Call 504.684.2550. If you cancel, we ask that you give us enough notice to replace your child.

No, there is no guarantee of work because the needs of productions change every day. Due to the nature of background work, Central Casting can never offer full-time employment to any of the talent, child or teen actors (i.e., your minor) it employs.

“Checking your availability” means that a Casting Director is preparing the look for a show for a future date and is checking if your minor is available to work that day. When Central Casting checks their availability, we are not offering or guaranteeing work, we are only asking if they can work without time restrictions on a specific date or date range. “Without time restrictions” means that there are no possible conflicts that would prevent your child from working that day. When preparing for and booking their shows, Casting Directors may not know call times until they get additional information from production and those call times often change through the night and early morning. That’s why you and your minor need to have all day availability when responding as avail to these messages.

“First avail” means that you have confirmed your child’s availability, but the Casting Director cannot book them right away. Your minor is not booked unless you accept an offer for work and receive their details. So when they are on first avail, they are not officially booked and are still able to look for other work. If your minor is offered another job or put on first avail for another job, please call the initial Casting Director they are on first avail for before accepting the offer; the first avail show may choose to hire them first. Also, if your minor’s availability changes while on first avail, please call our office as soon as possible to let us know they are no longer available to work.

The Casting Director will give you your minor’s booking information, which usually comes as a details message. In some cases, you may receive details over the phone. Be sure to write down the project name, call time, call location, your role, the name of the Casting Director who booked your minor, and any other information you’re given.

Always check your voicemail. Do not call back until you have checked your voicemail to ensure the Casting Director did not leave specific instructions. If no message was left, wait and see if you receive a call back. If you do not receive a call back, assume your child is no longer needed.

In the “My Schedule” page of your minor’s online profile, you can easily track messages and responses from our Casting Directors to avoid confusion or potential double bookings.

Rush calls are for immediate same-day work. This is usually to replace a “no show.” When you respond to a rush call, you and your minor may be required to get to the set location within an hour or less after being booked.

Our Casting Directors book Background Actors based on the needs of production. Be sure to fill out your child’s profile thoroughly and accurately so Casting Directors know the types of roles they can portray. You can also check our Jobs page for work opportunities.

1. Casting Directors use the information in your minor’s profile, like hair color, eye color, sizes, etc. when booking their shows. By filling out their profile completely and accurately, they will show up in more searches for roles they fit.
2. Upload photos of your minor in different looks and wardrobe. Casting Directors use these photos to make sure your minor’s look fits the role.
3. Manage their availability calendar. Keeping your minor’s availability updated helps Casting Directors find them when searching Background Actor availability for a certain date or date range.
4. Reply to emails and texts promptly. You will receive availability inquiries and other communications from Central Casting via email, text message, and in the inbox of your minor’s online profile. Be sure to enable alerts so you never miss a job opportunity. Also, add DoNot-Reply@centralcasting.com to your safe sender list, so emails don’t get lost in junk or other folders.

Casting Directors will contact you directly when your child fits the look or requirements for a role. Be sure to completely fill out their online profile and add additional photos in different looks so Casting Directors can consider them for a variety of roles.

Emails will always come from DoNot-Reply@centralcasting.com and include a link to reply to the message via your online profile. SMS text messages will always come from the same 5-digit number and will always include a link to reply via our casting platform. These inquiries will also appear in your online profile.

Our Casting Directors will review their responses then reach out if they intend to book your child. If they are not selected, you may not hear from anyone. Remember, your minor is booked when you accept an offer for work and receive details.

When booking, Casting Directors may not know the call time (which can often change before the shoot), so they need you to have completely open availability on the date in question. For example, if your child cannot work between 3-4pm, they are not available without time restrictions.

Yes, always respond as soon as you can. Some messages will expire after a certain amount of time. When this happens, you will see a notification that submissions are closed. We recommend enabling alerts for Central Casting through your email provider so you can always respond to job inquiries on time.

Yes, you can respond available to multiple inquiries. Once booked, you are responsible for your minor not becoming double booked. If your child is on first avail, please let that Casting Director know before accepting another offer.

After you respond to a message, you will be sent a notification detailing your response and confirmation we received it.

Casting Directors may only accept responses for a certain period of time and your message may have expired. If the message has expired and we’re no longer accepting submissions for the role for which you were contacted, you will see a page that explains this when you try to respond.

In the “My Schedule” page of your online profile, you can easily track messages and responses from our Casting Directors to avoid confusion or potential double bookings.

