Cops free trapped movie extras

The film industry is rife with corruption when it comes to employing extras, Guo Kexing, manager of the association of extras at Yangsong township in Huairou district, told the Global Times Tuesday.

This comes after police in Fengtai district said Tuesday they had arrested a group of suspects who had allegedly detained, beaten and cheated over 160 people while forcing them to work for free as extras on productions at the August First Film Studio in Fengtai.

On October 26, over 340 police raided eight courtyard houses near the film studio where the extras had been trapped for four months, according to the Beijing Times.

Sun Fangyi, the alleged gang leader, was also captured at her home near the studio.

The film crews had to use Sun's performers, and if not, they would have to pay higher fees to film there, the report said. It also alleged that Sun would beat the extras if they did not follow her orders.

It's easy to take advantage of people wanting to be extras, said Guo, adding he was not surprised to hear of the case.

"Many want to be extras to get into the business, or even just to have the chance to meet a superstar," he said.

Extras normally have to pay for food and accommodation themselves out of the wage paid by the production.　

"They're paid flexibly, depending on the amount of work they do on a film," Guo said.

Because of a lack of regulation, the extras industry is in a mess, he said.

"Some extras quit without telling the director, some even take film equipment away when they leave," said Guo.

"The extras and the recruitment agents need each other, but they are both likely to cheat each other," he said.

A police officer from Yungang police station in Fengtai district, surnamed Jia, said any recruiters working at the studio were definitely acting illegally.

"The gang had forced the extras to stay in the courtyard by threatening not to pay them if they left," said Jia.

Jia also noted that they did put a notice on the main gate of the studio informing people not to approach the recruiters.　

"Now Sun and her counterparts are in custody waiting for trial," she said, although she did not say with what offence they had been charged.　

The August First Film Studio was established in 1993, and focuses on productions with a military theme, including films such as Zhang Yimou's House of Flying Daggers.

An office administrator from the August First Film Studio, surnamed Chen, denied this had happened at the studio.　

"We are a professional studio for professional performers and no extras are required here," he said Tuesday.