Hot off the success of its second season, Jesus series “The Chosen” is inviting fans to be in the crowd of 5,000 that Jesus miraculously feeds in the third season’s adaptation of the gospels.
Fans shouldn’t expect to spend time with the show’s Jesus for free, however. Being a part of the extras crowd will cost $999.99 or more.
READ: 'The Chosen' Sets A New Gold Standard For Depictions Of Jesus
“The Chosen” became the world’s largest crowdfunded media project when it raised $11 million for its first season. It’s the only multi-series show ever made about the life of Jesus and is told from a faith-based perspective.
Producer Dallas Jenkins announced the call for extras via a livestream with his Loaves and Fishes production company.
“The feeding of the 5,000 is not only one of the signature moments of the gospels, it is one of the signature moments in the life of the show,” Dallas Jenkins explained. “Just like the Sermon on the Mount but with a few things different this time around, if you pay it forward at the level of $999.99 or more, that qualifies you to come to the feeding of the five thousand.”
Jenkins elaborated that his production company, Fishes and Loaves, would follow up with those who donated at or above this amount and give them the option to bring other members of their family or friend group for an additional $100 per person. Also, at some point, Jenkins said they would have to cap the number of people who could qualify to come.
“There is a limit. If we made it possible for anyone to come to the feeding of the 5,000, we would probably have 20,000 people show up, and we just can’t do that,” Jenkins said.
This “paying it forward” strategy has long been foundational to the success of “The Chosen.” The show is free to watch, but fans donate to fund future episodes via the pay it forward section of “The Chosen” app.
Jenkins said in March that to meet their goal to film all seven seasons and reach a billion people, they would need to raise $100 million. They always want each episode of “The Chosen” to be free for people to watch through their app, Jenkins said, but they also created an online store where people can buy shirts, hoodies, devotionals and even a novel version of the show written by Jenkins’ father, Jerry Jenkins, co-writer of the original “Left Behind” books that launched a multimedia enterprise and shaped a generation of evangelicals. Purchases from this store go to funding new episodes.
“We want to reach a billion people with this show, minimum,” Jenkins said. “We want to reach a billion people with the authentic Jesus. And the only way we’re going to do that is if it’s free. And the only way it can be free is if you pay it forward.”
The show also streams on VidAngel, a faith-based platform.
READ: VidAngel CEO Talks Filtering Content For Faith-Based Streaming And Creating "The Chosen"
“The Chosen” has been in the news a lot over the past year, particularly when 2,000 extras came to its set to film scenes of Jesus delivering his Sermon on the Mount. The production company attracted major media attention for being permitted to film such a large crowd in the midst of the pandemic (which ReligionUnplugged covered here.)
While the show attracts fans across Christian denominations, it has received notable support from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church. “The Chosen” filmed its second season in Goshen, Utah, where the church built a replica Jerusalem to film “The Bible” (2011) and “The Book of Mormon” (2017).
Jenkins previously targeted March 2022 to premiere the third season.
ALSO READ: Why 'The Chosen' Plans To Film Season Two During A Pandemic
This year, Jenkins and Jonathan Roumie (who plays Jesus in the series) also made headlines when they both met Pope Francis at the Vatican due to their work on the series. Roumie is Roman Catholic.
Joseph Holmes is an award-nominated filmmaker and culture critic living in New York City. He is co-host of the podcast The Overthinkers and its companion website theoverthinkersjournal.com where he discusses art, culture, faith and art with his fellow overthinkers.
FAQs
Is The Chosen looking for extras? ›
Job Description: Casting directors are now casting background actors (extra) to work on scenes filming in Midlothian, Virginia from Wednesday June 1st to Monday June 13th. Must be able to work from June 1 until June 13, 2022.
How much do you have to donate to be an extra in The Chosen? ›According to Religion Unplugged, the creators of The Chosen are casting fans as extras for the upcoming “Feeding of the 5,000” episode. Producers will select extras from a pool of those who have donated at least $1,000 to the cause.
How many fans does The Chosen have? ›According to an analysis commissioned by the producers, 108 million people have seen at least part of the show, as of 2022. Translation into as many as 600 languages is being funded by the Come and See Foundation.
Is The Chosen true to the Bible? ›Although The Chosen draws directly from the New Testament, it's become a global phenomenon largely because it doesn't treat the Gospels as, uh, gospel. Its creator, Dallas Jenkins, a recent Texas transplant, developed the series in 2018 with the hope of turning Bible stories into something truly binge-worthy.
Is The Chosen done by the LDS Church? ›Jenkins and his team recently denied rumors on social media that 'The Chosen' is produced by the church. There are some Latter-day Saint connections. “The Chosen” is distributed by partner Angel Studios, a streaming video company that was co-founded by brothers Neal and Jeffrey Harmon, who are Latter-day Saints.
Are extras allowed to talk to the actors? ›Don't over act – act naturally. It is strictly not permitted to talk to the actors, ask for autographs, take photographs, or use recording equipment of any kind. This can result in you being dismissed immediately without pay.
What happens if you donate more than you make? ›What Do I Do if I Have Donated More Than the Annual Limit? The IRS allows you to carry forward deductions for up to five years after the year in which you made the donation.
Who pays for The Chosen? ›Angel Studios, the streaming platform behind the Christian series “The Chosen”, announced this week it had raised $47 million in funding from venture capitalists. The financing was led by VC firm Gigafund and Bain-backed Uncorrelated Venture. Original seed investors Alta Ventures and Kickstart Fund also participated.
How much does the Bible say you should donate? ›10% to support the priests and Levites (Numbers 18:21,24). This is what we think of when we refer to tithing today. 10% provided for a sacred festival (Deuteronomy 12:17-18; 14:22-27) 10% supported orphans, widows and the poor (Deuteronomy 14:28- 29; 26:12-14) and was collected one time every three years.
