Leo DiCaprio did it years ago. Nick Cage just did it a couple weeks ago. Angelina Jolie did it. Colin Farrell did it. Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe are reportedly going to do it, as is Sylvester Stallone (again). These are just a few of the actors who have seen their work take them to our fair shores. And it’s not just Hollywood but also Bollywood and of course our very own ‘Kokwood that is finding Thailand an ideal place to shoot movies. According to government officials, this is great for our economy and tourism (which is great for our economy), and we can expect to see more and more film and TV productions here, including Rambo 50 (just kidding: it’s “only” Rambo 4) starring Sly Stallone and American Gangster with Denzel Washington.

What’s good for Thailand can also be good for you. How, you ask? Well, making a movie is not such an easy thing to do. It takes a whole lot of bodies, and they can’t afford to send all of them over from Los Angeles or wherever. Aside from all the stylists and best boys and prima donna directors and crocodile wranglers, they usually need regular people—like you—acting like regular people to fill out the scenes and make them look realistic. These are the “extras.”

Film Extra 101

The dictionary definition of an extra is “a performer in a film, television show or stage production who has no role or purpose other than to appear in the background. Extras often require little to no acting experience and are hired en masse with little formality.” You know, one of those people running around screaming when the earthquake hits or the first dozen people Godzilla lays waste to in the first 10 minutes of the movie or, less glamorously, the people standing around in the background while the real actors strut their stuff. Those are extras.

One reason to get into this line of work is for the money—though in general you won’t get rich unless you’re a trained actor. Pinlak Eimsa-art, who makes her living from being an extra, explains: “Basically there are two types of movie extras. Local people and students from acting school. Everyone seems to think that good-looking ones will get better pay, but that’s a huge misconception. Actually, the amount of money they get depends on their talents and their physical characteristics.”

Pay for a regular Joe picked up off the street usually starts around B500 per day, but jumps to B3,000-5,000 per day for someone who is professionally trained. There are some well-known extras who earn as much as B50,000 per day, but that is fairly rare.

Many people become extras for the rush. There is a certain indescribable feeling that comes with being on the set of a film or television show—a sense that you are taking part in the creation of some of that famous movie magic.

Manit Tanakornprapa, a university student in Bangkok who was an extra in the Thai movie Payuk Rai Sai Nha, really enjoyed seeing all the behind-the-scenes work. “You get some really interesting insight into how movies are made and the system behind a production. I’m interested in photography, so of course I like to see how cameramen do their jobs. That was exciting.”

Jacqueline Hitzler, a German exchange student, was approached on Khao San Road to appear as an extra. “It’s the eclectic mix of people you encounter on a set that makes the job interesting,” she says. “There are students next to managers who just want a break from their everyday jobs; there are tourists and sometimes people who have been flown in. There’s never a lack of interesting characters to talk to.”
Another plus to working on a movie set as an extra is that you have a chance to rub shoulders with the stars. “I had a minor part in Nicolas Cage’s new movie Time to Kill,” Jacqueline says. “He was very nice. But most celebs just ignore you.”

On this point, Pinlak agrees. “Like every society, the entertainment world has a hierarchy. You might get the chance to meet stars, but don’t expect to have a long chat with them or share a meal. The stars usually are separated from the rest of the crew on breaks.”

Finally, some extras are hoping for exposure or a shot at stardom. Hitzler, for example, got a contract with one of Thailand’s leading modeling agencies after being noticed for her work as an extra. And acclaimed Hollywood stars Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Michael Caine all got their feet wet first as extras.

It Ain’t All Rosy

Like any job, being an extra also has its minuses. The first complaint you’ll hear from anyone doing this line of work is that there’s a lot of downtime. The long delays for actors and extras is actually fairly typical of a film or television shoot, due to the unpredictable nature of coordinating the efforts of dozens to hundreds of people for a single shot to come off right. Anyone who has tried to make a movie will certainly sympathize with this sentiment, but for the inexperienced extra, it can be boring as all hell. For this reason, and the pay, Manit’s first experience as an extra was also his last. “One day I was told to be there at 9pm, but the shot I was supposed to be in wasn’t until 3am. It was a waste of time—plus, I only earned B500.”

