BOOKING PROCESS
Productions hire an extras casting director to book the background performers for their shows. The extras casting directors post on Agencyclick what scenes they are booking and what types of people they are looking for. These postings include a brief description as well as the information for the booking; the name of the production, COVID test date/work date, scene, type and age of extras required as well as any other pertinent information.
Typically, these requests are posted a few days to a week before the scene’s shoot date. Occasionally, it may be the day before or weeks before. On a typical day when it is the busy season there are approx. 5-15 productions with multiple scenes for each one posted on Agencyclick.
The majority of our day as agents is spent searching our database and clicking on extras who we think are suitable for the scene(s) and putting them into the request(s). Casting directors then select who they would like to book for the scene.
Once selected, we send you an email to see if you are available for the booking and include as much information that we can. Please reply asap if you are available on the test and shoot date(s). Please note we do not book you unless you have replied and confirmed you are available to work! Even if your online calendar is showing us that you are available for the date(s) we need to be sure things have not changed
and that you are 100% available.. If we do not hear back from you by email, we typically follow up with a text or call.
Most often when we send an email to you it is to book you, however, sometimes we are doing an availability check. We do this when the casting director needs to submit pictures to production for them to choose who they would like to book. (called a p/c or picture cast). This is often done for more specific roles i.e., family members, bartender, friends of the actors, period piece etc. We need you to confirm that you are available before your profile is submitted so that the person(people) making the choice(s) are sure they are selecting someone who is definitely available for the role. We then put you on hold on your online calendar for that date. When they have made their decision, we then send an email to let you know if you are selected or not. We will remove the hold or mark your calendar as booked for that date.
BOOKING EMAIL
The booking email we send you will include the name of the show, the test date(s) and work date(s). If we know the location, scene and the role you are playing we will include that as well. We must hear back from you before we book you. We do not book you based on the fact that you have your calendar marked as green(available) for the day the scene takes place as people’s schedules frequently change. If you are not available, cannot get to the location or do not have the clothing for the scene, please still reply to the email to let us know. We will remove you from the casting request, and casting will know that you are unavailable for the booking.
When you have replied yes, you are confirmed! Your name is on the list of performers booked for the day and it is also forwarded to the COVID test team. It is a big deal to replace you!. If you cannot fully commit to a booking then you should say no to the work. Every single person is important, even in larger scenes.
When you reply you are available, we click on your profile so that you are moved over in the request. Casting then knows you are confirmed for the booking. Once the selected people are moved over, casting then has their group of people booked for that day(s) scene in one batch. At that point, they may close that posting as they have the number of extras that they need or they may leave the request open and choose a few more people as they get closer to the date. In some cases, they may click on more people than they need so it may be a first come first booked basis. If you reply after the scene is filled it may be too late and we can no longer book you. Therefore, it is a good idea to have email alerts on your phone. If the spots have been filled, we will reply to let you know that it is no longer a booking. Please note: We usually do not reply to your email accepting the work. You will see that your calendar will be marked as per the dates of the booking. It will either be marked as holding or booked.
LENGTH OF DAY
When we send you your booking information, we do not know the start or end time of the shoot. You need to be completely free on the day of filming with no other commitment. Do not accept the booking unless you are fully available. This is not a 9 to 5 job! It is unacceptable to arrive late or to leave the set before you have been wrapped. If you need to get back to us and check your schedule or to make arrangements that is fine.
A typical shoot day is 6-12 hours long. The days can be as short as 4 hours or as long as 14 + but that is not as common.
For COVID test days it varies by production how they schedule test time. Most often they send us the schedule and we forward your time to you. It may also be an open time frame (i.e.) 9:00am-12:00noon. Typically you are there for under an hour however the test time you are given is usually not flexible.
