Treating Extras as Humans

Gene Poe of the Screen Extras Guild was quoted as saying “movie extras are treated by everyone in the industry as sub-humans” and he went on to say “the movie industry has made mucho bucks but abuses union and non-union extras” (Outtakes, by Bill Steigerwald, Jan. 10).

I have cast extras in feature films, TV shows and commercials for 10 years in Texas and California. I think it is unfair to blame everyone.

Yes, there are some directors/producers who mistreat extras and treat them as sub-humans. Usually those same directors/producers also mistreat their crew, craft services people and probably their spouses and children. In other words, that’s how they treat everyone.

On the positive side, there are directors/producers who are very friendly and pleasant to be around. They smile and say hello and thank a person for doing a good job.

Thirty-five dollars a day for extras probably doesn’t seem like much money to a lot of people, however, to a senior citizen on a fixed income the “extra” money comes in handy.

Most people who work as extras usually have flexible full-time jobs or they are job searching. Most extras do not depend on extra work as permanent income but usually consider it supplemental.

If Poe is still searching for livable wages, better working conditions and respect as professionals since 1933, then I really consider myself lucky because this is exactly what my extras get from such clients as:

Ilona Herzberg, producer, “G-Men”; Gary Bettman, producer, “The Unholy”; Albert Pyun, director, “Downtwisted”; Cheech Marin, director, “Born in East L.A.” And too many others to list.

I can’t wait to see “Memories of Me.” I only wish I could have cast the extras.

MARGUERITE CRAVATT

Extras Casting Director

Creative Casting