Extras Management

So far, super pleased with Extras! Management! Within first week of submitting for approval to join as a SAG actor, we got approved, attended registration, had photos taken, profile created and had a booking on a hit tv show! SAG actors must email Kevin to get invited to register, but we were fortunate to get a quick response and after a holiday weekend at that!
We attended the mandatory registration/​orientation meeting which was conducted by the superb Jessica, who also handles photography (not to be confused with the also stellar, Jessica who works the front desk and honestly, I am not sure how she gets it all done!).
Here is a great tip they provide and your SHOULD follow, they say bring up to 4 outfits to change into for your 4 main pics on your profile– DO IT! Your main photo MUST be taken at their office after registration, & while you can submit add’l photos from home following precise instructions, wouldn’t you prefer to have someone else who knows what casting is looking for to shoot it– DUH! Photo shoots are done during several times during the week, and they will fill you in on the diff between regular and hiatus season and how things change scheduling wise. Also don’t assume 4 is it. you have 4 main ones for your profile page, but hey if you have costumes for any matter of things ie: police officer, Ren Fair, hippie, cowboy, scrubs, formal wear, etc, each of those can be listed on your Attributes page, along with skills, musical ability… I highly recommend taking the list home and then checking out your local Good Will to see what else you can create.
Back to the fabulous orientation– the key is listen, Jessica will be straight forward and quick, she expects your attention because guess what they are there to help YOU! The key to this whole service is COMMUNICATION! Keep them in the loop with your TRUE availability. No one is going to fault or judge you for not being available on a day– UNLESS you said you were, they booked you and then you try to back out– WAY UNCOOL!
Anyway, super happy so far, one less star because hey, it is only the first week during hiatus season, let’s not get cocky, right? Will keep ya updated & see ya on set!

Bad bussines. Some employees work very good, some not.

I started with Extras Management mid-​February at the behest of a friend who had been with them for a few months last year. In the near 2 month period since starting, I am one union voucher away from SAG eligibility, working 3 – 5 days a week with a Mon-​Fri availability, and learning experientially on new sets each day. Confirm to the emails/​messages, show up to your call early, be respectful and courteous on set. It’s that easy. And BLESS Jess, the photo girl, who is great at responding to emails in regards to sending in pictures and the rest of the staff who answer my questions when I call in. All-​in-​all this service is what you make of it, be the actor you would want to work with on set and you’ll work. [PS I’ve yet to sign with Central casting (across the street and free) so I can only imagine how much more work is possible.] Thanks to Extras! No qualms about my next $ 80 monthly fee, which you make back in but a day of booked work. :)

I have been with Extras Management for about 2−½ months and have heard many different opinions of the agency, but my personal experience has been a very good one! They consistently book me as many days as I make myself available, and are always very accommodating with any questions I may have over the phone. I am new to this industry and learn a little more every day, and they are helping me with that. Also Jess takes the pictures and she rocks! She deals with my neuroses about updating my pics, and is very kind and understanding. Whenever I stop by the agency it seems like there’s a lot of activity and I don’t want to bother the agents while they’re working, but they are a nice bunch and I hope they know how much I appreciate what they do. I also became SAG eligible in under 2 months thanks to them, and am very happy about that! Thank you to everyone at Extras. You have helped me greatly with my transition into this business :)

I have been with Extras Management for over 8 months and my experience has been great. Through Extras Management I have become SAG eligible faster than I would have thought possible. I recommend Extras Management to anyone. Thanks EM!

I’ve been with extras management for going on 3 years now and they’ve always been sure to take care of me. I highly recommend them.

This group definitely has the right connections.

I’ve been with them for 4 months, my overall experience has been positive. I get booked a fair amount each week and I haven’t had any trouble updating my availability when I’m busy with other things. If you understand and play by their rules, you won’t have any problems.

