Extras in Film: Kids as Extras and What Parents Handle

Children can appear as extras in movies and TV shows. A parent or guardian manages the child's Profile and stays involved from the first reply to the last minute on set. You answer casting, read the booking details, and make sure your child is ready for the day. This guide explains what that looks like before you create a profile.

How child profiles work

You create and manage your child's Profile from your own account. That includes keeping details such as clothing sizes and Photos up to date, since children grow quickly and a size from a few months ago may be wrong. Casting uses sizes for wardrobe, and the photos need to look like your child today. Keep your password private and do not share the account.

Replies, availability requests, and booking requests reach you, so you are the one who reads them and answers. Reply the same day an Open Call comes out when you can, because roles are often booked for the next day or two. Check Replies each day. Casting may send many availability requests to narrow down a pool, so an availability request is not a booking.

What a shoot day is like

Read this part with your child in mind. For adult extras, days are usually about 12 hours and seldom less than 8. The hours for children are often shorter and depend on the production and the rules for minors, so ask casting what to expect for your child. Many start early, sometimes at 5 or 6 a.m. The order is usually the same: check in with the assistant directors and fill out paperwork, wardrobe, hair and makeup, a lot of waiting, set, and wrap. You can read the full order in Being an Extra in a Movie: A Shoot Day From Start to Finish.

Arrive 15 minutes early. Follow the location signs, which are usually yellow with an arrow and the production name or a code name, to the parking area. At check-in, ask the production what paperwork a parent or guardian needs to fill out and what identification to bring for your child.

Waiting with a child

Long waits are normal on a film set, and they can tire a child more than an adult. Most of the day is spent in holding, which can be a big room, a gym, a tent with air conditioning, or theater seats. There are usually tables, chairs, and a place to change, and often lunch is served there.

Holding often has a security guard, but people come and go, so do not bring valuables. Lunch comes about 6 hours after the crew call, and background is often called before the crew, so a child may wait a long time for a meal. Bring a snack and water. Craft services is the snack table, and it varies by show, so bring your own food if your child has special needs.

There are no set break times besides lunch, because there is so much waiting. Ask the production where your child can rest between scenes.

What to bring

Pack for a long outing. A change of clothes, snacks, water, and any medicine your child needs are the basics. A favorite blanket or toy can help a tired child settle. For waiting, bring quiet things to do, such as books, drawing supplies, a phone, and headphones. Bring a phone charger for yourself, since you may need to read the booking details again.

Dress for the weather on outdoor scenes. A jacket for cold or a rain jacket for rain is a good idea. Holding is usually indoors or in a heated or cooled tent. Night shoots usually start just before sunset and end just before sunrise, so check the call time in your booking details.

Wardrobe

Casting usually emails wardrobe guidelines the evening before. Plan on bringing about 3 looks, and sometimes 3 to 5, and wardrobe picks the outfit. Keep clothes plain: solid colors, no busy patterns, no logos or brands. Check the wardrobe note in the Open Call before you pack, and keep the clothes clean and ready. For a period piece, the production may provide the costume and fit your child first.

Rules and permission

Ask the production about rules for minors before the day, since each production has its own paperwork and its own requirements. You may sign forms at check-in, and some shows use digital vouchers and digital time cards on your phone. Read each form before you sign it, and ask about any term you do not understand. Stay close to your child, and let the crew know where you will be during the day.

If you have questions about rules for children on set, ask the production. Do not rely on guesses from friends or other websites. For pay, the Open Call shows the rate, and Movie Extra Casting: Getting Paid and Keeping Records explains how pay arrives in general.

Is it right for your child

Ask your child if they want to take part, and talk through the long waits and the quiet rules on set before the day. A child who does not want to be there can make the day hard for everyone, including your child.

Be honest in your replies to casting. If your child has a school schedule, a medical need, or a limit on hours, say so. Honest answers help casting choose roles that fit your family. If plans change, email or call the casting company that booked you. You cannot cancel on the website, and your Calendar has an "email casting" link for this.

For the basics of getting started, read The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Movie Extra. For manners on set, read Film Extra Work: Set Etiquette and the Holding Area.

Open your account, check your child's Profile, and read a few Open Calls together before you reply to any of them.