Casting Director - It's All About Choices

In the process of film making, one of the very important tasks that need to be fulfilled even before the initial stages is the selection and finalization of the cast. It is of utmost importance to select the right people to portray different characters much before the filming has begun and the burden of this job rests on the shoulders of a Casting Director.

A Casting Director is one who has upon himself the onus of selecting the appropriate actors to play various roles in a commercial movie, an art movie, a play, a skit, a theater presentation, an advertisement or any other project of this kind. A casting director is to actors and aspiring actors what recruiters are to job aspirants. A Casting Director is like a manager of human resources in the film industry. As a casting director you are given the task of testing, observing, analyzing and judging actors or potential actors and then taking the final decision.

A Casting Director makes announcements regarding upcoming projects, holds auditions for actors for the various roles in the project, judges these auditions and then decides upon which actors are to be chosen for particular roles. He/she is the best judge of which person would be best suited to play a certain role.

While deciding upon and finalizing the cast members, casting directors also need to keep in mind the look, relevance and feel of the film and the chemistry that the selected actors share with each other. Though they decide upon the potential actors, they do not take the final call in this matter. The final decision regarding which actors are to be taken for which roles in a project is taken by the director of the movie, the play or the ad film. Nevertheless, the Casting Director’s opinion is what counts the most and they make strong suggestions to the directors and producers while the final casting decisions are taken.

No particular course or training and no knowledge of a particular subject is needed for one to work as a casting director. One can start a career in casting right after class XII or after completing a graduate or post graduate course in any concentration. Also, there are no institutes in India or abroad that offer courses in this field. One can learn by working as an assistant to casting directors.

What is required is that one is well aware of the aesthetics and sensibilities of the movie that they are working on. An interest in theater, arts and cinema helps one learn and gain knowledge about the correct selection of actors for different roles. One should possess a good memory and an excellent understanding of how a good script can be converted into a good film. Your interpersonal and communication skills should also be good. A casting director should also have sufficient knowledge about the strengths and weaknesses of each actor.

The payoff is very high. A beginner manages to make around 2,00,000 INR to 3,00,000 INR on a monthly basis. As an Associate Casting Director, one can earn 1,00,000 INR to 1,50,000 INR a month. An Assistant Casting Director makes anything between 50,000 INR to 1,00,000 INR in a month. It all depends on the project you are working on and its budget.