Life on Set Support

Scheduled shoot days tend to be 12 hours but an artist’s start time is often a number of hours before the shoot begins (to allow time for them to get dressed and ready) and some time is usually spent wrapping out at the end of the day (e.g., travelling back to the unit base, getting changed and signing out). Shoot days can also run over. On this basis, it’s not unusual for artists to work 14-hour days and sometimes longer. The point at which overtime kicks in depends on the specific agreement under which your production is operating. You should always be told how many hours the basic rate covers (i.e., when you will go into overtime) when you are offered the job. See here for more information on overtime rates.

When you first arrive on set, someone will be there to tell you where to go. You’ll generally need to have your hair and makeup done, be dressed in a costume and eat breakfast (if it’s a day shoot) and will be directed to the various stations as appropriate. Please always follow the directions of the production crew.

You’ll likely be moved to a holding area before the shoot starts and in-between takes and scenes. Make sure you stay where you are meant to be as you may be required at short notice and production may not be willing to search for you.

Find out more about a typical day on set.

Roles change from set to set but a supporting artist’s main contact is usually the Assistant Director (AD) or 2nd Assistant Director (2nd AD).

Find out more about who's who on set.

Whether you need hair and makeup will depend on the shoot. On most productions, you will be looked over by the hair and makeup department to ensure your appearance is presentable. For high-end glamourous scenes or period productions, be prepared to spend up to one hour in the chair for full makeup and hairstyling.

If you have agreed to wear a wig or hair extensions, these will also be added at this stage.

Therefore productions will usually request you arrive bare faced and with clean hair, unless stated otherwise.

Whether you wear a costume will depend on the shoot. If you have attended a fitting or been told by the casting agent that a costume will be provided, you will be sent to costume when you arrive on set (typically before hair and makeup). You will be assigned to the appropriate queue by the assistant directors on set. If you are bringing your own requested costume options, you will still be directed to costume to get ready and ensure the team are happy with your look.

You will be directed to the costume department to get dressed in your outfit and be checked over by the team.

Some productions have tight security precautions to protect confidentiality and may require you to hand in your phone to prevent you taking photographs or recordings of the shoot. If this is the case, you’ll usually be notified before attending the shoot.

A member of production will label your phone with your name and keep it in a secure place until you wrap. Please switch your phone off before handing it in. Even if you are permitted to keep your phone, you should not take any photographs on set. If you are seen taking photographs, you may be removed from the shoot.

This is not guaranteed but production should have somewhere secure for you to keep your things. If in doubt, ask. It is recommended that you don’t bring valuables with you on a shoot.

No, you should not bring guests or children who are not working to the set with you.

Big-budget films do multiple takes of many different shots to fully capture a scene. This can be laborious and you will probably be required to repeat your actions several times. Please do this as professionally as possible, remember your marks and stay positive.

Positivity is always welcomed on set and production often feed back on artists’ performance and attitude to their agent. Keeping a positive attitude will help your chances of being booked for future work.

It is likely that you will appear on camera and in the final cut of the film. However, this is not guaranteed, and it is not your main purpose for being there. You are a supporting artist; you are there to help create the atmosphere of the scene. Please do your best to follow the instructions and do your job well.

You should never approach the actors. The set is their workplace and a professional environment and should be respected as such. They have a lot going on in the scenes and often spend any time between takes preparing for the next scene.

In some situations, supporting artists may be removed from set if they inappropriately approach actors.

If you are approached by one of the actors, always be friendly and engaging, but keep it professional.

Yes! We encourage you to engage with your fellow supporting artists. You may end up working with them again on other productions and are likely to meet all sorts of interesting people, so please mingle. This is also a way to learn from their experience if they have done this type of work before and improve your own skills as a supporting artist.

Stay switched on between takes. Just because you are not filming at a point in time doesn’t mean other takes aren’t happening. Stay quiet and listen to any instructions that are given to you. You may be required to return to the holding area or stay by the set ready to shoot again.

You may be waiting around for some time, so bring something to keep yourself entertained, like a book. Due to confidentiality and security precautions, you are unlikely to be allowed to bring a phone, iPad or tablet on set, so a book is always a safer bet.

Meals may be provided on set. If this is not possible, you will often be given a meal allowance. This is usually a payment added to your chit, not cash. Because of this, you should be told in the check-in information if food is not being provided so that you can bring food with you or money to buy food. If your meal break is interrupted to shoot and you do not get the full hour, you may receive a broken meal penalty depending on the agreement covering your production.

Under the Pact/FAA agreement, if you are working a continuous day or night, there are no meal breaks, but you will still be given an opportunity to eat. You will just receive a shorter break or will be given food-in-hand on set.

If your call is early, breakfast is usually provided. Breakfast is not a relaxed affair as you must be readied for the day and the schedule is usually tight. Please listen to instructions and be willing to leave your scrambled eggs if you’re required in hair and makeup! Always dispose of your plates and cutlery accordingly and clean up after yourself. It will be much appreciated.

See here for more information on meal allowances and penalties.

Scenes can take quite a while to set up and shoot and there will be opportunities for you to go to the bathroom. Please check in with the assistant director responsible for you before going to the loo. They will be able to tell you whether you have time or whether you need to wait because a take is about to happen.

It’s very important that you pay attention to any instructions and only ask the assistant directors questions if absolutely necessary, as they are very busy. Ask a fellow supporting artist and see if they can answer your question before troubling the production team.

If you are told conflicting information by production, always go with the last instructions you were given and try to remember the name or description of the person who gave you the instructions in case you are asked.

If you are unhappy or uncomfortable about anything that has happened to you on set, please notify the agency who booked you as soon as possible. They may be able to explain the situation and, if not, they should follow up with production (as the hirer) about the issue.

Report the accident to the assistant director responsible for you immediately. An accident report should be completed and signed by production (you may be asked to sign it too). As the hirer, the production is responsible for the relevant documentation and procedural follow-up. However, you should also notify the agency who booked as soon as possible.

Make sure the assistant director is aware and that your wrap-out time is captured for payment purposes. You should also let the agent or agency who booked you know within 24 hours.

Please report the incident to the assistant director responsible for you immediately. Ideally, you should get something in writing confirming what happened and signed by an assistant director. You should also notify the agent or agency who booked you as soon as possible.

Although shoots are not necessarily the most comfortable, there are guidelines on how supporting artists should be treated. Examples of where these guidelines may be breached include an extra-long shoot with no, or inadequate, food or drink. If you feel there is an issue, query it politely with an assistant director and if it’s not resolved, notify the agency who booked you.

Shoot days and nights can be long. It is very important that you maintain a positive mental attitude and be professional.