FILM TALENT

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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is an Extra?

A background extra/artiste is a performer who has a non-speaking role in a production. They would typically make up the “crowd” around actors.

How do I become an Extra?

To become an Extra and experience life on set, you simply need to join our Agency and we will help you begin your journey to becoming an artiste. Join us by registering here. You will need the following information:
– RSA Identity document or the relevant Passport
– Your Tax number
– Bank account details
– Address
– Contact number

What do Extras earn?

An an extra, you would be paid for days that you have worked on set. The earnings per day varies per job (one job might pay a daily rate of R900, whereas another might only pay R750). Please note that Tax and Agency Fees are mandatory deductions. Breakdown of Payments: 20% is deducted as the Agency fee, after which tax is deducted. On commercials and some jobs, tax will be 25%, but on movies the tax will be according to the tables from SARS, which will be a lower rate.

What kind of work could I expect to do as an Extra?

Your booker, (that’s us) would forward your profile to the productions needing talent. The common productions that take place during the year are Series, Commercials, and Films. Mostly what you do on set is follow instructions (usually given by an Assistant Director, the A.D). These instructions might be to stand in a certain spot or to perform a certain motion relating to the scene. 

What happens after registration?

After your photographs have been taken, your details will then be loaded onto the database as an active artist. Our bookers will then send you Availability Checks for jobs, should you fit the brief.

What is a brief?

A brief is a document that is sent from production companies to an artist agency requesting talent for their production. It would state the Shoot date and Day Rate for that production. The document would also specify details such as age, gender, and specific skills that they require for the scene.

How do Availability Checks works?

If an artiste matches the requirements of an received brief, the booker would then send an Availability Check to find out whether the artiste’s details may be submitted as an available option for the proposed shoot date. If the artiste is selected by the director, a confirmation message is then sent to the artiste to confirm their selection. These Availability Checks will come through in the form of an SMS (yes, these still exist). You would reply to this message, either in a SMS, or in a WhatsApp message. If you do reply and are stressing about whether or not we have received it, Don’t Stress. We have received it and are working to get selections from the production company.

How does the selection process for jobs work?

After we have matched up artistes to a production brief, and availability checks have been done, a package of available artistes is then sent to the production company. They will then discuss the options with the director, and then selections are made. We will then be informed, and in turn, we will inform the selected artistes.

What if things have changed ?

Things seldom stay the same. This is why we would like to keep your profile as up to date as possible. If you’ve recently changed your address, or finally got the hairstyle you’ve been growing your hair out for, we would like to know about it. This ensures that all the information we send to productions is up to date and correct. 

How does payments for shoots work?

Payments for shoots are typically paid to your agency and then to the artist. The payment process begins at the production level. The production company’s accounts department would typically start processing the payments once all chits (sign-in sheets) have been collected, and a legal invoice from the agency has been sent.

The time period to when the production company’s accounts department pays may vary, but it can take up to 90 working days. Once we, the agency, have received the payment from production (tax already deducted), we will then deduct the agency fee, and pay you the nett amount.

Film Talent operates on a weekly payroll.

The Day Rate is always given as a gross amount (before Tax deductions and Agency Fees). This means that if you received an Availability Check stating an amount of R900 per day, the deductions would still have to come off, meaning the amount you receive total will be lower.

What is a chit?

A Chit form, or chit, is a legal document presented to you at the beginning of your day on set. This document acts as a payslip and role call. It would also indicate your rate for the day. It is important that this document is looked after as it cannot be duplicated. Some shoots, however, do operate with sign-in sheets instead of chits, but this is normal.

Transport

Every Artist is expected to make it to set on time on their own steam, regardless of the location. In some cases, if the shoot location is far away, Grabouw for example, then production companies would typically arrange for transport from a central location.

Termination of Contract

In the T’s & C’s section of your Registration Contract, there is a section that explains our right to terminate a contract with an artist.