What to expect on set

Background

My first day on set was a bit of a trial by fire. It was a big indoor scene on Supergirl, with at least 150 x BGs, and for some reason, I was singled out to play with the actors! I mentioned to the other two BGs that this was my first day, and they gave me a couple of tips like, "don't look directly at the camera", and "repeat your action the same each time, unless someone tells you differently". They gave me the basics of the timing, (we go on 'Background!'), the place where we start (First Mark) and the end mark, and the other terms that the Assistant Director (AD) yells out (Action, Cut, Reset, etc.)

That stunned look of a BG newbie

Anyhow, as we were setting up the shot, we chatted with an attractive young woman, that I wasn't quite sure what her role was (later learning that she was the stand-in). We rehearsed the scene, where I come from another room and walk up to our group and shake the actors' hands. So when we go to shoot the first time, I come around the corner, and there is this beautiful woman who has of course replaced the stand-in now, and I am so surprised that I barely remembered what to do! Obviously, she was a professional, and gracefully introduced me into the scene. The 1st AD gave us a little tweaking here and there, but otherwise, the day came out without me making any colossal blunders.

Luckily for new BGs, that is not how everyone's first day goes; most BG are not involved with the actors' actions in the scene. Typically, you'll be walking onto set with some or the rest of the BGs, and asked to stand off to the side to wait for either a 3rd AD or sometimes the BG wrangler to assign you an action. There will be a lot of crew around, sometimes two or three camera setups, lighting rigs and cables everywhere (watch your step!). When someone does assign you to an action (try to get their name), don't be afraid to clarify what they want you to do. e.g. "So after this guy walks by, I count 3 beats, and cross behind the actors? Or do you need me to walk in front and wipe the camera?" (It is definitely not the norm, but sometimes they want a busy scene, and have the BG passing between the camera and the actors).

Crew adjusting the camera on a recent commercial shoot

After a rehearsal with "second team" (the stand-ins), the actors, or "first team" will be called to set for their rehearsal. When the director is a happy, they will call for "finals", or final makeup and hair touches for the actors. Then everyone takes their first positions, and the AD yells, "Pictures up!" - this is usually accompanied by something like "Give me a bell" (in studio) or "Lock it up" (on location). That's the cue for the locations team to calm the set down; crew working with tools have to stop, HVAC systems are turned off, and all off-camera crew have to clear the set. "Roll sound!" or less frequently "Turnover!" (British) is the last step before the AD yells "Background!", which is your cue to start your assigned movement. "Action!" starts the scene for the actors. Keep doing what you were instructed to do until you are off-camera or you hear "Cut!"; most of the time you can start heading back to your first mark then, or when you hear "Reset!"

After the first take, they might mix it up, and have you doing something different. Otherwise, you simply keep doing the exact same thing on each take until the scene is finished. If possible, pay attention to the dialog, or watch for other visual cues; sometimes they will shoot a "pick-up", and start the scene half way through, and you'll need to start from a 2nd mark. Also, if you are paired with another BG, introduce yourself, and get their name as well. Sometimes, after getting a break or a run to Crafty, they are looking for that person, and no one knows who it is. Anyhow, typically after an hour or so of shooting from alternate angles and with different lenses, that scene will finish, and you'll move onto a new scene.

Sometimes, it ends up being more Foreground than Background

As a BG, your job is to be on camera, but be immediately forgettable. Just the other day, a couple was supposed to be dancing, but they literally polka-ed right onto the dance floor; needless to say, the AD had to get them to tone down their entrance. For the most part, just act naturally. Conversations are all mimed; unless specifically asked, talking is a no-no. Even whispering causes problems for the sound department, and as a courtesy to the crew trying to work, resist the temptation to talk amongst the BG between takes. Bearing that in mind, Background is intended to be part of the scene and so make sure that you are aware of where the camera is pointing; a quote I heard one day on set was, "If the camera can't see you, then you're not doing your job". Try not to get "stacked" behind other BG; offset yourself so that you you are not hidden from the camera. "Open up" your face-to-face conversations, so that the camera gets a partial quarter-view of you rather than a profile shot.

The 3rd AD will likely give you all the guidance that you need; e.g. "can you walk a little faster", "give it another 3 or 4 beats before you leave", or one one of my favourites, "how about if you banana out over to that spot". Sometimes, they leave it up to the BG to make the scene, and will simply state, "you're in a busy office - we need lots of movement back here". All you have to do, is look for gaps or breaks in the action, and pass through that area, naturally of course. A frequent tip you will hear in BG, is that you should do whatever the last person told you to do. e.g. the 3rd might have you walk down the hallway, but then the AD asks you to stand and pretend to talk to the woman at the reception desk; you do the latter. Finally, when the cameras are not rolling, try to stay out of the way of the crew as they move about, trying to set up for the next shot.

BG should never leave set unless the 3rd or a wrangler sends you back to holding. Once in a while, the camera or a lighting rig will be where you are supposed to be, and the camera operator sends you away; good practice would be tell to the wrangler that you received direction from them to "relax". Similarly, if there's a long period of shooting, and you need to empty your bladder, wait for a break in the action and ask the 3rd or a wrangler if there's enough time to "10-1" (ten-one), or if #2 is your calling, then "10-2". Crafty runs should typically wait until you have been officially "relaxed" back to BG holding.

It may seem like a lot of information, and the first few times you step onto set it may seem a little daunting, but it will become familiar quite quickly. Even though every day on set is different, there is a certain pattern to things and it will become second nature eventually; you can literally go from being a newbie to a veteran BG in a handful of days. If you listen carefully and pay attention to what is happening around you, it is the easiest non-job there is.

The novelty of standing next to Jessica Biel wears off... after a couple of hours!

Oh and one last thing. It probably won't happen very often that you are on the set with an A-list star, but if by chance that does happen, you should not try to speak to them. When they are waiting between takes, it is highly likely that they are trying to get into the moment, rehearsing their lines in their head. Now is not the time to try and get a selfie with them.