Uni-versal Extras Reviews 

I previously registered with UVE when I was a student at university in 2012 and received some opportunities. When I registered with them again last year, I was hopeful for at least one job. I applied for work on the job board and responded to their messages when they said I had been matched for roles. There were a couple of occasions where I wasn't informed that I hadn't gotten a role. I was contacted via text message around 9 p.m. the night before a potential job, and I was unsuccessful, which was really disappointing. The overall experience this time has been very different and disheartening. I have very little enthusiasm to register again, unfortunately.

Requesting an upfront annual fee of £30 appears quite unreasonable to me. I am the provider of the asset available for hire, and it is perplexing that I am required to make a payment simply for the possibility of being selected at a later time. While I am open to the notion that such charges are intended to cover administrative expenses, I would appreciate seeing tangible evidence or transparency regarding how these fees are allocated for that purpose.

I have been an SA for many years and am on the books with many agencies. The upfront annual fee works out cheaper than the standard fee which is deducted once a job is found for you so I do subscribe, but I like that they give you the option to choose. Every interaction I've had with the UVE team has been pleasant and their processes seem to be standard with other agencies I work with, being pencilled then cancelled is part of the job but it's the production that decide that last minute. As a seasoned Vet (or an old dog some would say) I would recommend this company. Never had an issue.

This is a scam agency. I paid the yearly fee, which was a lot, but never got a single job. I was getting regular work from other agencies which doesn't charge an upfront fee, just a commission which is better. Do yourself a favour and stay away from UE. There are 10-15 other agencies which can get you a decent amount of work.

Mixed feelings, leaning more towards negative. In my personal experience the individuals who work at the company are lovely. And I had some good opportunities on high-profile productions including a fun doubling role (although they could have warned me it was a foot double job for a well known actor, like what if I had missing toes or tattooed feet or something? No one checked)

The company operates in a way that doesn't work well for supporting artistes... I have been on two months worth of pencils for a job, where they want those days kept free just-in-case production needs us. Every day text messages are coming through messing me around and demanding responses. The AD on this production shook his head and said to ignore those pencils because that's not what he'd asked them to do.

On the rare occasion I do get confirmed work through them, they send me to the job with limited information, whereas all other agencies will send their SA's with plenty of details. I'm still trying to find out if I get reimbursed for the extortionate parking fees on a production 8 weeks ago where we were told to park! It would be ideal to be told these additional details in advance - type of day (continuous, standard), interior or exterior filming (this helps us out a lot), what meals we can expect provided (breakfast, lunch) because I was caught out once and it's a pain for the production to suddenly try and source food for twenty people who showed up early in the morning thinking breakfast was available, and it would be really helpful to know whether parking is reimbursed in the car parks we are sent to. Other agencies provide this so there's no reason for Universal to be sending us to jobs unprepared. I think AD's are starting to get fed up of artistes complaining about this agency which is a shame because they definitely have potential to be one of the best if they weren't so reliant on pencils, and were more proactive and considerate towards making the lives of SA's and AD's easier. A bonus would be them relaxing their photo-rules slightly so that artistes aren't forced to keep really outdated images on their profile. It's so difficult to get new ones approved for upload.

I was also appalled to hear UE recently sent a load of females to a "filming" job without doing any thorough checks on the client and I hope everyone who got sent there is doing okay :(

For summary: some good opportunities, but until Universal Extras changes the way they operate, there are plenty of better agencies to sign with for free that will give you better experiences.

Signed up and paid for a year. Not a single day of work. Scam, stay away much better agency's exist.

Taken the annual fee, get occasional av’s, apply on job board for all suitable jobs, pencilled sometimes - but then say they’ll let you know by 7pm on day before filming (!) and not a single day of work in 18 months. Get plenty of work from other agencies, so it’s not me! Didn’t renew when expired, but then got more than usual av’s, so renewed. Will not be doing so again unless I get a decent booking or I see pigs fly…

OUTRAGEOUS!! Hypothetically… This company does not care AT ALL about your well being, after sending me onto a set where clearly ZERO background checks were made for ANYONE involved, allowing us on set where not one of the extras could tell you who was an executive director, producer or even a AD…let alone being able to speak to one. No medical team on site, and after the the project had been filmed and we had raised multiple concerns particularly based on a potentially convicted cast member we were graced with a dismissive watered down response. To be quite frank I will NEVER be taking work through the company again and advising others to do the same as they have completely lost my trust and left me outraged for myself and others involved.

