What To Expect When Casting Professional Actors: A blog about how to select and how to prepare for castings.
Hello! I’m David Paulsen, casting pro of over 20 years. I cast everything from video games and commercials to feature films and television. My specialty is taking a project from the initial pre-production stage through the final cut.
I have been an active member of the Casting Society of America (CSA) since 2002, and am on the board of directors for the Seattle chapter. I’ve worked on projects for many big name companies including Microsoft, Nintendo, Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, Fox Television, Universal Studios and The Smithsonian Institution.
I love my job because it gives me a chance to work with actors and directors – two worlds I find endlessly fascinating. I also enjoy being part of those “magic moments” when everyone comes together to make something great.
As a casting director, I have spent years looking for and working with professional actors. This has given me the opportunity to get to know many different kinds of actors and to learn what works and what doesn’t work in castings. Actors who are prepared and have done their homework will make my job easier, be more likely to get the role, and will be more enjoyable to work with. This blog is offered in the hope that you will be better prepared for your next casting.
Think of a casting as an interview:
You might ask yourself: Why do I want this part? What do I have to do to convince them that I should be the one they hire? The first step is to take time to find out everything you can about the project, the characters and the people involved in making it happen. Read through your character’s lines, even if there are only a few. Do background research on each character. Get as much information about each as possible before you go on your first audition. It will help you understand who they are and what situations they are involved in; this will make it easier for you to create a believable character when you perform their lines in front of others.
Sometimes it is difficult to find the right actors for your project. You can see a lot of people at castings but it may still be hard to choose. In the end, you have to rely on your own instinct and experience. I would like to give you some advice that might help you during the casting process:
1. Always look in the actor’s eyes
2. Be polite and nice
3. Don’t trust only first impressions
4. Be as honest as possible with actors
5. Don’t show that you are in a hurry
6. Rehearse with actors if possible
7. Actors need motivation: tell them about their characters and explain the story of your project to them
8. Make sure that you are dealing with a professional actor
Selection Process
The first step in the audition process is selecting your actors. Normally, an actor will be selected by a talent agency or by the casting director (or both). In these cases, the client will choose actors that they think are suitable for the role. But how do they make sure they find the perfect fit?
Well, it all starts with the brief – a document that contains a full description of the role you want to hire an actor for. It usually describes anything from the role’s character and personality to age, gender and even wardrobe! The more specific you are about what you are looking for, the better it is for everyone involved in the process (especially if you work with a casting agency).
Based on this brief, a selection is made. An acting agent will send you what we call a “selection” or “casting suggestion”: a collection of actors that would be suitable for your role. This is often done by sending headshots (pictures of an actor) or showreels (videos of an actor) that contain examples of previous work done by each actor.
At this point there are two possibilities: either you select some actors based on their looks and/or reel, or you ask them
Once you’ve filled out your casting breakdown and submitted it to a casting director, they will review the submissions they receive and choose actors who they believe are appropriate for the part. The casting director will then create a shortlist (sometimes called “casting short” or “call sheet”) and send these actors to you for consideration.
Once you’ve received their list, you can begin the process of meeting with actors and offering them a role. Here’s what to expect at each stage:
The Casting Short
As we’ve mentioned, you’ll receive a shortlist from the casting director with the names of actors that meet your criteria for the role. You’ll also usually receive headshots and resumes for each actor. This can be anywhere from 3 – 20 or more names.
The more time you give the casting director to find candidates, the more extensive their list will be. That’s why we suggest giving them as much notice as possible (ideally 2-3 weeks). If you need someone quickly, though – say, because another actor had to drop out last minute – they should still be able to provide you with a list of good candidates in a day or two.
You’ll want to review this list carefully, comparing each actor’s resume against your character description and
Casting directors are often thought of as the judges, and actors are the contestants. This is an unhelpful way of thinking about it. Casting directors want to find actors who will be great in their roles, just as much as actors want to find auditions that will result in them booking a job.
One of the best ways to succeed at castings is to remember that casting directors are on your side. They want you to do well. Even if you’re a complete unknown, casting directors have done this for years and can tell within seconds whether you’re going to be suitable for their role or not. If they think you might be good for the role, they’ll give you a chance, but if they don’t think you have any chance of booking the job then most of them won’t waste your time by inviting you back for another audition.
It’s also important to remember that casting directors aren’t auditioning hundreds of people every day because they enjoy it. They’re doing it because they need to find the right person for a role in their film or TV show. That’s why it’s always helpful to ask questions at castings: if there’s anything about the character or scene that isn’t clear, then ask! It shows confidence and professionalism and
In the year 1980, there were approximately 3,500 actors who were members of SAG (the Screen Actors Guild). Today there are over 100,000 members of SAG.
What does this mean for you as a casting director?
You’re going to be overwhelmed by the number of submissions you’re going to receive for each role. You’re going to be inundated with materials from actors you’ve never heard of but who feel they are perfect for the role.
In addition to the actors who have already sent material, it’s not uncommon for casting agents and managers to call and lobby on behalf of their clients. And they try to set up meetings with you in hopes their clients will get a chance to read directly for you.
As a result, casting directors have become even more selective about the actors they want to see for each role.
The good news is that today there are many more talented actors than there were in the past. The bad news is that these good actors are represented by dozens of agents and managers, all submitting them on a regular basis. That means your phone doesn’t stop ringing, your e-mail doesn’t stop filling up, and your office isn’t private anymore. How can you possibly keep track of all these submissions?
