The Casting Process
Updated: Apr 21, 2022
The entertainment industry is exploding with opportunity as so many movies, commercials, and TV and web series are being shot all over the USA. As a result of these exciting new projects, we have been getting a lot of questions from talent about Casting Directors and the casting process. Many actors have questions about extra work and why some extra work pays so little. As an actor, knowledge is power, and any working talent needs to understand how the casting process truly works.
Casting Directors play an essential role in the entertainment industry, and while they are not in a position to represent actors, they are in a position to employ them. In fact, Casting Directors are responsible for putting thousands of actors to work every year! The PMTM Agency works with casting offices all over the country, and we value their expertise and their integral part in the casting process.
First, the Casting Director puts a bid on the project. Some bid on the whole project, and many just bid on the extra casting (no true acting talent is required for extra work).
For roles in the film, the Casting Director is looking for the best talent for the part. Casting Directors should be neutral when working with agencies, so they should not have preferences about certain agencies where they choose to select talent. Their job is to look for the best actor/actress to fill the role. It is unethical for any Casting Director to require you to work with their coach to secure a callback or book a specific project. If they do, it should be reported to the CSA (Casting Society of America).
For extra casting, once they get the bid on the project, The Casting Director's job is to book anywhere from 10-500 extras or whatever the project calls for. Keep in mind that once a Casting Director has accepted the money for the project, their goal is to cast the extras for the least amount of money possible. That way, they make more money for themselves. Some Casting Directors look for "volunteers" for extra work. The more of those "volunteers" they use, the more money the Casting Director makes. In doing this, they can bypass state labor laws, as "volunteers" are not included in many states' labor laws. So while it's not ethical for a Casting Director to do that, it is not illegal. Al Onorato, one of the founders of the CSA, feels that asking people to work for free or for a minimal amount of money will continue as long as actors are so desperate for work that they are willing to work for little to no pay.
So remember, as an actor, you may be volunteering or working for a minimal amount of money, but someone is making excellent money for the time and effort you are putting in. We want to do our part to ensure models and talent are successful and informed about the industry! This is the first article in a series of articles we will be doing on the "business" of show business. Stay tuned!
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