What does a casting director do? The job, the process and what it means for actors

A casting director finds, auditions and recommends the actors for the roles in a film, TV show, commercial or play, then usually negotiates their deals. They are hired by the production, work with the director and producers, and narrow thousands of possible actors down to a short list; the director, producers and (in TV and studio film) the studio or network make the final call.

The U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database files the job under "Talent Directors" and describes it as auditioning and interviewing performers "to select most appropriate talent for parts" in stage, TV, radio and film (Department of Labor). The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which added a casting Oscar for films released in 2025, defines casting as the process by which a casting director "collaborates with a film's director and producers" on considering and selecting the acting ensemble (Academy rules). This guide breaks down what that means day to day, who does what in a casting office, and what it means for you as an actor.

The Labor Department lists 15 tasks for the occupation. The ones that shape an actor's experience (Department of Labor):

• Break down the script. Read it and confer with producers "to determine the types and numbers of performers required."
• Find candidates. Review photos, resumes, reels, voice tapes and union status to decide who to audition, and keep files on performers' specialties, past work and availability.
• Watch actors' work. Attend or watch productions "to maintain knowledge of available actors."
• Run auditions. Contact agents and actors with audition times, send scripts and information about the role, and arrange or design screen tests.
• Recommend. Select performers or "submit lists of suitable performers to producers or directors for final selection."
• Make the deal. Negotiate contracts with performers, agents or production companies.
• Connect everyone. Serve "as liaisons between directors, actors, and agents."

Casting director Marci Liroff adds the business side the federal task list only hints at. The line producer may own the budget but asks casting what a good actor for each part will cost; the casting director negotiates the actors' deals (not the extras'); and to structure those deals the office reads the shooting schedule, the "Day out of Days". In TV, she writes, guest stars are paid on a "top-of-show" formula and co-stars at SAG-AFTRA scale, while business affairs handles pilot test deals and series deals (Marci Liroff). Her series is from 2012, so treat it as how one experienced office works, not a rulebook.

Every project differs, but the sources above describe the same broad sequence for scripted film and TV:

1. Lists. Liroff keeps an electronic database of actors and builds a "wish list" for each role from it, then adds pitches from agents and managers. "This giant list gets narrowed down based on our choices, the actor's availability and $$" (Marci Liroff).
2. Breakdowns. The casting director (or filmmaker) sends project information to Breakdown Services, which writes the breakdown. Casting decides where it goes: Breakdown Services releases it to agents and managers on Breakdown Express and/or to actors on Actors Access, in the regions casting picks (Breakdown Services). If a role goes to representatives only, an actor without an agent never sees it.
3. Submissions and pitches. Agents submit clients and call to pitch them; actors submit directly when a breakdown is public; self-tapes and reels arrive from everywhere (Marci Liroff).
4. Pre-reads. The casting office auditions actors itself first, live or on tape. Liroff's pilot-season day includes "pre-reads and general meetings for upcoming auditions" (Marci Liroff).
5. Producer sessions. Actors casting wants to move forward read again for the producers and director; Liroff's day includes "sessions w/producers for several hours" (Marci Liroff). This is the round most actors call a callback.
6. Approval. Casting is part of the team that decides, but "it is ultimately up to the head of the studio/network to approve our choices" (Marci Liroff). In TV pilots that can mean studio and network tests.
7. Offer and deal. Casting or business affairs negotiates with the actor's representative, then books the actor.

What this means for you: by the time you read for a casting director, they have already chosen you from a long list. In the pre-read their question is "can I bring this actor to my producers?" Prepare as if you are making their job easy: know the sides, make a clear choice, and be ready to adjust. The cold reading guide covers last-minute material.

The person in the room is not always the casting director. In Los Angeles and New York, casting directors and associate casting directors are represented by the Teamsters (Local 399 in Hollywood and Local 817 in New York), which bargain a Casting Director Agreement with the producers' association, the AMPTP (Teamsters). In a typical office:

• Casting director. Leads the project, sets the lists with the creative team, runs producer sessions and negotiates deals. On a film, the Academy's rules let up to two credited casting directors who were "primarily responsible" share a nomination (Academy rules).
• Associate casting director. Liroff's associate takes agent and manager pitches, schedules pre-reads and general meetings, tapes, edits and uploads auditions, checks actors' availability, negotiates co-star and guest-star deals, and keeps the master list of who was seen, considered and taped for every role (Marci Liroff). Associates often run pre-reads, so treat them exactly as you would the casting director.
• Casting assistant. Supports the associate and casting director. It is not an entry-level job in every office: Liroff says she would not hire an assistant without "AT LEAST 1-2 YEARS" of scripted film or TV casting experience (Marci Liroff).
• Whoever reads with you. Someone in the room will read the other lines. Play the scene with them, not past them.