The next biggest complaint is that the pay isn’t commensurate with the time and effort. Suphasawatt Buranawech, a government official in Bangkok who occasionally works as an extra, brings up another typical pitfall. “I’ve played in four or five TV soaps and several TV commercials, including one for DTAC. But the pay is never right. I think extras are paid unreasonably low rates compared to the time they spend working.”
Remember that it’s usually necessary to repeat scenes many times over and over. Jacqueline recalls acting in a production called The Aftermath about the 2004 tsunami. The scene involved her and a few dozen extras running up the beach on Khao Lak away from the approaching waves. Of course getting everything to look right took take after take. In 37-degree heat, this experience was more than a little trying.
Another worry is not getting paid at all. Extras, like models, are particularly vulnerable to unscrupulous middlemen who don’t deliver what they promise or, worse, disappear completely with the money from the filmmakers.

“The bad thing about this career is uncertainty. The shooting is subject to change 24/7, but that’s normal. The real risk is being cheated. Since they will pay only when the job is done, the best way to avoid this is to work with a company you trust,” says Pinlak.

Getting Started

There are generally two ways of becoming an extra: Either someone comes up to you on the street and asks if you’d like a job, or you go out and actively find an agent. Modeling agencies and casting agents will take you on if you fit what they are looking for, and then you will be sent out on jobs.

Finding the right agent is important as this person will set you up with work as well as negotiate your pay. You should make sure your agent is really on your side and not just trying to fill his or her own pockets. If it’s a big job or the role is a speaking part, you may be asked to audition.

“We do a lot for our models. We take the strain off them when it comes to castings, since we do them at our agency and thus don’t have to send our models to other places every few days,” says Kiril Okun of JFP Talent and Modeling. “But we also expect a lot in return: Our models have to be serious about the job. They have to be reliable, punctual and aware of the time and energy commitment involved.”

So while a lot is up to chance, a lot is up to you as well. Adds Pinlak: “To survive as a good extra, you must not only have the ability to perform but also the ability to get along with all sorts of people, ranging from the director to the maid.”

DO’S & DON’T’S

Your ticket to stardom! Just take our tips to heart.

Do be patient. Sometimes agents won’t call or offer you a job in ages. That’s not because they hate your hairstyle or think you are too fat, but because there simply are no jobs at the moment. Clients are usually pretty specific about what they want, so don’t despair if you’re not the type they are looking for—the next job will come.

Don’t be too specific—at least not in the beginning. If you are serious about building a reputation for yourself, you can’t afford to dismiss any job that comes your way. Be it standing in the background at a movie or running through the picture in a shampoo commercial—no pain, no gain.

Don’t be a diva. There is no agent, make-up artist or production manager who likes to deal with snobs, and there’ll be plenty of time for demanding Evian and white flowers in your cloakroom when you’ve ascended to the likes of J-Lo. As model agent Phromayant Chansri says: “You have to respect your job and know what you’re doing. Sometimes profit has to be the last priority.”

Do be persistent. You’ll meet plenty of people at jobs, from agents to model scouts and casting directors. Don’t hesitate to call them and ask for jobs if they’ve given you their name cards. Just not every five minutes, if you know what we mean.

Do be dependable. If you’re told to be there at 5am, be there at 4:45. “We can only work with you if you’re always on time, don’t leave the location and respect the team”, says David J. of ND Modeling. Don’t fuss around when you’re told to do something, no matter how stupid it might be. Try not to complain too much, even if there is reason to complain. As bad as it sounds: You might have to suck up to agents or producers in the beginning and give them the feeling you’ll do anything for them. That way, they’ll trust you and give you more jobs.

Don’t expect everything to come to you in no time. Unless you’ve got Heidi’s curves and Giselle’s face, give yourself a little time for your ascent to stardom. Be nice to all the people you meet on jobs, no matter of their position: They might be your ticket to more (and better) work. And the more jobs you do, the more people will know your face.

When did you get the idea of hitchhiking around the world?
Even when I was a little kid of 8 or 9 years I’d be looking at maps and telling my parents it was my dream to see the world some day. Of course, nobody believed me, until I was 17 and started hitchhiking around Europe.

