Every crowded restaurant, hospital hallway, and stadium in a movie is a booking someone made the day before. The extras casting director makes those bookings, often for several productions at once, and is on the phone with the AD department more than with anyone in the casting office.
From script to background count
The chain starts with the script breakdown. A scene like "INT. BUS STATION - NIGHT. Travelers, a janitor, two cops at the coffee stand" becomes a line on the breakdown sheet. The second assistant director turns that into a number per shoot day, usually after asking the director how busy the room should feel.
A request from the AD department to extras casting for Day 12 might read:
| Type | Count | Description | Wardrobe | Call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General background | 28 | Travelers, mixed ages 20 to 70 | Winter coats, carry-on bags, bring 3 changes | 5:30 PM |
| Special ability | 2 | Uniformed cops, must have own black shoes | Production provides uniforms | 5:00 PM |
| Stand-ins | 3 | For Maya (5'6"), Joe (6'1"), Ray (5'10") | Neutral colors | 4:30 PM |
| Photo double | 1 | Maya's hands for insert shots | Wardrobe to match | 7:00 PM |
Extras casting finds people who fit, confirms each booking with a call time, the location or holding area address, parking instructions, and wardrobe notes, and sends a final list back to the 2nd AD. Our extras breakdown guide covers how the AD side builds those counts.
What the bookings cost
Rates on a SAG-AFTRA signatory production come from the Codified Basic Agreement wage tables. For July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 (Schedule X, Parts I and II):
| Category | Daily minimum |
|---|---|
| General background actor | $231 |
| Special ability background actor | $241 |
| Stand-in | $270 |
| Photo double | $270 |
| Swimmer or skater | $597 |
Base wages for the Day 12 request above: 28 x $231 = $6,468 for general background, 2 x $241 = $482 for the officers, and 4 x $270 = $1,080 for the stand-ins and photo double. That's $8,030 before overtime, wardrobe and property allowances, meal penalties, and fringes. The agreement also sets how many background performers in a given zone must be covered at union terms before a production can use nonunion people, so extras casting keeps union and nonunion counts separately; check Schedule X for the zone you're shooting in.
A lot of what extras casting does is manage upgrades. If the director gives a background actor a line, that person may become a principal performer for the day, and the pay changes. Extras casting and the 2nd AD have to catch that on the day so the voucher and payroll reflect it.
The shoot day
Extras casting rarely stands on set. Their day is mostly the day before and the morning of:
| Time | Task |
|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | Receive tomorrow's counts from the 2nd AD |
| 10:00 AM | Post the call to their talent pool; start booking |
| 2:00 PM | Send wardrobe notes and confirmations |
| 4:00 PM | Final list to the AD department |
| 6:00 PM | Rebook two cancellations |
| 5:00 AM next day | Replace a no-show by phone for an early call |
On set, the second second assistant director or a background PA checks people in at holding, hands out vouchers, and signs them out at wrap. Those vouchers come back to extras casting and the payroll company.
Who they work with
The AD department sets the numbers. The costume department approves wardrobe and fits special looks. Production pays the invoices. The casting director gets involved when a background role becomes a speaking part or a featured moment, and when a nonunion performer is upgraded in a way that raises Taft-Hartley questions.
Why this is a separate job
The Teamsters Local 399 and 817 Casting Directors Agreement, which covers principal casting on studio projects in Los Angeles and New York, says in Article 1 that it does not apply to freelance casting directors, associates, or assistants engaged in hiring background actors. That's one reason background casting is usually run by separate companies with their own staff and large registered talent pools.
Getting into background casting
People come in as office assistants at background casting companies, handling phones, the registration desk, and photo files. Many have worked as background actors themselves. What moves someone up is speed: finding 40 people who fit a period look on a few hours' notice, and knowing who reliably shows up at 5:00 AM.
Paperwork
- Daily booking lists matched to the 2nd AD's request
- Registration photos and size information for each performer
- Vouchers with in and out times, meal breaks, and adjustments
- Union and nonunion counts per day
- Upgrade notes for payroll
Storiara pulls extras alongside characters when it reads the script, which gives the AD department a starting list of background needs before counts go to extras casting and onto the call sheet.