Streaming platforms, inward investment and regional studio hubs mean more dramas, soaps and high end series are shooting year round. In that ecosystem, background artists and small speaking parts are not an afterthought. They are the crowds in a courtroom, commuters on a platform, the nurse walking past in a hospital corridor. For thousands of people, they are also an entry point into the screen industry.
Yet anyone who has signed up with an extras agency or casting platform quickly discovers an uncomfortable truth. Many bookers barely glance at a CV before making a decision. They sort candidates visually, scanning grids of faces at speed and clicking through only when a headshot seems to fit. For new performers raised on social media filters, that can be a shock. The images that work on Instagram are not necessarily the ones that win you a spot on a BBC or Netflix call sheet.
This article unpacks how recruitment for extras and bit roles actually works in the UK, why your photos carry so much weight, how to build a small library of images that suggest different casting types, and what you should know about contracts, pay and common beginner mistakes.
How does casting for extras really work in the UK?
The UK’s creative industries employed about 2.4 million people between mid 2023 and mid 2024, roughly 7 percent of the whole workforce. Film, TV, radio and photography account for around a quarter of that total, with more than 250,000 jobs. Behind the glamorous headlines, a large share of screen workers are freelance or employed per project. A recent report calculated that the screen sector contributes more than 13 billion pounds to the UK economy, while almost half of the production workforce is freelance. Extras and small role performers sit squarely inside this flexible, precarious world.
Most background casting in the UK goes through specialist agencies or platforms. You create a profile, upload photos and basic measurements, list any special skills, then wait for breakdowns. When a production needs “office workers, 20s to 40s, any ethnicity, Central London” or “Northern pub crowd, over 30s, no visible tattoos”, the casting assistant filters a database by age, location, look and availability. For very small speaking roles, the same process often happens via Spotlight or similar services, with self tape auditions added on top.
At scale, this is a sorting problem, not a literary one. A booker might scroll through hundreds of submissions in an hour. They cannot read every CV in detail, so they rely on a fast visual scan to create a workable shortlist, then check paperwork later. In cognitive psychology terms, this is “thin slicing”: using very small fragments of information, such as a neutral headshot, to make a rapid judgement about suitability. It is not perfect or entirely fair, but it is how the job is structured.
Typical steps for extras recruitment look like this:
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Register with one or more reputable agencies that supply major productions
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Build a profile with clear photos, measurements and contact details
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Mark availability honestly so you can be booked at short notice
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Respond quickly to messages, since options often go to the first confirmed
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Once booked, receive a call sheet, travel info and any costume notes
Key point
For background work, casting is a volume game. Recruiters need to process large lists fast, so your profile must help them say “yes” in a single glance rather than forcing them to decode a long CV.
Why do casting directors care more about photos than CVs?
For many extra and “day player” roles, your CV does not change what you do on set. If you are in the background of a police station, the production mostly needs to know that you look like someone who might plausibly work there, that you will show up on time and that you are legally allowed to work. A guest lead needs a detailed track record. A person walking down a corridor does not.
Add time pressure and the logic becomes brutal. A casting assistant might be shortlisting late at night, juggling multiple productions, trying to balance budgets, continuity and diversity targets. Looking at a grid of faces and clicking through the ones that match a mental picture is simply faster than reading lines of text. The CV only starts to matter if there is stunt work, driving, language skills or specialist experience involved.
There is also a legal dimension. In the UK, equality law restricts how explicitly productions can target or exclude certain characteristics, but breakdowns still describe broad types: age band, playing range, general look. Photos allow casting teams to judge whether a performer will blend into an environment without having to articulate every detail. In academic terms, the photo functions as a proxy variable, standing in for a host of unspoken assumptions about class, occupation and setting.
This is why generic “nice” portraits often underperform. A soft, heavily retouched close up that would be perfect for a dating profile tells a casting director almost nothing about how you read as a nurse, mechanic, office worker or festival goer. They need images that suggest specific roles in one glance, while still looking like the real you.
Key point
In extras casting, the photo is less a beauty shot and more a visual CV. It tells the production what kinds of worlds you can believably inhabit, long before anyone looks at your credits.
How should your photos look for different roles?
The most useful casting photos sit somewhere between passport images and fashion shoots. They are clean, current and unpretentious. Think one tight headshot with neutral expression, one relaxed head and shoulders, and one or two wider frames that show your body type and posture. Plain backgrounds are helpful, as is simple clothing that suggests a type without becoming costume: a casual shirt, a basic blazer, a plain T shirt.
Crucially, no single image will work for every role. If you only have a very polished shot in evening wear, you may struggle to be seen for gritty crime dramas set on estates. If your only full length photo is in gym kit, you will not be an obvious pick for a period ball scene. This is why agencies and platforms encourage multiple looks. You might have one set that leans “corporate”, another that feels more “urban” and a third that is neutral enough to fit contemporary family or crowd scenes.
Modern performers can build much of this themselves if they have a friend with a decent phone and an eye for composition, though a short session with a photographer who understands casting briefs is still a good investment. What matters is clarity and honesty. You want the version of you that walks through the studio gate at six in the morning to match the one in the booking grid. If you are tempted to add filter to photo so your skin looks like glass or your eyes change colour, ask whether that version of you could truly walk onto a BBC set tomorrow.
It is helpful to think in terms of “casting range”. Make a shortlist of three or four types you can honestly play without heavy prosthetics or extreme costume: for example “teacher or office worker”, “parent in a supermarket”, “clubber or band member”, “café staff”. Then plan simple outfits and backgrounds for each, keeping make up natural and hair in a style you can reproduce easily on a 5 am call.
