Q&A: I am 13, and I was wondering if there is anywhere in the LA area that would pay me to be a movie extra.?

Question by Lithuanian Kid: I am 13, and I was wondering if there is anywhere in the LA area that would pay me to be a movie extra.?
I would like to travel to Europe next year and it costs about $ 20,000. I thought if i could be a movie extra, i could make good money to put towards the trip. The problem is that i am 13, and most movie extra jobs require that you be at least 18.

Best answer:

Answer by Laura J
Its called Central casting and you register there with your parents ID and a work permit which requires your social security number through Los Angeles County.

The work is sparse and you have to be available at a moments notice because they change the scenes and call times within that evening.

You are paid a minimum of 65 dollars gross. After taxes, you claim exempt as a student, and your check will be about 57 dollars. Expect to work about 1 or 2 days out of an entire month IF you get work at all. Central casting has their favorites already established.

Their are labor laws in the film industry that are very strict for children. You are not allowed to work over an 8 hour day.

You will never make enough money to travel. The taxes in Los Angeles are 8.5% on the dollar and stuff bought here are expensive.

So, if 57 dollars pays for a full tank of gas here and another 57 dollars pays for mall money, like an ice cream at Cold Stone and a pair of genes at the Limited Two, then.. What for???

I don’t mean to discourage you, but Los Angeles is no longer the film capital of the world. The cities tax the hell out of the film industry, so filming has moved to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the US for cheaper budgeting.

Extra work is sparse and very little work here in Los Angeles.

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