Think about the characters and who they are. 

How would you describe them? 

(Young girl or boy? Old woman? Gruffy voice? Just a SFX voice? A dog?) 

Some students cast one lead voice, and others have two to four voices that are all equally important. 

The talent might not be available to record on certain dates, so it is always important to figure out a timeline before casting. You will want to give at least 1-2 weeks for the casting process. The more time the better.

Paying is not mandatory, but we always highly encourage it. Talent may not agree to free work. 

All of this information will go into what is called a “breakdown”. This is a very important part of the production process. See below for an example of a detailed breakdown. The Talent Registry office will need this when you are sending the initial request. 

Title:  Title of the film 

Director/ Writer/ Producer:  Names of those collaborators (if known) 

Casting Director: Name/Company (if applicable) 

Union Status:  SAG-AFTRA or Non-union 

Pay Rate:  If you have no budget to pay actors, put “No Pay: Transportation, Credit, Copy, Meals.” Otherwise, list how much the actors will be paid per day. It is customary to include travel and meals and to give the actor a copy of the film or clips of their scenes. 

Dates:  Be as specific as possible or give a range and number of recording days.  For example: October 3rd- 5th, 10th-12th, or Weekends in April 

Description:    Give a short description of your script that names all of the important roles. This should not be a full synopsis. 

For example:

“The Route Less Travelled” tells the story of Cameron and Daniela, siblings who are forced to share a paper route in Brooklyn. Along the way, they face adversity in the form of 8-Track Eddie, a local eccentric, and Damon, a teenage bully. 

Role Descriptions: You will need to write a detailed description for every role. 

For example: 

CAMERON: (LEAD) Male, 13 years old, Latino. A sweet and charismatic kid who loves magic and has a hopeless crush on Chloe, the girl-next-door.  Boyish voice. 

DANIELA: (LEAD) Female, 11 years old, Latina. Cameron’s little sister who loves to sing and annoy her big brother. She’s adventurous and outspoken for her age. Strong, know-it-all. 

8-TRACK EDDIE: (SUPPORTING) Male, 40s-50s, Caucasian, thin and wiry frame. An eccentric neighborhood man who scares the kids at first but turns out to be harmless and helpful. 

*Note: It’s important to be sensitive when describing race and ethnicity. In general, stick to the following terms: Caucasian, White, African-American, Black, Latino/a, Asian, Native American. Use Korean, Indian, Pakistani, Italian, etc. to describe someone from that country. To describe Americans of a specific descent, you can use Italian American, Mexican American, or Irish American, for example. 

It is best to give the Casting office and the actors as much information as possible in order to get the most out of your Talent.

You will need to talk to the 4th floor Production Office @ 209 East 23rd, in order to schedule the space.