Frequently asked questions

How do you choose which actors get to audition for projects?

We receive breakdowns from casting directors on a daily basis, and we suggest clients based on the specifications we’re given. The casting director then chooses which actors they would like to meet, and if you are invited to audition, we will contact you by phone or email with the details. This is often at short notice- typically the day before but sometimes the same day – so it’s important that you add any dates you’re unavailable to your Tagmin account in advance! (More on Tagmin in a moment).

We do not choose who gets given auditions- we can only make recommendations. The casting director decides who they want to meet, and there is more competition for audition slots than ever, so they’re hard to get.

What is self taping?

Increasingly casting directors ask actors to self tape before calling them in to audition- this means videoing a short scene, using your phone or tablet. This is good, as it allows them to see more actors than would be possible at a face-to-face meeting, and it saves you money in train fares, but it does require a bit of work on your part.

The Casting Directors’ Guild has written a guide to self taping which you can download here. Once you have filmed the video, you will usually be asked to upload it to Tagmin, so that we can send it on to the casting director.

Is it a problem if I can’t attend an audition?

It’s very important to let us know straight away if you cannot attend an audition, so that we can try to get another client seen in your place. Never cancel on the day; not only does this deprive another actor of the opportunity to be met, it will also upset and inconvenience the casting director, who will then be left with a gap in their session.

What does it mean to be “penciled”?

If you are shortlisted after the first round of auditions, you will probably be penciled. This means that the casting director wants you to keep the production dates clear, in case the producer decides to offer you the role. You will then usually be invited in for a recall, which is similar to the first audition, but probably with the director and producer present. There may be several rounds of recalls before they are ready to offer the role to an actor.

Will I get feedback from the casting director if I’m unsuccessful?

Owing to the speed the industry works at, feedback is seldom given, and we are unable to contact everyone to let them know the results of an audition- we will only be in touch if you are pencilled or recalled. We will always try to let you know as soon as a pencil is released though- that is, if a job you have been shortlisted for is not going to go any further and they no longer require you to keep the dates free.

What is “Tagmin”?

We use a client management system called Tagmin. Tagmin is an approved partner of Spotlight’s and it’s the system most agents in the UK use to manage their client database.

One of the benefits of Tagmin is that you can create your own account and update us with your availability and professional details (such as your personal details, measurements and skills) through the system automatically, as and when they change. The system saves us admin time, meaning we can focus more of our time on representing our clients!

When do I get paid for jobs I have done?

We pay our clients within seven days, once we have received payment from the production
company and deducted our commission.

Companies should pay us once they have received our invoice, or received your signed contract, however in practice companies can take a long time to pay, and it can take a lot of work on our behalf before they pay what they owe. As a result we ask that clients wait two months before contacting us about an overdue payment.

We pay clients directly by bank transfer. We can only pay fees to the actor to whom they are due, so children will need to have a bank account in their own name to receive payment.