Signing me onto a project and didn’t even check my right to work (it still says pending on the app). Allowed me to work on a dodgy production. Withheld information from hundreds of extras, including hiding fees, lying about catering and health and safety checks, and providing us with an “emergency contact” which went straight to voicemail. When speaking to their customer service, they were dismissive and even made fun of the situation.

There were no medical team on set, no water, nobody would tell us anything about the “production”, and not even a director, producer or legitimate camera crew was present. This led to the health and safety of hundreds of extras on the day being compromised, and even caused an extra to faint.

I have been deeply disturbed by the events, I have been an extra with a number of agencies, and this was my first (and ONLY!) experience with UVE. So many more reliable and better agencies with friendlier staff, please use them instead

Edit: they tried to report this review by using the only option that would blur what was said. They have flagged other negative reviews too. Just if you want confirmation of how this company treats it’s extras.

PLEASE please stay away! all they want is your money and they withhold you from so much information - there are plenty of other trustworthy extra agencies, this one doesn’t deserve any of your time! Lots of legal issues too they should be shut down!!!

It was indeed an interesting and enjoyable afternoon. I didn’t know what to expect given that I had not previously experienced a photoshoot. People I met including the staff were so warm and welcoming. The other “extras” also shared their experiences and we had lots of laughter as well. I went home tired but smiling.

Incredible! It was my first time ever doing anything like this and although I was super nervous, the team at UVE were really helpful and supportive, especially Chris. When arriving on set for GG, I didn't know anyone but by the end of the day I had made a load of new friends, and got paid for it! Its a great way to make money and get to know people especially if you are a student like me.

(There is a response to their sneaky answer at the end of this review)
I recently had an exceptionally disappointing experience with Universal Extras, and I feel compelled to share my ordeal to help others make an informed decision about engaging with this company.

From the outset, my interaction with Universal Extras was less than ideal. It started with an availability request where they failed to provide accurate information, rendering any terms and conditions associated with my booking void. When I attempted to address this issue, the response I received was nothing short of uncooperative and dismissive.

What truly left a bitter taste was the complete lack of willingness on their part to assist or even acknowledge the validity of my concerns. This was accompanied by an astonishingly negative attitude that felt nothing short of discriminatory. It's disheartening to believe that such behavior still exists in this day and age.

What further exacerbates this situation is the fact that I belong to multiple marginalized communities, including being a disabled individual, LGBTQ, and of mixed background descent. The treatment I received left me with the undeniable feeling that I was being silenced and unjustly removed from their roster.

Despite attempting to address these concerns, it became evident that there was little room for a fair and constructive resolution. The finality of their decision, as they put it, essentially amounts to an attempt to stifle any dissenting voice.

I strongly advise against engaging with Universal Extras, as my experience has left me deeply disappointed and disheartened. Their lack of professionalism, unresponsiveness to legitimate concerns, and apparent discrimination have no place in today's society. It is my sincere hope that this review serves as a warning to others and encourages Universal Extras to reevaluate their practices and foster an environment of inclusivity, fairness, and respect.

