Find Extra Hiring Opportunities Near Me: Where Extras Get Hired

Extras are hired by casting directors, one role at a time, for a day or a few days. It is nothing like a regular job where you apply once and get steady hours. Knowing that up front will save you a lot of confusion when you start looking.

Extra roles are not regular jobs

A regular job usually has a schedule, a manager, and an ongoing paycheck. An extra role is a booking for a specific scene on a specific date. When the scene is done, so is the booking, and there is no promise that you will be asked back.

Think of it more like helping with a community event than taking a position at a store. You show up, you do your part, and you go home. The day itself is long, usually about 12 hours, and often starts early.

Who pays you

Extras are usually paid by a payroll company, which is the employer of record. That means your W-2 comes from the payroll company, not from casting. Pay usually arrives by mailed check, sometimes by direct deposit, in 2 to 4 weeks.

Some small independent productions pay differently, for example as 1099 income or in cash. On your first day you fill out start paperwork called a voucher, which has your basic information and a W-4. Bring a driver's license and Social Security card, or a passport. Some productions now use digital vouchers and digital time cards on your phone. The pay article has the rates and what a rate like $150/12 means.

Casting directors post roles

In film and TV, the casting director decides who appears in each scene. When a production needs extras, the casting director posts a role with the dates, the pay rate, and the location. On MyCastingFile, those posts appear in Open Calls.

Because casting directors post the roles themselves, you reply straight to the person who is choosing. MyCastingFile is free to join, free to see Open Calls, free to reply, and free to get booked. Casting directors post roles in many places, and extras are usually hired locally, so watch Open Calls for roles near you.

Job boards and staffing sites

You may also see extra roles on general job boards, social media posts, or staffing sites. Some of these are real, and some are not. Look for who posted it, whether the dates and location are clear, and whether anyone asks you for money. The most common problem is a site that copies open calls from MyCastingFile and sends you to a paywall. If money is involved, stop. How to spot a casting scam goes through the warning signs.

A general job board also tends to list steady positions, so you may sift through many posts that do not apply to extras. A site built for extra roles saves you that effort.

Why you apply role by role

Each role needs a particular set of people, and background casting is about types and looks. One scene may need older adults for a waiting room. Another may need people in work clothes for a street shot. Casting looks at your profile and photos and decides if you fit that scene. A broad role can bring 20 to 500 replies or more, so you will not be picked for all of them.

That is why you reply to each role separately. Tap the role, read the details, and tap "Yes, I'm available" only when the dates and location work for you. If you are not picked for one, that says nothing about the next. For more on that, see when you are not picked.

What kinds of roles you may be hired for

A general extra is part of a larger group, such as a pedestrian or a coffee shop customer. A featured extra is singled out and may have a character, though they do not speak. A stand-in takes the place of one actor while the camera crew sets the lights, and a photo double appears on camera as the actor. Each role pays differently, and the Open Call shows the rate, since rates vary by production. Becoming a background extra explains the four kinds of roles.

Keep your profile ready

Roles often book for the next day or two, so the people who get booked are often the ones who are ready when a role appears. Keep your photos current and your Calendar up to date, and check Open Calls on a regular schedule.

The weekly routine for finding casting calls is a simple way to do that. For a broader picture of what extras do, read the guide to becoming acting extras.