Casting Process

What is a Casting?

A casting also known as an audition is a pre-production process for selecting a certain type of performer (actor, singer, dancer, model, specialist etc) for a particular role or script. The casting process can involve one or more live auditions normally performed in front of a Casting Director (CD) and/or a Production Team. Since Covid-19, auditions are now regularly submitted as self-tapes, this may continue well into the future.

What types of castings are there?

Photographic / Stills, TV Series & Film, TV commercial, Musical Theatre, Music video, Corporate, Live events to name a few.

How do you get a casting?

As agents, we will put your child forward for all assignments your child meets the criteria for. We do this via spotlight / casting networks and any other platform available to us that contains project briefs. In some cases, casting directors / clients will accept additional packages of talent - we submit packages via our internal database software.

As and when a client contacts us to ask to meet your child for a casting or book them for a shoot, we will contact you immediately. Sometimes we may contact you beforehand if the client requests us to confirm availability on a number of shortlisted talent or maybe to confirm a specific detail. We will not contact you each and every time your child is submitted for work. It is obviously crucial that parents continuously keep the agency informed of any changes whatsoever.

If your child is selected to attend a casting it is because the client has specifically requested to see them, having viewed their photographs and details on our website. This is why it is vital all measurements, details and photographs on our website are accurate at all times.

What happens when you are selected to attend a casting?

  • We will contact you by phone or email if you have been selected for a casting by a casting director or client.
  • We will give you all the information you will need, including date, time, location, fees and dates of the job. We will include anything you need to prep i.e. wardrobe, lines, etc.
  • In some instances, some clients pay casting fees to cover travel expenses. If casting fees are applicable, you will be notified in advance when we send you the information. We will invoice at the end of the casting process on your behalf. Casting fees vary between £10 and £25.
  • We will only contact you again after the casting process if you have been selected by the client. Most jobs class this stage as a 'pencil/option' which means you have been shortlisted for either a recall or a job offer.
  • If you’re pencilled/optioned for the job, we will give you the dates you will need to keep available for the clients.
  • We will notify you if your 'pencil/option' has been released or confirmed.
  • If you are confirmed and under 16 years old, we will need to obtain a licence on your behalf from your local council.
  • Thereafter, we will provide you information relating to the rate, location and call time for the shoot.

Casting Tips

  • Be prompt and allow plenty of time to navigate public transport, find the venue, park (if applicable), sign in and get yourself and your child organised! The casting time given by us will be the time that the client has requested to see your child, so you must be waiting in the waiting area at this time. If the time stated is anytime between a particular period, then you can arrive anytime between the times given, but not before or after!
  • Ensure your child wears nice clean plain/casual and comfortable clothing, unless otherwise requested. Not anything they wouldn’t usually wear, their usual day-to-day clothing or if rushing straight from school, uniform is fine too, this will make them feel as comfortable as possible. A clean face and clean and tidy hair, hands and nails are a must (unless specified, girls hair should be left brushed loose).
  • Ensure only one parent/guardian chaperones each child, with no additional friends/family or children where possible. The casting suites are generally very small and cannot hold additional people. If you have somebody else with you, please ask them to wait outside. This shows professionalism.
  • Clients unfortunately never reimburse travel for castings. If there is a casting fee, an invoice is sent to the client within 10 days of the job being completed. Once received by the clients they may take up to 6 months to pay an invoice. Your child will be paid directly into their bank account by the Agency within 10 days of the Agency receiving cleared funds from the client.
    Always Double check you are available for the shoot dates for the job you are attending the casting for, as we wouldn’t want to waste your time or that of the clients.
  • Particularly for younger children, ensure you have adequate food/drink and a book/toy with you to keep your child occupied in case the client is running late and you are kept waiting.
  • Make sure you have our Agency details to hand, so that should you be asked to fill out a form on arrival to the casting, you have our contact details to provide where applicable. Many forms may also ask for your child’s measurements, so it is a very good idea to note your child’s measurements beforehand, as well as shoe size.

What happens after a casting?

After the casting, the time in which the client will contact the agency will vary. Generally they only get back to us if they wish to book any of our children or young performers, otherwise they do not get back to each agent with individual feedback on each child, unless under special circumstances.

Unfortunately this means that if you do not hear from the Agency after the casting, then unfortunately the client has not been back in touch in regards to your child. Feel free after a few days to always check in with us to see if we’ve heard anything.

Any other questions or queries, please feel free to contact us.

Most of all, relax and be yourself, good luck!