Career Path of a Casting Director
A casting director is a person essential for any production whether it is a movie, TV drama, short film or even for television advertisements. He or she who takes over as the casting director of a production would bear the responsibility of finding the right talent and the persons for different roles in the script and therefore his or her contribution is paramount for the success of the production. Thus, not all directors would want to depend on an amateur casting director for their productions and therefore anyone who desires to become a casting director would have to start from the bottom and climb the ladder until the industry recognizes the person for his or her ability to have the right eye and the instinct for the job.
Educationalrequirements
When considering the educational qualifications pertaining to the job, casting directors should ideally have three to four years of graduate training in a related industry. These include courses in acting, directing as well as business management. However, the most important part of prior knowledge when planning to become a casting director is the knowledge that one gains by knowing most of the actors, actresses, their strengths…etc. Such knowledge would help make decisions as a casting director in most crucial moments within a tight deadline.
Career path
In relation to the career path, a potential casting director usually starts off as an intern or as an assistant to an agency or an established casting director. During such periods, one should be able to gain the vital industry inputs as well as demonstrate his or her ability to perform to those who matters in the industry.
Networking andother skills
Thus, networking is considered one of the most important aspects of becoming a casting director and unless a person possesses the right connections with the actors, actresses and the agencies, it may not be easy to provide what directors require to go ahead with their production. A casting director should have qualities such as curiosity, patience and the ability to spot the qualities projected by a certain actor, which may or may not suite the role created by the script writers and the directors. In addition, a casting director should also have excellent communication skills, negotiation skills, organizational skills, ability to memorize script details and contact names along with attention to detail in order to be successful in the industry.
Challenges
While the path towards becoming a casting director has its own challenges, the progression from being a good casting director to an industry-recognized professional would be more difficult. A wrong move in selecting an unsuitableperson to fill a role could cost the casting director his or her job and the decisions that he or she makes would decide how well the production runs and the post-production outcomes it achieves. Thus, there are no short cuts in the career of a casting director and unless one possesses the necessary skills, he or she should not venture into this challenging career.
