Giving just a little bit 'extra'

Colombia. For those unfamiliar with the place, the country conjures up images of cocaine, violent crime, prostitution and other such ‘ghastly’ affairs. 

For others, especially those who have spent some time here, they generally come away with a far more positive image of the land – relatively friendly, helpful people, fantastic scenery together with a wonderfully diverse natural environment. 

One thing, though, that the average person would not instantly think of when they hear the word Colombia is the ‘glamorous’ world of TV extras work. It’s not something that sprang to our mind anyway. 

Yet, as we’ve slowly been discovering, if you’re an extranjero/foreigner here, there seems to be a strange demand for your acting ‘talents’ – or at least your ability to stand around as an additional body while there’s a camera rolling.

In demand - getting 'made-up' for 'Colombia Tiene Talento'.

Of course, this strong demand for non-natives may just simply be seasonal – so in one sense we should ride the wave while it’s in full flow. We are, after all, getting a chance to see inside a quite surreal world that in our home country getting access to might not be as easy. 

In theory, it’s a great gig. Getting paid – eventually, that is – reasonably well for doing very little. Getting fed – eventually, that is – for free while on-set. 

For some, the chance to rub shoulders with semi-famous actors/actresses is also appealing. Plus, there’s the chance that you might get lucky and land a brief speaking part – an opportunity that presented itself to us here recently. 

There’s much more to ‘Wrong Way’s’ acting talents than being just a silent body you know – or a flag waver (see http://bit.ly/KT00gx from 2’ 30’’ onwards). 

We won’t let the fact that the speaking role is in one of the numerous, remarkably cheesy dramas – or ‘telenovelas’ to give them their proper title – that somehow are quite popular here. These ‘gems’ make Ireland’s Fair City look half decent.

So, in this Colombian extras world, if your face fits the bill – or the powers that be feel you might be able to fill a gap for them – you become very important. 

In the back of almost every extras mind, especially those who are relying on the work to survive, is the hope that they’ll become an indispensable part of a production, thereby guaranteeing somewhat steady employment for a time – evolving into a super extra, if you will. 

It could be said they’re looking for their Bart Simpson 'I didn’t do it’ moment', in a sense (see The Simpsons episode 512 – ‘Bart Gets Famous’).

Super extra: 'Your papers, please.'

Now, as exciting as all this may sound, once the novelty factor wanes, as it undoubtedly does, prostituting yourself out to various productions becomes tiring, to say the least. 

At the same speed you can be picked from obscurity to become a super extra, you are just as rapidly cast aside when you’re not wanted anymore. If that happens to be your fate, when you’re quite literally just making up the numbers, then that apparently gives the production team the right to treat you like a dog. 

Well, actually a little bit worse. At a recent shooting, where dogs were required, we discovered that the canine thespians were getting paid more than the average extra. 

What’s more, they didn’t have to hang around all day like council workers – once their scene was shot, off they went, with their tales very firmly wagging in the air.

Then there’s the food – or the waiting for it to be more specific. They do say that the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. We tend to go along with that. 

So if you make us wait unnecessarily long for some grub, then you can expect a backlash. OK, fair enough, they feed you – I suppose they don’t have to. But it’s the blatant inequality of it all that irks us. 

On one side you have the ‘important’ people, dining in comfort and at will. Then you have the extras. As soon as the break for lunch is called the rush of these nobodies to the dining area is like a herd of buffalo on the charge. 

Lord help you if you’re one of the last to the queue – a long, long wait is in store while you watch the ‘stars’ and production team dine in relative splendour. 

There’s also the strong possibility that by the time you do get served, the food is either cold or there’s hardly any left.

'Save some for me, por favor!'

So, you may ask, if your lot is just a run-of-the-mill extra, why continue with it all? 

Well, as ever, money talks, so if you happen to be free when you get ‘that’ call from an agency saying your services are required, it can be hard to turn down. The aggravating, depressing aspects from the last time usually subside. 

There’s also that dream, that hope, that you may just get your big break this time around – your Bart Simpson ‘I didn’t do it’ moment in the spotlight. If you’re not in, you can’t win and all that. 

But like most things in these parts, as regular readers will be aware by now, the best advice is as follows: Don’t whatsoever rely on it but if you have to, then do not, in any case, take it seriously.