“Talent tips: Casting and Licensing 101”
Choosing the right talent for your video production is key to ensuring a successful and professional-looking end result. But finding this talent can be a complicated and time-consuming process – especially if you already have a lot on your plate.
Need to cast a red-headed kid with freckles who can play the piano, or a pregnant woman with a face tattoo? How about a distinguished-looking terrier that can bark on command and jump into a pile of leaves? Talent agents and casting directors not only find these specific people (and animals) for you, but also vet them to ensure they can actually perform as promised and are comfortable in front of a camera.
Production is a two-way street, though. There are important things for you to remember as well when working with these professionals – steps you can take to help them do their jobs better and ultimately, improve production flow. So, we contacted three talent agents and one casting director in the San Francisco area who are great at what they do and asked them to fill us in on common issues that crop up when casting and licensing talent.
>>>INFO BREAK! Generally speaking, talent agents work on behalf of performers, helping them secure work. Casting directors are usually hired by the producer and will work with multiple agencies to source talent. Both excel at matching the right people to the right projects.
Budget
If this were a game of Family Feud, it’s safe to say “Unrealistic Budgets” would be at the top of the chart. Every professional we spoke to mentioned this as an issue they contend with when assembling a talent package.
“Sometimes clients don't realize their budget determines the type of talent they will receive as options,” said Sherrie Neves, president and founder of Models Inc Talent Agency. “Most experienced, really good talent have minimums and will not accept a project that is ‘low-paying.’”
Plus, she explained, clients who ask for broadcast rights or exclusivity should know the rate will be much higher since those situations limit a talent’s work with competitors. “It's very helpful to let the agency know how long a talent would be needed on set, any special skills needed, and what is the usage,” she added.
Usage Terms
Usage simply refers to where and for how long media will be displayed. Since usage terms can directly affect talents’ ability to take on other projects, agents prefer to have this information clearly defined as early as possible.
“The dreaded words agents hate to hear is ‘in perpetuity,’” said Taylor Lambert, founder and casting director at Aura Casting. “In a campaign like that, a person could be married to one product forever. That’s hard to get agencies to buy into, because it basically shoots their actors in the foot.”
Shannon Escoto, the children's division director at Three Model Management, agreed that perpetual licensing is a no-go. “It just doesn’t serve our talent, so we always try to knock that down [to a time-bound contract].
“Another big thing we deal with is unauthorized usage,” she added. “It’s important that someone is watching and flagging usage, so when the contracted time is up, the agency is notified and can then alert the talent or negotiate new terms if necessary.”
Taylor pointed out yet another issue regarding usage – unexpected changes. A producer may promise one thing, but by the time the talent release form arrives, a lawyer or company representative may have outlined different terms. As a casting director, Taylor said these last-minute changes can put him in a tough position because he then has to mediate new pay rate negotiations between production and the agency.
“On my end, what I really try to do is get those releases as early as possible, so I can include it in the casting notice,” he said. “Then, you can pull out who will or will not be a good fit. I love castings like that because it prevents me from 11th hour drama.”
Release Forms
Release forms are basically really important usage permission slips. It is critical producers get these legal documents signed, as forgetting can put the entire production in jeopardy. All paperwork should be as detailed as possible, too. This not only protects the filmmakers but also ensures talent can make an informed decision about the project.
“It's important releases reflect what the agreement has been, and that we can discuss any changes that need to be made with the client before anything is signed,” said Rosemary Anderson, On-Camera & Voice-Over Director at MDT Agency. “If a talent auditions for something, and then all of a sudden the rate changes or the usage term is longer or travel was included and now it's not, that's really something that makes us question if it's right to work with someone.”
Organization
Everyone agreed that staying organized and staying in touch is the simplest way to keep things on track. When producers are clear about the type of talent they need and have all their paperwork in order, the casting and licensing process moves much more smoothly.
“Giving us as much information as possible upfront and in writing, ensures there are no surprises down the line,” said Shannon. “Of course, things can change – and that’s understandable and expected, but just informing us and keeping things organized is so helpful.
“It’s really just a matter of thoughtfulness,” added Taylor.
Sherrie stressed the helpfulness of detailed casting breakdowns. Having information like pay rate, usage, agency service fees, production dates & times, and any specific requirements like vaccination status or union affiliation allows agents to build out better talent packages and avoid surprises down the line. Noting whether talent must be local or if travel and hotel expenses are covered is also a courtesy that goes a long way.
“Talk to each other,” said Rosemary. “If you have questions about budgets, reach out and see what is reasonable based on the feedback you get. The more we talk to each other and maintain the standard, the better the talent pool is and everyone benefits!”