How do you become a casting agent?

How do I become a casting agent?

• Answer:

  The term itself is a misnomer. There is actually no such thing (officially speaking) as a "casting agent" but rather there are agents, and casting directors. Both serve as middlemen in the process of an actor being hired to a production, but they serve unique purposes: Agents take on actors that they feel will book work and help get them in the door to audition for these jobs. They earn a commission based off of the money their represented talent makes. Casting directors organize the search for actors for roles, work with agents and managers to get their people to audition, hold auditions and callbacks and works to find the best actors to fit the needs of the directors, producers and studio executives working  on a particular project. Typically, people use "casting agent" when referring to casting director. So for the sake of this answer we will use that. Many casting directors start off as interns and casting assistants to other casting offices. The casting director will give a lot of the grunt work to assistants: answering emails and calls, opening submissions that come in the mail or get dropped off by actors, organizing head shots, setting up and tearing down a space before and after audition sessions, working the sign-in table at auditions, etc. It gives you a basis to see the large spectrum of what is needed to work in casting, and if you're good you can be promoted to Casting Associate and take on more duties. Others can start by simply helping film makers at the low budget independent level find actors. Keeping solid relationships with film makers and actors is needed for this, as you work to get the right people "in the room together" so to speak. As you gain more experience you may be able to transition into working in a larger casting office or taking on larger projects yourself, so long as you live in an area with enough work to sustain yourself.