So, imagine you're reading a book, a comic, or playing a video game. Suddenly, you think about how great this story would be if it was adapted into a live-action film or live-action television series.
Naturally, you give yourself the fun challenge of thinking about who you would cast in these roles. Perhaps you look for someone who fully resembles the author's description of the character. Or, maybe you know an actor from that TV show who hasn’t done much recently and they'd be the ideal secret casting for the role. While nobody else sees it, you know it would be perfect.
As a side note, when IMDb still had forum boards, someone once said Martin Freeman would be the perfect Bilbo Baggins nearly a decade before “The Hobbit” came out. Did the filmmakers see that post? Probably not. But still, a good call, right?
Pairing a character to an actor is a fun exercise. But did you know that it's actually a fully-fledged role within the film industry? That job belongs to casting directors. In this article, we’ll run through the process of what casting directors do and how you can step toward that career path.
What does a casting director do?
Take a look at this screenshot from "Oppenheimer."
Image via Universal Pictures
We can see the center frame is occupied by lead actor Cillian Murphy, who was approached by long-term collaborator, Christopher Nolan, for this role. For the most part, it's easy to assume that lead roles are handpicked by the director, especially when we hear things like, "we wrote this part for them."
While this can be true, it’s not always the case. And how about everyone else in the frame? Do you think the busiest person on the production is also handpicking the court judges and the judiciary committee, roles that only have a few lines? Not likely. This is where the casting director comes into play.
A casting director has a more refined job, and it’s their responsibility to bring the right actors on board. They’ll read through the script and then it’s their task to find someone who fits the requirements. Beyond that someone who fulfills the director’s vision.
That’s a key consideration: the director’s vision. When discussing fancasts, we often look for someone like the character. A popular fancast is “Reacher” star, Alan Ritchson, as the next Batman. Why? Because he’s 90% muscle and has a towering, intimidating physique—perfect for the "Dark Knight." Or is it?
Image via Amazon Prime Video
Because when you look at actors who’ve given stronger portrayals of the character, like "The Machinist’s" Christian Bale or "Twilight’s" Robert Pattinson, those are actors wouldn’t have necessarily been considered if you were casting based purely on physical traits.
“This guy is going to be Batman?” Image via Paramount Classics
This is where the casting director’s skill comes into play. They’re not just looking at the surface, they’re looking at how an actor can mold themselves into the character and fulfill the director’s intent. It’s performance over resemblance.
Of course, the director always has the final input; after all, it’s their project. But how does the process work? Thanks to casting director, Bella Hibbs, she shared the entire typical casting process for a commercial.
How casting a project works
Step 1: The casting bid
First, a director, ad agency, or production company will contact the casting director about a new project. Something along the lines of, “Hey, we’ve got a shoot coming up. Here are the dates, the rates, and the usage. We need X number of people.” It should be noted that the casting director doesn’t negotiate talent fees, as that is either already set by the union or the production itself.
After a bit of back and forth to lock in the details and make sure it’s a worthwhile project (casting directors are usually self-employed), they send out a casting bid. Sometimes that process takes a few days. Sometimes it’s sorted by the end of the afternoon.
Step 2: The breakdown
Once everything is locked in, the casting director will build the casting breakdown. This is what goes out to agents and managers. It covers the roles, shoot dates, usage, callback schedule, fittings, and essentially the full scope of what’s needed. This isn’t a contract. It’s more like a snapshot of what the casting looks like. If someone gets cast, the official paperwork comes later.
Depending on the project, the team will post the breakdown on the casting platform.
Step 3: Submissions
Once the breakdown’s out, the submissions start rolling in fast. Agents and managers send through their picks, and within hours, the casting team is looking at page after page of hopefuls.
Unfortunately, for actors, there are some harsh realities involved at this stage. Even landing an audition is a win. It’s often tougher to get the audition than to book the job. If a project’s under an NDA, has a major plot twist, or features a celebrity, it might not be posted publicly. But if an actor has a decent rep, they’ll still hear about it.
Step 4: Reviewing submissions
In Bella’s example within her video, the commercial was a non-union HP Security spot in LA, and six roles were needed—three men, three women. Still, over 1,500 submissions came in! Ultimately, that list was narrowed down to 64 men and 78 women. From there, 58 men and 55 women were scheduled. So yes, just getting in the room is an achievement!
The casting director can filter by agent, union status, submission time, or what have you, but they usually go through everything personally. Every person invited to audition is handpicked.
Step 5: Actor profiles
For a casting agent, an actor’s profile isn’t just headshots. The team will look at reels, resumes, agent info, training, and yes, those slate shots. Bella says slate shots are gold. They give a sense of who the actor is, how they come across on camera, and their general energy. It’s probably one of the most worthwhile things to invest in for an online profile.
Step 6: The audition
Once selections are made and the schedule is locked, auditions are held. Actors check in, wait, and then head into the audition room. If direction is offered during the audition, that's great! That’s not a bad thing. It means the director wants to see range or how well someone takes direction. If there’s no direction, that’s also fine. It might mean they nailed it on the first go. Everything gets uploaded and passed to the client for review.
Image via Unsplash
Step 7: The callback
Here’s the big shift: the first round is about showing potential. The callback? That’s about narrowing things down. If someone’s called back in, they’ve made the shortlist. They might meet the director, the producer, and possibly other team members. They’ll often be paired with other actors to test chemistry.
Step 8: Booking the role
The casting office gets the call once the director picks their top choice. They’ll contact the actor’s agent or directly to the actor, confirm availability, double-check fittings, and collect anything production needs, like clothing sizes or updated contact info. A booking sheet is then put together and passed along. Wardrobe usually takes over from there.
Final Step: The paperwork
Casting doesn’t stop once the role is booked. If it’s a union, there are sign-in sheets, TAFT-Hartleys, Station 12s, maybe even deal memos (usually only for above-scale jobs). Every casting office handles things a bit differently.
Of course, this is notably the process for a low-scale commercial. If we’re working with narrative film or television, a casting director will interact more with the director as they look for particular characteristics within the actor.
What is the CSA?
This brings us to the Casting Society of America, now formally known simply as the Casting Society. This association comprises over 1,200 casting directors and associate casting directors from around the world, covering not just film and television but also theater and commercials.
It’s important to note that the Casting Society is not an industry union, but an organization dedicated to upholding the highest casting standards across creative industries. They support the professional development of casting directors through continued education, resources, mentoring, and career growth. Notably, they actively advocate for inclusivity throughout the casting and creative process.
How to become a casting director
So, how exactly do you become a casting director? Well, unlike the formalities found within other areas of the film industry, there’s not necessarily any formal education for the role, and, there’s only one way in; you start as a Casting Assistant or Associate. No shortcuts. It’s a traditional job in that you start at the bottom and work your way up.
Given that being a casting director is a job that leans heavily on instinct—understanding people, having a strong sense of style and tone, knowing how to interpret a script—you can grow into it via experience and mentorship, as opposed to a YouTube VFX tutorial.
Over time, casting directors build a name for themselves—usually in a specific area like film, TV, theater, or ads. Some jump between media, but that flexibility only comes after years of building contacts and industry know-how. That’s why you start as an assistant and you'll likely stay in that role for a solid few years before moving up.
For more industry information, check out our Film School blog. Good luck!