How do you find the people giving you rides?
I usually approach people in gas stations, tell them what I’m doing and ask them for a ride. That way I get to pick the people, which reduces the risk of running into unpleasant situations. I’ve had people hiding coke in their trunk or rushing along at 240km/hour, so you want to double-check whose car you’re getting into.

What was your (least) favorite country so far?
That’s hard to say, because I’ve experienced so many extraordinary things. But if I had to pick a favorite country I think it would be Brazil or Peru. In the USA my transportation system worked the worst—people were afraid to pick me up, or they were just caught up in selfishness: “I have to go now, and I don’t care whether this guy is still standing there tomorrow.” That was kind of sobering.

Was there ever a point when you wanted to give up?
No. Although I’ve encountered some pretty dangerous situations: In Colombia I had to cross guerilla-infested “red zones,” and in Africa I had to go to jail for a night because I had entered a port without proper authorization.

What do you think is the biggest sacrifice you’re making?
Actually, I don’t really feel like I’m sacrificing anything. But of course I miss my family and friends, but that was a choice I made consciously, and I chose adventure over convenience.

One last question: Why?
I find my trip very rewarding: I get to exercise myself in patience (after all, I still have to be friendly after 100 people have refused me a ride), tolerance, diplomacy and resourcefulness, I get a much more positive outlook on life, and I’ve learned to adapt to virtually any situation. These are experiences no one can ever take from me.

Adhere

This small and cozy bar is a good place for chatting and enjoying music with friends. However, if you go alone, things get a bit creepy. Beware of friendly creatures appearing from the floorboards that will talk your ears off the whole night through. Some are downright freaky.
13 Samsen Rd., Phranakorn, 089-769-4613, [email protected]. Open daily 6pm-midnight.

DJ Station

If loads of crazy drunken gay guys aren’t scary enough for you, try heading up to DJ Station’s third floor where the dark gloomy room is perpetually filled with wails and howls. Don’t go alone. Bringing a friend—or two, for a threesome—is the key.
8/6-8 Silom Soi 2, 02-266-4029. BTS Sala Daeng. Open daily 9pm-2am. www.dj-station.com.

Snob

Everything is “cheap cheap” here—the prices, the vibe and the customers. It’s a spooky Clone City where all girls wear spaghetti tops, tight short pants and slippers, while all guys wear super-tight jeans, black tops, plenty of piercings, tattoos and slippers, too. Fights and police raids are frequent so be sure you’re a fast runner.
Ratchada Soi 4, 02-612-2459. Open daily 7pm-1am.

Unicorn

The story goes like this: A DJ went to Unicorn early one night and found a lady clad in white from head-to-toe on the empty second floor. He ran down to the maid to asked who the lady was. The maid simply it was the ghost she saw there many times while doing her cleaning. Don’t say we didn't warn you.
Khao San Rd., 02-281-2366. Open daily 7pm-1am

“O’zapft is”—Munich’s mayors have used these exact same words over the past 173 years to open the Oktoberfest, or Wies’n as Germans call it. Literally meaning, “The barrel is tapped,” these two words are the opening shot for the world’s biggest folk festival, or as some (not unjustifiably) call it, the world’s biggest booze fest.

Sadly, despite the innumerable pubs, bars and beer taverns Bangkok boasts, not to mention the obligatory 7-Eleven on every street corner, there are still very few places where you can get high quality beer—but they do exist, some even with ingredients directly imported from Germany. These “microbreweries” distinguish themselves from common pubs in that they brew their own ale. Forget about mass-produced lukewarm broth that is drawn badly, and say hello to fresh, ice-cold beer with a delicious, foamy head.

Why go through the trouble of brewing your own boozy bubbles? “We want to provide the same atmosphere as a pub in England, and real English beer just isn’t available in bottles,” says the Operations Manager Anusorn Tanthanont of The Londoner (Basement, 591 UBC II Bldg., 104 Sukhumvit 33, 02-261-0238/-9. Open daily 11am-1am. BTS Phrom Phong. www.the-londoner.com). His pub boasts London Pilsner and Londoner’s Pride Cream Bitter, the only British-style bitter beer to be made in Thailand. The Londoner’s brewmaster Peter Schwarzmueller is German and worked at Paulaner Braeuhaus before joining the Londoner in 2000.

