The casting director is the film director’s eye for talent. Finding the right actors for your movie is often left to a professional who can find the right qualities for the kind of story you want to tell. Characters in a script often have a set of traits that need to be translated physically by good actors, but it’s never easy to find just the right kind of professional to help you.

Casting directors are given the task, particularly on bigger movies, to find a range of cast for different roles, and break down actor auditions into a top selection for directors to choose from. A casting director is able to find the right qualities in actors who are suited for a particular role. In the case of many auditions, actors can often get nervous and under perform, but a good casting director will know this and be able to see the true performance of someone.

In order to pursue a career as a casting director you must have a passion for working with people, and an ability to be well organized. Empathy is also important because if you understand the point of view of an actor, you can get the best performance out of your auditions. This is where things can get very interesting, and directors can find great actors, often completely unknown, for their movies.