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Owned by Jon

JÁEN ACADEMY

199 members • Free

Real Productions. Real Mentors. Real Careers. Here is where film makers are forged. Storytellers become industry professionals.

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831 members • $9/month

57 contributions to JÁEN ACADEMY
Music videos & Movies 😲
We often get inspired to recreate Music videos matching the worlds built by cinema. Can you guess which movie inspired this ?
Music videos & Movies 😲
0 likes • 20h
@Josh Li can you send us some reels Are you La based
Stop thinking of background work as "just being an extra." 💡
On today's JAN Academy live call, we had an incredible conversation with academy member Tia about moving from background roles to landing featured, speaking, and authority roles! Key takeaways from the call: 1. Every set is a room full of contacts. Crossing paths at catering or the makeup chair is your chance to spark genuine conversations with ADs, DPs, and crew. 2. Ask for character names! If a director gives you an ad-lib or an on-the-spot line, ask the production team if your character has a name. That simple step turns "Extra" into "Named Speaking Role" on your CV. 3. Showcase your unfair advantage. Whether you're a former nurse, a martial artist, or a PT, highlight those authentic skills to target specific genres like crime, medical, and action. 4. Hook them in the first 10 seconds. When editing a showreel, lead with a strong "hook" featuring your best emotive acting or action skills right away. Small moves of 1% each day lead to massive momentum! Keep building. 🔥
Stop thinking of background work as "just being an extra." 💡
Changed times for community call tomorrow
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸2pm AEST Please Let me know if this works better for everyone I want to add more in to get to know everyone in here
1 like • 4d
I’m going to do it every day this week yo meet you all
0 likes • 2d
@Jocelyn Howard how would say a 5pm or 6pm MT time work for you
BOOKED A FITTING!
Ok so pending the fitting goes well I booked another extras job for a TV series which is great, and I do love getting extras and featured extras work. BUT what I want to know is, how do we as actors get to the next level? Go from that extra role to maybe being the GO TO extra that they always want to use, that then steps it up into getting the cameo speaking bit part ect? Anyone had that experience and want to share what that process looked like for them?
1 like • 3d
That's a great question, and one I think a lot of actors ask themselves. From what I've seen, the jump from extra work to speaking roles rarely happens just by waiting on set. Extra work is fantastic for learning how productions run, understanding set etiquette, and building relationships, but those opportunities usually come from what you do outside of being an extra, strategic networking while on set is the key. Your not just there as an EXTRA you are there with a huge opportunity to connect with people on working sets in all departments. The main focus is becoming someone people remember for the right reasons be professional, reliable, easy to work with, and always prepared. At the same time, keep training, build a strong showreel, create your own work, and continue auditioning for featured and speaking roles. Directors and casting teams often remember people who consistently show initiative and are enjoyable to have on set. I'd love to hear from others too has anyone here made that transition from extra work to speaking roles? What made the biggest difference in your journey? Check out our live recording with Dallas where we touch on this exact subject, going from extra to speaking role.
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Jon Baxter
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@jon-baxter-6741
Jon Baxter - The Dirextor Owner & Founder of JÁEN

Active 1h ago
Joined Jul 9, 2026
Sydney, Australia