Dolphin Talent’s Acting + Industry Guide

A Casting Directors Insight into How to Find the Lead Actor

Let’s talk about the casting process for hiring a lead actor for a TV movie.   Though it is a pretty lengthy process, I have tried to articulate it into just a few steps below.

1- You have to know the budget, so you know what type of actor to approach.  When actors get to a certain level, you can offer them the job without asking them to come in for an audition. So at this point, you need to have an idea or a range on what you will have in the budget to pay your actor.

2- As a casting director you will have to know which actor out there will fit the role you are casting for, so you basically do a list of about 20 to 30 names of actors that you would want.

3- Once you have completed the list, you contact the agents of the actors and find their technical availability. This means whether the actor is available for your shoot dates. You only keep the actors that are available on the list.

4- The list then goes to the producer. He/She will then tell you the order of who he/she would want for you to approach first. At this point you as a casting director may have to pitch an actor if the producer or director is not familiar with the actor’s work.

5- Once the list is done. The casting director then goes to the agents of the actors and offers them the role in order of preference.

6- Once an actor say he/she wants to do it,  you start negotiating the salary and conditions for the role.

-Manny