What to Know About Submitting for Roles

There are a variety of ways to get booked as a background actor by Central Casting and production companies, including by submitting for work on the Open Roles page.

What to look for in job posts

The Open Roles page is a great resource for background actors who have already signed up with Central Casting to find work. While casting directors and production companies often reach out to background directly with an availability inquiry, they may also post to the Open Roles page, especially when needing specific looks, sizes, wardrobe, vehicles or special skills.

In their posts, casting directors and production companies will include specific requirements for the role like portrayable age, portrayable ethnicity, hair color, hair length, sizes, SAG-AFTRA status, work dates, and more. It's extremely important to read these posts fully and submit only if you fit the description. For example, if a post is seeking someone who can portray an African American woman between the ages of 25-30 and no taller than 5'5", you must meet all those requirements to submit. If you mostly fit the description, but you are 6'2", you should not submit. We know many background actors are eager to get booked and on set, but submitting for roles you don't fit doesn't help you, the casting director or the production company.

How to submit for roles

Found a role you can portray? Each post will include detailed instructions for how to submit, which will usually involve sending an email with your name, contact information and a specific subject line. Casting directors use this information to look up your online profile in our casting portal, so it's important to send the information in the specific format requested. Keep in mind that our casting staff book multiple roles for multiple shows; a detail like a specific subject line may seem small to you, but can determine if the casting director sees your submission.

Depending on the role, you may be asked to submit additional information or materials, like your sizes or a current photo. These items are needed to determine if you can portray the role, don't forget to include them in your email.

After reviewing submissions, the casting director or production company may send an availability inquiry. This message is not an offer or guarantee of work, they are simply asking if you are available and interested in working on that date or date range.

Casting terms to know

If you're new to the entertainment industry, figuring out the language can get a little confusing. Here are some common casting terms you'll see in job posts and casting messages.

• Look: Your look refers to your appearance and your ability to portray a role. Your look can depend on a variety of factors, including hairstyle, facial hair, piercings and tattoos.
• Portray: Your look determines the roles you can convincingly portray. In job posts, you'll see phrases like "portrayable age" and "portrayable ethnicity." Background actors are cast based on how well their look fits with the production's vision of a role. So even if you're a doctor in real life, you may not be able to portray that production's idea of a doctor.
• 18tly (eighteen to look younger): This means the casting director or production company is looking for someone who is 18 or older who can portray under 18, which is common for high school scenes.

Learn more about the booking process on our How to Get Work page.