Director
Creative or operational relevance to directing
Performs in the background with no lines and no individual action, lending believability to the scene. The term replaces the older "extra" and emphasizes active performance.
Extras populate the world of the cast: passers-by, guests, colleagues, an audience. Without them, every scene plays out in an empty city. The English term Background Artist has also become established in German-speaking areas because it expresses what it's about – they are acting, not just standing around.
On Set
- The action starts before the clap. "Background action" comes before "Action" so that the movement is already underway when the scene begins.
- Repeatability is everything. Each background artist has a fixed path and a fixed timing. Anyone who starts earlier in the third take will be cut.
- Don't look at the camera. The most common reason for an unusable take.
- No dialogue. Extras do not speak – as soon as someone says a line, their contractual classification changes.
Extras are organized by the production management, and on larger productions, by a dedicated extra casting and an on-set supervisor.
From the crafts
Perspectives
Producer
Importance in production planning and execution
More in the lexikon
Related terms
Test your knowledge
Quiz
1. Zu welchem Department gehört „Komparse"?
2. Wie viele verschiedene Fachperspektiven bietet dieser Eintrag?