You won't be disappointed!

How sad is this?

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

*Spoiler/plot- Strictly Background, 2007, This documentary film follows the work, lives and dreams of ten performers that work as background performers in TV and films.*Special Stars- Terry Bolo, Geoffrey Gould, Cecilia Hartfield, Louis MCCarten, Jay Michaels, Car Michaels, *Tafan Nieves, Mark Nobel, John Richards, Marvin Rouillard.*Theme- Living your dream is sometimes a bad nightmare if no reality is in your life.*Trivia/location/goofs- Shot in Los Angeles, documentary, Won 6 film festival awards. Several real 'extras' agencies are featured.*Emotion- A particularly interesting film about another strange aspect of Hollywood for it's citizenry. The film starts off very up-beat and normal. Then it descends into some of the strangest, negative, and troubling revelations about the background performers private lives, previous jobs, and their life's hang-ups. This film is honest, raw, and maybe carefully contrived, so a certain amount of viewer's cynicism and apprehension makes this an effective film to connect with its audience's emotions. This film makes you uncomfortable, but somehow wanting more about the film''s performers.

This was one of my favorite films at the Santa Fe Film Festival. Director Connell presents us with a broad cast of dreamers and misfits. His sympathetic look at these ambitious and under-appreciated performers is moving and genuine.As a person who has been knocking at Hollywood's doors for years I found myself a little frustrated by the film -- are my dreams folly? -- but ultimately the message of the film has nothing to do with the sometimes ridiculous ambitions of its struggling protagonists but more with the importance of pursuing a dream, come what may. I was encouraged once to find out what I was crazy about and pursue it like a madman. Strictly Background shows us a group of die-hards who are doing just that - and their determination is inspiring. The movie will also change the way you watch movies. After watching the film it takes a long time to watch a movie without noticing the background -- is that a good thing? Sure, there are no parts that do not contribute to the whole.

"Strictly Background" is a great film! Two thumbs way up! There is a reason it has won so many awards and been featured at so many festivals. Director, Jason Connell does a good job of picking interesting characters to follow and then keeps the film moving. The music, editing and special effects also add to the momentum! It really sheds light on the "extras" industry and shows the ups and downs of being in it. You really feel for these guys! Finally these extras get to be the stars in this film. Bravo! It's all around fun! It's a must see! Can't wait to see what Connell has up his sleeve for his next project. He's one to keep an eye on!

I saw this film at DeadCenter film festival in Oklahoma City. Connell has done a great job assembling a cast of interesting characters. This film is very funny but also shows the harder side of life for these background actors. The film is very engaging and keeps your attention from start to finish. The crew followed these actors for 8 months and then edited for over a year, and it shows. They have done a good job in showing growth in the film, and the editing of the story is excellent, with no voice-over and very little text required to pad the story. The actors are telling the story, and that's what makes it interesting. Recommended!