So you want to be in pictures...

Rocky Point man moonlights in the company of movie stars





	Scott Micca of Rocky Point is often cast as a gangster or law enforcement agent in background roles in film and on TV. Courtesy of Len Marks Photography. (click for larger version)

August 27, 2009 | 01:03 PM
Scott Micca, a Rocky Point resident, has been working as a background actor or extra since 2006. He has been in many movies, including "The Bourne Ultimatum" and "I Am Legend," and TV shows including Law & Order, Lipstick Jungle, Ugly Betty, and Royal Pains. He has also been in commercials for Bud Light, Cablevision and Fox Sports.

Micca was inspired to become an extra while watching Law & Order with his wife. So he joined a few websites for extras. His first job was on Law & Order SVU in December of 2006. He played a mobster in a courtroom scene. Since then Micca has joined the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Most of the work he does is in the New York City area where a typical workday lasts anywhere from six to 12 hours or more, he said. In the past three weeks alone, Micca said he has worked on four movies and four television shows.

'My kids love seeing daddy on TV.' — Scott Micca Background actor

As a background actor, he has had the opportunity to work with several big-time directors and actors. "Meeting Hollywood stars and working with them are two different things," Micca said. He does not consider himself the star-struck type, that is, he does not "go nuts" around famous people. Still, Micca admits it is "pretty cool" when you see them up close for the first time.

He has been on set with Will Smith, Matt Damon, Jennifer Aniston, Rachel McAdams, 50 Cent, Alan Arkin, Andy Garcia and many more. Angelina Jolie even said "Hi" to him once while on set, Micca recalled. He describes the stars he has worked with as "very friendly and personable" but explains they have distinctive ways of preparing themselves for their scenes.

Some famous actors make themselves available for chit-chat but most like to stay within their own character and associate only with "their people," he said. Gerard Butler loves to mingle with extras as well as people on the street as does Anthony Anderson from Law & Order, Micca said. "Will Smith joked with everyone to keep the mood light" on the "I Am Legend" set, the extra said.

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Scott has worked with a number of different directors and said he is fascinated by their different styles. "One may be totally involved with how the background is used where others rely on their first assistant to handle us."

Micca had the opportunity to work with horror-film maestro Wes Craven in the final scene of his new movie "25/8." Micca said Craven "would sit back and let all the people below him work on getting the scene right and then he would get involved with the specific aspect of the principal actor's part." The background actor called it "a great honor" to watch the director of so many hit movies work.

Micca often lands similar roles based on his appearance. He usually plays police officers, bouncers, secret service or federal agents, security guards or blue-collar roles. But he also fills in as one guy in a crowd, for example in scenes that call for a large number pedestrians. "I guess I like to be noticed on screen," Micca admits. "I like to watch these shows and be able to pick myself out, and my kids love seeing daddy on TV," he added.

Micca owns a steel supply wholesale company, V&M Supply Inc., with his brother Joe. They supply concrete reinforcement and related products to the concrete industry in and around New York State. Owning a business allows him the freedom to be able to attend movie and television shoots. Fortunately, the economy has not affected background actors like Micca drastically, he said. "There has been so much work lately," Micca said, that he could keep busy every day. He said new TV shows like "Mercy" and "White Collar" are filming in New York and movies starring, among others, Al Pacino, Will Ferrell and Queen Latifa are gearing up.

But being an extra has its ups and downs. Among the latter, Micca cites early morning shoots, long drives or train rides and working outside in extreme hot or cold weather. "There were times I worked for four days straight from 6 am to late evenings even into the next morning. And you just have to be there the next day and continue having the high energy required to produce."

Despite it all, Micca admits, "I am still having a blast. I am meeting great people, even some of the stars."

"Plus it's nice to see myself on screen — the main perk of the business."

Micca offered this advice to aspiring extras, "You must be available any given day or night when they call. If you work full time this isn't for you." Even with the crazy hours and extreme conditions Scott remains determined to become a regular extra on a TV show like Law & Order or 24. His ultimate goal: being given a line of dialog in a movie.

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