This is not the only place boasting a German master of the barrel. Over at Tawandang German Brewery (462/61 Rama 3 Rd., on the corner of Narathiwat Rd., or on Ramintra Rd., 02-678-1114/-5. Open daily 5pm-1am), Jochen Neuhaus has been busily brewing away over the past seven years, concocting mainly traditional beers with ingredients directly imported from Germany. Tawandang’s favorites are lager, weizen and dunkel, and they actually allow guests to watch as the beer is being brewed. But does home brewing really mean such a great improvement in taste?

“Definitely,” says Neuhaus. “Since we neither filtrate nor pasteurize our beer during the brewing process, the taste is absolutely unique. There are no chemical additives in our beer, and all the ingredients are directly imported from Germany. Brewing by the traditional method takes more time and money, but the result is definitely worth it!”

Though they don’t actually brew their own beer and are thus technically not a microbrewery, the Roadhouse BBQ (942/1 Suriwong Rd., on the corner of Rama 4 Rd., 02-236-8010/-1. Open daily 10am-midnight. BTS Sala Daeng) serves up some tasty microbrews. Managing Director Ivan Lavelle says, “The taste is completely different from factory-produced beers…Try our pilsner and you’ll taste just the faintest hint of honey—that’s something you won’t find in a factory-made beer.” While having two locally brewed beers available, the Roadhouse Pilsner and the Strong Ale, you can also choose from a vast array of imported drafts from Germany and the UK. Beware of the Strong Ale, though: Absolutely living up to its name, this is not a beer well drunk on an empty stomach.

One thing the DIY method ensures is compliance with the Reinheitsgebot (Bavarian purity law), a set of rules concerning the brewing process. First enacted in 1516 and allowing only barley, water and hops as ingredients, it was intended to ensure the availability of rye and wheat to bakers. The Reinheitsgebot regulations were relaxed in 1987 allowing anything edible to be legal for making beer, as well. This allowed breweries to egally create the now popular wheat beers. Ales still brewed today in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot are protected as traditional foods. Tawandang and the Londoner brew according to the purity law.

So what are you waiting for? You’ve got a lot to make up for—last year’s Oktoberfest saw 6.1 million liters of beer floored and 55,913 pork knuckles devoured. Get into the spirit and guzzle, guzzle, guzzle.

The Boozy Facts

The Londoner

Beer: Londoner’s Pride Cream Bitter
% alcohol: 5.2
Description: As the name suggests, a “bitter” ale brewed with top-fermenting yeast imported from the UK. (It’s actually not all that bitter.)
Price/pint: B160

Beer: London Pilsner
% alcohol: 5.4
Description: Reminiscent of a traditional Czech lager, this beer brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast has a slightly bitter flavor.
Price/pint: B160

Tipsy Tip: Hit their happy hour, daily 4-7pm, where you can secure 2-for-1 deals on almost all drinks including the micro-brewed beers. Wednesdays it gets even crazier—drinks by the glass are 2-for-1 until closing (5pm-1am).

Tawandang

Beer: Lager
% alcohol: 5
Description: This slightly cloudy and yeasty beer has a refreshing, slightly hoppy taste and is less prone to produce hangovers due to live yeast, which is a natural source of B-group vitamins.
Price/pint: B150

Beer: Weizen
% alcohol: 5.5
Description: This wheat beer receives its unique fruity flavor through the use of wheat instead of barley malt and a traditional brewing process.
Price/pint: B150

Beer: Dunkel
% alcohol: 4.5
Description: The use of five special roasted malts guarantees this dark and thick ale’s chocolaty flavor and richness.
Price/pint: B150

Tipsy Tip: If you come with a couple of friends, grab one of their “beer party” self-tap columns, which contain 3-5 liters of brew and cost B6,000. Chug-a-lug!