I signed up with Extras Management last month and I am completely satisfied. Everything is so far so good. Many of my friends are also with this call in service and they are always working. Maybe its because we play 18tly. I average about 3 bookings a week. Although Im still waiting to be booked on a commercial gig though. I had two different call in services before extras management and I must say they are far better than what people post here on Unilocal.Thanks extras management. Keep up the good work! :)

I am very happy with Extras. I have only been with them
a couple of weeks and have been booked several times. Signing up was very efficient and the staff were extremely helpful and polite. I love the text and email method for bookings, this has worked out very well for me. My suggestions for those that have given Extras an average review, perhaps you lack professionalism and maturity. Remember this is a job which can be fun, rewarding and educational. Thank you Extras!!!

This is a fraudulent business. They charge $ 84 a month and if they get you a minimum of 2 jobs you have to pay $ 84.
Now guess what? How many jobs do you think they get you every month? That’s right. The answer is 2.
They do this to all of their members that I have talked to and get them 2 jobs a month to make sure they make the $ 84 and after that they stopped getting you work.
Also they are not genuine or nice at all. Only when you originally go in to sign up with them.

I’m adding this month’s later. I only left a good review because after emailing the owner with a compiment to the staff helping me out, instead of just saying thank you he told me to post it on Unilocal.I ended of leaving this company because after the first month I stopped getting any work, and when u did the staff was super rude and unhelpful

What can I say about Extras Management that hasn’t already been said? If you understand the Extra business then you would ignore most of the lower ratings. No, I’m not paid by Extra management to write a five star review, I’ve worked with many Extra Casting services. One of the things people need to realize is that «Call in services» do not guarantee work. They don’t promise that you will work a certain number of days but they do hold their reputation on the line to try as hard as they can.
It always blows my mind when I hear people say that these services are scams. If they are scams, go back to calling Central Casting for hours to get one job. No one is forcing you to use these services. As for me, I’ve had a very successful run with Extras Management. They’ve booked me quite consistently; 3 – 4 times a week. That being said, there are down times. Being in the business, you know that most shows go on «Summer Hiatus» around June-​Mid August. These are what we call «Dry seasons». It’s best to understand when they occur so that you can prepare ahead of time. This way, you don’t have to depend on the booking service to pay rent. It also means that you won’t get your hopes destroyed when your booking rate drops through the floor. It’s not your fault, it’s not their fault; Hollywood is on break so there isn’t enough work.
When I registered with Extras Management, they were very courteous. In fact, if you are professional towards them, i. e you don’t skip bookings, constantly «no show», and behave yourself on set, they will treat you well. It’s the sort of «well» you’d expect form an upper management boss. The feeling that they’ve got your back and will try to work harder for you than those who’ve treated the company like a hobby.
Everything will be explained on the first day of registration: union status, wardrobe and how to register new attires, skills, physical stats, and payment. What I enjoy most about Extras Management is that their payment scales with the amount of jobs they book you. Contrary to most booking services that take the $ 65 – 80 right off the top regardless of days booked, EM charges you $ 14 if they’ve only booked you on one and $ 44 on two. That may seem unfair but other services do not have this policy. In fact, I’ve been with services that charge full price when I’ve not been booked that month.
To iterate how effective they are at booking jobs, today, 07/​06/​2015, I was notified that the three day shoot they booked me on will be reduced to two days. Central Casting called me and I notified EM immediately. Within two hours, they found another job for me to substitute for that day. Did I mention that EM is a sister company to Central Casting? The bulk of the extra jobs are sent to EM first because Central Casting gets the largest requests for background work. EM also gives you the numbers of other casting offices so that you can give them a call and get on their roster as well. I’ve been booked on a full week of Grey’s Anatomy because of that. In the end, if you understand the issues that come with being a background actor, you will the ebb and flow of bookings.
Another important last note, if you’ve pissed off Central Casting (They don’t tell you if you have, they just black list you), don’t expect any work. AT ALL. It’s pretty much a done deal if you’ve gotten onto Central Casting’s bad side. If that’s the case, you will have to look for work elsewhere. Google the other casting companies that specialize in background talent because the services that book Central Casting jobs will not longer be able to use you for Central Casting projects.