If you don’t hear back with an offer for work and details, your minor is not booked. However, given the volume of roles they are booking, please be patient as it may take them some time to respond.

Once you have accepted an offer for work, the Casting Director will let you know how to access your minor’s details, which usually comes as a details message. In some cases, you may receive details over the phone. Be sure to write down the project name, call time, call location, your role, the name of the Casting Director who booked your minor, and any other information you’re given.

You are not booked unless you accept an offer for work and receive details.

Thank you for replying. Your response lets the Casting Director know your child is interested and available to work, but does not guarantee they will be booked. Depending on the casting volume, you may not hear back.

No, our texting numbers are only formatted to send outbound text messages from our casting platform. When you respond to a text message directly, you will get a message indicating that you can only reply “Stop” to end text communication. We do not accept “yes,” “no,” or any other response through text message.

No, our texting numbers are only formatted to send outbound text messages from our casting platform. Please call our main line at 404.920.8011.

While you may receive an email or text message, all communication with Casting Directors happens through our casting platform. Each communication will include a link to your minor’s online profile where you can reply to the message.

No, the messages are only in English.

Yes. T-Mobile has released a feature that allows their customers to “opt-out” of business messages. In order to receive text messages from Central Casting, T-Mobile users will need to contact T-Mobile support at 1.800.866.2453 and ask for this feature to be turned off. Once the opt-out is removed, you will be able to receive messages from Central Casting. Even if you are a T-Mobile customer who has received text messages from Central Casting in the past, please check with T-Mobile to ensure you do not have the opt-out feature enabled.

If your minor’s availability has changed after responding to a message, please call our office at 404.920.8011.

We apologize for the inconvenience. Most likely your phone number was previously owned by someone signed up with us or provided to us in error.

As an employee of Central Casting you provided your mobile number to us so that we can contact you about jobs for which your child would be a potential match. However, if you no longer want us to reach out to you via text message, please reply “STOP” to the text message you received.

Adding Central Casting as a VIP sender ensures you don’t miss out on job inquiries and other communications. If you have an iPhone, follow these steps. If you have another device, please check your email app settings.

1. Open an email from Central Casting
2. Tap on Central Casting in the “from” field at the top of the page
3. Select “add to VIP” below Central Casting’s contact information

Please write down your minor’s work information. If you lose their details or have any questions regarding their booking call 404.920.8011.

Call 504.684.2550. If you cancel, we ask that you give us enough notice to replace your child.

Any call time changes will be sent via our casting platform.

Roles change from set to set, but often a Background Actor’s main contact is the 2^nd Assistant Director (2^nd AD) and Production Assistants (PAs).

Another adult must accompany the minor.

Let the Casting Director know you are also booked on the production. Another adult may need to accompany them to set.

When you are not required on set, you will be taken to a holding area. You can bring items to Holding to keep busy while you are not working.

Do not bring guests or other minors not booked to the set with you.

If your minor is injured on set, you must report it to the Assistant Director and/or medic immediately.

You will receive an email or can log in to your minor’s online profile to complete required tasks at their call time.

Yes, as some of the forms are project/work date specific.

No. Central Casting has already obtained and validated your minor’s start paperwork. If not, you will be asked to complete on paper on set.

Yes, your minor will receive a unique SmartVoucher to review and e-sign for each Job type they perform (i.e. Fitting, Interview, etc.).

Click the “log in” button in our website menu and choose the “create new login” option. Once created, you will be able to log in to review your minor’s SmartVoucher.

Please visit myEP for more information on updating any payroll information.

No, production will input this information as the day progresses.

No, the on-set production representative will fill out your child’s SmartVoucher throughout the workday then send for you to review at wrap. Be sure to raise any queries with production in person before leaving set.

Production should be sending your minor’s SmartVoucher to review immediately at wrap. You should review and e-sign their voucher while still at the production location, so any disputes can be raised and resolved in person.

We suggest you review your minor’s SmartVoucher while still on set, so you have the opportunity to raise any questions in person with the production staff that completed their voucher.

Log in to your minor’s Central Casting online profile and select the “Job Review” option in the blue toolbar on top.

Upon request, Central Casting can provide you the signed copy of a form.

Once the e-sign checkbox is selected, it cannot be undone.

After production sends your child’s SmartVoucher for review, you have 24 hours to approve or raise queries. After 24 hours, their SmartVoucher is deemed approved and sent for processing.

