It’s a common question for actors before they go in to audition: What are the casting directors looking for?
The answer is both simpler and more complex than you think, but it all tends to come down to the same thing, which is that you have far more control over the situation than you might imagine.
Casting director Rose Rosen talks about this a lot on her podcast, Casting Confidential, which opens up to a listener Q&A every month. She’s also been a guest on How We Role, check out the episode here in case you missed it.
Rose gets many questions from actors wanting to get some basic facts about the business and their role in it, as well as the best way to find work.
This is a partial, but by no means comprehensive, list of advice and tips for actors looking to succeed.
Key Insights
- Casting directors remember actors who make specific, authentic choices instead of trying to guess what the “right” performance is.
- Strong submissions start before the audition, with headshots, self tapes, and materials that clearly support the role you’re pursuing.
- You’re more likely to book work by targeting roles that genuinely fit your type than by submitting for every opportunity.
What “Making Bold Choices” Really Means
Any casting director will tell you that making some kind of choice is better than not making any choice at all. As obvious as that sounds, you would be surprised at how often an actor goes into an audition trying to not mess up, and therefore plays it bland and lifeless, rather than going for something bold and interesting. But what really qualifies as bold and interesting?
“[“Bold”] is a term that is used universally from a lot of acting coaches in the business and some casting directors,” Rosen says. “And sure, make a bold choice, but that bold choice can be very subtle, and that’s what people don’t understand. Let me see something different in you than the rest, but within reason. A bold choice sometimes brings an actor into some kind of stratosphere that I can’t understand. I still need to understand you within the parameters of the project that I’m casting you for.”
In other words, understand the choice you’re making and ensure that it fits the role you’re going for. Being big or outlandish or over the top might work sometimes … but not every character calls for that. Finding the uniqueness in the character in question is the goal.
It’s Not Always About Being the Best Actor in The Room
Crazy as that sounds, there are spectacularly talented people who have amazing auditions who still don’t get cast. It can be because they don’t necessarily fit the role or, even more counterintuitively, don’t fit in with the rest of the cast. Casting directors are putting together a puzzle, and each piece has to fit a certain way.
“We’re assembling the cast for a very specific world,” Rosen points out. “So think of all of that when you’re preparing. A great audition doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to get cast, but a great audition will guarantee that I’m going to remember you and keep you in that database for something else.”
First Impressions Matter
It’s a cliché to say you can only make one first impression, but the truth is that it’s cliché for a reason: it’s true. Casting directors want to cast you, but they can’t do it if you’re not giving them what they need. The best way to ensure you can do that is by putting your best foot forward, not just with the right headshot or with a skilled performance, but also with the effort you put into comprehending what you’re doing there.
“It tells me whether you understand who you are and where you fit,” Rosen observes. “I know that we don’t always give away a lot; some casting directors give away way more than is needed in terms of the size and the breakdown and all the information, but if you know what you’re auditioning for, take that information and try and fit yourself into that as best you can.
Make yourself stand out. It’s a tall order, but you know what? To find the needle in a haystack, it’s a tall order for us to find you, so you should do the best job because we have so, so many submissions.”
Stop Trying to Guess
Here’s an interesting little secret that you probably weren’t aware of: most of the time, casting directors have no idea what they’re looking for until they see it. They’re as clueless as you are, with just a vague concept of what the part might need. That means you have an opportunity to show them precisely what they need, and why it’s you.
“I always notice [with] the actors who make clear choices, that they’re not trying to guess what I want,” Rosen says. “Come into this knowing what you want to bring. Focus on what you can give me.
I speak to a lot of great casting directors on my podcast, especially this season, and they all say, ‘I want to see what you’re bringing.’ Don’t guess what I’m thinking. You get that from [casting directors] like Allison Jones.”
Your Submission Materials Should Complement Each Other
This should be obvious, but if you’re auditioning for the role of a policeman, and you have a headshot where you look like a cop or are dressed like one, then that should be the thing you submit. At the same time, don’t go overboard.
You don’t necessarily need to dress like a cop in your self tape. Likewise, if you’re auditioning to be a farmer, you probably don’t want to overdo it, but, say, chewing on a wheat strand might do the trick.
“Your self tape has to be more subtle,” Rosen advises. “But when it comes to firemen, policemen, [roles] like that, particularly in the commercial universe, I would say 100% If you have that picture, make that your cover photo for that audition. Make your materials support what you’re doing, and make them front and center for what you’re looking for.”
Don’t Submit to Every Role
This should be obvious, but not every actor should be submitting themselves for every job. Even if you’re a versatile performer, there’s only so much you can pull off, and if you keep putting your name in over and over again, casting directors will start noticing you in the wrong way. They get enough realistic submissions. They don’t want to waste their time on ones that aren’t realistic.
“We have so much in front of us,” Rosen says. “Think about every touchpoint you’re doing in this situation, and understand you are dealing with humans on the other side. If I put a casting out, I see that you are submitting for the one I did last week, the one I did this week, and I get to know you as the person who submits for everything.
This makes no sense because, guess what? You cannot be great for everything. Pick what you’re going to be great at, and submit for those, and you’re more likely to get called in. Remember that we see you. It’s not like we don’t.”
Professionalism
Be friendly, but don’t try to be friends. Be gracious, but don’t try to shake hands. Don’t come in so rigid that the character is lost in translation.
The word “professional” covers a lot of territory, which is appropriate, because there are many ways to be professional, but there are also plenty of ways to mess that up with overkill. There’s a happy medium where you should be targeting your behavior in the room.
“Professionalism does not mean over-polished or afraid to take a risk,” Rosen says. “Don’t come in so buttoned up that I can’t see your character because you’re scared of me, and you want to put on your best face.
The best face for a serial killer might not be the professional guy that I want to see on your resume and on your headshot. When you’re doing your audition, let it rip.”
Casting Directors Remember Authenticity
Figure out who you are and what you’re bringing to every role for which you audition. That’s not to say get some therapy and do some inner digging (though that’s a pretty good idea for most people, especially actors), but rather the parts of yourself that go with the role you’re trying to book. The more specific you get, the better for everyone.
“We remember clarity,” Rosen says. “Specificity, clarity. Casting directors see these kinds of things when you are being specific, and so can your average consumer. I need to see the truth. Where are you in this role? I need to see you. I need to see the authenticity of you. I also need to see the role, and I need to see where you fit in the world. It’s so much that all you can do is take a stab at it.”
Casting directors and actors have far more in common than you might think. As Rosen points out, “We have our job and you have your job, so you do your best job in order for me to do my best job. We’re not looking for perfection. We’re looking for somebody we can believe.”
Bringing it All Together
Booking a role is rarely about delivering a “perfect” audition. It’s about showing casting directors a clear, authentic take on the character while demonstrating that you understand where you fit in the story they’re trying to tell.
You can’t control every decision that goes into casting, but you can control the choices you make, the materials you submit and the professionalism you bring. Focus on presenting the most truthful version of your work.
Even if the role isn’t the right fit, you’ll give casting directors a reason to remember you for the next one.
