a the locusts, he say the extras, they so bad, he just had a the FX department cover them uppa with a the extra locusts.

Hehehe... I like a the putz, eh? Sure he made a the Van Helsing, but like a the Kong Lives, they canna alla be winners, eh? He's a the man after a the Dino's heart, no?

Shoot it! Print it! Take care of it inna the Post, eh? OLD SCHOOL BABY!

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Heheh... around a the time that a the Mummy remake, she come out, I invite a the Stephen Sommers to a the villa a so's a my family, they can a watch a the private screening, eh?

Inna the scene with a the locusts, he say the extras, they so bad, he just had a the FX department cover them uppa with a the extra locusts.

Hehehe... I like a the putz, eh? Sure he made a the Van Helsing, but like a the Kong Lives, they canna alla be winners, eh? He's a the man after a the Dino's heart, no?

Shoot it! Print it! Take care of it inna the Post, eh? OLD SCHOOL BABY!

NO FUCKING WAY!!!!!!!

Dino, I WAS one of those Extras!!!!! I played a leper that ran into a big mansion (in real life, one of George Harrison's) ready to tear the place down, and later I was a dockyard worker when the actors were first getting on a boat to go to find this Mummy or whatever (filmed in Chatham docks).

I couldn't have been THAT bad to have myself CGI'd over by a fucking locust could I?

[Nachokoolaid]

^^^ Just be happy he didn't cover you with snakes.

[Flumm]

Heheh... around a the time that a the Mummy remake, she come out, I invite a the Stephen Sommers to a the villa a so's a my family, they can a watch a the private screening, eh?

Inna the scene with a the locusts, he say the extras, they so bad, he just had a the FX department cover them uppa with a the extra locusts.

Hehehe... I like a the putz, eh? Sure he made a the Van Helsing, but like a the Kong Lives, they canna alla be winners, eh? He's a the man after a the Dino's heart, no?

Shoot it! Print it! Take care of it inna the Post, eh? OLD SCHOOL BABY!

NO FUCKING WAY!!!!!!!

Dino, I WAS one of those Extras!!!!! I played a leper that ran into a big mansion (in real life, one of George Harrison's) ready to tear the place down, and later I was a dockyard worker when the actors were first getting on a boat to go to find this Mummy or whatever (filmed in Chatham docks).

I couldn't have been THAT bad to have myself CGI'd over by a fucking locust could I?

Kirk mate, however you feel about your experiences as an professional extra, it would seem that you've been pretty successful at it...

Is there a point where your work and experience with gigging as an extra could help you get acting work? There must be a way to get it to work for your advantage somehow.

Apart from kidnapping Helen Mirren that is.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Thought about it, but it takes a lot to become an actor. Not just being good at it either. As well as needing to be an actor 24/7, it's a hard life in terms of getting work, being broke, ego attacks etc.

I'm probably 50% an actor, not 100%, or even more, like 200, which I think is what the commtiment level is for actors to be successful.

^^^ Just be happy he didn't cover you with snakes.

Nothing would make me happier.

[Fried Gold]

There was a programme on BBC Four last week extras - "Under the Spotlight". Interesting to see how each person took the job differently - "I AM NOT AN EXTRA, I AM A SUPPORTING ARTIST!!!"

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

There was a programme on BBC Four last week extras - "Under the Spotlight". Interesting to see how each person took the job differently - "I AM NOT AN EXTRA, I AM A SUPPORTING ARTIST!!!"

Oh Fuck Off you lot! You're all MUGS!!!

[wonkabar]

This isn't quite in line with what you're asking for but, all the extras, day-players, one-liners in Superman II are totally lame...of course they're kinda supposd to be. I just love the part where everybody thinks Superman is dead and they all start picking up sticks and shit. The "yeah man I know some judo"-line gets me everytime.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

!

This isn't quite in line with what you're asking for but, all the extras, day-players, one-liners in Superman II are totally lame...of course they're kinda supposd to be. I just love the part where everybody thinks Superman is dead and they all start picking up sticks and shit. The "yeah man I know some judo"-line gets me everytime.

Aaah, you fuck!! Man, you read me and Banthafodder's mind.

Man, I love that very scene, and that very fucking line!!! ALL of the extras, well FEATURED EXTRAS, or even BIT PART ACTORS compared to real extras, have so many bad scenes and bad cheezy dubbed lines. What about when Zod is giving them the blowh=job oftheir lives and wind is going everywhere, and you get that couple who have their hair blown off? "Oh my hair!" "You're hair, you're hair, what about my hair!?" All the time, none of them are moving their mouths.

The guy in the telephone booth getting blown out of it and still on the phone, the wire being stretched about 2 metres. All the time he's laughing with real bad dubbing. But not only that, if you're gonna dub someone, do it with at least some decent dialogue, not just, "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah? Yeah? Yeah! Yeah! Hahaha! Yeah! Yeah!"

