Virtual Visiting Round Up: Winter 2023
During Central Casting's Virtual Visiting sessions, a panel of Casting Directors answer questions, give insight into the casting process, and offer tips to be successful on set. Reservations for Virtual Visiting are limited, so we wanted to share some of the most asked questions during our winter sessions to help you succeed as a Background Actor.
I often get availability inquiries for the same work date. Can I respond available to all of them?
Yes, you can respond available to multiple availability inquiries for the same work date. Availability inquiries are not offers or guarantees of work, Central Casting is simply asking if you are available and interested in a role on a certain date or date range. Whether you are interested in the role or not, we ask that you respond to all messages. That way our Casting Directors know if they need to reach out to additional Background Actors.
After confirming your availability, you may receive a follow up first avail message. This means the Casting Director cannot book you right away, often because they are waiting on additional information or requirements from production.
Once you're on first avail, if you get offered a job on a different project for the same work date, call your Central Casting office to explain the situation. The first avail project may opt to hire you first. Also, if you're on first avail and your availability changes for that work date, please call your Casting Director as soon as possible to let them know.
What can I do to increase my chances of getting booked by Central Casting?
We book Background Actors, Stand-Ins, and doubles based on the needs of our productions. One of the best things you can do to set yourself up for success is fill out your online profile with as much accurate information as possible. This helps our Casting Directors find you when searching for specific role requirements and helps them determine the types of roles you can portray.
Accurate measurements are a big part of the background casting process and are used often, especially when booking doubles and when production provides wardrobe. If you don't have this information populated, you may be missing out on roles you're perfect for. On the other hand, if you do have your measurements filled out, but they are inaccurate, you may not fit the provided wardrobe when you arrive on set, which causes delays for production. To learn more about measurements and how to take them, read our guide Why Updating Your Sizes is Essential for Background Actors.
When filling out your profile, don't skip the "playing age" section in the "key information" tab. If you do not make a selection in this field, you will not show up when Casting Directors search for specific portrayable age ranges. We know you may be able to portray a wider scope of ages than the ranges provided, but rest assured, our casting staff select multiple ranges when searching for Background Actors.
I'm interested in signing my minor up, are there a lot of opportunities for kids to work on set?
Yes! We book minors (babies 15 days old to teenagers 17 years old) daily to work as Background Actors and doubles on a variety of productions, from children's programming to blockbuster movies to your favorite TV shows.
To get started, visit your location's Sign Up page. While minors do not need a work permit to onboard with us, they will need a valid entertainment work permit on file before we can cast them in our productions. We recommend starting this process before coming to Talent Onboarding so we can get your minor on set as soon as possible. You can learn more about minor work permits in our article Ensure Your Minor is Eligible to Be Booked by Central Casting.
Want more tips from Casting Directors? Read our summer and fall Virtual Visiting recaps to learn more about how to be a professional Background Actor.
