Extra People and Entertainment Partners are separate companies.

Extra People acts as an Employment Agency on behalf of the artists. We will contact you when we have roles we think you are suitable for.

Entertainment Partners operates our online platform - they manage the “Casting Portal” and the book of artistes used by Extra People.

You can have both an Entertainment Partners (POP) profile and an Extra People profile. We often prioritise Extra People profiles during our searches so making one will widen your net for work opportunities.

Your POP profile is visible to all agencies on the platform. Your Extra People profile is only visible to us.

To make an Extra People profile, click here: https://extra-people.uk.epcastingportal.com/apply
(You may need to log out of your POP profile to land on the application page).

If you’re reliable and flexible with your time, we want you! There are a number of required fields you must fill in in order to complete your profile, which will then be approved by a member of our team. Once approved, you’ll receive an email from us.

We advise artistes that they should not rely on being an Supporting Artiste as their sole income. The vast majority of background artistes have another source of income.

There is some weekend work for supporting artistes. However, this will limit the number of job offers you will receive as generally filming will occur during weekdays or only partly on the weekend. You can indicate in the calendar on your profile that you are only available during weekends.

If you’ve heard about a specific role/project advertised and haven’t yet created a Extra People profile, then click here to join the EP Community.

In some cases there will be specific references that you can select to indicate the role you’re applying for. For example: REF:Medical.

If there is no reference for the role/project you wish to join us for, then you won’t be able to apply specifically. But you should still follow the steps to join the EP Community!

Once in, you will automatically be considered for specific roles if you match the brief.

Currently we can only accept individuals if they have a permanent base in the UK, along with the correct right to work documentation. Being booked on a production as a background artist often involves early call times and flexible availability.

Check out the guidelines and then complete the required fields.

You will need one of the following forms of ID:

• UK or EU passport

• UK Birth Certificate & official document showing NI number and full name

• Non-EU passport & accompanying Visa

Full Body Measurements - these can be entered into the ‘Appearance’ section Photographs:

1 x Current Look Bodyshot (knees upward, arms by side, plain white background, recent)

1 x Current Look Face Front (shoulders upward, neutral expression, plain white background, recent)

1 x Current Look Face Side (shoulders upward, neutral expression, plain white background, recent)

1 x Current Look Back of Head (shoulders upward, neutral expression, plain white background, recent)

Once you’ve done this, you’ll be added to the approval queue where the EP Team will then look to verify your profile.

Once you’ve completed your profile, you will join the approval queue where a member of the Team will check and verify your profile before you become a confirmed member of the Extra People Community.

Alternatively, if your profile is submitted but doesn’t quite meet their guidelines, we will be in touch to confirm what you need to do to complete those final steps.

You need a passport to register with Extra People for Supporting Artist work.

Sections 15 to 26 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality 2006, requires that we check documents to prove you have the right to work in the UK. If you are a Non-EU citizen, we also have to check that you have the correct work permit, biometric residence permit or residence card and we will ask you to upload a colour photo of this during the application process.

If you are an EU passport holder we will also need you to apply for a UK Home Office right to work share code and give us this share code so we are able to check your right to work in the UK. Read more about UK, EU and Non-EU right to work checks here. LINK

All these uploaded documents are kept securely and only viewable by the team in the office or if a production asks to see them.

If you do not have a passport and you are a UK citizen, we can accept a copy of your full birth certificate.

If you are not a UK citizen (EU or Non-EU citizen) we are unable to register you without Passport ID & any relevant visa/work permit.

Important: Non-EU passport holders on a Student Visa are not eligible to work through Extra People. This is because non-EU student visa holders are not allowed to work as self-employed in the UK and when working as an Supporting Artiste you are considered self-employed.

A basic disclosure certificate contains impartial and confidential criminal history information held by the police. It is used to make safer recruitment decisions.

Although not compulsory, we advise all artistes obtain a DBS certificate through the government website since they greatly increase the amount of work an SA recieves. They cost £18 and take about two weeks to arrive through the post. Only the paper certificate is a valid proof of a DBS.

