What is Casting?

Casting is the process of finding actors, or entertainers, for a particular production. Casting is part of the pre-production process. Casting can be for film, TV, theatre or commercials. Actors often think that auditioning is synonymous with casting, but auditioning is only one part of the casting process.

The goal of casting is to find the right people to tell a story. Storytelling is the common theme in all forms of media and getting the right actors means that a film, TV show, play or advert can tell a compelling story to its audience. Tell that story in a compelling way and you just might get cast.

The story

The story is where it all begins. A producer falls in love with a script, or a paycheque, and begins the process. For most productions the first step is to get a casting director involved in the process. Some smaller production companies may try and cast themselves using online casting websites or their own networks, but usually a casting director is involved.

Casting director

What is a casting director? A casting director is a middle person between actors and productions. A good casting director has a network of actors and is aware of the talent in a given industry. There job is to audition and offer options to a production. For actors it’s important to establish strong relationships with casting directors.

Auditioning

We talk a lot about auditioning on the site, but it all comes back to telling a story. Your character is part of a broader story and understanding that helps you nail auditions. Always be well prepared for an audition and try and make bold choices. Most productions audition 100s of actors and so making a choice is what makes you standout.