This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

For Those About to Film: We Salute You!

Heidi McDonald offers tips to those who are about to become extras on "The Dark Knight Rises."

Next week, thousands all over the city will be coming down with "Bat Flu," calling off work, and getting their bat-butts down to the Omni William Penn in the hopes of getting chosen as an extra for "Magnus Rex." (The worst-kept secret in town, "Magnus Rex" is the casting office's code word for "The Dark Knight Rises," filming here in July and August.)

I will not be among them, because my goal is to be on the opposite side of the camera. However, I may or may not have advice for people who make the cut. You see, when you are chosen as an extra, you have to sign a confidentiality agreement so scary that you are terrified to even utter the name of the movie, or say anything directly about it. So I'm not saying I have ever been an extra, but here are my tips for people who have never been to a movie set:

  1. Bring a backpack containing a good book, sunscreen, some snacks, and some bottled water. You will do a lot of sitting and a lot of waiting. There may be a snack table and they may have beverages, but, they are also on a budget. So hedge your bets, bring your own. If you're someone whose back needs it, bring a small cushion in case the chairs are metal or plastic and ungodly uncomfortable.
  2. Silence the cell phone. It will be very bad if your phone rings after "rolling" has been yelled. Do not take photos, Tweet, or make FaceBook updates from the set. Should you get caught, you will never work as a movie extra in the city again, and they can legally re-claim any compensation, even sue you. I may or may not have actually seen someone fired from a movie set for this.
  3. Bring the same amount of ID you'd need to fill out an I-9 with, just in case you're given a line and that changes your status from extra to featured extra. It's all new paperwork.
  4. There is a definite pecking order on a movie set, which you should understand and be cool with. Cast, Crew, Extras. Way at the bottom. Deal with it.  If you have any kind of issue, you should only speak directly to the person you have been told to speak to as a contact, and nobody else.
  5. While we have certainly become a celebrity culture, there's etiquette involved should you be an extra on a movie set and see one of the famous actors. Asking for autographs, taking photos, talking to them, or gawking at them...VERBOTEN. It just isn't done. I may or may not have seen a celebrity on a movie set, and noticed him or her, but was careful not to stare, or wave, or anything. That's what is required.  If someone, of their own accord comes over to say hello or sign autographs, that's a different story, but it doesn't happen often.
  6. Listen well, follow directions carefully. If you screw up, there are a hundred people outside ready take your place.
  7. Remember that generally, a whole day's shooting might result in 5 seconds of footage in the final product. Do it for the experience, and not to see yourself on film, because chances are, you won't.

My tips may or may not have helped you, but I hope they have. If you are one of the lucky people selected to be on Batman, I applaud you, and I hope you will see me, running around with a headset and a handful of water bottles. What a great thing for Pittsburgh!

Find out what's happening in Forest Hills-Regent Squarewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Forest Hills-Regent Square