One of the biggest movies of 2003 could not have been made without these crucial individuals: The Specialists (Glorified Extras) of MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD. Slaves and Ensigns takes a jovial look at the day-to-day lives of the special-ability extras (trained in sword fighting, hand-to-hand combat, pike, old world sailing, etc) during their time off-the-set. Anup Sugunan interviewed nearly 50 members of the cast during the five-week shoot at the Fox Baja studios near Rosarito, B.C., Mexico. Their answers along with Anup's personal venture to make it in the acting world gives this documentary a light-hearted look at the 'way, way behind the scenes' of a blockbuster-budgeted movie starring one of the biggest actors of all time: Russell Crowe.