Response to sneaky answer:

This booking was scheduled for May 3rd, and well in advance, I took the initiative to inform the Universal Extras team of the challenges I faced. On April 29th, I reached out via text message, and on the following day, April 30th, I made a phone call to ensure they were aware of my situation. On the day of filming itself, I went the extra mile and contacted the second AD to inquire about the possibility of arriving later, considering the considerable travel time of approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes required to reach the location. Unfortunately, Universal Extras not only failed to provide accurate address information during the initial availability request but also, from my perspective, treated me unfairly, which raises concerns about potential discrimination by their members and their director towards me - a disabled LGBTQ member from a mixed background.
Facts:
1. Booking and Communication Issues:
On the production "Unforgotten," I was booked for a role, and there were issues related to my ability to attend due to transport challenges.
2. Lack of Transport:
On the day of the booking, there were train strikes or cancellations, which affected the availability of public transport to reach the set location.
3. Attempted Communication:
I made efforts to communicate these transport challenges to the relevant parties, both the production team and Universal Extras, prior to the shoot.
4. Phone Calls and Texts:
There were attempts to reach out via phone calls and text messages to inform Universal Extras about the transportation issue on the day of the shoot.
Universal Extras statements (Based on Emails):
1. Failure to Attend:
Universal Extras indicated that I was banned because I had "pulled out" of the "Unforgotten" production, implying that I did not attend the shoot.
- I confirmed via multiple texts my transport issues immediately after they sent me a text- 3 days prior to filming.
2. Communication Issues:
Universal Extras mentioned that I did not respond to their calls, which may have contributed to the decision to ban me.
- I was working on Magic Mike on 29th of April 2022 when I was called, only after I reached out via text due to my filming at the time. Additionally, I did call and spoke with someone from UVE the next day.
3. Terms and Conditions Violation:
Universal Extras stated that my ban was due to a violation of their terms and conditions, related to not attending a booked job.
- I informed UVE over 72 hours in advance that due to the error in the address of their initial availability request that I won’t be able to make it on time as it takes 4:30 hours of the booking request’s distance versus the 1:10 hours which was the availability request’s distance.
The whole interaction with Universal Extras was a nightmare and it still is.

I paid the fee and joined the waiting list. I got chosen around a month into my membership for a low cost production. Experience was okay apart from the fact that the specific production treated us like a second class cast. It has now been 10 weeks and I have not received a single penny from those 3 days. The response is always the same that I will receive my money when the production pays universal extras. This is now into the 3rd month! I do hope so as there is no body to officially complain and I am in the mercy of the production companies squeezing every penny they can get away with. Beyond that, I have been pencilled in another probably 10 times and the result is always the same at 7pm the day before “we are sorry but you have not been selected this time”. Having digested the whole process and industry, I will not be using this agency again.

Posting after having unproductive responses from UVE. Notes below are similar to the email thread I sent directly to them:

I initially was asked to portray a role (Drummer) on a show for multiple dates for which I was unavailable for. The agent then offered me a single date, which I politely declined on the phone.

I had no intention of being active on the UVE books, my profile had not been updated for 2+ years (nevertheless renewed via the listing fee) - however the agent on the phone guilted me into taking this job for a single date, despite myself declining initially - using intonation of having ‘told production already’ that I was available.

This manipulative behaviour from an agent is unacceptable, particularly with the lack of explicit transparency about payment (forgive me for not remembering the listing fee terms after years of inactivity; these terms are not the case with other agencies I’ve worked with).

I registered on a whim during the pandemic, and hadn’t completed a single production with UE since (the single job I ‘worked' previously with UE in 2021 was cancelled by the production).

The fact that this time I worked 10.5 long hours and was paid £37.19 - that’s less than 30% of what my National Minimum Wage is - it’s absolutely criminal. I’m sure it would be for any of their office employees if it was their wages. Even by SA standards.

This is not okay in most work environments in the UK and I hope this is changed at UE because currently, this is reflected in how UE values its supporting artists who provide the company’s income.

Their response was that I should have asked the Artist Support Team if a Listing Fee was due before accepted the booking. I found this to be a little gaslighting, since I declined the work initially and was essentially coerced over the phone to accept it due to the short notice nature of the job, and the Agent having informed the production that 'I'd be available'.

*RESPONSE to UE REPLY:
Over a month to respond to the review, which makes sense seeing how delayed their replies to my emails have been. It's also very telling that this reply has been more detailed than any of the emails I've received privately - and is the first time in 2 months of correspondence that I've received anything resembling an apology (I received an email simultaneously today).

