Navigating the Commercial Casting World – Insights from Aura Casting’s Latest Webinar
Last week, Aura Casting hosted an informative webinar led by Taylor Lambert, CSA, aimed at helping producers navigate the complexities of the commercial casting world.
It was a dynamic discussion packed with valuable insights into industry trends, effective bidding strategies, and the importance of involving casting early in the production process.
Key Takeaways from the Webinar
Understanding the Two Bids in Casting
One of the most eye-opening topics we covered was the misconception that there is only one bid in the casting process. In reality, there are two:
The bid that goes to the talent and their agent.
The bid that goes to casting for our expertise in finding the perfect cast for your project.
This distinction is crucial, especially in the non-union world, where talent rates fluctuate by region and change frequently. Unlike union projects, where SAG-AFTRA provides clear rate structures, non-union projects require producers to dig into specifics like:
Where the final materials will be used (Digital/Social, OTT/CTV, Broadcast TV, or Out-of-Home).
The length of the usage period.
Whether an exclusivity fee is needed to prevent booked talent from working with competing brands.
The Value of Early Engagement with Casting
One of the biggest takeaways from the discussion was the importance of calling casting during your bidding process. By looping in casting early, producers ensure fair rates for talent, agencies, and casting itself. Our casting team has extensive experience in this space, having worked in 12 states with over 150 producer clients, so we understand how to structure budgets that benefit all parties.
Maximizing Your Talent Pool
To attract the best talent, it’s essential to offer competitive rates. Higher talent fees mean better actors, and travel stipends can significantly expand your talent pool, increasing the likelihood of securing top-tier performers. In the commercial world, producers must consider both session fees and usage fees when budgeting for talent.
Selling Your Project to Talent
For smaller projects, offering competitive rates might be challenging, but there are creative ways to make the project attractive to talent. Some key strategies include:
Partnering with an established director.
Highlighting potential exposure, such as screenings at film festivals.
Looking Ahead
We hope our webinar provided useful insights for producers navigating the casting world. If you missed it, don’t worry! We’ll be hosting more webinars in the future, and we’d love for you to join.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Aura Casting can support your projects, reach out to us anytime. Let’s collaborate to bring your casting vision to life!
