A casting call is a public or industry notice announcing that a project is looking for actors, models, or other performers to fill specific roles. It tells you what the project is, who they need, and how to submit yourself for consideration.
Casting calls are the front door of the entertainment industry. Films, TV shows, commercials, music videos, print campaigns, and live events all use them to find talent. If you want to work on camera, learning to read and answer casting calls is one of the first skills you need.
What a Casting Call Includes
Most casting calls follow a similar structure. A typical notice lists:
- The project type: film, series, commercial, print, or event
- The roles being cast, with age range, gender, and look
- Pay details, or a note that the project is unpaid
- Shoot dates and location
- Submission instructions and a deadline
The role descriptions inside a casting call are often called breakdowns. Reading them carefully matters, because submitting to roles you clearly do not match wastes your time and signals inexperience to the casting team.
Where Casting Calls Come From
Casting calls are usually written by a casting director working on behalf of a production. The casting director gathers submissions, filters them, and presents the strongest options to the people making final decisions. You can read more about that filtering process in our guide to how casting works.
Calls are posted in different places depending on the project. Larger productions often go through agents and industry platforms. Smaller projects, student films, and local commercials post on public casting platforms like Vibrant Casting, where anyone can create a profile and submit directly.
Types of Casting Calls
Not every casting call works the same way. Common formats include:
- Online submissions, where you apply with photos, a resume, or a self-tape
- Open calls, where anyone can show up in person without an appointment
- Invite-only auditions, where the casting team requests specific people after reviewing submissions
For most beginners, online submissions are the main path. They cost nothing but time, and they let you apply to projects far beyond your immediate network.
What This Means for You
A casting call is an invitation, not a guarantee. Hundreds of people may answer the same notice, so your job is to submit quickly, match the role honestly, and present clean, current materials.
Start by learning where to find casting calls that fit your type and location. Then build a habit of submitting consistently. Booking work is rarely about one perfect submission. It is about showing up in the pile, again and again, until the right role lines up with your look and skills.
