What
Is A Casting Director? A casting director
is the person who is tasked finding actors to fill
acting roles in a production. Casting directors work
with actors, agents, producers and film directors to
cast the right actors and negotiate deals. Therefore, it
is crucial for actors to impress the casting director,
as they are the connection between the actor and the
movie project or television program.
What Are Casting Directors Responsible For?
The casting director's primary duties include:
- Determining the criteria for the
actors needed
- Holding auditions
- Helping to make casting
decisions
Determining the Criteria for Actors Needed
One of the first tasks for a
casting director is helping to determine what the
criteria are for the actors who are needed in the film.
In other words, a casting director might ask: what
should the lead character’s personality be like? Should
he be tall and muscular or short and stumpy? Should the
lead character be serious or funny?
Holding Auditions
Once the casting director, producer
and director have determined what the criteria will be
for the actors they are looking for, it is up to the
casting director to hold auditions. The casting director
must make sure that actors know about the audition and
what is involved. Finding great actors to play the
various parts is the essence of the casting director’s
job.
Making Casting Decisions
The casting director helps the
director and producer make decisions about which actors
should perform in the production. The casting director
must evaluate the actor’s résumé and performance
experience, the actor’s availability, the needs of the
role and the needs of the overall story to determine
which actors should play which parts.
What Do I Need To Do To Impress The Casting
Director?
Every casting director has a different
personality, different film and television projects, and
different requirements. But every casting director
expects professionalism from each actor because it helps
make it easier for them to hold auditions and determine
which actors are good for which parts (or no parts at
all). Professionalism starts with:
- Being on time for auditions
- Reading the script (if possible)
and being prepared to perform
- Bringing all necessary items,
such as résumés, headshots, and agent information to
the audition.