I like Extras for the amount that they book me, but not for the way that they treat me. Whenever I call to update my availability, they always speak very dryly to me and they have talked to me like I am a complete idiot. I don’t appreciate their tone or their unreasonable attitude toward their CUSTOMERS. If they like your look and you get booked a lot, great, but don’t expect to get any respect from them because to them we’re just dumb background nitwits.

If you want to be treated without an ounce of professionalism then please sign up with extras. Their favorite thing to do is explain for ten minutes how stupid you are. Not to mention they will always make sure to send you out on only ONE job a month. If it was zero then you only have to pay 13 that month and if you work only ONE time it’s 44 that month. I am a model who was trying this out for fun and have never been treated so terribly in my life.

Still my favorite booking/​scheduling service in the business. I can’t say they’re perfect and I’ve had my differences with them on one or two occasions.
However they’ve never left me hanging since the new management took over a few years ago. They might not be L.A. nice (i.e. nice personality) but they’re definitely N.Y. (nice as in I’ve never worried about my bills with them.
They’re the oldest firm in the business meaning the have some of the deepest relationships with extras casting directors. Their computer systems are the most update I’ve seen in the business. The management has integrity and takes their job seriously.

I have worked with Extra’s for a long time. They occasionally got me work, but nothing consistent.
I was going in for surgery, so I let them know I was not available. But the day before my surgery I got a text telling me I had been booked– for the first time in 3 months, no less. I called and told them I couldn’t make it, as I was in the hospital. The guy just said «fine» and took me off the gig. Thinking that all was well, I went about my business. About a week later I received a letter telling me I had been «suspended» for not going to the job. Then to add insult to injury, they sent me a bill for around 80 dollars. When I called to ask for a refund, the girl told me that «they had done their job and found me a booking» so I still had to pay them. When I mentioned that I had booked out, she said it wasn’t in their system.
Here is where you need to watch out – I decided to go ahead and quit Extra’s. But for 3 months now, they have now continued to bill me despite repeated attempts to get them to stop. I have called them and their accountant, and they just keep telling me they will take me off. Yet I receive a bill each month.
So If you decide you are ready to leave their service, you better send them a registered letter and tell your bank to stop payment. Cause they will do all they can to get at your money.

