Casting Director
Casting directors are contracted by film, video, television and advertising companies to find suitable actors to audition for particular parts or characters. Directors or producers have the final say in who is hired for each part.
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Director - Theatre and Film, Talent Scout
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in studying scripts to determine artistic interpretations; and in co-ordinating the activities of production staff to develop desired effects
Interest in co-ordinating the activities of performers, extras and production personnel; and in advising them on the interpretation and delivery of performances, and in conferring with crew and specialists throughout production and post-production to achieve desired presentations
Interest in instructing cast members and production personnel to develop and achieve presentations that reflect desired artistic interpretations
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Casting directors work closely with performers and film production people. In general, principal casting directors:
Background casting directors find background performers ("extras") including: stand-ins for lead performers, photo doubles, and performers for non-speaking parts and crowd scenes. They must often deal with scheduling changes.
Casting directors often work under tight schedules. Conditions vary depending on the director and producer. Travel may be required to audition new talent and meet television or film production people. To save on travel, delivery costs and time, auditions are often scheduled and held online, then uploaded to private sites.
Casting directors need:
People skills are essential; casting directors must be able to recognize the acting potential and ability in individuals during auditions.
They should enjoy compiling information from scripts and signalling cues, taking charge of situations, and negotiating.
There is no particular educational route to enter this field. Casting directors come from diverse backgrounds including:
Interested individuals may be able to arrange informal apprenticeships or mentoring with established casting directors, as casting assistants. Casting assistants learn what to look for in talent, how to negotiate terms and will eventually build up an established network of actors, producers and directors. Post-secondary education in the performing arts and contract negotiation skills are definite assets.
For union jobs, casting directors must be familiar with the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) Independent Production Agreement for film and television productions and the ACTRA National Commercial Agreement for television and radio commercials. These agreements outline standards such as wage minimums and working conditions that must be followed by members of the Canadian Media Producers Association, the Institute of Communication Agencies and the Association of Canadian Advertisers.
To expand or narrow your search for programs related to this occupation, visit Post-Secondary Programs.
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.
Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Casting directors are hired on contract for specific projects by:
They usually have an extensive network of talent, and experience with both acting and filmic technologies, because they function as a go-between among dramatic, technical and creative personnel.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
In the 5131: Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations occupational group, 76.8% of people work in:
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the 5131: Producers, directors, choreographers and related occupations occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 2.2% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 58 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.
Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Fewer than 10 casting directors are currently employed in Alberta.
Casting directors negotiate each contract separately. They may negotiate a flat rate or have hourly, daily or weekly wage rates.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
---|---|---|---|---|
Starting | $17.44 | $37.96 | $31.41 | $32.00 |
Overall | $20.89 | $46.61 | $39.29 | $43.14 |
Top | $26.84 | $50.35 | $42.21 | $44.77 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
Public Administration | $91,850 |
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Health Care & Social Assistance | $82,424 |
Information, Culture, Recreation | $79,493 |
ALL INDUSTRIES | $78,713 |
Alberta Media Production Industries Association website: ampia.org
Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists website: www.actra.ca
Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists Alberta website: www.actraalberta.com
Association of Canadian Advertisers website: www.acaweb.ca
Canadian Media Producers Association website: www.cmpa.ca
Casting Directors Society of Canada website: www.castingsociety.ca
Casting Society of America website: www.castingsociety.com
Cultural Human Resources Council website: www.culturalhrc.ca
Institute of Communication Agencies website: theica.ca/amplify
Women in Film and Television - Alberta website: www.wifta.ca
Women in Film and Television - International website: www.wifti.net
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2021. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.