How to Become a Film Extra

I took my child to a beginning acting workshop some time ago.  I attended with her because of her young age.  She liked the class, but did not care to do more.  The instructor was a wealth of information.  I found it interesting this sub-culture of making film outside of the main film industry.  I decided that I wanted to try getting into a film.  I had no acting related resume other than the training that the workshop provided.  My way in was volunteering as a film extra.  Since then I've been in local television commercials, some unreleased feature films, a student film trailer and a film short.  What is a film extra?  An "extra" is a person deemed an actor and who is used to fill in the backgrounds and busy areas of a scene.  Some common examples of this would be an actor used as a non-speaking funeral attendee or café patron for a single scene.  As an average, non-entertainer type of person; how do I get into a film or commercial?  Opportunities to be in a film vary from state to state. Check your state for an active official film office, a film maker's message group on the internet, independent film industry meetings, student film projects, attend workshops on acting, go to open calls for actors, attend film festivals, check out the web sites of talent agencies, etc.  Usually getting into a commercial is a matter of having representation or of being known by the people of the business desiring such commercial  Casting calls for such things are held from time to time.  See if there are any casting services in your area.  A casting service office is a business location used for hosting auditions and filming test footage.  Don't hang around needlessly, just inquire politely.  You may be asked to audition for a main character so be ready.  I really don't recommend doing an audition at a casting service if you don't have a head-shot and trade resume because casting services may require these things of the actor.