1. A good book
It gets very, very, very boring waiting around for hours and hours and hours on end.

2. An outgoing personality
You’ll meet all sorts of strangers from all sorts of walks of life working as extras; it’s actually a very good way of meeting new friends and of networking!

3. Thermal underwear
Unlike the leading actors who’ll be sat in their deluxe Winnebago’s, you’ll do your waiting in a cold draughty hall, or, if you’re really lucky, the back seat of the dining coach.

4. Humility
It’s a high-pressure world making all those TV programmes and films, so the director won’t have the time or the inclination to learn your name. ‘You! Yes you with the baldhead and the goofy teeth! Could you move six inches to the left… Thank you. Oh, and please try not to look so gormless in the next take!’

5. A good sense of humour
See above.