Looking for film and TV extra work? Surprisingly, experience is NOT essential even for top TV dramas and exciting studio feature films. But you’ll need to be legally entitled to work in the UK and registered with one of the UK’s best extras agencies.
Read on to discover more about some of the best extras agencies in London, Scotland & across the UK:
- Andrea Casting
- The Casting Collective
- The Casting Network
- Catnap Casting
- Euro Kids & Adults (EKA)
- Extra People
- The Extras Dept.
- Greenlight Casting
- Guys and Dolls Casting
- Ink Casting
- JPM Extras
- Lakeside Castings
- Limelight People
- Mad Dog 2020 casting
- Mint Casting Agency
- Mixed Bag Management
- MSF (Military Film Services) Casting
- NE1 4TV
- OnSet Extras
- Piece of Cake Casting
- Rachel’s People Casting Ltd
- Ray Knight Casting
- Real People
- Rentacrowd Extras Agency
- Sally King Casting
- Slick Casting
- Two 10 Casting
- Uni-versal Extras
Extras Agencies in London
London is a great location to find paid work with a television or feature film production. It’s the centre of the industry in the UK. Whether you’re an actor struggling with the casting process of winning a speaking role, or you just enjoy the experience of being on a film set, you’ve got an excellent range of extras agencies in London to choose from.
The Casting Collective is one the UK’s best known extras agencies.
Most of the work is in London and the surrounding area, but they do also hold regional clients on their books. They also have an “urgent casting calls” page, which lists special requirements or regional locations that require additional applicants for on a temporary basis.
Commission is 15% & VAT.
In addition, there is an admin fee each year. If you are registered in London and the South East, where most of the jobs are, the annual fee is £75 including VAT. Elsewhere, it’s £20 per year including VAT. The admin fee is not charged upfront, but deducted from payment from your first day of filming each year.
Guys and Dolls Casting processes applications from people living in London and the South East twice a year. Applicants are contacted in April and October, ready for the May and November intakes.
About half of their background talent are trained actors.
New applicants receive a welcome pack and briefing. Along with attending a professional photo shoot, new talent must receive a DBS check before receiving their Guys and Dolls photo ID and a live profile.
Commission rates vary according to the work done:
- Background 15% Features (TV & Film) 18%
- Walk-on Commercials 18%
- Photographic Work 18%
- Parts 20%
In addition, there is an admin charge of £80 + VAT due for each 18 months of representation. It is not charged upfront, but deducted from payment for the first day of filming.
Limelight People has been providing actors, dancers, musicians, stuntmen and supporting artistes to the film, television, media, and photographic industries since 2008.
Commission rates are up to 20% for registered artists. The commission rates for work supplied to unregistered artistes varies but is declared in advance of starting work.
In addition, there are administration charges for every artist who secures work through Limelight People. A deduction of £10 per day is made from the money earned for each of the first five days of work the agency secures for you in a calendar year (1st January to 31st December). After the fifth day, no further charges are due. There are no upfront agency charges.
Mad Dog 2020 Casting was created out of two long established and successful UK extras agencies.
Most of their clients are available to work in London and the South East because that is where the bulk of the Film and TV extra workload is, but they also have offices in Cardiff, Manchester and Scotland.
The Mad Dog 2020 Casting App allows talent to upload photos, manage their profile, communicate with the booking team and review payment history quickly on their mobile phone. It’s also the place to submit applications if you’re interested in joining the agency.
The Agency’s commission rate is a flat 15%, plus VAT.
In addition, there is an annual booking fee. If you are registered in London and the South East, where most of the jobs are, the annual fee is £61.25 + VAT. Elsewhere, it’s £32.50 + VAT per year. The admin fee is not charged upfront, but deducted from payment from your first day of filming each year.
It used to be the case that the admin charge was deducted from the first first payment each calendar year, in whatever month that occurred and regardless of when the last admin fee was paid. In June 2021 this policy changed, so that the charge is now deducted from the first payment made 12 months after you last paid the admin fee.
Piece of Cake Casting is a well established and reputable extras agency based in Hindhead, close to Guildford in Surrey. Most of the work is in the London area, but they have also been involved with productions filmed further afield, including in Sheffield.
Piece of Cake’s commission rate is a flat 15%, plus VAT, on all jobs and media.
In addition, there is an annual booking fee. If you are registered in London and the South East, where most of the jobs are, the annual fee is £65 + VAT. Elsewhere, it’s £20 + VAT per year. The admin fee is not charged upfront, but deducted from payment from your first day of filming each year.
