How it started?

It was 2010 when Alan just graduated from college and by accident stumbled upon a casting opportunity to be a student walking inside a school for a Nickelodeon TV program called House Anubis and the Sword of the Magical Five.

I went to my sister and asked if she joined me and it turned out to be a lot of fun too.

When we came there some other film extras where already present and waiting for their instructions. This studio is one of the most famous here in Belgium, so many productions are filmed here.

On the set it was fantastic, we saw the main cast, although we didn’t recognize anyone because we never had a TV at home. Only at grandma’s place, and we didn’t even know this program. Though this day was a lot of fun and quite the experience for us. Plus we even saw the cast of Plop, another famous kid’s program which we did happen to haven seen many times.

What attracted me?

Imagine yourself seeing you on TV…

How would you react?

Totally not interested, embarrased, bombarded with emtions, lucky to be part of the it, …?

Well, me at the other hand, not necesserily bombarded by it nor running toward fame, but rather happy and lucky I got the chance to be a part of the production and seeing behind the scenes. This is so interesting to see and experience. After all, this is the film industry of still a small country; a.k.a. Belgium.

Our film industry is slowly growing, despite the current Coronavirus delaying every production by almost a year. Now, since summer 2021 most productions could finally continue and I checked the “inthepicture” website once again.

I saw the name “Zillion” show up in the massive list of productions, and I immediately jumped right in. With 7 times being present in for this film alone. Not that I have a love for the crazy nightlife, but rather the fact that this dance temple existed in my youth when I was 7 till 12 years old. We did enjoy one night club named club Noxx at the time, but this was with my fellow students from college in 2008 to celebrate the last 100 days of school.

Which Productions?

I have had the chance to be part of the following productions:

• Studio 100 – Het Huis Anubis en de Vijf van het Magische Zwaard – 2010
• Menuet – Vriendinnen – 2013
• De Vries-Vinck Casting – The Team – 2013
• Menuet – Deadline 25/5 – 2013
• Warner Bros/Eyeworks België – Cordon – 2014
• De Mensen/Skyline – Professor T. – 2017
• FBO – Zillion – 2021
• Caviar – Geldwolven – 2021
• De Mensen/Skyline – Diamonds – 2021

What’s Next?

When you look on the intepicture website there are many productions online which seek for beautiful extras/actors/singers/dancers/models/… just like you who want to either be seen on the big screen or just want to experience it.

Just like me who want to see behind the scenes of a production and if they filmed me up close be seen on TV, wow great, but above all I go for the experience.

It is so interesting to see how everything goes, from the casting to the dressing to the make-up to the set. It’s amazing how long it could take to shoot just a couple scenes. Sometimes it is the extras (you and me), sometimes the camera or audio, sometimes the light, anything could destroy a take.

But if everything goes well at the end of the production day, the appreciation from the producer and casting crew is so heart-warming it always melts my heart. I’m up for more and if you feel the same, please feel free to write down your experience below.