What's a good way to get into background acting?

[ashley]

first, background is not acting. if you take an extra gig, then try to "act" on set, you will be moved out of the frame or possibly told to go home. extras are meant to be NOT noticed.

for independent or student films, you will usually find extras "casting" calls on facebook, craigslist, your local newspaper, or weekly arts & entertainment paper. those jobs are usually less picky about who they choose, but you will never pay a fee to be cast. you also will most likely not be paid, at all. you may be fed, if you're lucky.

for paying extra work: if you are in LA, there are some larger extras agencies that make you pay to get work on major tv shows or films. for lower-budget SAG, indie, and budgeted student films, and in most of the rest of america, that system does not exist. also, websites that cost money are totally unnecessary to get extra work. bigger budget shows have extras casting agents who use social media, newspapers, local tv news, radio, and sometimes tv advertising (if they need hordes of people). those jobs do not require an agent or an audition; they are simply going for a certain look or mass numbers. the pay is low, the days are long, and you will be treated like cattle.

neither of those situations counts as acting experience on a resume', but if you love movies, and just really want the experience of maybe making the final edit, go for it.