How desperate can one person be to star in a film, even as an extra? Apparently not as desperate as the main character in “The Movie Extra” who, on the phone for the entire film, tries to convince his agent to cast him as a Pakistani, a full blown homosexual (pun not intended), Denzel Washington’s stunt double, and a woman. Seriously. The results are a hilarious dialogue based short (“I’m not authentic looking, what the hell does that mean?”) that further makes me a fan of Alter Ego Cinema. But the true genius behind “The Movie Extra” is that Shane Ryan basically dispels any myths about work as an Extra. Most people whom venture in to the profession think it’s a job where you stand around and get paid out the ass, but Ryan’s film basically shatters such a myth with a hilarious twist. Ryan is once again in front of the screen giving a more low-key performance as the man so desperate to be taken on to a film he’ll basically do whatever it takes, even gaining over fifty pounds for a minute on-screen. I’d have classified this as a spoof, if this weren’t such a reality.

I wish “Ellie Parker” would have been this funny, but alas, it’s always the short films that capture the story better. “The Movie Extra” is a grim and hilarious “Shane Ryan Tragedy” about the lengths actors are willing to go through to be on film for only a few minutes.

• For more information on Alter Ego Cinema and their films, visit their official website.

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