What is it really like to be a film extra?

When she’s not helping our prospective students find the right even course, our Course Advisor Karin Pointner regularly rubs shoulders with Hollywood stars as a film extra. Here she tells us about her experiences. “I discovered the world of film extras many years ago.  It all started with Bridget Jones’ Diary, and continued with Holby City, Children of Men, The Bourne Supremacy, Robin Hood, Harry Potter, I Give It A Year, and the latest one The Invisible Woman. Working as a film extra is such good fun, well, for me it certainly is. Yes, you often have to be on location very early in the morning (sometimes 5am), days are very long  and yes, there is a lot of waiting around BUT it is always an amazing experience. I find film sets and the attention to detail most fascinating. I feel privileged that I’m able to look behind the scenes and see how a movie is made. It’s a wonderful way to meet people from all walks of life, find yourself in interesting conversations and perhaps make lifelong friends. In addition, the film crew looks after their background artists very well and you can always have a cuppa and biscuits with your new friends. Working as a film-extra doesn’t suit everyone but for me it is fun and nothing but fun!