Movie Extras Magic

Starring

HOLLYWOOD EAST

By Neil Cotiaux

P

aul and Patricia Lawler like to keep busy, even though they’re retired.

She, a former congressional aide, and he, a former member of Wilmington City Council, like rolling up their sleeves and addressing a variety of community causes such as child advocacy and urban forestry. They don’t stay home watching a lot of TV – but they do help make it.

Last year, just for fun, the Lawlers signed on as extras for several series being shot in the region.

Since 1985, more than 400 films, television and commercial projects have shot at the Wilmington lot of EUE/Screen Gems and various off-lot locations, pairing big-name stars with locals who get in on the action. It’s an opportunity to see how films and TV programs are made while making some money – and for the area’s newcomers, a chance to make friends and acclimate to new surroundings.

On any given day, a single production can require anywhere from a dozen to at least 400 extras, said Taylor Woodell, owner of TW Cast & Recruit. Woodell and another firm, Kimmie Stewart Casting, use digital platforms to engage with potential background actors.

“The first thing you do is sign up with them and you put some pictures in there – full-body, headshots, etc. – and tell them some things about yourself,” Patricia Lawler said.

Height, weight, waist and shirt size are captured in the event of costuming, said Woodell, who reviews entries, confirms an applicant’s availability and selects the candidates who “best suit the roles.”

Currently, extras earn a guaranteed $80 over an eight-hour day and after that, time-and-a-half for each hour. Some productions require extras to test for COVID-19, but extras get a bump in pay for being tested.

Once on set, it’s “rush, rush, rush” and then “you may sit there for two or three hours before you’re used,” Woodell said. She urges extras to “bring a book; bring cards.”

In the past few months, Paul and Patricia Lawler have been extras on a total of four productions: Patricia on Echoes and Our Kind of People; Paul on Florida Man (shown above); and both of them on George and Tammy, a miniseries about married music superstars George Jones and Tammy Wynette.

Be warned, though, retakes can sap energy.

“I was at Legion Stadium for two concert scenes, and we must have gone through 14 or 15 takes of each of those scenes. So, part of it is, you just have to bring up the enthusiasm,” Paul Lawler said.

One day’s shoot can occasionally run up to 16 hours, and things can change fast, he cautioned.

During a casino scene for George and Tammy, “All of a sudden, somebody comes over and unbuttons my shirt, puts a silver chain on me and then cuts my T-shirt,” Paul Lawler recalled, giving the scene a better ’70s vibe. “I guess I needed to look more like a casino guy … it’s an indication of how they keep adjusting the scene to fit the storyline and it points to their attention to detail.”

For Florida Man, he was told he would be a pedestrian, but “I got there, and the production assistant looked at me and said, ‘No, you have more of a detective aura.’” He was “deputized” on the spot.

Throughout any shoot, small talk is forbidden.

“You only speak when spoken to, and that’s a way for them to preserve the integrity of the set and also to kind of protect some of the principal actors from being hounded by fans,” Patricia explained.

On the days Patricia Lawler was on the set, numerous extras were either retirees or new to Wilmington. “It was amazing how many had moved here within the last year,” she said.

Despite all the rules, Paul Lawler recommends becoming an extra at least once.

“It’s just one of those things you should really do if you’re here and become a part of the community,” he said. “It’s really cool.”