EXTRAS / EXTRA: Read all about it....

The idea and ongoing thesis for Gervais' Extras were taken from the 1999 award winning Australian 'mockumentary' short film The Extra starring Peter Phelps and Julia Zemiro:




Gervais' former friend, actor/writer/comedian Robin Ince  - (who appeared in Gervais' The Office (copied from The Day Today) - and Stephen Merchant met with The Extra's Australian director, Darren Ashton, in early 2000s prior to Ince and Ashton co-writing the upcoming Ashton helmed feature, Razzle Dazzle. 

In Elm St, Berkhamsted, 30 miles north of London, Ashton screened Merchant and Ince his short film The Extra - about a hapless wannabe TV extra who dreams of the big time and becoming a 'real actor'.

The original idea came from the film's Producer, Adam Wells and TV ad-man Mark Sharman during a ruinously long 22 hour shoot for a McDonald's breakfast burger. The hopeful extras had to endure a seemingly endless night of filming while waiting in a makeshift, seedy and cold 'green' room for their walk-on, un-recognisable moment as blurry foreground figures in the commercial.

The paradox and irony of why anyone would subject themselves to such a painfully unrewarding gig became the premise for the Ashton/Wells comedy.

The Extra had recently won the 1999 2nd Place and Best Editing trophies at the world's largest short film festival, Tropfest. It was also nominated for Best Short Film at Australia's 'Oscars', the AACTAs (formerly AFIs).

Ince subsequently travelled to Sydney to finish the Razzle Dazzle script, which eventually starred UK 's Ben Miller. 

Ashton, The Extra and its co-creator/producer, Adam Wells, have never been credited or remunerated, nor has Gervais or Merchant, nor any associated production company acknowledged the genesis of Extras and influence of The Extra. 

Don't believe? Have a watch. Listen even to the closing title music style.

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