Casting Director

What does a Casting Director do?

Casting Directors find the stars to bring the characters in a film or TV drama to life. They are hired by the production company to match actors to their roles.

Casting Directors read scripts and meet with Producers and Directors to get a sense of the type of person they are looking for. They have to find someone who looks right for the role as well as acting it well. They need to understand the art of acting. Sometimes producers will have a lot of demands. Other times they won’t give much guidance at all. Casting Directors consider the actor’s availability, fees and how much box office buzz they’re going to create. While an experienced Casting Director may consult on the leading roles, the bulk of their job is to fill the many supporting and small parts that the film requires.

They are then in charge of putting out a “casting call” (an announcement to actors and their agents that auditions will be held for certain roles), creating a list of available roles and brief descriptions of the characters, choosing the actors who will be called in to “read”, managing the audition process, and working with director and producers to make the final selections and negotiate their deals (such as what they will be paid, and other aspects of their contract/agreement with the production). After the film is cast, the Casting Director’s job isn’t quite done! They remain the main liaison between the production and the performers’ agents/managers throughout the production.

Who does a Casting Director work with?

Casting Directors work with Producers and Directors (and sometimes Writers). They work with the Director to find what they are looking for in an actor and search for potential candidates. They also work with the incoming actors at the auditions to make them feel comfortable and prepare them for their sides (small sections of Script).