The head of The Extras Department talks about casting people on Game of Thrones

It’s no secret that Game of Thrones has been a huge boon to the economy of Northern Ireland. The city of Belfast serves as the show’s production center, and HBO has pumped tons of money into the area over the years.

Among the businesses that have benefitted has been The Extras Department, formerly Extras NI, a company founded by Siobhan Allan 10 years ago. The Extras Department has become so associated with Thrones that when it posted an open casting call for an unrelated project a week back, the internet assumed it was for HBO’s megahit, generating a lot of extra publicity and probably a few disappointed Game of Thrones fans. Allan recently spoke to the Belfast Telegraph about the boom in film and TV work in Northern Ireland and how Game of Thrones changed her life. If you’re ever hoping to do any extra work, on Game of Thrones or elsewhere, there are some great tips in here.

Before Allan started The Extras Department with her business partner Carla Stronge, there wasn’t a company of its kind in Northern Ireland. Allan was inspired to create an extras agency after her daughter, who works in the film business, said she needed 250 extras for a project. As HBO landed in the country the year after, this was a great example of being at the right place at the right time.

"The pilot for Games of Thrones was big. They asked us to do that in our second year. It was pretty big that HBO, one of the biggest production firms in America, was leaving the US for the first time and coming to Northern Ireland, and we got that opportunity. Over those 14 weeks, we had to make sure we did everything well. If they asked us for six dwarfs and one amputee, we always managed to get what they were looking for, even if it seemed impossible."

I honestly can’t tell if she’s exaggerating about the dwarfs and the amputee. This is Game of Thrones we’re talking about.

Allan also has great tips for anyone wanting to be an extra in general, and on Game of Thrones specifically.

• The obvious: go to The Extras Department website and sign up.
• Be honest about your height and weight and such. Extras have to be fitted for outfits, and if you’re not up front about your dimensions, it can result in embarrassing backfires.
• “A good clear photograph from the knee up is needed.” Get shooting.
• Don’t take your phone onto the set and don’t approach actors. If they approach you, that’s okay.
• The best qualities for an extra: reliability and flexibility.
• For the dreamers, Allan mentions that it is possible for extras to be upgraded to bigger roles, but it happens very rarely, so don’t quit your day job.

We assume that The Extras Department will take one more lap around Westeros when Game of Thrones season 8 starts filming later this year. If you’re hoping to get a piece of the show before it ends, it’ll pay to follow Allan and her work.

h/t NewsTalk