This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UNCW chapter.

Age: 20Year: SeniorMajor: Communication StudiesMinors: Entrepreneurship and SpanishHometown: Most recently from Charlotte, NC… Born in Anchorage, AK

Sierra is an ambassador with SAND (Seahawk Admissions Network for Diversity), the Publicity Director for Her Campus UNCW, and is on the planning committee for Schwoodstock, the on-campus spring music festival. She is a member of the Communication Studies Society, and just recently joined Flicker Film Society at UNCW. Sierra has really adapted to her new home here in Wilmington and enjoys volunteering at local events, such as Color Me Rad and the Azalea Festival. On top of being a full student and all of her extra curriculum activities, Sierra runs her own business, Exogenesis Jewelry.

HC: When did you first get the acting bug, and is it something you would like to pursue?

SS: Growing up, I did church plays, acting camps and community theatre, but it wasn’t until Spring 2014 that I realized all of the filming opportunities available here in Hollywood East. I started pursuing roles this summer, and would like to pursue acting as more of a hobby or side job than full-time career.

HC: How did you find out about the ‘extra’ roles?

SS: I happened to meet a casting director who came in to my job at a local retail store this summer. He was looking for wardrobe pieces for Nicholas Sparks’ The Longest Ride film. I asked him how I could get involved and that’s when my search began.

He told me about different casting companies in the area, and I learned that several of them conveniently utilize Facebook to search for extras by posting casting calls. I made a few profiles on a few sites, like Extras Sign Up and started following the Facebook pages he recommended.

The first role that I landed, I was contacted directly by the casting company. In other situations, you have to apply by sending an email to the casting company. Emails include basics like a headshot, body shot, wardrobe sizes, and your desired role. The profiles ask everything from location to ethnicity to the type of car you have. These specifics help them choose who to use – yes I know that rhymes :)

HC: Tell me about the projects you’ve worked on and your roles:

SS: I was lucky enough to be on the set of Sleepy Hollow three times. The first time was really eye-opening and a bit scary actually, because Hurricane Arthur was hitting Wilmington on that day so we had to cancel filming. But, you can see me in episode 7 of Season 2 (which airs on FOX September 22), where I appear as a hospital patient. In episode 8, I’m a club waitress.

This summer I had my first on-camera speaking role in The Justice Project. This project was produced in part by the UNCW Department of Psychology to produce an orientation video for adolescents incarcerated in detention facilities. My role was to act as an incarcerated youth. We shot on location at a vacant facility, and though the acting was fun, it was fascinating and sad to see what some teens actually live through, and the dismal conditions they live in.

I also helped out with the film Bolden! as part of a running crowd. Filming began for the movie in 2007, then was reshot in 2009. It is currently being filmed again, mostly here in The Dub.

I am currently working on a semester-long project through UNCW. It is an ethnographic research piece in which we actors are portraying the perspectives of elders. The finished work will be featured locally and nationally at a conference and submitted for a multimedia academic journal. We also get to work a bit with the face-aging software at UNCW.

HC: What aspect of filming is your favorite?

SS: Being an extra is rigorous. It includes long (sometimes 12-15 hour) work days and call times as early as 5:00 AM! I love getting to be a fly on the wall and also seeing the principal actors do their thing. However, doing background work won’t lead to anything but more bookings as an extra.

That being said, I am most proud of the projects I get to work on with speaking roles. I want to develop my skills and being an extra, the goal is to blend in rather than stand out. So while it’s fun to have bragging rights about being in awesome shows or films, I would rather focus on landing roles where I can really work hard and make myself proud.

HC: Is there any project you would want to work on? Past/Present.

SS: I reaaally wanted to be a part of The Longest Ride movie, but that didn’t happen. My goal for this year is to find more local, independent films that I can participate in.

HC: What is your favorite quote?

SS: I’ll give you two, from my favorite female artist, Lana Del Rey :

“Find someone who has a life that you want and figure out how they got it. Read books, pick your role models wisely. Find out what they did and do it.”

“I believe in the kindness of strangers.”

HC: What advice would you offer someone who would like to be an extra?

SS: -When you see a casting call, don’t wait to submit your email! Act immediately. I have recommended a lot of friends to different calls and even by waiting a few hours; they missed their chance because the spots were filled by other applicants.

Get photos of yourself and file them together. Keep your photos and profiles updated when things such as your hair color change, or if you get a brand new tattoo sleeve. You never know what “look” they’re looking for!

Get out there, get paid, and have fun… everyone should put being an extra on their Wilmington bucket list.

Check out these links to get started!

Sierra Shepherd, Extra Extra!

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