If there is one bit of advice I can give aspiring actors, new to LA it’s this: Avoid Extras Management like to plague. I’ll give you the basic rundown.
As an actor who makes most of her money in guest-​stars and low-​budget junk (not that it’s junk, perhaps I should call it «stuff»), I was in desperate need of more income to make my car payment. So, an actress friend who does not work in television, nor have an agent, suggested I do extra work with Extras Management. I figured she wouldn’t steer me wrong, and gave it a try.
You’ll be put through the usual bull****: Don’t be late, don’t falsely represent yourself, blah, blah, blah, common sense. Then you’ll be told that it is always your responsibility to keep your schedule up-​to-​date by calling them every single time you cannot be booked. Easy right? Not so fast. IF you happen to call and they’ve already booked you that day: Guess what? You’re f*****.
So, of course, this happens to me. I had conventions I was booked to appear at September through the first week of November, and booked out accordingly. I found out that they had some dates wrong and called to correct them. No problem. Then, I received my availability for the following week. They still had me listed as available on a day I told them I was not available. So beginning Thursday evening, myself, my mother, and my boyfriend began trying to call. We called 12 times total over the span of 3 days. No answer.
I’d like to point out, that while Unilocal says EM is closed on weekends, their website says they hold hours 7am-​12am Monday-​Sunday, so calling them on a weekend should be no problem.
Gee! What do you know, I just so HAPPENED to get booked on that one, single day that I’d been trying with no avail to inform EM that I was not available. Considering their unreasonable standards, I panicked, and called leaving quite the angry message, followed by an email in which I CCed Kevin, the… owner… I guess??? of the place. I certainly did not think this was an over reaction, seeing as I’d attempted to inform them of their mistake a total of 14 times now (including the message and email), AND they had chosen 1am to contact me, when my information sheet says «no calls after 8pm.»
Then I received an email request from Kevin, asking me to «call him as soon as I got home.» I did. No answer. I emailed him again, informing him I’d just tried to call yet again, within minutes of receiving his email, and he declined my call. The following day, I was extremely ill and had my phone on silent. Kevin took this opportunity to harass me by calling me (want to guess how many times?) 12 straight times in a row, simply to prove a point. When I asked my manager to call him back because I had no voice, and am honestly uncomfortable dealing with someone that irrational, he hung up on my manager. I realize this is an extras booking establishment, but I was in the room, ready to write my answers for my manager to read aloud. Kevin, for lack of a better phrase, is a loose cannon.
After a series of degrading emails from Kevin, accusing me of slander (interesting, since I’m telling the truth [not slanderous] and this is written [therefore LIBEL would be the correct term, not slander] learn your legal terms idiot, but regardless…) I reported EM to SAG.
Upon calling SAG I found out that Extras Management is not SAG franchised, and has absolutely no place to be representing themselves as an establishment that is capable of booking, or placing SAG members on set in any way, manner, or fashion. Perhaps they shouldn’t have been quite so mean to little old me?
After placing me on «probation» for my «tardiness,» Extras Management had the ever-​loving AUDACITY to send a bill to be charged to my credit card for $ 84 for the month. I think not. Here’s how EM supposedly works: If they book you 1 or fewer times that month, they don’t charge $ 84, if they book you 2 or more times, they charge you. Why are you charging me? Out of spite because you’re unreasonable and childish, that’s why.
In 30 days with EM, they booked me once, and then tried to book me on a day they KNEW I was unavailable, resulting in this mess. What a disaster this place is. AVOID. There are at least two other places you can go (especially if you are non-​union). This place is everything working actors have grown to hate about Hollywood. The very reason we lose sight of our love for the craft, and become bitter, and jaded in a never ending search for enough money to pay the bills.
***Anyone wishing to view screen capture proof of my attempted correspondence, emails with Kevin, or Extras Management staff, please feel free to contact me.***
I would be more than happy to send you that information. Please give me a second as your message may go to the «other» folder, but I will get back to you ASAP.

With all the $ 85 they charge for the new comers they should really be able to afford a nice decant place. Exterior looks like a small dumpy building. Interior looks like it’s almost going to fall apart. Everything looks too messy and too cluttered all around. Ceiling looks like it’s falling apart.
If you are desperate and need of a job this is the place the go. But don’t expect to get booked right away. Make sure to take different color clothes to take pictures against a white background.

Avoid like the plague.
These people are rude, have sent me to a job I wasn’t booked on –and wouldn’t compensate me for. Booked me on a job I *specifically* said not to book me on, and they fought with me over it.
I recently got the stomach flu, and had to cancel a job — the only time I’ve had to cancel a job after about six months of being with them, and they put my account «on review».
I called them about four hours before I was scheduled to be on set — plenty of time to replace me and got major attitude.
«You should have called earlier, if you knew you were going to cancel.» Oh, I’m sorry that I didn’t start throwing up earlier in the day. I told them I was happy to show up to set, vomiting every 3 – 5 minutes. This is typical with them.
Any contact is an inconvenience unless they want you to do a rush call to get them out of a bind.

After no communication for four days, I called in again, to be told to expect an email. I waited another couple days and had to call in only to be told that they needed a doctors note.
What ridiculous bullshit is that? Have any of you been able to get a same day doctors appointment for something as stupid as the flu?!
I was with them for six months with a perfect record that they pull this shit on me.
Take your business to a call in service who actually cares about client retention.