In both television and film, a casting assistant plays an important role in finding actors. In the end, it’s his responsibility to find the most talented and appropriate actors for television and film roles. While each job has its own set of responsibilities, the primary responsibilities of a casting assistant are essentially the same. Reading scripts and finding suitable actors to fill roles, contacting and negotiating with actors’ agents, assisting in auditions, and keeping records on actors are just a few of the responsibilities.
Reading the script for a television series or film is usually the first responsibility of a casting assistant for each job. During this time, he will go over each scene and get a sense of the type of actor required for each role. He’ll usually start with a broad concept in mind and narrow it down until he has a list of potential actors. When the casting assistant has determined which actors are best suited for the project, he usually informs the producers and director. During this time, he will ensure that everyone is on the same page and iron out any remaining details about roles.
Following the completion of the initial phases of this process, the casting assistant is responsible for contacting the agents of the actors he has in mind. He’ll check each actor’s availability and interest in the production at this point. He’ll also go over the terms of the contracts and schedule auditions for each actor.
The casting assistant’s job is to provide all actors with scripts and any other relevant information for the role during the auditioning period. Following that, he’ll be a part of the screen testing process, and he’ll usually be in charge of the camera for each audition. He’ll record each actor’s performance in a specific scene for later review the director and producers. He’s also in charge of setting up catering and providing beverages to the actors.
After all of the actors have auditioned, the casting assistant will take down any pertinent information about each of them. Unless the actor is a household name, he will also keep a headshot and resume. Once he has this information, the casting assistant will send the audition tapes to the director and producers, along with any other pertinent information. The majority of the work will be completed at that point, and the director and producer will complete the rest of the casting process. The casting assistant’s job is finished once all of the actors have been given contracts, and he will move on to his next assignment.