MyCastingFile

MyCastingFile is a free casting platform that has become one of the most important resources for background and featured extra casting in the Southern United States, particularly in Louisiana and Georgia — two states that have experienced massive growth in film and television production thanks to generous tax incentive programs. The platform was created to serve the specific needs of the Southern U.S. production market, where major studio films, television series, and streaming projects film regularly and require large numbers of local background performers. MyCastingFile has built strong relationships with background casting directors and extras casting agencies working in these markets, making it a primary pipeline through which talent is discovered and booked for background work. The platform's focus on the Southern market fills a gap that national casting platforms often underserve — while Actors Access and Backstage cover major markets broadly, MyCastingFile provides deep, specialized coverage of background opportunities in Louisiana, Georgia, and surrounding states. For anyone living in the Southern U.S. who is interested in background work on professional productions, MyCastingFile is often the first platform recommended by local actors and casting professionals.

What makes MyCastingFile particularly valuable is its specialized focus on the logistics-intensive world of background casting, where productions need to fill dozens or hundreds of positions quickly with people who match specific physical types, age ranges, and look requirements. Background casting operates on different timelines and processes than principal casting — decisions are often made within hours, and the talent pool needs to be large, diverse, and responsive. MyCastingFile is built for this workflow, with detailed profile features that allow casting directors to search by extremely specific criteria including height, weight, measurements, hair color, tattoo status, vehicle ownership, wardrobe availability, and dozens of other factors that are uniquely relevant to background casting. The platform has become essential infrastructure for the Southern production ecosystem, and many background casting directors in the region use it as their primary talent search tool. For actors, this means that having a well-maintained MyCastingFile profile creates genuine, ongoing opportunities for paid work on major productions filming in your area.

Getting started on MyCastingFile is free and involves creating a detailed profile that goes well beyond what general casting platforms typically require. You provide multiple current photos from various angles (headshot, full-body, profile), precise physical measurements including height, weight, clothing sizes, shoe size, and inseam, as well as details about your appearance including hair color, eye color, ethnicity, and any distinguishing features like tattoos or piercings. The platform also asks about special skills, vehicle ownership (important for car scenes), wardrobe pieces you own, and your availability and willingness to work specific days. The level of detail is important because background casting directors search for very specific physical types — a production might need someone who is exactly 5'10", 170 pounds, with brown hair and no visible tattoos who owns a business suit, and MyCastingFile's detailed profiles allow those searches to return accurate results. Once your profile is complete, casting directors can find you through searches, and you will also receive notifications about opportunities that match your profile criteria.

The daily experience of using MyCastingFile is centered on receiving notifications about available background work and responding quickly when an opportunity matches your availability and type. Background casting moves fast — a notification might come in the morning for work needed the next day, and the first qualified respondents often get booked. Keeping your phone accessible and your email notifications turned on is important, as speed of response can be the difference between booking and missing out. When you are selected for a background role, the platform facilitates communication about call times, locations, wardrobe requirements, and other production details. The work itself typically involves spending a day on a professional film or television set, following the directions of assistant directors, and being paid at the end of your booking period or through the production's standard payroll process. Between bookings, you should keep your profile updated — particularly your photos, measurements, and availability — to ensure you remain visible in casting director searches. The platform may also post general casting calls for specific productions where you can proactively submit yourself, in addition to the direct casting director outreach that comes through the talent search function.

MyCastingFile's user base consists primarily of people living in Louisiana, Georgia, and other Southern U.S. states who are interested in background and extra work on professional film and television productions. The user base is remarkably diverse, reflecting the reality of background casting which requires people of every age, ethnicity, body type, and appearance to populate realistic scenes. Beginners and first-time performers make up a large portion of users — many people discover MyCastingFile when a major production comes to their town and they want to experience being on a professional set. Experienced background actors who have made background work a regular source of supplementary income also rely heavily on the platform. The platform predominantly serves non-union talent, as SAG-AFTRA background work is typically handled through union processes, though some union-eligible background opportunities do appear. Stand-ins — performers who match a principal actor's height and coloring for lighting and camera setup purposes — also use MyCastingFile, and stand-in work can be a more consistent and higher-paying form of background work.

MyCastingFile is completely free for actors to join and use. There are no subscription fees, premium tiers, per-submission costs, or hidden charges of any kind. The platform makes its money from the production side rather than from talent, which means actors never pay for access to casting opportunities. When you are booked for background work through the platform, you are paid directly by the production company at standard background rates — typically $100-$200+ per day for non-union work, with higher rates for stand-in work, specialized skills, or providing your own wardrobe or vehicle. SAG-AFTRA background rates, when applicable, follow the union's established minimums which are typically higher than non-union rates. There are no commissions or fees deducted from your pay by MyCastingFile — the platform does not take a cut of your earnings. This makes MyCastingFile one of the most genuinely actor-friendly platforms in terms of its financial model — it costs you nothing and takes nothing from what you earn.

If you are based in Louisiana, Georgia, or another active production state in the Southern U.S., MyCastingFile should be one of the first platforms you set up — it is free, well-connected to local casting infrastructure, and provides genuine access to paid background work on major productions. It is particularly valuable for people who want to experience professional film and television sets, earn supplementary income, and learn how productions operate from the inside. Aspiring actors can use background work as a stepping stone to understanding the industry, building on-set comfort, and occasionally getting noticed for upgrades to featured or principal roles. However, do not rely on MyCastingFile as your primary casting tool if your goal is building a professional acting career with speaking roles — for that, you need Actors Access, Backstage, and eventually agent representation. Stand-in work, if you can book it regularly, is a particularly smart use of the platform, as it provides more consistent work and closer proximity to principal actors and directors. If you are not in the Southern U.S., this platform is not relevant to you — look for background casting resources specific to your market instead.

Fill out every field in your MyCastingFile profile with absolute accuracy — do not exaggerate measurements, misrepresent your appearance, or use outdated photos, as background casting directors will notice immediately when you arrive on set and you will lose credibility for future bookings. Upload at least four clear, current photos: a headshot, a full-body photo in fitted clothing, and additional photos showing your everyday look from different angles. Keep your phone notifications on and respond to booking requests within the hour whenever possible — speed is everything in background casting, and the first qualified respondents get booked. Build a background work wardrobe including business professional, business casual, medical scrubs, law enforcement-adjacent clothing, and period-appropriate pieces, as having the right wardrobe can be the deciding factor in getting selected. Track your background work bookings carefully for tax purposes — background pay is taxable income, and productions typically issue 1099 or W-2 forms. If you are interested in transitioning from background to principal work, use your time on set to observe how principal actors prepare, how the director communicates, and how the professional casting process works — this on-set education is one of the most valuable benefits of background work.