Guide to Central Casting Payroll

We want to make sure you get paid accurately and on time, so we’ve put together a guide with everything you need to know about Central Casting payroll.

Occasionally, Background Actors, Stand-Ins, and doubles are cast by Central Casting, but paid by a different company. You’ll know you’re paid by us when the production uses SmartVoucher or your paper voucher says Central Casting and/or Entertainment Partners.

How do Background Actors get paid?

When you work on set, you’re paid based on the information in your voucher, which is your timecard for the day. There are two types of vouchers: SmartVoucher, Central Casting’s digital voucher platform, and paper vouchers.

When the production you’re booked on uses SmartVoucher, you’ll receive an email at your call time with required tasks you must complete. These tasks must be completed each time you’re booked as they are work date specific. You can also access these tasks by logging in to your online profile.

Throughout the day, a production member will input your work details, like your meal period and wrap time. Then at the end of the workday, you’ll receive an email with a link to review and approve your SmartVoucher. It’s extremely important to review your SmartVoucher on set so you can resolve any queries with production in person.

If your production is using paper vouchers, you will receive your voucher at check-in and will need to fill out your full legal name, the last 4 digits of your Social Security number, and your complete address. Central Casting pays many people with the same or similar names, by filling out your voucher with the necessary information, you help our paymasters ensure you’re paid accurately and on time.

When using paper vouchers, the wardrobe or props department may take your voucher when giving you clothing or props, then will return it to you when you turn in those items. Be sure your voucher is returned to you before wrapping and that you take a copy for your records.

What are allowances and adjustments?

Allowances and adjustments are additional compensation paid to Background Actors for doing something beyond basic background in a scene. Allowances can be given for things like bringing a prop, working with your vehicle, or wearing your own specialty wardrobe. Adjustments are for things like wearing full body makeup, working with smoke, or getting wet in a scene. The amounts and whether you receive allowances or adjustments will depend on if you’re working on a SAG-AFTRA or non-union voucher.

Sometimes you know you’re getting an allowance or adjustment when you’re booked and in some cases, it may be applied on set. Either way, make sure these are reflected on your voucher before you approve/sign it at the end of the day.

How do I request a stop payment?

Stop payments can be made for checks you never receive, checks that are lost or damaged, and for stale dates (checks more than 180 days old). If you need to request a stop payment, you can do so by filling out our stop pay/reissue request form and return it to the address listed on the form. Remember, Central Casting payroll processes checks as vouchers come in from production, so you may receive checks out of work date order. If you receive a check from a later work date first, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the check from an earlier date is lost.

Direct deposit and myEP

EP’s payment portal is a helpful tool for managing your pay with Central Casting/Entertainment Partners. Through myEP you can update your contact information with payroll, view pay history, compare paychecks, and sign up for direct deposit.

If you would like to be paid by direct deposit instead of paper checks on projects where Central Casting and Entertainment Partners provide combined casting and payroll services, you can sign up by logging in to myEP and following the directions in our Direct Deposit set-up guide.

Haven’t logged in to myEP before? It’s easy, just go to my.ep.com and log in using the same email address and password you use to log in to your Central Casting online profile. Then connect your payroll profile and verify your employment by providing check, net, or gross pay information. Once connected, review your contact information to make sure everything is current.

Have payroll questions? The Payroll FAQs and our Payroll article category have everything you need to know about being paid by Central Casting.