Extras vs. Featured Extras
There are two types of background actors in films. The first ones are called extras. The second are featured extras.
Extras are actors who basically make up part of the scenery. They might be the crowd at a party or shoppers in a grocery store. They could be townsfolk in a medieval village or the unnamed crew members on a star ship. Extras don't have lines, and are generally there just to provide the right ambiance, or to make a setting more believable.
Featured extras are, funnily enough, extras who get featured a little bit. How about that? If an ordinary extra is given a line to say, he or she becomes a featured extra. That random stormtrooper who gives a report to Darth Vader, then goes away? Featured extra. That lady in the crowd who screams about her baby as the tidal wave approaches? Featured extra. That waiter who takes a request from the main character with an elegant "very good, sir?" Featured extra. Why does it matter? Featured extras get paid significantly more and, even more importantly, get noticed. If they're extremely lucky they might even get mentioned in the credits. This makes it easier to get bigger roles in the future.
Extras are actors who basically make up part of the scenery. They might be the crowd at a party or shoppers in a grocery store. They could be townsfolk in a medieval village or the unnamed crew members on a star ship. Extras don't have lines, and are generally there just to provide the right ambiance, or to make a setting more believable.
Featured extras are, funnily enough, extras who get featured a little bit. How about that? If an ordinary extra is given a line to say, he or she becomes a featured extra. That random stormtrooper who gives a report to Darth Vader, then goes away? Featured extra. That lady in the crowd who screams about her baby as the tidal wave approaches? Featured extra. That waiter who takes a request from the main character with an elegant "very good, sir?" Featured extra. Why does it matter? Featured extras get paid significantly more and, even more importantly, get noticed. If they're extremely lucky they might even get mentioned in the credits. This makes it easier to get bigger roles in the future.