Rachels’ People Casting Ltd regularly post urgent casting calls to their social media streams. Meanwhile, potential applicants looking for representation can check the agency’s website to check if the books are currently open. Applications are made via the website if they are.
Rachel’s People Casting set the following commission rates:
- 15% + VAT for background work as a supporting artiste
- 20% + VAT for featured television, photographic, corporate and commercial work
In addition, there is an annual booking fee of £50 plus VAT per year. If you’re aged 70 and over, you receive a 50% discount on the annual fee. The admin fee is not charged upfront, but deducted from payment from your first day of filming each year.
Ray Knight Casting often advertises specific looks and urgent castings that they welcome specific applications from.
Work is concentrated in London and the surrounding area. They have the occasional meet and greet events.
Commission rates vary according to the work done, although applied to all media:
- 15% Agency commission on background / walk-on / stand in/doubling bookings
- 20% Agency commission on featured TV/film roles, featured commercials, photographic and corporate work
In addition, there is an admin charge of £50 + VAT due for each 12 months of representation. It is not charged upfront, but deducted from payment for the first day of work.
Uni-versal Extras Ltd recruits extras from all across the UK including Scotland. But most of the work occurs in and around the London area, close to their base at Pinewood Studios.
Talent can update their profiles and respond to availability checks on the go via the UVE Artiste App.
A standard agency commission of 16% plus VAT will be deducted from anything that you earn.
In addition, you’ll be asked to pay an advance Listing Fee of £30 for 1 year, or £50 for 2 years via debit or credit card. The terms and conditions offer this as a price saving on the £60 annual listing fee deducted from the first payment for work completed. But you have no idea what work, if any, you’ll be booked for.
If you are a full-time student in the UK or Ireland, you pay the 16% +VAT commission on any payments, but do not pay the annual representation fee.
Extras Agencies In Manchester
Mint Casting Agency
The Mint Casting Agency meets every potential supporting artiste before offering them a place on their books. It’s a sole representation agency, so you can’t be registered with another agency too. Photographic and website charges are clearly displayed on their website.
Euro Kids & Adults (EKA)
Euro Kids & Adults (EKA) is based in Manchester. EKA recruits extras from all areas of the North West and Midlands.
Lakeside Castings
Lakeside Castings are located in the Lake District with work sought across northern England.
Mad Dog 2020 Casting
Most Mad Dog 2020 clients work in London and the South East because that is where the bulk of the Film and TV extra industry is. But they also have offices in Cardiff and Manchester.
TV & Film Extras Agencies In The Midlands
Celex Casting
Celex Casting is a well established large casting agency in the Midlands. They supply extras to the many major TV series which are filmed in Birmingham and the surrounding area.
Euro Kids & Adults (EKA)
Euro Kids & Adults (EKA) is based in Manchester. But EKA recruits supporting artists from all areas of the North West and Midlands.
TV & Film Extras Agencies In North East England
North East England attracts a number of long running television series and a regular supply of feature film second units.
NE1 4TV
NE4 1TV is an unusual extras agency because you do not pay to join or be listed. You only pay commission for work obtained through them.
Also, you do not go through an application process. You compile your own profile online and immediately go live.
Although most of their work happens in the North East of England, they sometimes shout out on social media for people located in other parts of the UK.
JPM Extras
Janet Plater is a well-established actors’ agency which runs a separate extras division called JPM Extras. Most of their work is in the North East of England.
Extras Agencies In Scotland
The area in and around Glasgow is home to much of the Scottish television production industry. But feature films often seek background performers across the country in film locations of dramatic natural beauty.
Rentacrowd Extras Agency
Rentacrowd Extras Agency is run by Alana Herron. Mainly based in Scotland, the extra work covers some film but more TV and commercials.
Real People
Real People represent over 2,000 adults and children for a range of industry work, including background artists, in Scotland. Real People is also a reputable modelling agency.
TV & Film Extras Agencies In Wales
You’re probably aware that Doctor Who is filmed in Wales, and the country’s stunning landscapes make a great backdrop to many television drama and feature film scenes. But public investment encouraged a lot of filming in Wales which is great news for local background performers.
Andrea Casting
Andrea Casting is based in Wales and represents clients for a variety of work including supporting artists for TV series.
Mad Dog 2020 Casting
One of the three Mad Dog 2020 Casting offices is in Wales. However, the bulk of their work is in the London area for background artists living there.
