Small, typically non-essential role — one or few lines of dialogue, often unnamed in script. Casting moves fast; main focus is lead roles.
On set, a bit part is often decided in seconds. The director needs someone for the supermarket cashier, the background police officer, or the neighbor who speaks two lines – and that's it. These micro-castings are the craft of daily filmmaking, especially on lower budgets where casting time is tight. A bit part of this kind rarely has a developed name in the script, sometimes just a functional designation. Dialogue comprises one line, at most a few sentences. This distinguishes it from a true supporting role – which always has a narrative function and multiple scenes.
In practice, it works like this: the director or UPM outlines what they need to the casting team. Half an hour later, three or four candidates are in the room. Sometimes it's a local actor from the city, sometimes someone from the production itself – a set dresser who looks good and isn't too expensive. What's important: the person must fit functionally into the frame, not necessarily act well. Often enough, they're in the background anyway or their lines are dubbed in voice-over. This saves shooting days.
The difference from an extra is the line of dialogue. An extra just moves, a bit part speaks. This makes GEMA (German performance rights organization) accounting more complicated and requires a proper contract – even if the fee is minimal. Television productions are regulated more strictly than indie films, where sometimes the director themselves speaks the role and it's replaced in the edit later.
Casting technique: Quickly check if the voice fits the scene and if the person can deliver the two lines without much fuss. No running through audition scenes, no deep psychological probing – that won't be worth it. The time investment must match the result. Sometimes casting even happens on the shooting day itself, when it becomes clear who is available. This is tight, but not unprofessional – it's simply the reality in productions with tight planning. A well-cast bit part still contributes to realism: the right person in the right second on screen makes the difference between believable and cobbled together.