A background actor, often called an extra, is a performer in a film, television show, or commercial who appears in a scene to provide a sense of realism or atmosphere.
Background actors usually do not have speaking roles or significant interactions with the main characters. Their presence enhances the setting and supports the narrative without being the focal point of the scene.
A principal actor is a film, television show, or commercial performer who plays a central or significant role in the storyline.
Principal actors often have speaking roles, and their characters are integral to the plot development. They are the main focus of the scene, driving the narrative forward, and are typically featured prominently in promotional materials for the production.
[Read also: Can Background Acting Ruin My Career?]
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The opposite is also true: an agent who books actors in principal roles will never ask their client to be a background actor.
A serious agent knows their market: if their bread-and-butter is to book extras, they do not have time to focus on one specific actor with their specific goals and cast type. If they are a principal actor agent, they spend time getting to understand how each of their clients fits a certain role they can pitch them for.
If your goal is to be a principal actor, working with a background agent can be detrimental to your goals because:
For those reasons, you should only work as a background actor in 2 circumstances:
In a nutshell: background and principal actors are seen and treated differently by the whole industry, from agents to the set crew. Once you become one (background or principal), it is challenging to become the other.
[Read also: 3 Secrets About How Agents Pitch Actors]
Different agents work differently. While a background agent gets hired to provide a group of actors for one specific production (and typically one working day), a principal agent represents an actor with a specific name and headshot.
While the extras can be recast easily, sometimes even last-minute, a principal actor is not as easy to replace. A principal actor went through specific consideration due to auditioning and being pitched for the role by their agent.
A background agent:
A principal agent:
To sum it up: the reason why background agents will never book you authentic roles is that they are not equipped to do so. They do not have the time, the skill, or the industry connections to pitch individual actors for speaking roles. They see actors in groups that fit a visual image, assisting the overall photography of a scene to make it look realistic.
[Read also: 7 Mind-Blowing Reasons You Will Not Find a Good Audition On Casting Websites]
Principal agents have connections in the industry, starting with casting directors. This means:
Whether you need a full demo reel or a few acting clips, or a casting director prefers to see you in person to audition, a principal agent is familiar with the casting director’s process and facilitates their work to book their actor.
On the other hand, background agents communicate mostly with background casting offices. This means:
A background actor does not need a demo reel, acting clips, or an acting resume – they may not even need a professional headshot. As long as they are available, they may receive requests to be on sets when a production needs extras.
Establishing meaningful connections between agents and casting directors is an important part of a principal agent. The sheer volume of actors represented by background agents often results in a limited time for that type of connection. The fast-paced nature of casting means:
one or two casting directors (or assistants) will focus on principal actors;
background casting is a delegation (to a separate division of an office, or even a completely different office than that of principal casting).
For those reasons, actors whose goal is to book speaking roles do not benefit from background work.
[Read also: The Most Common Misconceptions About Casting]
Some actors only work as extras by choice, and do not care about authentic roles. Some reasons why they chose that path can be:
Being content without getting authentic roles is fine. Some actors enjoy the simplicity of being on set (sometimes with celebrities, as their background actors) and even find that fun. The pressure is only to be there, and not much more. There are no lines to memorize, no acting choices to make, and no detailed directions to worry about.
Such actors must certainly find a good background agency to represent them – one that calls them consistently (preferably every day) and negotiates good rates for their pay. Even the union SAG-AFTRA has a division for background actors, who can benefit from many of the protections of principal actors.
[Read also: Casting Websites: Which Ones To Pay For?]
If your goal is to book speaking roles, you must have a good principal agent. The ideal agent for a principal actor does not get involved in background casting at all. An agent who dedicates their time to casting extras does not have the time needed to develop industry connections and pitch actors for the best roles.
Your search for authentic roles demands an agent who:
A principal agent is an important part of a principal actor’s team. They have the important job of helping their clients book jobs consistent with their evolving goals.
[Read also: Tips For A Great Agent Meeting]
The main reason why background agents will never book you authentic roles is simply because that is not their job. For speaking roles, you need an agent whose focus is on principal roles. That agent will be able to pitch you properly and find auditions for roles you would be thrilled to play. In addition, they can help you by reviewing your acting materials like reel, clips, resume, and headshots.
So, if you want to book authentic roles, focus on finding great representation!
[Read also: Agents and Managers: 5 Unique Differences]
At Teacup of Wisdom, we share knowledge and insights about the entertainment industry from the actor’s point of view to inspire and empower your acting journey.
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