6. DO NOT GET FIRED
You must not speak until you are spoken to. We are not kidding. Extras are not allowed to speak to actors unless an actor initiates the conversation. This rule is pretty strictly enforced, and you can get fired or disciplined if someone thinks you're bothering the actors. This means:
- No asking for autographs.
- No offering compliments.
- No behaving like a star-struck tool.
- No "pointers" for Jim Carrey on how to "make that last scene much funnier."
Do any of the above, and you will probably get fired.
If you're standing around an actor for a long period of time while a shot is being set up and he or she doesn't seem too uptight about your odious presence, it might be appropriate for you to toss out a little comment or some idle conversation. Use caution, though, and don't do it if you think you're going to sound breathless and spazzy or if the actor is concentrating on something else. If in doubt, just keep your mouth shut until the actor deigns to speak to you.
You must also not bring any of your friends or other people to the set. You are not an "insider" yet, and you are not permitted to show off your fancy job to your friends.
Another absolute taboo is the use of cameras on set. Don't bring one, and if someone forcibly puts a camera into your possession, do not use it under any circumstances. People will get really uptight about it if you break this rule, and you're likely to find yourself on the bus back to Pasadena before you can say "Ouch!"
Congratulations on your new job! You're well on your way to getting an inconsequential role that will not be remembered. Or maybe it will. . .