What denomination is The Chosen based on? ›Jenkins made clear that while he has many close personal relationships with Latter-day Saints, no denomination influences the show. “As I've said, many, many times, the content of the show has zero influence or input from any formal faith tradition or church. None.”
How much does The Chosen get paid per episode? ›
Costing more than $1,120,000 per episode, “The Chosen” is a high-quality telling of the life of Jesus and the people around Him. The award-winning, multi-season series has been viewed more than 60 million times worldwide.
Why is it called The Chosen? ›The novel's title refers to the idea that the Jews are God's chosen people and therefore hold special privileges and responsibilities. Both Danny and Reuven fulfill their duty by studying Jewish liturgy, and they derive great pleasure from Jewish traditions.
What religion is the creator of The Chosen? ›Dallas Jenkins, the creator, writer, director and executive producer of “The Chosen” series, is an evangelical Christian.
What does the Catholic Church say about The Chosen? ›Created outside of the Hollywood system, The Chosen allows us to see Him through the eyes of those who knew him. The Chosen stays faithful to the Gospels and at the same time tells us a story that is in between the lines of scripture.
What religion is Jesus in The Chosen? ›Jonathan Roumie is an American actor best known for his role as Jesus in The Chosen, a crowd-funded television series about the birth of Christianity. He is also a voice artist.
Why are so many LDS members leaving the church? ›Reasons for leaving
Most ex-Mormons leave Mormonism and the LDS Church because specific intellectual or spiritual reasons have led them to a conviction that the religion is false. The foremost reasons are disbelief both in Joseph Smith as a prophet and in the Book of Mormon as a religious and historical document.
“We had pretty much decided on Malta, Bulgaria, or Utah, and we found out Utah was a no, and that was because of COVID,” Eves said. At that point, Dallas Jenkins, the writer and director, went back to the farm where he'd filmed the short that inspired The Chosen and prayed they'd be able to keep going.
Do the Mormons believe Jesus is God? ›Like most Christians, Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Creator of the World.
Do extras wear their own clothes? ›For most films, extras are asked to wear their own clothes. For a film set in another time period, they may have to report to the wardrobe department for a costume fitting. In some cases, a casting director for a film will be looking for specific types and talents.
Why do extras not speak? ›Extras aren't supposed to say anything during a take, for as the saying goes, you aren't being paid to talk. Nor are you allowed to talk between takes when everything is being reset and put back to the way it was two minutes before.
Can extras make a living? ›
A common rate for a single day of background work is between $100 and $200. SAG talent earns more—sometimes a lot more—than their nonunion counterparts, but pay is much less uniform. The base rate for background work in 2021 is roughly $170 per day, but there are a number of stipulations that affect that number.
Who gives more to charity rich or poor? ›Giving by income level
Middle-class Americans donate a little less. But the lower-income population surprises by giving more than the middle—and in some measures even more than the top. (As a percentage of available income, that is. In absolute dollars, those in higher income groups give much, much more money.)
Don't do any heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for the rest of the day. If the needle site starts to bleed, apply pressure and raise your arm straight up for 5-10 minutes or until bleeding stops.
Is it better to sell or donate? ›Selling your stuff is only worth it if you make a decent profit. It'll take more time than you realize to price and ship your items. If you don't have the time or your items aren't worth a whole lot, donating is always a great option.
Is The Chosen made by BYU? ›"We want 'The Chosen' to get into as many homes as possible, and BYUtv does that as well as anyone," said Dallas Jenkins, creator of "The Chosen." "When I first made a short Nativity film at my friend's farm in Illinois, I had no idea it would lead to 'The Chosen' and its global response.
Did The Chosen make a profit? ›According to statistics gathered by Box Office Mojo, IMDb's box office site, THE CHOSEN made $13M in ticket sales while the bloody, gruesome BONES AND ALL bombed. Over the course of two weeks, THE CHOSEN showed in 2,021 theaters and grossed $13.9M at the box office.
Is VidAngel a Mormon company? ›Then of course, VidAngel's owned by 8,000 Americans of all different faiths. But the two founders, we are faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
How do you get casted as an extra? ›- Look for classified ads in newspapers. They may mention movies that need background talent.
- Visit your state's tourism office. ...
- Check entertainment and industry websites. ...
- Contact directors. ...
- Find reputable casting agencies by investigating their fees.
Film extras are typically hired through a particular type of company known as a talent casting agency or simply a talent agency. Many major talent casting agencies have multiple bases across the country, which means you're likely able to find a local talent casting agency accessible to you.
How do I apply to be an extra in a movie? ›Google reputable agencies who look for background performers and speak to as many as possible. Signing up with an agency is the first step to getting work as an extra, but don't expect the gigs to come rolling in immediately. Hang tight, confirm you're always available, and see what comes in.
What movie hired the most extras? ›
It is believed that over 300,000 extras appeared in the funeral scene of Gandhi (UK 1982), the epic directed by Richard Attenborough (UK) (b. August 29, 1923).
What are extras called? ›On a film or TV set, background actors are usually referred to as "junior artists", "atmosphere", "background talent", "background performers", "background artists", "background cast members", or simply "background", while the term "extra" is rarely used.
What is a casting call for extras? ›"Extra work" refers to employment as a background performer in scenes for television or film. People who do this, "extras" or "atmosphere," have no speaking lines and are barely ever recognizable. They are just used to create realistic depictions of public places.
Can you be an extra with no experience? ›Being an extra requires no experience, no acting talent and no talking. Although you can sometimes parlay being an extra into an acting career, that's neither required nor expected. All that's expected of you is to show up on time — early, ideally — and to pay attention and follow directions.