Strictly Background (2007)

Director:

Jason Connell

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Hollywood, a destination filled with the hopes and aspirations of many to make it big. But sometimes to make it big...

Plot Keywords:

Background | Background Actor | Extra | Extras

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Terry Bolo	...	Herself
Geoffrey Gould	...	Himself
Cecilia Hartfeld	...	Herself
Louis McCarten	...	Himself
Jay Michaels	...	Himself
Cary Y. Mizobe	...	Himself
Tafan Nieves	...	Himself
Mark Nobel	...	Himself
John Richards	...	Himself
Marvin Rouillard	...	Himself
Jeff Olan	...	Himself

Runtime:

USA:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Connell Creations

Trivia:

The film won a total of 6 Film Festival Awards.

Movie Connections:

References Garfield (2004)

Just another face

I just left a screening of Strictly Background at the New Hampshire Film Expo. This is one of the most sincere and touching documentaries I've seen in a long time. The basic premise carries us to Hollywood and into the lives of Background Artists, or extras to us lay people. Extras are the truly unsung heroes of the movie business. Without background players, we wouldn't have movies. It's a really simple film that gives an honest glimpse of the life these folks live. Some do it for fun, some do it to break into the "Business," some do it for a few extra bucks. All the individuals interviewed have a true love of making movies, even if it's as set dressing. As the movie progresses it's informative of the movie making process, but at the same time it's emotional in the sense that we are following the hopes and dreams of all these extras. Some make it, some don't. One gentleman lives in a rented storage unit for $100 a month. We go to casting calls, jobs and "specs", where an extra goes to a set in the hopes they might be needed that day. By the end of the movie I realized I was rooting for all of them to get that next job. The director did a great job of drawing us into these lives and the emotional roller-coaster that goes along with this kind of work. Not an easy task in our cynical society. It's funny, interesting and at times heartbreaking. I highly recommend this film to any kind of cinema fan as well as anyone who is curious about the real Hollywood.