How Conductors Stop People from Waving Cameras at Busy Street Scenes

When filming movie and TV scenes in crowded crowds, most of the people in the background are completely random and are hired as extras.

“There are two groups with different directions when it comes to extras,” The conclusion director Jonathan Baker said in the latest issue of Us Weekly, referring to the background players in the scene. “The first group of extras are those close to the camera.”

The first class of extras is given instructions by the director so they know where to sit, stand and pose. (The director will also speak directly to the stars of the high-budget film.) The film's first AD (assistant director) will provide additional and specific guidance to the team. According to Baker, these descriptions help players “understand more details about what they need to do in the scene.” It also helps to “protect” their positions from the crowd.

While this first group of extras is often paid to appear in a scene, another category of background actors receives no financial compensation for appearing on a project. This appointment of actors is told what to do by the second AD in the project.

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“[These extras] it plays an important role in creating a realistic and immersive environment,” says Baker. “Placed behind the scenes or out of the main focus, these extras add depth and authenticity to the setting, enhancing the overall believability of the film.”

This type of actor will not be seen up close but it helps to create a big impact for the film event to take place in a crowded place. For example, in Tom Cruise2005 movie War of the Worlds (pictured above), the 62-year-old actor is seen fleeing an alien invasion that has devastated the city. Extras are brought in to make the setting look more like a real busy city.

And since members of the production team clearly instruct extras on how to act when the cameras start rolling, there's less chance of someone misbehaving and looking down at the lens or waving enthusiastically out of context.

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But, what if a random passer-by wanders into the set while drinking his morning cup of coffee or taking his pet dog out for a walk? According to Baker, that's also highly unlikely.

“There's almost always a big sign that shows filming is going on at the location,” Baker notes, making it difficult to miss the camera crew during a shoot.

If you have a burning entertainment question for our expert team, email us at AskUs@usmagazine.com. To find out more, grab the latest issue of Us Weeklyon newsstands now.

With reporting by Leanne Aciz Stanton