In most film productions background actors, or extras, are used to make the scenes look lively and realistic. For these roles no formal training is needed; it can be anyone.

For every day on set the extras get paid a fee.

As these people aren’t cast for specific skills or looks, we came to thinking: why don’t we use people who really need that fee?

Introducing: Homeless Extras. A brand-new casting agency for homeless men and women who can be cast for every film production.

Homeless Extras was set up together with De Volksbond, an Amsterdam-based charity organization helping the homeless with activities and night shelter.

The fee earned by the homeless can be used for night shelter, food or to help them turn their lives around.

The first shoot with homeless extras was documented for an introduction film. The film was made with the voluntary help of an ad agency and film company.

We depicted reality: the homeless extras were immediately accepted by the whole crew and supported in doing their job. Crew, clients and the homeless extras were very happy and proved that the concept works.

We pushed the video and booking website with the voluntary help of a PR agency.

The project quickly got picked up by industry media as well as big Dutch and international media titles.

This way Homeless Extras was established and the first bookings were made.

After the introduction we will keep on sending look books in DM and social media reminders to 150+ Amsterdam-based companies to keep reminding them to book our extras.

Three months after launch, over 50 extras had been cast and one of our talents even became the main face for a campaign.

Bookings were made by ad agencies, casting agencies, brands and production companies that now see that supporting the homeless can be done by hiring them as extras.

Homeless Extras generated over 10 million media impressions without any budget.

This positive buzz helped to establish the project, plus shift the negative image around the homeless.

With Homeless Extras we now run a new casting agency in the Amsterdam industry.

One that sparks confidence in people and encourages rehabilitation.

Homeless Extras is a new casting service that promotes the use of homeless people as extras in films. The project activates ad agencies and production companies to support the homeless by booking them as extras.

To set up a tight structure for the service we worked in close cooperation with professionals who work on a day-to-day basis with the homeless. Psychologists and mentors helped select homeless people that are most suitable for this kind of work.

We also agreed that on every shoot a Volksbond volunteer accompanies the homeless to function as first contact and a familiar face.

We introduced the initiative as a new casting agency, with its own identity and online platform. This way we created a new ‘front door’ for De Volksbond, Amsterdam’s homeless charity.

With a compilation video of the first shoot and a PR push, we established the initiative in the Amsterdam media industry. On the booking website homelessextras.com production companies and agencies can support the homeless by booking them as extras.

Amsterdam has thousands of homeless people. People in need of a helping hand to regain their confidence and turn their lives around.

Amsterdam is also known for having a lively film and advertising industry. For many film productions background actors, or extras, are cast to complete the picture of a scene. The extras get paid a compensation fee for every day on set (ranging from 60-120 euros a day).

We saw a chance to mix these two worlds and set up Homeless Extras. A new first casting agency for homeless people with the objective of giving them a chance to earn money and turn their lives around.

Homeless Extras is a permanent service in the Amsterdam media production industry. The aim is to create meaningful day jobs for Amsterdam’s homeless people and help change the negative image around the homeless.