To hear them tell it, movie extras are the unsung heroes of the silver screen, the wage earners that populate the background as the stars get the big money. In Shanghai, extras are often culled from the ranks of laid-off workers. A few have broken through to larger supporting roles.
Laid-off construction worker Chen Weiguo was hurrying to a job interview in suburban Songjiang District. This particular job, however, didn't involve cranes or cement: Chen was heading for a film set for an audition.
The 46-year-old "actor" is one of a growing number of working extras in Shanghai - a phenomenon fuelled by the growth of the local movie and television industry.
The role Chen was vying for involved delivering a few lines in a television drama - a part that would traditionally go to a trained actor.
While extras are primarily used as background - the anonymous pedestrians in street scenes, for example - the more ambitious among them are gunning for bigger parts.
"A good extra can improvise, and create a well-developed character," says Chen, eager to expand the definition of an extra. "Every director looks for that in an actor."
For the television drama being shot in Songjiang, the director was having difficulty casting the part of a casino owner. Several actors had tried and failed to win the part. Chen was called in, and though he was working on another film at the time, he rushed to the set, and three takes later, it was a wrap.
The would-be Brando has appeared in more than 10 television dramas and several films, rubbing shoulders with TV personalities and movie stars.
Working in the entertainment industry has allowed Chen to pursue his lifelong interest in acting.
Laid off from his construction job in 1992, Chen borrowed money from friends and relatives and began selling fruit and driving a taxi, hoping to catch the lucky break that would catapult him to fame.
Three years ago he saw a way into showbiz when he answered a casting call for extras published in a newspaper.
Unlike the glamorous actors and actresses they often share scenes with, extras don't command big money, usually taking home about 25 yuan (US$3) for an eight-hour day. Those with some lines and a close-up can earn as much as 200 yuan. On some movies, extras double as stunt men to save on costs. Bruises, cuts and sprains are no stranger to Chen.
"Sometimes I have to sit, wearing a heavy historical costume for 10 hours, battling the heat and the tedium," he says. For one shot, which can require a dozen takes, might result in less than three minutes of footage in the finished movie."
In an effort to improve his method, Chen took acting classes organized by the Shanghai Workers' Palace in the past November.
The 32-session term, which can be completed in a month, offers courses similar to those offered at theater academies: body expression, vocal techniques and theory.
"I approached it like a buffet, taking a little of this and a little of that. That way, I was exposed to a variety of techniques and styles," he says.
Teachers include veteran actors and professors from the drama institute.
Program Director Cao Rong says the classes aim to cultivate two types of extras: walk-ons and supporting actors.
The class is open to all ages and all walks of life, with laid-off workers comprising the bulk of students.
Thanks to his strong physique and rugged face, Chen is often cast as a "bad guy:" he's played bullies, body guards, goons, soldiers, and ringleaders.
Like all serious actors, however, he is wary of being typecast. "Since I can now pick and choose my roles, I will be more discriminating," he says, sounding more like Jackie Chan than a walk-on.
For Chen, working as a film extra is not only a way to make a living - it's also a journey of personal fulfillment, ignited by a passion for acting.
(Eastday.com February 04, 2002)
