Lights, camera, ACTION!

Three women share their experiences of being a TV and film extra

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‘When I’m no longer around, I'll still be on film’

Andrea Sandell, 52, lives in Brentwood, Essex with her father, Eric, 89, and partner, Mark, 50. She works part-time as a receptionist to pursue her love of acting at the Film Actors Academy and signed on with different agencies. I've since taken a part-time job and fit the extra roles around that.

Fifteen years ago I was working in an office and thought there had to be something more to life than sitting behind a desk nine-to-five. Then I saw an article in the local newspaper asking for people to play zombies in a film. I thought, 'I'll go and see what happens.' It was great fun - loads of us running through Brentwood High Street! Two more films followed, one with some dialogue. But they were all zombie films. I thought, 'I'm being typecast!'

I realised, though, that I liked horror, so I decided to be a scare actor for live events. I work at escape rooms and bunkers, a few different places. It’s live immersive and I love interacting with people. They do scream, though, and you try not to laugh. But I’ve also done elf work in Santa’s grotto at Christmastime.

I enjoyed it all so much that I decided to make it my career, and a while ago I left my job, took a course at the Film Actors Academy and signed on with different agencies. I've since taken a part-time job and fit the extra roles around that.

Most of my experience has been in independent films but some of the bigger productions have been Call the Midwife, Endeavour and The Crown. In The Crown I was in a party scene, which was brilliant, but I didn't make the edit. It’s a running joke with my friends – I keep getting the back of my head on camera.

I've been on