I have no issue with the agency commission (which is standard across any agency) - however, coercing non-members for a single day job without explicit transparency of Listing Fees on booking seems deliberate & predatory - 16% agency commission is fair, taking over 70% commission from a single job is disgusting.

On emails, it was also inferred it is standard procedure to inform artists on booking of gross wages they can expect for the day, which I did not receive. The response: "I apologise however it is very unlikely that they would have missed that step" - another gaslighting statement, and a total lack of accountability.

I remain dissatisfied with the communication and the lack of resolution, or attempt thereof, in the time given since this was raised 2 months ago. I would like a refund of my Listing Fee (approx. 50% of my day's wage), and I do not intend or recommend working with UE again.

I have been with UVE for about 6 years now and I have the good and the bad (not so sure about the ugly). I have had some good jobs from them so I cant complain about that. BUT they drive me insane with their policy of not letting you know until 7pm the day before you are 'heavily pencilled' to let you know whether you have the job or not. This is the ONLY agency that does this and I am currently signed in with 10 other agencies, who all let you know if relatively good time whether you are succesful or not. 7pm the night before, especially if you have a long journey to get to the location the following morning is really not good enough and I am pretty sure that they know well before that themselves - other agencies do. The other thing that drives me crazy is their photo policy. Literally every photo that I send over gets rejected, and these are photos that are on my profile on all the other agencies I am with. Only UVE rejects them - and for stupid reasons which are usually not correct ie blurry (not) taken in front of a mirror (not) 'looking round' (eh?) taken by you (yes, I live on my own so I have to take my own photo's - what is wrong with that?). I spend literally hours trying to get a photo accepted and normally end up leaving the one thats been on there for the last 6 years just for the peace. Up your game UVE and stop being so difficult.

Since paying my 2 year early bird offer with Uni-versal Extras I have been put forward for many roles. As with all AV's from any agency, many do not become jobs, but the ones that have make the fee and commission worthwhile. Their app is useful for uploading photos, documents and personal info, payment records, job details, and for tracking and replying to AVs. It is easy to use, although jobs can still show as PENCIL when they are no longer likely to be.
I have occasionally needed to phone in, and am always dealt with swiftly and courteously. Code words related to each role make this easier.
On one occasion, following a minor accident on set, Uni-Versal Extras staff rang me several times to check on me and to liaise with production before I returned to set.
I highly recommend this agency for Supporting Artists.

The artist support team are very helpful and patient
Answered all of my questions and put me at ease

Awful Been with them for 4 years paid up and really excited to be involved in any production don’t even care about the money just a production and fining geek. So I get excited matched to a role then I fill in details and tell my family my friends look at travel bookings for guesthouses can’t wait then every time and I’m talking 10 jobs
No contact and the day before bam.
You have not been selected !! Gutted and a little suspicious. Having down a production schedule and filming you don’t arrange wardrobe and then not tell the talent until the day before. That’s stupid unprofessional and unethical. It is I’m afraid resembling a scam. I can’t see how I’m ever going to get work on set with these jokers
Screw you universal for ruining my dreams and messing up my calendar over and over again. You should be ashamed

This is a complete waste of time and money. I paid up front for two years' membership and completed my profile. In the nine months since then, I've been matched with a few 'extra' roles; in some cases it was UVE that texted me to let me know that there was a role I was suitable for and they wanted me to sign up for it, while in some other cases I decided to apply as I had seen the job advert in the app and I satisfied the criteria in the spec. I was then 'pencilled in' for some of these roles and given dates and times and a general idea of the location.

Each time it was the same story. Soon before the filming date I received notification that I hadn't been hired after all. Of course, I'd rearranged my own life in order to ensure that I would be able to meet the commitment. I think this happened more than four times in exactly the same way! What on earth is the point of all that? I understand that the principle of penciling people in and then sometimes not hiring them in the end is necessary in this business. OK, it's got to be flexible. But I just never got a single opportunity to work on a production.

My advice to people is just not to bother at all with this company.