Without a DBS, you will not be offered work on certain productions. Since 2016, PACT (Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television) have required all artistes working on productions commissioned by the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV and Sky to have a DBS which shows that the artiste has no unspent convictions for sex offences.

A DBS is valid for 18 months from the date of issue. We encourage all artistes to resubmit a new DBS form when their old one expires to avoid missing out on work opportunities.

If you want to upload a copy of your DBS certificate you can upload this as an image in (.jpeg or .png) format in the ID Documents section at the bottom of your profile.

The best way of increasing your chances of getting work is to make sure your profile is complete and up to date. We search for artistes via the criteria you fill out on your profile, so the more up to date your profile, the more likely you will match a brief we are working on. If you don’t fill in your profile with all the relevant information, you could be missing out on potential work.

The best way to inform the casting bookers of your availability is to keep your online calendar on your profile updated by clicking on the days and changing them to available or unavailable. You can also update a range of days, setting your availability by week day. It is advisable to keep the calendar accurate and up to date as we often search for people who are available as a priority.

Unfortunately we have no control over the briefs coming in, nor do we have the final say who is selected (this is the productions’ choice).

We always try our very best to get our artistes as much work as possible, since our business model is commission based.

Making sure your profile is complete and up-to-date ensures the best possible chance of landing work.

If you respond to an availability enquiry correctly via the link and before the cut-off time, you will always receive an automatic confirmation email to let you know that we have received your response. If you do not receive the confirmation it means your response was not registered or you tried to respond after the cut-off time.

If you have responded as available for a job, we will always try to let artistes know as soon as possible the status of the job, but this can often be as late as the evening before the shoot day. If you are waiting to hear from us regarding a confirmation or release please be patient.

Please email us ASAP at team@extra-people.com. Be sure to include the production name, the relevant shoot dates and the name of the EP booker if known. We do not penalise you for becoming unavailable before you are booked as long as you let us know as soon as you have a change in availability.

We always try to give as much notice and time for artistes to let us know their availability to an enquiry. However, due to the nature of the industry, the turnaround time is sometimes very short. If you have missed the cut-off time and are unable to respond, it is likely that the available SAs have already been sent to production and unfortunately the opportunity has ended.

If you are booked on a fitting for a job, it means the costume department needs to see you prior to the shoot day to fit you for a costume. The costume department and hair and make-up departments will see you and prepare your look for the role you are playing on the shoot day. A fitting is a PAID commitment under the PACT/FAA agreement.

We often get all the shoot details (call time, exact location) very late on the evening before the shoot due to the nature of filming. The bookers will try to get them as soon as possible in the form of a Check-In.

However if you haven’t heard anything before 5PM the day before, please get in touch with us. Be ready with the name of the project and your character.

Filming days are often long hours and early starts. You mustn't be afraid of an early alarm! The length of filming days vary greatly, so you should be free all day and evening when you accept a job. We will always give you as much information as possible when we make our enquiries.

When you first arrive on set, there will be someone there to tell you where you should go. Generally speaking you will need to have your hair and make-up done, be dressed in a costume and eat breakfast. You will be directed to the various stations as appropriate. Please always follow the directions of the AD and other production crew. It is likely that you will be placed in a holding area before the shooting starts and in-between takes and scenes. Make sure you stay where you are meant to be, you must NOT wander off as you may be required at short notice and production will not be willing to search for you.

You must behave in a professional manner at all times.

This includes:

Responding promptly and appropriately to availability enquiries and check-in requests sent to you by us.

Communicating professionally and appropriately with Extra People including, but not limited to all, social media channels and via the team email.

Being reliable, polite and helpful on set.

If you do not act in a professional manner, turn up late or do not show up, this may result in you being removed from our platform.

If you experience any harassment or bullying on any jobs please email team@extra-people.com

An NDA (non-disclosure agreement) is an agreement confirming that you will not disclose any information about the shoot that you are on and the legal consequences of breaking the agreement. These are often comprehensive and include social network sites, so please be mindful of the terms of the agreement and take seriously the commitment you are making. This is normal and a necessary part of being involved in the media world and your agent will usually have reviewed the document prior to the shoot.

