Production Book - Casting Director

Casting Director
The Casting Director’s main job is to find actors who could potentially be cast in a
production and give advice to the director about which actor(s) to cast.
Responsibilities
● Post casting calls online

● Schedule auditions
● Reserve audition space
● Contact actors for auditions
● Supply cold-read material for actors
● Offer advice to Director on casting decisions
● Contact actors about final casting decision
● Find extras if needed
● Gather contact info. From cast
Things to Consider
o This position is time-consuming and stressful so you must handle them well.
o Must be organized and check your email regularly. You may be receiving
mass emails.
o Updating the Director on responses from actors.
Process
● Meet with Director and even Producer to find out what cast is needed for the
production. Keep in mind:
o Specific ages, appearance, height, gender, etc. of the characters/actors
o Will you be utilizing Rowan students (RTF/Theatre majors) or actors from
off campus? (***Try to keep actors 18 years or older. You can find an 18
year old that can play a 16 year old. Otherwise, child labor laws become
involved and there is a ton of paperwork for that).
▪ Does the actor have any special talents? (i.e. juggling, can act
insane, cry on command, do cartwheels)
▪ Are extras needed? (Begin the hunt early! Extras are hard to find!)
● Auditions
o Determine date, time and location for auditions
▪ Typically book Studio 1 on a Saturday afternoon
▪ You’ll need to fill out an After Hours Request form
▪ Go through Chris Winkler’s website to book Studio
o Are you inviting actors outside of Rowan?
▪ If yes, fill out a casting notice on Backstage.com
(Instructions on last page)
▪ Meet with Director ahead of time to choose which actors will
be called for the audition. There’s no need to have actors
audition if you know they definitely will not be cast. Use these
remaining as extras if needed.
o Are you inviting Rowan students?
▪ Make flyers, use Rowan Announcer, and reach out to Theatre
majors.
● You can also receive video submissions from actors if
they cannot make the audition date or if they live too
far away to audition.
o On the day of auditions:
▪ Have cold-reads for actors to read from during audition.
▪ Have someone in the lobby to direct actors where to go.
▪ If needed, have someone read with the actors during their
audition. ***Do not act while reading with them. You want
to see what the actor is capable of doing on his or her own
without the help of someone who knows the script.
▪ After their audition, tell actors they will be contacted via email
whether they have gotten a part or not.
▪ Always keep a positive demeanor and make the actor feel
welcome.
● Take notes on each actor (What role they fit into, what
they need to work on, etc.)
● After Auditions
o Consult with Director on which actors he/she likes best.
o Determine which actors will/will not be cast
o Figure out plan of action if roles are still not filled
o Contact actors with casting choice
o Get contact info for the cast
● Extras do not need to audition. Make sure you contact actors/students in
advance to lock down how many you will have on set. You can post on other
casting websites such as Mandy.com and NowCasting.com
● It is not necessary that the Casting Director be on set for the actual shoot
days, but it is nice to be there in case an actor drops last minute or just to
help out.
Tips
o Always remain calm. This can be a very stressful position so do not let
yourself become overwhelmed.
● Extras will always be a problem. Rowan actors that are not in RTN/
CW are hard to come by, especially if they are in Theatre productions
on campus. It is not your fault if you cannot find enough extras, so
long as you put in the effort. Post casting notices everywhere, contact
actors early on, even ask members if their families or friends can
come to help. You cannot expect to gather enough extras from one
online posting.
● Stay on top of your emails, and respond to actors ASAP. Otherwise,
you’ll become overwhelmed with emails and you’ll get stressed out.
Additional Resources
● Cinema Workshop Casting Email: [email protected]
o Password: (Ask CW President)
● Backstage Username: rowancwcasting
o Email: [email protected]
● NowCasting.com Username: rowancw
● Mandy.com Email: [email protected]
To Post on Backstage:
1. Login with the Rowan CW account
2. “Post a Job”
3. Choose type of film
4. Production Company is “Rowan University Cinema Workshop”
5. Choose “nonunion”
6. We usually cannot pay talent, but sometimes you can offer them compensation
for travel and offer meals. Check with your producer before you fill this part out.
7. Make sure your casting notice does not expire until after the production is over.
You never know what will come up before you shoot.
8. If you are holding formal auditions, fill out the proper information for scheduling
auditions. Include Rowan’s address, and schedule auditions by appointment. This
way, you’re not waiting around all day for actors who may or may not come.
9. Choose the option to receive notifications of online submissions. Choose the
preference that best suits you.
10. Fill out Role Descriptions for each character. You can include some of the
information you and the Director discussed for what each character needs.
**Always add 5-10 years above and below the preferred age for an actor and all
ethnicities. This gives you more options in choosing your cast.
11. Once all of your roles have been entered, including extra roles, save your
progress and checkout.
12. **Because we are a University organization, we qualify for free postings as
of 9/14. You should not need to pay for anything unless you wish to have extra
postings and what not. Backstage will give you the prices for everything. You will be
compensated for any money that goes towards the posting.
**Similar process for NowCasting.com & Mandy.com. Both are free of charge.

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Casting Director

● Post casting calls online

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