The Remote Island : Extras

Background Wizards, You Shall Not Pass [VIDEO]

Jake Kalish — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:33:00 GMT

Great piece by Jodie Burke in the LA Times Saturday about how the recession and increased unemployment rates have led to huge lines of people trying to get work as television and film extras - or "background artists", as they say. However, the recession has also led to studios tightening up, and there being less work for these background artists. Not to mention the fact that the number of scripted shows on TV which could even hire these folks decreases every year, giving way to "reality" programming, which has no use for background artists.

And then another great piece in the New York Times yesterday by Sarah Toland, an editor in a "protracted period of unemployment", about her utterly miserable experience working as an extra on the new Cupid, which premiered on ABC last week.

Great pieces, but depressing. So, to counterbalance the doom and gloom, we've included video of probably the funniest scene from the show Extras, in which Sir Ian McKellen explains acting in the most obvious terms possible to flummoxed former extra Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais). Now all of us can laugh again...

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No Hiring, Only Firing In The TV Industry

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Ricky Gervais Is Pulling The Superfecta

Jake Kalish — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:45:00 GMT

After wild success in TV (and then the web, children's books, and stand-up comedy) this is a step up, in a way, for Ricky - he's directing, producing and co-writing (with Stephen Merchant, his creative partner on The Office and Extras) an upcoming Sony feature film which kinda sounds like The Office meets Glengarry Glen Ross meets Stand By Me...

Here's the announcement:

Sony has boarded Ricky Gervais' "The Men at the Pru." Pic will be the second U.K. production to come out of the Sony Intl. Motion Picture Production Group, run by Deborah Schindler. Project is a coming-of-age tale about a group of men working at an insurance company in the 1970s...Gervais will also have a supporting role in the pic, which is set to go into production later this summer.

Damn. Books, blogs, podcasts, standup, writing, directing, producing, acting, playing with his piles of TV money - got enough to do there, Ricky? When does this man sleep?

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Stay Classyfied: MTV casting PAID EXTRAS to attend the Ultimate Chase PARKOUR Special [VIDEO]

Jake Kalish — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:22:00 GMT

Because you know you love Parkour...

<<MTV casting PAID EXTRAS to attend the Ultimate Chase PARKOUR Special (Los Angeles)

Reply to: tickets@onsetproductions.com ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]}
Date: 2009-03-22, 10:23AM PDT

MTV ULTIMATE CHASE- PARKOUR event- PAYING EXTRAS $40 CASH read below

WHAT IS PARKOUR? click the youtube link to see an example

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jquXcwooV6A

We are paying EXTRAS $40 cash to be part of the audience as extras for the filming of PARKOUR ULTIMATE CHASE in Los Angeles.

To apply you MUST email us at tickets@onsetproductions.com, DO NOT SIGN UP AT THE WEBSITE, ONLY EMAIL submissions will be considered for PAID SPOTS. Space is limited so hurry and apply for your ticket. You must be 18 years old or older to apply for this show. DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25th- 9AM CALL TIME
THURSDAY, MARCH 26th- 9AM CALL TIME

INCLUDE IN EMAIL:
-NAME
-AGE
-CONTACT NUMBER
-HOW MANY GUEST YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING
-DATE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND

Are you a huge “Parkour” fan and want to attend MTV’s Parkour Special “ULTIMATE CHASE” hosted by Todd Richards? As seen in the opening scene in JAMES BOND movie Casino Royal. If you love stunts preformed right in front your eyes and want to be a part of the actual set then this show will blow your mind. YOU CAN NOT BE AFRAID OF HEIGHTS TO APPLY. 2 teams of Professional Parkour stunt guys will complete in competition right in front your eyes

PARKOUR- Parkour is a “movement” more akin to a religion (or martial art). And like many religions, most followers of Parkour take it fairly seriously. Part daredevil, Part Special Forces. Born in the suburbs of Paris and having evolved from Military training techniques Parkour turns the urban jungle into a playground. Moving as quickly and efficiently on, thru, over and around anything and everything in one’s path. Walls, Stairs, cars, rooftop are all part of your course. Expanding from Parkour, Freerunning emphasizes the creativity and acrobatics of movement in the very same setting.

Location: Los Angeles
Compensation: $40 Flat rate
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

PostingID: 1086659532

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Dawson Gives Us Deja Vu On "One Tree Hill"

Lindy Parker — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:00:00 GMT

Last night's episode of One Tree Hill featured a guest appearance from former Willmington, NC resident, James Van Der Beek as a coke-snorting film director named Dixon. It's like One Tree Hill suddenly became an episode of Extras...

Previously:

Bizarre Comeback of the Week: James Van Der Beek on One Tree Hill

OMG Dawson, Is That You?

TV Columnist Admits TV Stars Hate TV

Ben Kallen — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:25:00 GMT

We all know people who claim they don't ever watch TV, except maybe Mad Men and Masterpiece Theatre and the occasional roundtable debate about the effects of global warming on penguin habitats. But now we have confirmation from AP television writer Frazier Moore that this group of Hills-despising, How I Met Your Mother-ignoring snobs includes TV performers themselves.

"Among the scads of TV stars I've talked to, I never made a point of grilling them on their TV consumption," Moore writes. "I don't recall how often it came up. But over time I started to realize (and marvel) that, out of everyone who did address the issue with me, fewer than a dozen of them copped to being TV fans.

"The rest: Well, they don't shun just the programs they appear in. They don't watch TV, period. Or so they claim."

Well, sure -- it's one thing to play Horny Nerd at Sci-Fi Convention on The Big Bang Theory, and another to admit you watch the thing. What would you tell your friends when you run into them at Pinkberry? In fact, Moore points out, it's obvious what Hollywood's attitude toward the medium itself is, given that the TV-watchingest TV characters tend to be fat louts such as Homer Simpson, Peter Griffin and Tony Soprano.

Luckily, not all performers feel that way about their own audience. The actors who Moore says do admit to being fans of the tube also participate in some of the smartest, most pop-culture-relevant shows: The Office and Extras writer-actor Ricky Gervais, Robot Chicken cocreator Seth Green, and Mad Men star Jon Hamm.

So if you ever catch yourself saying all you watch is Mad Men and The Office, keep in mind that the people on the screen are home with a bowl of popcorn and Two and a Half Men or some Law & Order marathon, just like everybody else.

Image: Fox

Previously:
Mad Men Recap: Sunday Worst
Even More Great Office News
How I Met Your Mother Secrets Revealed (No, Not That One)