No. For your security, you will always be required to use your minor’s unique login to view their SmartVoucher. You can print a copy at any time by selecting the “Export” button.

Log in to their Central Casting online profile and select the “Job Review” option in the blue toolbar on top.

No. Their online profile will only contain voucher history from productions where SmartVoucher was used. Paper copies are not uploaded.

Once you have received a SmartVoucher for review on a job, any changes made will create an updated version. You can view all versions from the dropdown menu within a job review.

We suggest you review and raise these concerns while on set for the quickest remedy. If you are unable to review until you get home, select “raise a query” from the review page and you may type your question for production there.

No, your minor’s payment will continue to be processed through payroll and their check will be sent as per normal schedule.

You can contact technical support 6am-6pm PT through Tech Support Chat, helpme@centralcasting.com, or 855.500.2055.

Payroll is processed as vouchers come in from production, which means you may receive checks out of work date order. You can learn more about your minor’s pay history by logging in to myEP.

No. At this time, we do not have the resources for checks to be picked up. Paychecks are handled in a security area with 24-hour surveillance and delivered by our bonded driver to the post office directly. Paymasters do not have access to your paychecks.

The checks are sent first class mail. While you will receive most checks within 2-3 business days after they are mailed, there are times when it could take longer through the federal mail system, particularly during holiday periods.

Checks are not mailed out in order of work date. Before we can cut a check, the production reviews and completes the voucher, and production companies vary on how often they process and send in the vouchers.

To inquire about a missing check, please contact payroll at 855.500.2055. Be sure to have the name of the project your minor worked on, the date they worked, and their voucher information. You can also check their pay history on myEP.

To request a stop payment, fill out and follow the instructions on our Stop Pay/Reissue Form. A stop payment can be placed no sooner than one calendar week after the check has been mailed.

Yes, there are many people we payroll with the same or similar names. You will need to put their Social Security number on each voucher so we can correctly identify who we should pay. Your voucher will either be delayed or not processed if we are unable to identify who worked.

For payroll inquiries, please email cpinquiries@ep.com or call 855.500.2055 and select option 4, then sub-option 3 when prompted. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, 6am-6pm PT.

Payroll and casting are handled separately. Our Casting Directors do not have access to your minor’s pay information. Please contact payroll for paycheck related questions and be prepared with the name of the project your child worked on, the date they worked, and their voucher information.

To create an account, please go to my.EP.com and sign up using the same email address they have on file with Central Casting.

Once you have created and logged in to their account, you will need to link myEP to their EP payroll profile. To do this, select the “update profile” option under “manage account” and click the “connect payroll profile” button. You will then be prompted to enter their Social Security number and verify their employment by providing net pay, check, or gross pay information.

Now that their payment profile is linked, you will be able to change your minor’s address, view their pay history, and compare paychecks. Be sure to review their contact information to make sure everything is current.

To change your child’s address with payroll, please log in or sign up with myEP. If signing up for the first time, please use the email address your minor has on file with Central Casting.

Don’t forget to also update their address with casting by logging in to their online profile.

You can request a stop payment by filling out payroll’s Stop Pay/Reissue Request Form. Please follow the directions listed on the form for how to submit.

Five business days for current year checks, longer if the check was cut in a prior year. We are unable to reissue a check that has been stop paid until after we have received confirmation from the bank that the stop payment was successful.

You can access your minor’s pay history by signing up or logging in to their myEP account. If you need their records to join SAG-AFTRA, please call 818.955.6313. SAG-AFTRA will only accept faxes sent directly from our payroll department certified by our manager.

To update your minor’s W-4 and State Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate, select the relevant form from the links below, fill out and follow the directions on the form, then email to the payroll department at CPInquiries@ep.com. Please note: if claiming exempt, a new W-4 is needed each year.

W-4
Louisiana L-4

To access your minor’s W-2, visit EP’s W-2 page.

To submit an inquiry or correction to your tax form, please fill out and sign our inquires and corrections form.

For employment verification, call 818.955.6313. This is an Entertainment Partners line; they will be able to provide employment verification.

All after hours chats are sent to the technical support team. Our staff will review your query and will get back to you.

No, technical support is available to help with issues related to your online profile, required training (Los Angeles and New York only), and other non-casting related questions. To cancel a booking, change or first avail status, and update your availability, you must call your Central Casting office.

Reservations are no longer available as the Talent Onboarding process is completed entirely online.

Our technical support staff uses the email you provide to look up your profile. If chatting on behalf of your minor, please use the email address associated with their online profile.