How does the process of casting a movie work?

How does casting for TV show differ from movie casting?

• I am aspiring to be an actor and as such I am doing preliminary research into how to become an actor.  But I really wanted to know what is the process of casting for TV shows vs films? Like, I am aware that for TV shows an actor that is casted first has to pass the audition test/studio test and then the network screens them and if they decide that a person is right they will go for it.  Is that correct? Now for a movie is it the same way where the studio takes a test and then the distributor too? Thanks

• Answer:

  It's essentially the same process. A distributor has no say as to who is cast in a film unless that company is somehow financing it (which is rare). Distributors come in last and are there to get a movie out to the audience that would watch it. With a film, often a casting director will show the director, producer (sometimes a writer, but rarely) some hopefuls for a role, they test him/her, then it may be a series of callbacks until an actor is chosen. Sometimes, a director finds "the one" during the first casting session. Alternatively, a director or producer may put together a wishlist of actors they'd want for specific roles and have the casting director approach them. If none of them accept, then it would be a matter of finding lesser-known actors who fit the description of the character they're looking to cast.