However, if you have any questions about the content of the NDA, feel free to contact us before signing. You should not accept any job as a supporting artiste if you are not willing to keep the confidentiality of the project.

In summary, do not mention any projects you are working, or may be working on, on Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking site, anywhere online and background artists should not as a general rule list themselves as cast members on IMDB.

When a brief comes in, suitable artistes will be sent enquiries to see if they are available for work. When you respond to an enquiry to say that you are available for the given shoot days, your photos are passed onto production.

If production places you on a shortlist, we will inform you that you are now HEAVY PENCILLED. This appears as Pencilled on your Calender.

You must then stay available for the given shoot dates. If something else comes up that you would like to do on a day you are heavy pencilled for, you must first check with us if you can be released BEFORE taking the other opportunity.

If there is parking available on a shoot, you will probably be asked if you are a driver or reliant on public transport either in the availability request or the check-in.

Be sure to follow the instructions in the check-in carefully and arrive with plenty of time to park and make your way to set.

Please be aware that parking is not always available (if for example the shoot is in Central London) or production may prefer you to use transport that is provided, so please do read each check-in carefully. All transport information will be provided there.

Emergency contacts for both us and someone on set will be provided in the check-in information.

Only contact these numbers if totally necessary and pay attention to who is best to contact as per the check-in.

Some productions use very tight security precautions to protect confidentiality. They may require you to hand in your phone in order to prevent photographs being taken of the shoot/sets/props etc. Please be prepared for this. You will usually be informed about this before attending the shoot.

When you arrive, a member of staff will take your phone and label it with your name, and will keep it in a secure place until you wrap at the end of the day. You will usually be able to check your phone throughout the day when you are stepped off set. Please switch your phone off before handing it in.

Please note that even if you are permitted to keep your phone, you should not take any photographs on or off set, especially selfies of yourself in costume. If you are seen taking photographs you may well be removed from the shoot entirely and receive no compensation. Industry etiquette requires that your phone should not be taken to set at all, but left inside your bag or secure place in the holding area. Often your costume will be period, set before the time of mobile phones. If anyone notices a familiar rectangular block in your pocket, you will be promptly removed from set.

Production should have somewhere secure for you to keep your items, often manned by a professional security personnel, but this isn’t always guaranteed. If in doubt, ask. It is recommended that you do not bring valuables with you on a shoot.

Average daily earnings can be between £90-£300, which is usually dictated by the current Pact/FAA rates.

The amount you will be paid varies role to role as well as job to job. The rate of pay is included in every availability enquiry we send out. This is so you can have all the information you need before accepting. London based film jobs will almost always be paid per PACT/FAA 2022 agreement unless otherwise stated. For more information on this rate please see our Rates page.

There are no up front, annual or other fixed fees of any kind to become or remain a registered artist with Extra People.

When you are successfully placed in work by one of the bookers using our platform, Extra People commission is 20% (plus VAT) of your earnings.

We are required by law to charge VAT on our commission as it is a service provided to you by finding and processing the work.

If you are VAT registered, you can send us your VAT certificate and we will be able to claim the VAT on your behalf from the employer.

National VAT is 20% of our 20% commission - so 4% of your total wage. This means that your take home pay is 76% of your chit displayed on your job review.

You will always be told before accepting any engagement the rate of commission and Entertainment Partner’s administration fee along with all other relevant details such as rate of pay so that you can make an informed decision.

If you don’t get any work, you don’t pay any commission.

Payment is made by BACS approximately 6-8 weeks from the day that you worked, but can occasionally take up to 3 months.

Our target is that this process is completed within 6 weeks for all projects, but due to factors outside of our control (including how long it takes to receive the salary vouchers and payments from production companies) we ask artistes to allow 8 weeks for payments to arrive. If there is a delay beyond that, the Entertainment Partners back office will keep you informed.

The following steps take place to pay you for the work you have done:

• On the day, you will need to sign in and wrap out with the Crowd AD (Assistant Director) so that your shoot time can be accurately logged on your profile.

