Career Overview
Audition and interview performers to select most appropriate talent for parts in stage, television, radio, or motion picture productions.
Also Known As
- Artistic Director
- Casting Agent
- Casting Coordinator
- Casting Director
Alternate Job Titles
- Artist Manager
- Artistic Director
- Casting Agent
- Casting Coordinator
- Casting Director
- Contestant Coordinator
- Entertainment Agent
- Extras Casting Director
- Model Booker
- Pageant Director
- Repertoire Manager
- Talent Agent
- Talent Producer
- Talent Scout
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Audition and interview performers to match their attributes to specific roles or to increase the pool of available acting talent.
- Prepare actors for auditions by providing scripts and information about roles and casting requirements.
- Select performers for roles or submit lists of suitable performers to producers or directors for final selection.
- Contact agents and actors to provide notification of audition and performance opportunities and to set up audition times.
- Serve as liaisons between directors, actors, and agents.
- Negotiate contract agreements with performers, with agents, or between performers and agents or production companies.
- Arrange for or design screen tests or auditions for prospective performers.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Communications and Media
- Personnel and Human Resources
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Expression
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Clarity
- Originality
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Expression
- Speech Recognition
- Problem Sensitivity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Social Orientation
- Cooperation
- Adaptability
- Dependability
- Self-Confidence
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
- Recognition
- Independence
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Amazon Web Services AWS software
- Linux
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
- Oracle Java
- SAP software
- UNIX
Tools & Equipment
- Computer data input scanners
- Desktop computers
- Digital video cameras
- Digital video disk DVD players
- Laser facsimile machines
- Multi-line telephone systems
- Personal computers
- Tablet computers
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Producers and Directors occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Talent Directors.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $43,060 |
| Median | $83,480 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $198,530 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 145,270
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $96,310
Producers and Directors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $83,480
Music Directors and Composers
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $63,670
Media Programming Directors
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $83,480
Choreographers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $55,600
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.