Or the bad acting of "Superman's dead. Superman is dead!" "Hey, they killed Superman", but the reaction of a "Oh no!" with all the emotional grief of someone has just stepped on a snail, is by far the best bit of crappy extra acting/dubbing!

[colonel_lugz]

have you had many lines Kirk?.....dialogue, not coke

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Yeah, had a few. Even a proper speaking role once early on in my 'career' playing a real life wrongly imprisoned guy in C4's Trial and Error. Won't say what, otherwise knowing a guy like you working in a TV archive like place, you'd track that dreaded tape down, that to this very day, I never dared to watch!

Oh, and Ewan Mcgregor threw a paper aeroplane at my head in Rogue Trader. Considering he was sitting on a propped up by 2 cms chair, and he therefore had 'THE HIGHER GROUND!', I let him off.

[Lady Sheridan]

I think I speak for everyone when I ask, where can we see you onscreen??

One of my friends was an extra in The Postman as a guard, but he said you could only see him on the letter box edition.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

I think I speak for everyone when I ask, where can we see you onscreen??

One of my friends was an extra in The Postman as a guard, but he said you could only see him on the letter box edition.

OK, I'm lauging at that joke, but in an Arnie kind of way. So bad that it's good, but many levels above Arnie.

Er, what can you see me in? Best thing that I did lately is Trial and Retribution 4, I think it's 4. A UK TV crime drama that you may/may not get in the US. I look pretty cool 'n' serious as a CID Officer in that.

Other than that, try Rogue Trader. I am in all of the Trading scenes next to Ewan Mcgregor. I gut curtains for hair, a black trade jacket with white/red stiped sleeves and look so bloody fatter in the face than I normally am (camera adds 10 £s to your physique blah blah blah), that I really don't want you to see me!!

Ewan Mcregor throws a paper plane at me when I'm sleeping. Have to watch me in it's proper full screen edition, otherwise I'll be pushed off to the sides, and look closely a few repeated times to catch me, as I won't be there to point myself out to you, like I did in a Sydney Youth Hostel with everyone in there watching - and standing up and cheering loudly(!) when I said "THERE I AM, LOOK!!"

[DennisMM]

Rogue Trader has just been pushed to the top of my Netflix queue.

I know he wasn't an extra but rather a two-line day player, but the kid in the southern-cracker town in Superman II pisses me off almost as much as the dick in the phone booth. The featured actors obvously are American or doing good southern accents (which I understand are not as hard for Brits as some other American accents). Zod uses the levitating ray on some poor shitkicker and his kid steps up to plead for pop's safety in a thick Brit accent:

"Pleeese, mistah, put my dahdy down!"

I have wanted to smack that kid since 1980. Also whoever cast him and the director for not calling the casting people on the carpet for that. I know they shot the movie in England, but couldn't they find a kid who at least could do a bad southern accent?

You must tell me everything about Helen Mirren, for whom I lust with a passion unknown since Solomon and Sheba.

[Lady Sheridan]

Spot the Captain?

Phone call for Kirk!


Where the fuck is he?


I have no idea!


He's trying to save the snakes! Dear god! Such valor!!

[DennisMM]

Sorry, Lady S, but none of the images is visible.

(Yes, IS. None is a contraction of not one. You wouldn't say, one of the images are visible.)

[Lady Sheridan]

Yeah...darnit!

Stupid Ewan McGregor fan sites...oh well, it would have been hysterical! Trust me.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Perhaps you could keep trying Lady S. It's got me too intruiged now.

What is it you're trying to do? What hosting site are you trying to post some pics from?

BTW Woody says Hi.

[MasterWhedon]

A friend of mine is in The Longest Yard, during the final football game. They cut to this shot of about ten or so audience members and this kid starts a slow clap. My friend is sitting next to him, giving him a weird look. She's got a full two seconds or so, front and center.

[colonel_lugz]

i've spotted him in them........i think....


seeing as im the only one who knows him.................i got him, he;s on the left of one of them, i wont say which til he does

[wonkabar]

I was an extra on that Jenifer Love Hewett show "Time of your Life" and "Charmed"

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Well tell me more then Wonkabar.

[wonkabar]

That's it. Haven't been an extra in any movies. But I did get to kinda met Hewett...she smiled and said hi. And I was in the costume-room with Rose McGowen. Other than those two times I've avoided extra work, as I'm a big bad-ass SAG-member..heehee


(SUPERMAN DON'T LEAVE US!)

[Lady Sheridan]

All right, reposted. Just because Woody said hi, Kirk.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

That's it. Haven't been an extra in any movies. But I did get to kinda met Hewett...she smiled and said hi. And I was in the costume-room with Rose McGowen.

I HATE YOU!!!!!!!!

(Crispy knackers Anakin, voice).

"Superman, don't leave us!"

HEHEHEEHEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Flumm]

Hey Wonka, I was settling down watching TV the other night, and ER came on the box. It was the one with James Woods as a guest star? Well, it reminded me out of the blue of your Brush With Greatness story, and then I knew right there, I was just going to end up being dissapointed, because no matter how good the episode was going to be, it just wouldn't have a confrontation with you and James Woods in it.

[DennisMM]

Kirk, what's the daily rate for extras guild these days?

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Spot the Captain?

Phone call for Kirk!


Where the fuck is he?


I have no idea!


He's trying to save the snakes! Dear god! Such valor!!

Oh God!! There's me!! There's me!!! That left arm and elbow on the right part of the screen on the first picture!!!!

DAYUM LADY!!! Just missed me!!! DAMN GOOD TRY!! DAMN GOOD TRY!!!

Maybe it's better that you don't see me though, as man, I look pretty bad there. You got some better looking guys there instead, but you definitley got the right scenes where he's on the phone.

This was in December 1997, after Ewan, my mate that was there, and me, all finished work on The Return Of Star Wars: Episode 1 (OK, me nad my mate had ONE day, but heh, at least we finally made it), and we both on Rogue Trader, made paper SW toys props and put them on Ewan's desk for him to find, only for the miserable prop man to find them and confiscate them instead.

Ewan was cool, easy going, and always wanted to have a laugh as normal. We shot that for 7 days at Pinewood Studios, just before Christmas. A very special time for me doing that. Very great time.

If you ever see it properly, keep an eye out for me. Man I look like a twat!

Thanks a million Lady Sheridan! She's OUR Star!

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

Kirk, what's the daily rate for extras guild these days?

Around about £71 basic, before commision. BUT you always earn more than this due to being payed different amounts on top, depending on extra things that you can do, like overtime, special haircuts, costume changes, getting blown up or covered with water... snakes (actually, no Snake fee, never been with dangerous ones), etc.

[DennisMM]

Thanks.

[Cpt Kirks 2pay]

watch Orgazmo.......best song ever!!.........how was work?????

Freezing! I did get to have a quick 'how you doing?' greeting to Woody Harrelson though, and hang out with Director Paul Schrader, swear that Kristen Scott Thomas was smiling at me in the corwd and no one else, and gaze in sheer respect and 'puzzlement' at Lauren Bacall.

Eh? ITV have pushed the boat out for Prime Suspect a bit haven't they?

A movie called 'The Walker' directed by Paul Schrader. Willem Dafoe's in it too.

Holly crappa! Now I'm impressed, Kirk mate! Hey whats the procedure for an Extra an actor/director? Do you casually talk to eachother? Do the actors ignore the extras? You know, if he wasn't totally sick of it, and likely to sack you, I would recommend you just go up to Shrader and talk about his work. Are you at least tempted? I'm not sure I would it, but he wrote Mosquito Coast for cryin out loud, with one of your favourite directors, and with one of your favourite actors... (once apon a time at least)


(if you can be arsed to reply, might aswell do it on your Extras thread I guess. I think the threadjack should be amputated about here)

Wouldn't dare talk to a director like that man. I guess you can imagine how it is in the hiearchy of things for the Extras compared ot the rest of the cast and crew. Everyone's nice, but man, we're right at the bottom of the pile. Vagabonds to the Director's King, if you will.

I was talking to people about all the movies that Paul Schrader did, and good God, I totally forgot he wrote The Mosquito Coast!! I swear, you know more about me than I do Flumm!

He did say 'excuse me', as I was standing right in his line of vision once, when he was discussing a scene with his cameraman. I just gruffed a serious, "HmHmm" to him, and walked off, and that was about it.

[wonkabar]

Hey Wonka, I was settling down watching TV the other night, and ER came on the box. It was the one with James Woods as a guest star? Well, it reminded me out of the blue of your Brush With Greatness story, and then I knew right there, I was just going to end up being dissapointed, because no matter how good the episode was going to be, it just wouldn't have a confrontation with you and James Woods in it.

PAMP!

[wonkabar]

Phone call for Kirk!


Dude, he's flipping you off!

[Lady Sheridan]

Oh God!! There's me!! There's me!!! That left arm and elbow on the right part of the screen on the first picture!!!!

DAYUM LADY!!! Just missed me!!! DAMN GOOD TRY!! DAMN GOOD TRY!!!

I thought that might be you! I thought there was also a very slim chance you might be the confused looking fellow in #2, but he didn't have curtain hair.

If only Ewan had the fan sites Loincloth Butler does, the whole movie would have been screen-captured. Too bad...

Thanks a million Lady Sheridan! She's OUR Star!

8) Now if only this was a movie so I could quit the desk job!

[Ribbons]

I saw this doofy extra harrassing Eric Bana outside of a courthouse in Closed Circuit. I'm pretty sure he looked something like this:

[Fievel]

Why didn't he and LaDracul ever get together?!?