• The production company will input the completed salary vouchers (known as “chits”) or send Extra People a report confirming the work completed. This is done paperlessly through Entertainment Partners’ “chitless” system - you will be signed in and wrapped out directly via the platform and will not receive a paper chit.

• You will be given an opportunity to review the details received from the production company through the Job Review section on your profile to catch any mistakes or omissions. This will be a full breakdown of your remittance so that you can check your payment is correct and have a final chance to flag any queries prior to an invoice being processed.

• After the review is complete, Entertainment Partners will invoice the production company for the earnings of all artistes on set; this generally happens on a weekly basis for each project.

• The production company will settle the invoice including your payment into the Entertainment Partners client account (a designated trust account only used for artiste monies).

• On a weekly basis, Entertainment Partners process payroll paying out all cleared funds in the client account, minus any relevant commission, administration fee and any taxes that is legally obliged to be collected. You receive payment directly into your bank account within a few days.

• All payment information will be imported directly onto your profile ready for you to view on your Diary Page. If you wish to have a hard copy of your earnings you can download remittance as a PDF from the diary page on your profile and print this for your records. By having a completely online process this means that EP are able to pay our artists faster and save the trees!

No booker, agency or Entertainment Partners staff member, other than the payroll manager, can see your bank details. We do have access to the information on your profile for casting purposes, and we will be contacting artistes through the platform using the contact details they provide.

Our Supporting Artistes are self-employed and it is the artiste’s responsibility to register with HMRC and declare their earnings correctly, to pay accurate income tax and annual tax returns.

You should be able to deduct any commission, administration fee and VAT as business expenses when arriving at your net earnings that you will be subject to income tax and National Insurance contributions on. Please take professional advice on your personal tax situation as we can not offer any tax advice.

You will have visibility of the provisional figures during your work day through the Job Review section on your profile, and on wrap these figures will be updated with any overtime or supplementary fees incurred. Please make sure to flag with the AD at sign out if you believe there is a discrepancy with your total due. Catching any supplementary fees at the end of the day with the AD ensures less queries and faster payments.

If this wasn’t settled by the AD at sign out, please use the query box on your Job Review which will become active soon after the work day.

Extra People is not your employer in any way. We act as an Employment Agency in accordance with the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003. Supporting artists are considered as self employed for Income Tax and National insurance purposes.

There is no save button located on your profile, the platform automatically saves the information you enter once it is selected or entered. The border of the field will appear green if the information has been saved correctly. If there is any problem with the information you are entering a notification will appear or the border of the field will turn red.

If you have forgotten your password, follow the forgotten password instructions. Once you are logged in you can set a new password from the Account Settings page. This can be found under your name in the top-right of the menu. If after following these instructions you are still having problems setting a new password, please contact team@extra-people.com with the subject heading: NO PASSWORD RECEIVED.

You will have ten attempts to login to your profile before it is locked. If your profile has been locked due to incorrect login attempts, you will need to contact team@extra-people.com with the subject heading: LOCKED ACCOUNT so we can unlock your account. Once your account is unlocked we will be able to send you a new password to login.

If you are unable to access the email address registered with us and need a new password, you will have to contact team@extra-people.com to change your email. Be ready to answer a number of security questions.

Extra People do not require an updated passport copy for anyone who possesses a UK passport as outdated UK passports still prove your right to work in the entertainment industry.

If you have received a new visa and need to update your profile, please send a clear scan of your visa to team@extra-people.com with the subject heading UPDATE EXPIRED VISA.

If you are having trouble uploading photos to your profile please remember that the platform only accepts .jpeg and .png formats. The file type .pdf are not accepted.

If you would like to be addressed by a different name to your legal name on your ID, in Key Information on your profile, enter your preferred name into the ‘Stage Name’ field. This has to be approved by a member of staff.

To receive verification please email team@extra-people.com with the subject heading: USE STAGE NAME. If your legal name is different to the name that appears on the ID that we have verified please send EITHER a clear scan of your marriage certificate or deed poll to team@extra-people.com with the subject heading: CHANGE LEGAL NAME.