Strictly Background (2007)

A documentary spotlighting movie extras - the indispensable background actors in films.

Director:

Jason Connell

Stars:

Terry Bolo, Geoffrey Gould, Cecilia Hartfeld

1 win.

Cast

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

Storyline

For decades, film and television audiences have watched their favorite stars with little thought or concern for the people standing behind them. All of that is about to change as "Strictly Background" explores the charm and determination of some of Hollywood's hardest working actors, professional "extras." Turning industry convention on its head, this humorous & heartfelt documentary follows ten background actors as they navigate their way on and off the set. Both a behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood and a character-driven film, "Strictly Background" is a dynamic exploration into the pursuit of stardom and the real life struggle to stand out.

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Plot Keywords:

actor | extra | background actor | movie extra | filmmaker | 

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Taglines:

Extras in the spotlight.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 March 2007 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Connell Creations

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film won a total of 6 Film Festival Awards.

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Quotes

Terry Bolo: My next door neighbors used to think I was a hooker because I'd always be leaving the house at some different time in a different outfit.

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Crazy Credits

To all Background Actors, your hard work and dedication is vital to the entertainment industry so continue to be your very best and never lose sight of the dream!

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Connections

References Apollo 13 (1995)

User Reviews

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.