Background people - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Braylee · 12-22-2003, 06:14 PM

Does anyone know or wonder what the people in the background of any shows are saying? Do they have lines or just making it up ?

TJL · 12-22-2003, 08:31 PM

I have a few friends who have been background extras on soaps and in sitcoms. One girl I know played a waitress on a sitcom, and they have thier part blocked out, so they know where to go, but there is no speaking. And I mean no speaking. Have you ever noticed on "Friends" why you can only hear Monica, Chandler and the gang speaking in a crowded coffe house? That's because the background people aren't saying a damn thing!

Kitt · 12-22-2003, 09:47 PM

To add to the 'not saying a damn thing' theme, it's fun to try reading the lips of background people. You'll see them pretending to hold a conversation at a background table in a restaraunt scene for example. They pretend to laugh, and nod their heads in agreement and stuff like that.

I happened to walk into a hardware store one time just as they were about to shoot a commercial. The producer/camera/lights, and everything else, person asked my girlfriend and me to play the main characters, which meant being customers. It was a regular 'Lights! Camera! Action!' scene.

On cue, my girlfreind and I walked up to the counter. I had a one gallon can of paint in my hand that I was pretending to buy. At the counter I held a fake conversation with the store clerk, who was standing behind the counter. I pointed at the can and acted like I was asking his advice. So in the commercial you could see us moving our lips and tee heeing, but really, we were just making stuff up to say to each other. In an advertisement scene like that there is no sound recorded on the set. They use the talkover method that we're all familiar with. On the scene like TJL was talking about the director probably yells, 'All quite on the set! Everyone! Quieeeet!"

12-22-2003, 06:14 PM	#1
Braylee Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 22, 2003 Posts: 8	Background people Does anyone know or wonder what the people in the background of any shows are saying? Do they have lines or just making it up ?

12-22-2003, 08:31 PM	#2
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,591	I have a few friends who have been background extras on soaps and in sitcoms. One girl I know played a waitress on a sitcom, and they have thier part blocked out, so they know where to go, but there is no speaking. And I mean no speaking. Have you ever noticed on "Friends" why you can only hear Monica, Chandler and the gang speaking in a crowded coffe house? That's because the background people aren't saying a damn thing!
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12-22-2003, 09:47 PM	#3
Kitt James Dean Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 16, 2001 Location: California Dreamin' Posts: 6,115	To add to the 'not saying a damn thing' theme, it's fun to try reading the lips of background people. You'll see them pretending to hold a conversation at a background table in a restaraunt scene for example. They pretend to laugh, and nod their heads in agreement and stuff like that. I happened to walk into a hardware store one time just as they were about to shoot a commercial. The producer/camera/lights, and everything else, person asked my girlfriend and me to play the main characters, which meant being customers. It was a regular 'Lights! Camera! Action!' scene. On cue, my girlfreind and I walked up to the counter. I had a one gallon can of paint in my hand that I was pretending to buy. At the counter I held a fake conversation with the store clerk, who was standing behind the counter. I pointed at the can and acted like I was asking his advice. So in the commercial you could see us moving our lips and tee heeing, but really, we were just making stuff up to say to each other. In an advertisement scene like that there is no sound recorded on the set. They use the talkover method that we're all familiar with. On the scene like TJL was talking about the director probably yells, 'All quite on the set! Everyone! Quieeeet!"