How Much Do Extras On HBO’s ‘Game Of Thrones’ Make?

Since HBO’s Game of Thrones documentary called The Last Watch aired, fans have become obsessed with extra actor Andrew McClay, as previously reported by The Inquisitr. In addition, many fans are now wondering just how much extras on the set of Game of Thrones were paid during their time on the epic fantasy series.

Current payment details are scarce regarding what extras on Game of Thrones earned. However, there is some suggestion by older reports that extras made good money for their background work in the hit television series.

While some people believe that extras cast in certain TV shows and movies are not paid for their work, this is not the case. Some extras can and do make a living from their job. As Winter is Coming points out, many of the cast listings for extra work include the payment rate for each role. In fact, a listing made by ModExpoR Internacional, for an extra casting call in Spain in 2016 for Game of Thrones listed the daily pay rate as 54 euros. This equates to roughly $US60.

While this rate appears to be a pretty standard for Game of Thrones, Belfast Live also suggests that extras can make up to £500 ($US632) per day on the set of Game of Thrones. This figure is based on the work of a contracted extra who will receive “£80 for the first six hours and £35 per hour after that.” However, it is unclear what percentage of Game of Thrones extras were considered to be contracted players.

The previously mentioned lower amount per day seems to be the much more standard response when it comes to how much extras are paid on Game of Thrones. As the Extras Dept. points out, the minimum wage, based on the country where filming is done, is the usual pay rate for extras work. Nevertheless, this amount does vary from production to production as well as from hiring agency to hiring agency.

For example, MCTV based in Australia is very clear regarding pay rate which is usually listed as a minimum of “$27.47 per hour (more for TV and commercials).” Cheat Sheet also suggests that extras called in at the last moment will get paid more than those who were contracted prior to when filming commenced.

So, if you are planning to venture out into the world of being a paid extra on television programs, you might want to do your own homework regarding the pay rate in your area.

As for what the work is like while on set, one unnamed extra explained to Belfast Live the long hours involved with filming for a TV series such as Game of Thrones.

“The length of time we have to make ourselves available can get a bit crazy — but it’s worth it,” they said.

“Sometimes we have to be ready for make-up at 2 a.m., then sit through make-up and get ready for the scenes, then do the scenes. On those big days, I’ll generally be paid for around 17 hours, starting at 2 a.m. and finishing at 7 p.m. It’s pretty exhausting because you’re not needed for very much action. But you need to be available, made up, in costume and alert to the scene and directions that are going on. It’s not the sort of hours people have to do every day, that just wouldn’t work. There’s no way you could do 17 hour days, get out of costume, travel home, get cleaned up, get some food and sleep and do it all over again.”

Episode 6 was the final episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones Season 8 and the series overall. HBO is currently in production on a prequel series set in the same universe as Game of Thrones. However, no release date has yet been announced for this new series.