ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXCasting Director Fees for a Feature Film
9 years, 1 month ago - Rahul Gandotra
So it looks like my feature film is soon going to be financed and I'm doing some background research for rates here in the UK.
I have some contacts who can put me in touch with some known casting directors (like the Hubbards or Gail Stevens for example), so we're trying to figure how much such casting directors would cost.
To give you some details:
We need a UK casting director to cast 4 roles - one of them being an 11 to 13 year-old boy who will be the lead for the film (and thus the most important role). The other three roles have anywhere between 2 to 8 minutes of screen time.
If the casting director has relationships to US agents, then we'll probably need them to reach out for two more roles (based off lists that we've already created and of course can be changed with casting director input). One of roles is for a 16 to 19 year old female - who will be the co-lead. The other role is about 4 minutes of screen time.
While I'm sure the lead (the boy) will be an exhaustive search (I've been told that such a search could take 2 to 3 months), I imagine the rest of the roles would go through the normal routes - auditions or making straight offers.
Based off of these details, does anyone know what the rates are for casting directors? Assume two scenarios:
1) We use the casting director to cast just the four UK roles
2) We use the casting director to cast the four UK roles + the two US roles
What would be the cost for option 1? What would be the cost for option 2? Assume that the budget for the feature will be somewhere between $2 and $3mill USD.
While I'm sure one would need to know more details, any ranges or weekly rates would be most appreciated.
Thanks a bunch in advance.
- Rahul
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9 years, 1 month ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
It'll depend on the casting agent, and how much you're spending on cast. If you're spending $3M with $2M on cast it'll be a different deal than spending $150k on cast. Minutes of screen time aren't really relevant. Maybe as an estimate allow 5% of your casting budget, plus casting expenses.
I can suggest another agency if helpful, PM me.
Response from 9 years, 1 month ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW
9 years, 1 month ago - Dan Selakovich
Why not call the casting directors you like and ask? I wouldn't mention screen time. That's irrelevant.
Pay varies widely, and it depends on how long a casting director works on a project and their track record. I would figure a minimum of $5,000 per major role. But, if as you say, they'll need 3 months of casting calls, both in the U.S. and the U.K., a total cost on that long of a search could run $70k to $100k. Or if the casting director is at the top of their game, $100k is not out of the question. On the low end, if you need a director for 2 weeks, say, it can be as as low as $12k. It all really depends. Just contact some casting people and ask them.
Response from 9 years, 1 month ago - Dan Selakovich SHOW
9 years, 1 month ago - Dan Selakovich
BTW, you know someone that can "put you in touch" with casting directors? These are people that work for a living. They are easily contacted. They have offices, emails and phone numbers. They welcome work and calls from producers.
Response from 9 years, 1 month ago - Dan Selakovich SHOW
8 years, 10 months ago - Vanessa Bailey
Dan's right - Casting Assistant is a really good call if you're working to a tight budget. Also certain CDs work well in certain genre - Des Hamilton, for example, excels in gritty stuff and does a lot of street casting. Lucy Bevan (out of most of our leagues!!) prefers to work within different genres. Find a casting director who really loves your script and they'll really put something special into the process.
Response from 8 years, 10 months ago - Vanessa Bailey SHOW