Roadhouse BBQ

Beer: Roadhouse Pilsner
% alcohol: 5
Description: A cloudy and yeasty yet slightly honey-sweet beer that doesn’t leave a bitter aftertaste.
Price/pint: B185

Beer: Roadhouse Strong Ale
% alcohol: 7.5
Description: This is the real thing: Don’t be fooled by its deceptively light flavor!
Price/pint: B185
Tipsy Tip: They do have a happy hour (daily, 4-7pm), but unfortunately it doesn’t include the good stuff. Local drafts (boo!) are B75/pint—but peanuts are free.

Would you define your works as practical things or pieces of art?
I am an artist, so I always set my mind to the things of daily life and strive to create something new from them. I draw my inspiration from everyday life and look at the things we use, then I contemplate how these items could be made prettier. I like to work with simple objects such as chairs or umbrella stands: They are practical, but I can still add a cute twist. We should enjoy everything in our environment, and as long as my works get a smile from people, I have achieved my goal.

How did clay become your preferred medium?
I had never as much as touched clay before I went to Hong Kong 16 years ago. I had tried music and several different kinds of design as outlets for my creativity, but I was never satisfied. It took a while until I found my own art. You have to be patient, try things out and see what suits you best. Even after I had started studying ceramics, it took some time for me to find my own style and way of doing things. One day I mixed a very special kind of pink, and only then did I feel like “Now I’m an artist, this is all mine.” The color sort of became my signature.

What are the major influences for your work?
It’s important for me to distance myself from traditional Japanese ceramic works. My work has nothing to do with that, because it doesn’t follow any rules. I use the colors I like and create the artifacts I choose. Traditional art is very regularized: There is very little room for creativity. The studio I studied at and my teacher encouraged me to think independently and draw inspiration from daily life.

What is one essential thing to get across to your students when teaching?
I think self-learning is the single most important factor. When students ask me about something, I won’t say “You have to do it like this and that.” I think about their questions and of course I help them, but I try and let them figure it out on their own. This is very important for them to eventually develop their own style. Teaching also educates me, because I learn through my students’ works.

How can people interested in learning ceramics contact you?
My studio, Clay-Play, is located in 29 Soi Attakawee 1, Sukhumvit Soi 26, 02-258-6663, [email protected]. My husband and I also have a shop called Baby’s Breath in 140 Soi Klang, Sukhumvit Soi 49, where we sell some of my works. If you’re interested just stop by, we offer both adult and children’s classes.

How would you describe your style of music?
Thames: We do retro pop, but we also use brass, violins and the piano in our songs. Even on the fast tracks we work with them. Ever since we saw the movie Chicago, we really wanted that brassy sound.

Were there any major influences or incidents in your lives that made you want to be singers?
Thames: I have always performed on stage, even in kindergarten. When I was in grade six, I had a band with my friends. We started out with traditional Thai music, and it eventually developed into R&B.
Martin: I started out singing karaoke.

Why did you break up with 3+1?
Thames: We wanted to grow up, do everything by ourselves. We couldn’t really see ourselves doing the boy band thing any more, and now we’re trying to distance ourselves from that image. That is one of the reasons why we use all those instruments: to create a completely different style.

Did you write the songs yourselves?
Martin: I wrote “Chok Dii Tee Mee Ta.” It’s about my family and best friends, and how lucky I am that they’re in my life.
Thames: I think about the concepts of the songs. Our second single is a very sexy but also a very sad song. It tells the story of a couple who have to break up in the morning, but they get to spend one last night together. It’s about how sometimes you just don’t want morning to come.

There are also a couple of collaborations on the album?
Thames: Yes, song number 11 features some of our students from our singing school, the Ad Lib Singing Club. The style we teach there is pop and R&B, so we wanted to give them the chance to be a part of our album. Also, Tata Young, one of our closest friends, is one of the producers, and she also sings on the album. She’s great.

What are your hopes for the future?
Thames: We want to concentrate on Thailand first, and then see where it takes us. This is our first step, the first time for us as a duo, so there’s no need to rush things.

Where can the girls usually find you at night?
Thames: We like to go to hip-hop clubs, especially on Silom Soi 4.