Many casting directors also belong to the Casting Society (CSA), a professional organization that runs the Artios Awards for casting and a project and job board (Casting Society). In film, the Academy created a Casting Directors Branch in July 2013; it had nearly 160 members when the Academy announced its casting award on February 8, 2024 (Academy).

Actors mix these up, and the difference decides who you contact and who you pay:

• A casting director works for the production. Their job is to fill the roles for that project. They are hired and paid by the producers, which is why their union contract is with the producers' association (Teamsters). They do not represent you, and you never pay one to be considered.
• An agent works for you. Agents receive the breakdowns casting sends to representatives and submit and pitch their clients (Breakdown Services), then negotiate on your side. See how to get an acting agent for commissions and California's licensing rules.
• A manager also works for you, on career guidance; managers can view breakdowns on Breakdown Express too (Breakdown Services). The agent guide explains what managers may and may not do in California.

If anyone, including someone who says they cast projects, asks for money in exchange for an audition, a role or a meeting, walk away. Paid "meet the casting director" sessions in California are covered by the state's talent-services law; read the casting workshops guide before paying for one.

Casting directors keep files on actors, watch work and build lists from what they have seen (Department of Labor; Marci Liroff). Everything below feeds those files:

1. Have materials they can use in seconds. A current headshot, an honest resume (Arlo's free resume builder formats one) and, once you have footage, a short demo reel. These are the photos, resumes and videos the Labor Department says casting reviews when deciding whom to audition.
2. Be submittable. Keep your Actors Access profile complete (the basic profile is free) so casting can find you when a breakdown is released to actors (Breakdown Services). The casting calls guide compares the LA platforms and their fees.
3. Get representation when you can. Agents and managers see the breakdowns that never go public and pitch their clients directly.
4. Be in work casting can see. The Labor Department lists attending productions as part of the job. Student films, showcases and LA theater put you in front of people who cast.
5. Audition well, every time. A good pre-read is remembered even when you do not book; Liroff's lists start from actors already in her database. Self-tapes count too, so learn the on-camera and self-tape basics.
6. Be easy to work with. Arrive prepared, follow the instructions in the audition notice, and keep your availability current with your representative. Casting has to tell producers you can be booked.

There is no official salary figure for casting directors alone. The Labor Department groups them under Producers and Directors, whose median wage was $90,360 a year ($43.44 an hour) in 2025, across about 181,000 jobs, but that group includes every kind of producer and director, so it says little about casting specifically (Department of Labor). In LA and New York, pay for union casting directors and associates is set by the Teamsters' Casting Director Agreement; the 2022 round focused on a weekly rate, especially for long episodic schedules, and a significant raise for associates (Teamsters).

The path into casting usually runs through a casting office:

1. Intern. Liroff's advice: "The best way is to intern or to be an assistant in a busy casting office." Several working casting directors started as her interns (Marci Liroff; Part 2).
2. Casting assistant, once you have office experience.
3. Associate casting director, running sessions, lists and smaller deals.
4. Casting director, leading projects and earning the credit.

A degree is common but not universal: among the Labor Department's survey respondents for the occupation, 42% said a bachelor's degree is required, 19% an associate's degree and 11% a master's (Department of Labor). Taking acting classes yourself helps; you learn what actors need in the room. Casting jobs are posted on the Casting Society's project and job board (Casting Society).

The Labor Department lists teaching acting classes among the job's tasks (Department of Labor), and in LA casting directors and associates also run paid workshops (the casting workshops guide covers the rules). Judge any class like any other: by what you will learn, not by who will see you. Audition prep classes and scene study classes on Arlo list schedules and prices; audit a class before you pay, and compare costs in the Price Index.

For practice material, find monologues and scenes on Offbook, and use the callback guide for what happens when a casting director asks to see you again.