Ethen Lombardino’s passion is behind the camera as a director. And the recent LSU grad has a plan to get there.
He’s already served as an extra in a few productions, working on film sets.
Background acting is a common way for newcomers to dip their toes into the film industry. It’s a fun way to soak in the atmosphere and decide if it is a good fit.
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Lombardino recently landed an extra role on Richard Linklater’s film The Hitman, shooting at the University of New Orleans. Seeing Linklater—whose work he’s long admired—was irreplaceable.
Lombardino began working as an extra his freshman year, while studying mass communication and screen arts. He landed his first paid role in the Heart of Champions, a 2021 drama about Ivy League rowing. Since then, he has appeared as an extra in NCIS: New Orleans; Tall Girl 2; Sacrifice; and an LSU-based set of The Iron Claw.
Working as an extra has given Lombardino confidence in his ability to act and his skills behind the camera, learning what he couldn’t from film classes.
“You go and you get to see how movies are made, the things you don’t get to see when you watch a movie,” Lombardino says. “Whenever I go, I just absorb as much information as I can.”
But Lombardino has another plan to set himself apart. He has a sizable following on TikTok, and he’s starting a new YouTube series, “The Film Club Interview Show,” in collaboration with Chateau Rouge Cinema, a local production company. The show, which will stream during the last week of February, sees Lombardino interview film talent and movie lovers about their cinematic interests and aspirations. Each episode will begin with a singular question: What’s your favorite movie scene?
His goal is to see the show expand to where he can pick the minds of big-name creatives.
Whether he’s working on his show or soaking in the energy of set, he hopes he’s on his way to his big breakout.
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HOW TO LAND AN EXTRAS GIG
Search for background acting roles on sites like mycastingfile.com or backstage.com. Expect a long day (10 to 12 hours is standard). While the hours may be long, there’s typically a lot of downtime between scenes, so bring a book to read or something to work on in between. Day rates usually run from $100 to $200 (though certain roles—or actors represented by the SAG-AFTRA union—can earn more). Just don’t expect it to be your big break. A better route to a consistent film job is to start as a production assistant—or work on your own project.
Source: Backstage.com
This article was originally published in the February 2023 issue of 225 magazine.