Key point
A small library of honest, well lit images that each hint at a different believable type will serve you far better than one glamorous portrait that does not resemble your everyday working self.
What paperwork, pay and working conditions should you expect?
Once you have been selected, the tone shifts from informal browsing to formal employment. You will normally receive a call sheet or booking confirmation that lists the production, date, location, expected hours and fee. On your first job with an agency, you will also be asked to provide proof of identity and right to work in the UK, National Insurance details and bank information so you can be paid. On set, you should sign a timesheet and may also sign a performer release that confirms the production can use your image.
Pay for extras and small roles varies with budget level, broadcaster and whether the production follows a recognised agreement. PACT and Equity standard background rates for film and high end TV outside London, for instance, list a basic daily rate for extras of around 110 pounds, with overtime paid per half hour and higher rates on public holidays. Featured background and small speaking roles are usually paid more because they involve extra responsibility and screen time, but solid figures depend on the specific contract. In any case, payment normally arrives via your agency within a few weeks, not in cash on the day.
On set, you are there to work, not to create your own behind the scenes content. Many contracts now include clauses about social media and confidentiality. Productions are understandably wary of leaks from phones, so think carefully before you even take personal snaps in costume. If you later want to add filter to photo and post a shot from set, check whether your contract or the call sheet explicitly bans sharing until after broadcast. When in doubt, ask your agent rather than gambling on a story that vanishes after 24 hours.
Working conditions can be long and dull. A standard filming day is often 10 to 12 hours with breaks, sometimes more. Reports from unions like BECTU show that long, irregular hours are one of the reasons many freelancers are considering leaving the industry, with around 38 percent of respondents in a 2024 survey saying they planned to exit the film and TV sector within five years. Extras are part of that equation. Knowing what you are signing up for helps you decide whether it fits your life.
Key point
Read every document you sign, keep your paperwork organised and assume that anything you do with your image on set, including social posts, is part of a professional environment with rules.
What beginner mistakes should you avoid in castings and on set?
Most people entering background work for the first time make the same handful of mistakes, many of them linked to treating casting like casual social media rather than a job. The first is over editing. A heavily tweaked selfie might win likes, but it rarely wins bookings. A casting assistant who spots that you have used a beautifying effect or subtly reshaped your jawline may simply skip past you. One of the fastest ways to undermine trust is to add photo filters online so aggressively that you no longer resemble your profile pictures when you step into the holding area.
A second common error is sending the wrong energy in photos. Extras are not models in a fashion campaign. Unless a brief specifically asks for a “social media influencer” look, pouting, extreme angles or heavy props tend to be distracting. Casting teams often prefer straightforward, friendly expressions, with a hint of personality rather than a full character performance. Loud backgrounds, busy prints and novelty outfits all pull focus away from your face.
Beginners also underestimate logistics. Turning up late, cancelling at the last minute or bringing unapproved guests will quickly earn you a reputation for unreliability. Remember that productions often book more people than they strictly need in case of no shows. If you repeatedly cause problems, there are plenty of others ready to replace you. Simple habits like planning your route the night before, packing snacks and water, and respecting the costume department’s instructions make a big difference.
On set, the key is to be present and professional without trying to direct the show. Hovering near the main cast, taking unauthorised photos, talking loudly between takes or ignoring the assistant directors’ instructions can all harm your chances of being rebooked. Background work involves a lot of standing by. Bringing a book or quiet hobby for holding, while staying alert to movement calls, is a small but powerful survival skill.
Key point
Treat every casting and day on set as a long interview. Show that you can follow instructions, look like your photos and blend into the scene, and you increase your chances of steady work.
In summary
Background and small role work in UK television sits at the junction of creativity and logistics. Growing investment in film and high end TV has created more opportunities, but it has also intensified competition and made casting processes more data driven. In that environment, your photos are not a vanity project. They are the primary tool casting assistants use to decide, in seconds, whether you fit the story they are trying to tell that day.
If you build a compact set of honest, role focused images, understand why recruiters prioritise them over densely written CVs, learn the basics of contracts and pay, and avoid beginner mistakes on set, extras work can be both a realistic side income and a way to learn how a modern production really functions. For some, it will be a stepping stone to larger parts. For others, it will simply be a fascinating way to spend time inside the UK’s booming screen industry without the pressure of leading roles.
FAQ
Do I need formal acting training to work as an extra in UK TV?
No. Most extras work does not require drama school. Reliability, a professional attitude and suitable photos matter more, although training can help if you want to move into speaking roles.
How many different photo looks should I upload to casting platforms?
Aim for three to five: a neutral headshot, a relaxed head and shoulders and a couple of simple outfits that suggest different types, such as office worker, casual city and smart evening.
Can I use selfies instead of professional headshots?
You can, especially at the beginning, but they must be well lit, in focus and unfiltered. If you start booking regularly, investing in a short headshot session with a photographer who knows casting is worthwhile.
How quickly do extras usually get paid in the UK?
It depends on the production and agency, but payment often arrives within two to six weeks. If a payment seems overdue, contact your agency with the job details rather than the production directly.
Is extras work a good way to become a main cast actor?
It can give you on set experience and contacts, but it is not a guaranteed route to lead roles. If you want to act more substantially, you will eventually need training, showreel material and agent representation beyond extras agencies.