Extras Agencies in Northern Ireland
Filming for Game of Thrones has ended. But film extras in Northern Ireland have a steady supply of commercials, television comedy, drama and feature film productions needing their services.
The Extras Dept.
The Extras Dept. used to be known as Extras NI. Established in 2005, the agency has seen its background talent work on thousands of paid jobs, including Game of Thrones and Line of Duty.
Applicants must live in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland.
Extras Agencies On We Got POP
A number of reputable extras agencies have signed up with the We Got POP platform. We Got POP has been streamlining procedures for production and casting professionals.
The agencies include:
- Two 10 Casting
- Greenlight Casting
- Catnap Casting
- The Casting Network
- Extra People
- Sally King Casting
- MSF (Military Film Services) Casting
- Mixed Bag Management
- Slick Casting
- Ink Casting
What Is The We Got POP Platform?
A London based film technology firm runs the We Got POP platform. It streamlines the information available to and used by extras, agencies, casting professionals, and production companies. It is no longer necessary to process huge quantities of paper for the submissions, attendance and payments of Film and TV extras on set.
Pinewood Studios and a consortium of angel investors provided the growth capital for the We Got POP platform in 2016. As a result, it now operates in the UK and the US.
The extras agencies signed up to use the platform do so to allocate work to their own represented extras and to source extras for one-off pieces of work. It provides a streamlined system for availability, casting and payment events.
How Do I Join We Got POP?
You must apply to join the platform. You may do this via the We Got POP application form on an extras agency website, or directly on the We Got POP website.
It is important to wait patiently. If your looks and location suggest it will be difficult to find your work, then you will not hear anything more.
If your application is considered further, you may be invited to a registration day where you will be professionally measured and photographed. Once your application has been approved, all the registered agencies can consider you for job submissions.
You don’t pay to join the platform; unless you have applied via an extras agency who levies their own joining or management charges.
We Got POP and the extras agency will both receive a commission for the work you obtained. It will be automatically deducted when you are paid. Therefore it can make a dent in the amount you receive. However, the commission payments are eligible expenses for tax purposes
Movie Extras Casting
Read our article becoming a film and TV Extra in the UK to understand how to find television and movie extra jobs. This is a profession, so you must understand and follow the process like an industry professional.
You need to register with a good extras agency near to where you live. Production companies almost always allocate their paid work for background performers to at least one casting agency, often several. With early starts, late finishes, wardrobe calls and potentially difficult locations, each supporting artiste should live no more than an hour and a half away from the film set.
When a suitable background role arises, your agent checks if you have good availability for the filming schedule. Then they submit your profile to the extras casting director appointed by the production company. The extras casting team looks through the photos and chooses the background artists. The producer pays the bill.
Film and TV work for supporting artists is sporadic and insecure, even if you are registered with the UK’s best extras agencies. After all expenses and commissions, you’ll sometimes be lucky to receive the minimum wage.
This article contains a list of great extras agencies which have a solid reputation for obtaining work for their TV and film extras. It is not a complete listing of all reputable extras agencies out there but gives you a place to start.
Extras vs actors
If you are hoping to become an actor, rather than a background artist, you’ll need a talent agency helping performers find paid work in speaking roles. When searching for an acting agency, start with Acting Agencies in London.
Extras Agents For Kids
Please note that paid and unpaid work for young actors and extras is strictly regulated across the UK.
The rules apply to all youngsters up to the last Friday of June following their 16th birthday. They need both a Child Performance Licence from their local council, and a specified Licensed Chaperone.
Because of this, most agencies recruiting background artists only accept adults. Many stipulate over 18s only.
If you are looking for television or movie extra work for talented children, please refer to our Reputable UK Child Extras Agencies page.
Best Extras Agencies In The UK
Whew! We hope we’ve given you plenty of choice to start your journey as a supporting artist. The lists we have given you above are not exhaustive. Maybe you will find some of them are a good fit for you and you obtain plenty of work through them. Perhaps you’ll discover excellent agencies for TV and film background artists in your local area who fit the bill but aren’t listed here.
Just remember that it is easy to pay a joining up fee to an agency and then receive no availability checks. The more selective their assessment procedure, the better the chance you’re needed by the industry.
By checking the recent track record of an extras agency, and by assessing the selective process, you should be able to judge whether it is worth the joining fee or not. But if you decide to pay, do so in the knowledge there’s no guarantee of any paid work.