COVID TESTING
Most productions test all crew, cast and background performers on an ongoing basis during their time on the show. For BG performers COVID testing occurs 1-2 days prior to your work date and usually 1 test is required. Some shows require 2 tests prior. If you are working multiple dates then you will test for each work date usually 2 days prior to each booking. Most productions require their own COVID test results so you cannot use the results of another show’s test results. There are exceptions to that rule (i.e.) there are many Warner Bros shows that shoot here and those test results are transferable from one show to another.
The test date(s) are included in the booking email that was sent to you The day or evening before your test date, we send you your COVID testing time and location. Most productions test either at their studio or on location at crew park. It is sometimes necessary to go to the location where the production is filming to be tested as that is where the COVID test team is set up. COVID testing is a 4 hr paid call (approx. $60) non union rate. Union members are paid a flare rate of $100 for testing. Testing procedures vary by production but typically you will receive a link to the wellness questionnaire before you go to the test tent. If you are unwell and do not pass the wellness check you do not proceed to testing. When you arrive at testing, the COVID team will take your temperature and give you a fresh mask. You will then proceed to the COVID test area and fill in your paperwork. The COVID test is usually the non invasive bilateral nose swirl that is not uncomfortable or invasive. Typically the whole process takes under an hour. Be prepared to be there as long as necessary in case there is a delay. Some shows do not process your pay/ paperwork at testing. Instead they will give you a voucher for testing on your work day. Please note that we email the COVID test team your
phone number and email address and they will send you your information directly. You may receive the results that you are cleared for work by email or no news is good news and you will not be contacted. Please note that confidentiality is in place and as your agent we are not given your test results. If you test positive you can choose to let us know.
CALLTIME INFO
The day or evening before your work date we will send you an e-mail with your calltime (start time) and other info that you need. Please check your e-mail frequently the night before your shoot date so that you can reply to our email asap to confirm you have received your information. We need to be sure that everyone has received their calltime info. If you have not replied to the email, we then need to follow up with a text or call. Our workdays are usually long, and a quick email confirmation saves us this extra step!
The calltime email will include your start time, scene, wardrobe information and a few documents attached. The documents may be maps, COVID protocol information, safety on set, fog, smoke or rain machine use and/or any other documents that production requires you to look over. Some of this information may have already been sent to you when we booked you, however often productions only distribute location information and wardrobe notes the night before.
Your calltime is your start time. You are paid from this time until you are wrapped. We ask that you arrive 15 minutes earlier than your calltime to check in. Production sends out a call sheet with the cast, crew and background start times. Typically, this is sent out towards the end of their current shooting day. Casting in turn emails the agencies with the BG start times. We in turn send out calltimes to our performers. The calltimes are often staggered for the different groups depending on who is “Atmosphere A”, “Atmosphere B” etc. That is why we often do not know your calltime in advance as production determines the shooting sequence of the scenes the day before. Often the calltime we send you is a “preliminary” start time. This means it is an estimate of a start time and it will be followed up with a final time. It will say in our email that it is a “preliminary calltime” and to check back for official calltimes. Official calltimes are typically sent out later in the evening closer to 10-11pm once production has determined the final calltimes for the entire cast, crew and “atmosphere” performers.
Residency Docs
Since 2018, production companies need to provide residency documentation (i.e., proof of where you live) for every employee they hire in BC in order to claim provincial and federal tax incentives. These incentives are one of the reasons productions choose to film in BC and Canada which, of course, helps bring more work to our province and in turn to everyone who works in the film industry! Each production company needs these from all employees cast and crew in order to claim their incentives. This includes the background performers they hire. Background performers are required to bring their proof of residency to each production on your first day of work. Since bookings are often a one-day commitment on a show this typically means bringing photocopies each time you work. Although it may seem daunting at first, If you scan or photocopy your residency docs and keep a batch on hand to have ready to take to set it is easier. (Please note: many phones have a scan option). Bring the photocopies to your first COVID test. If they are not collecting them there, then bring them to set on your work day. If for some reason you cannot provide copies for your first workday, the wrangler may have an email address for the production that you can send them to. Please click here for more information and what documents are considered proof of residency.