Extra endurance

In Beijing's Haidian district, there is a big yard full of overgrown weeds, surrounded by several brick buildings constructed in the 1950s. It looks like an abandoned factory. Hundreds of people wait out front every morning despite the suffocating summer heat.

A van arrives, followed by a bus. A man wearing a white T-shirt and sunglasses jumps out. "Anyone want to work today? I'll pay 40 yuan ($6.52)!" he yells. Thirty people pile into the bus. The rest continue to wait.

As morning turns into afternoon, some start to waver. They pick up their belongings and walk away, while others are hired to distribute flyers or temp as security guards. But this is not a typical hub for day laborers. Instad, these hopefuls are seeking work as film and TV extras. There are thousands of them in Beijing, and they can usually be found outside the former Beijing Film

Studio in Haidian or gathered around the China Movie & TV Industry Zone in Huairou, waiting for a chance to score a walk-on role. Many see Beijing as the promised land, hoping one day to be discovered by directors. Until that day arrives, they will jump at any chance to play a character, regardless of how low the payment or how many insults and scams they must endure.

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