It’s a dream job really, being a casting director; 
some would even say it’s the most important job in the whole movie production process. After all, how many times have you seen a good movie ruined by bad casting, or a bad movie saved by inspired new talent?
Casting directors have to have their eyes and ears wide open. They need to keep an eye on rising stars, stars whose light may have faded but who can still be coaxed to shine, stars who’ve never been brighter and stars who are on the wane. They need an eye for talent and an unerring ability to match actors’ skills to roles.
You’d think that with all that responsibility riding on their shoulders that casting directors would have to be qualified up to their eyeballs. But they’re not, at least not really.
As with most professions these days, casting directors need at least rudimentary computer skills and many choose to sign up for online IT courses to keep their minds fresh but their schedules free. Then of course there are the organisational and business management skills, which can also be acquired from colleges or online. Some people suggest that the best casting directors have an artistic background – degrees in English, art, communications, media and, of course, film.
Some of the most important skills can’t be taught at a college or online. For instance, casting directors are first and foremost people people. They pay attention to people, they spot hidden talents and untapped potential, they know where people will fit and they know how to negotiate like a pro.
The best place to learn these skills is on the job. Breaking into the industry is tough – anything in film or television is highly competitive. You have to be prepared to start at the bottom, as an intern or lowly assistant. The hours will be long and the pay will not be great but the contacts you make, the networks you develop and the lessons learnt will stand you in good stead later on.
Besides, the opportunity to rub shoulders with the likes of Robert Downey Jr and Angelina Jolie should more than make up for the hardship.
(Image by By Edgar Meritano [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons)