Grant Wilfley Casting / GWC NYC

Grant Wilfley Casting, commonly known as GWC NYC, is the largest and most dominant background casting company in New York City, functioning as the East Coast equivalent of Central Casting in Los Angeles. Founded by Grant Wilfley, who has been one of the most influential figures in New York background casting for over three decades, the company has provided background actors for virtually every major film and television production that has shot in New York City since its establishment. GWC has cast background for iconic productions across every genre and format, from prestige television dramas and network procedurals to blockbuster feature films and independent productions that choose New York for its unmatched urban authenticity. The company's dominance in the New York market is so complete that "registering with GWC" is essentially synonymous with "getting started in New York background work" among actors in the city. GWC has grown to handle thousands of background bookings annually, processing the enormous demand created by New York's status as the second-largest production hub in the United States.

In today's production landscape, GWC NYC remains the indispensable background casting resource for the New York market, working with every major studio, network, streaming platform, and production company that shoots in the five boroughs and surrounding areas. The company's comprehensive database contains the profiles of tens of thousands of registered background actors spanning every conceivable demographic, look, skill set, and availability profile, giving productions the ability to find exactly the types of people they need to populate their scenes. What distinguishes GWC from smaller New York background casting operations is not just its scale but its deep institutional knowledge of what New York productions need — the company understands the visual language of the city and knows how to cast backgrounds that make scenes feel authentically populated. GWC is also known for its efficient operations, handling the complex logistics of coordinating large numbers of background actors across multiple simultaneous productions shooting throughout the city. For any actor serious about background work in New York, GWC registration is the essential first step.

Actors register with GWC NYC through the company's website at gwcnyc.com, where they create a profile with current photos, physical measurements, clothing sizes, and personal information including contact details, availability, special skills, and any relevant assets such as vehicles or specialized wardrobe. GWC is particular about photo quality and accuracy — they need clear, current images that genuinely represent how you look today, taken in good lighting with no heavy filters or professional retouching that obscures your actual appearance. Once registered, actors receive notifications about available roles through email blasts and can check the GWC website for posted casting calls matching their profile. The company also uses social media, particularly Facebook, to post specific casting needs for particular looks, types, or skills. GWC's casting coordinators review submissions and proactively search their database to fill production requests, so having a complete and accurate profile significantly increases your chances of being considered for bookings.

The background work experience through GWC follows the standard protocols of New York production, with booked actors receiving detailed instructions about their call time, set location, wardrobe requirements, and any special notes for the day. New York background work has its own character compared to Los Angeles — sets are often on location throughout the city's diverse neighborhoods rather than on studio lots, which means background actors need to be comfortable navigating the city and arriving on time to locations that may change from day to day. GWC handles both SAG-AFTRA and non-union background bookings across the full range of New York productions, from long-running television series that need consistent background performers to feature films with large crowd scenes. The company's coordination with production teams is typically excellent, reflecting decades of working relationships with New York's assistant director community. Work days generally run 8 to 12 hours, and New York background actors face the additional practical consideration of commuting to and from set locations that may be anywhere in the metropolitan area.

GWC NYC's registered talent pool reflects the extraordinary diversity of New York City itself, encompassing actors from every background, ethnicity, age group, body type, and experience level. Both SAG-AFTRA union members and non-union performers are actively registered and booked, and the company's sheer scale means it regularly fills positions for both types on multiple simultaneous productions. The most successful GWC registrants tend to be New York-based actors who are responsive to email communications, flexible with their availability, punctual for call times even at distant locations, and professional in their conduct on set. Many of New York's most prolific background actors have been registered with GWC for years or even decades, using background work as a steady income source while pursuing principal acting careers or treating it as their primary professional focus. The company also serves as a crucial entry point for actors who have recently moved to New York and need to begin building on-set experience and industry connections.

GWC NYC charges absolutely nothing to actors — registration is free, there are no subscription fees or annual charges, and there is no premium tier or paid option. The company generates its revenue from the production side of the business, charging production companies for its casting services. Background actors are paid directly by the production at standard industry rates, with SAG-AFTRA background performers earning approximately $208 minimum for an 8-hour day and non-union background actors in New York typically earning between $143 and $187 per day as of 2025, depending on the production and any applicable bumps. New York background rates tend to be slightly different from Los Angeles rates due to local union agreements and cost-of-living adjustments. Standard bumps apply for wardrobe, vehicles, wet work, smoke work, special business, and overtime. Any person or service that charges you to register with GWC or to facilitate your registration is operating a scam.

If you are in New York City and want to do background work, registering with GWC NYC is non-negotiable — it is the single most important step you can take. No other background casting company in the New York market comes close to the volume and quality of opportunities that GWC provides, and skipping this registration means voluntarily locking yourself out of the majority of available background work. Supplement your GWC registration with secondary companies like Sylvia Fay Casting and Background Players NYC to maximize your opportunities, but always prioritize GWC as your primary source. If you are not based in or near New York City, this registration will not be useful — focus on the dominant background casting companies in your local market instead. For actors moving to New York from another market, make GWC registration one of the very first things you do upon arrival, even before you have fully settled in.

Register with GWC as soon as possible and invest time in creating a thorough, accurate profile with high-quality, current photos — this is your calling card and the primary factor in whether you get considered for bookings. Set up a dedicated email alert for messages from GWC so casting calls never get buried in your inbox, and check for new postings multiple times throughout the day. Build a comprehensive working wardrobe suited to New York productions — business professional, smart casual, seasonal outerwear, and neutral options that work in various settings. Get familiar with the New York transit system and plan your routes to common production locations in advance so you can arrive early to call times at locations across all five boroughs. If you are non-union and pursuing SAG-AFTRA eligibility, let the background coordinators know you are voucher-eligible on union productions, and track your vouchers carefully, as accumulating the three required union vouchers through GWC background work is one of the most accessible paths to SAG-AFTRA membership for New York actors.