The first thing that happens in the casting process, if things are running smoothly and on time, is that the casting director will receive a script. After reading it, the casting director sends the script to Breakdown Services, a company that breaks down the script by character. Some casting directors prefer to have Breakdown Services write the breakdown, while other casting directors prefer to write the breakdown themselves, for individual roles or entire projects. Casting directors will then begin to create lists for each role. The first list will contain a list of celebrity clientele, who are “offer only” types of performers. The term, “offer only” refers to a small group of actors who have reached a certain level or status within the industry and no longer have to audition; they just receive offers. It is then up to those actors to accept or reject the roles they are offered. It is worth noting that a celebrity or name may be attached to a certain project prior to the start of casting. There are two advantages to this process. First, it gives filmmakers the opportunity to get funding or increase a pre-existing small budget. Secondly, having a name attached to your project can attract interest from studios and networks, as well as other high-profile actors whose name recognition can increase the odds the project will be made, bought, or put on the air. While waiting to hear if the “offer only” actor or actors have accepted their offer, casting continues. The second casting list consists of actors who would go straight to the producer session. Pre-reading or pre-screening is not necessary. The casting director already knows their work, and is confident they will be great in the audition room. Most importantly, these actors will still come in and read for the producers, and make the casting director look good in the process. And then there’s everyone else: actors who have been submitted by their agent, submitted by their manager, or who have submitted themselves – all in hopes of getting the opportunity to read and be considered for the role. Once the breakdown is released, thousands of online thumbnails will be submitted, as well as hundreds of 8-by-10 hard copy submissions, actor drop-offs, as well as countless phone pitches. Depending on the project, of course, you are talking about a pool of hundreds of thousands of actors that are submitted on a daily basis for any given show or role.

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