Dancing Scene Tips for Film Extras

When outlining this article, a particular movie scene kept popping into my mind. In the Jennifer Lopez film, “The Wedding Planner” her character goes on a date with Matthew McConaughey. In this date they are at an outdoor movie, and when a slow-dancing song begins to play, the surrounding extras slowly rise couple-by-couple and start to dance. While the primary focal point of the scene is on the budding relationship between J-Lo and McConaughey, for some reason the atmosphere created by the extras was quite moving. This just goes to show, your work as an extra can completely enhance the quality and emotion of a scene.

When you’re working on a film and the scene requires dancing on behalf of the extras, there are several tips you must be aware of to keep from making yourself look like a fool.

Tip #1 – Dance Like a Natural

One of the most common questions I receive from beginning extras when it comes to dancing in a scene is, “Does it matter if I can’t dance?” There are two answers to this question. While you should be able to at least move a little, if you were not required to audition for the part the dancing will be very basic. However, if you are completely horrid at dancing, you may not be qualified for the role, yet the director may want some individuals who are obviously not professional dancers but rather real people.

Whether you’re in a dance club, or like in the aforementioned movie, at a park with a large outdoor black-and-white movie playing, dance like you naturally would. If you fumble, that’s fine – roll with it. From my experience, if you did not have to audition for a dancing scene, the director wants natural movements from his extras. And not having the dancing skills of a professional performer is expected.

Tip #2 – Remember Your Movements

This goes for lead actors and background performers. Remember how you’re moving. A film scene is shot numerous times from different angles. There are very few movies that use one continuous shot throughout the entire scene. Because of this, it is important to match up your movements for previous takes, which is called continuity. Since you are an extra, you don’t have to be exact, but you must remember your major bodily movements.

An Example as to Why This is Important

In the scene you are dancing with a partner and he twirls you after the lead actress says, “But I don’t love you.” During the next take, when the camera is capturing a wide shot, your dance partner does not dip you when the lead actress delivers her line. In the editing room, the editor takes a sentence from the first shot, where you’re being dipped, and quickly transfers to the wide shot, when you didn’t dip. In the background you would magically be dipped then possibly at a completely different angle within a split second. While this is not large enough to completely ruin the scene (many movies have funny continuity issues when it comes to background performers), it can cause distress for the editor, director and producers. Thus, always remember your major bodily movements. Write them down on a notepad, just to make sure you and your dancing partner do not forget.


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