It's Advanced

Hi guys! How are you all this fine evening? What have you all done today? I have just been doing my usual. Living the glamours life as an extra. LOL. There is absolutely nothing glamours about being an extra on TV of in movies. Well, if there is I must have missed that part or maybe I am not just at the level since I have only been doing this for almost two years. Like maybe it's something that you work you way up to. Something you have to earn through years of hard work and dedication. Hahaha.

I just read this article about the term "advanced extra". It's something that I do see often. (From what I understood) It's a made up title by production companies/ people in the business so that they are able to go around contracts saying how much they actually have pay an actor for their job. It sounds fancy because it has the word "advanced" but that's far from reality. The term is not covered by (caution: a bunch of swedish words are coming!) teaterförbundets kolletivavtal which is an agreement between teaterförbundet and swedish production companies about what the minimum wages for people in show biz. "Regular extras" are not covered by a kollektivavtal since it's not considered primary occupation. I mean yeah it's not 'cause extras don't often work much when they are on set. You show up, you are there all day and they call you when they need you in the scene. Plus you don't get paid much. So basically you shit there and do nothing. From personal experience this differs A LOT from production to production. Also I like to watch when they're shooting something. It's fun, plus you learn much from just being on set of a show (you learn how everything works). (Sorry I got side tracked a little.) "Advanced extras" are also not covered but the kollevtivavtal. So the term is a way for production companies to hire actors without paying them the salary of an actor. That is sick and that is weird.

I really think that extras should be paid higher than what they are. I mean thing about the time we put into being there that day (or days) and the hours we work. 'Cause sometimes you work just as much as the team and the actors (or even more than the actors - sometimes, it happens). I mean when you're on set. Yes, the actors put in more time than you all in all since the have to memorize the script and learn the character. So they do a lot of work. I am just saying that the extras should be paid more.

Yeah yeah, this doesn't mean that I will stop doing work as an extra. This just, idk really. Something needs to be done. 'Cause apparently it's a really big problem. According to the woman who wrote the article (you can read it here - it's in swedish though, google translate maybe?) in Monica Z only four to five actors were paid according to kollektivavtalen. This chocks me since this was a really big movie last year. Monica Z had the most nominations at Gulbaggegalan (swedish Oscars) this year. It was 11 nominations but it won 4 (best director, best actress in a leading roll, best actor in a supporting roll and best costume design).


your writer, Erika

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