Overview of the role
As a senior member of a production team, the casting producer works with the executive/series producer to devise and deliver the overall casting strategy for the production, employing a detailed understanding of the overall editorial vision to cast to the specific aims and needs of the production. In children’s unscripted TV this could include casting over-18s, for example subject experts or celebrity performers. Or it could be casting under-18s, for example contestants for a game show, contributors on a documentary series or pre school children participating in a natural history series.
The casting producer must have a clear understanding of what makes a strong contributor and an engaging story. They will be able to assess a contributor’s suitability for working with a production and foster inclusive and responsible practices with diversity and accessibility in mind. Crucially when casting children, they will understand and adhere to all of relevant duty of care regulations around working with children including employing safeguarding and GDPR/data protection regulations, working with external experts and the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, guiding and managing the casting team accordingly.
Core responsibilities
These core responsibilities are provided as a guide and are not exhaustive. The exact responsibilities in a particular job will vary depending on the nature of the production, scale of budget, size of the team and whether the casting producer also continues through to production.
- Define and communicate the contributor brief needed to meet the editorial vision including all best practises around portrayal and inclusivity.
- Create a casting schedule with clear targets and goals to ensure production deadlines are met.
- Devise a compliant and tailored outreach plan that considers the format and tone of the show and the demographics (age, location, etc) of the ideal contributor. For children this may include social media outreach to parents, carers and relevant organisations like schools or clubs or online call outs on appropriate websites.
- Create casting copy and application paperwork including a research call script and obtain sign off from the executive producer and commissioner.
- Manage the casting budget effectively to ensure that any paid adverts and appropriate social campaigns can happen periodically throughout the casting period.
- Understand how AI could be used to support content creation and ideas generation and ensure any tools and outputs accessed are fully disclosed to and pre-approved by the series/executive producer and employed in accordance with production company and broadcaster guidelines and EU and UK law
- Depending on the scale of the project, organise large scale audition tours and smaller in-person recces.
- Recruit and manage the casting team, fostering a respectful, inclusive and collaborative working environment where all voices are heard. Be approachable and available to both team members and contributors.
- If casting under 18s, ensure the team is trained in, and complies with, all safeguarding, GDPR/data protection and working with children regulations including the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and broadcasters’ editorial guidelines.
- Be responsible for the casting team’s online contributor databases, ensuring all GDPR and data protection rules are strictly adhered to.
- Ensure roles and line management are clearly defined. Set achievable work and personal development goals for reports and offer regular feedback on eg., casting biographies and contributor edits.
- Provide clear direction of casting targets, goals and deadlines to team and hold regular team meetings for updates including developing priorities, anticipating and avoiding issues, flagging any welfare concerns.
- Lead on casting brainstorm sessions for new ideas for outreach and casting headlines.
- Where relevant know how to organise large scale talent auditions as well as at home recces or the efficient scheduling of online casting interviews with all relevant paperwork and permissions outlined and completed.
- Brief potential contributors and their parents/carers on the casting process and stages in an appropriate and empathetic manner. Explain the programme tone, channel or platform, expectations and level of commitment so potential contributors and their representatives can give fully informed consent.
- Interview and record potential applicants, putting young contributors at their ease, communicating in a clear and appropriate fashion and allaying any concerns while following all relevant safeguarding and duty of care guidelines.
- Understand how to ensure appropriate background checks are made to assess suitability of contributors, agreeing with the executive producer/commissioning editor the appropriate checks to be carried out in advance and subject to the relevant consents from children and parents/carers e.g. consulting with the school/college, GP, members of the contributor's wider family. Keep a documented trail of relevant checks and know when to escalate any concerns.
- Where appropriate consult external experts including a media production psychologist (MPP) to ensure the psychological wellbeing and safety of specific participants, any possible risks presented by a production and the measures required to prevent and/or address these. Ensure full records are kept and stored safely.
- Demonstrate sound editorial judgement in the selection and shortlisting process ensuring diversity of contributors and story.
- Oversee the edit of clear and insightful casting tapes and blogs and delivery to the senior team and commissioners.
- Additional duty of care considerations are required when working with under 18s. These should be discussed with editorial management, commissioning editor and compliance contacts at the start of a casting process.
- Teams may decide to implement the principles of the Ofcom risk matrix into the casting strategy to determine a project’s level of risk and include steps that will be in place to mitigate potential risks to contributors before, during and after production.
- Be diligent in applying GDPR/data protection rules in casting processes, ensure all personal data is stored in a safe and appropriate way.
- Work with senior team and welfare executive to oversee medical and mental health assessments.
- Complete welfare and background checks and, where applicable, character references prior to casting sign off.
- During the handover to production, ensure all relevant welfare processes are in place for filming and all aftercare practices for contributors after filming has finished. If appropriate stay in contact before, during and after filming, to ensure contributors are clear and happy about their role in the show and help deal with any concerns.
- Keep up to date with industry best practice and Ofcom compliance guidelines on working with under-18s including fairness, harm, imitative behaviour and offensive material.
Skills
Check out the role specific skills, transferable skills and attributes for the role of casting producer in children's TV.
- Personable: the ability to put contributors at ease particularly when working with under 18s including very young children and their families.
- Strong interview skills: using empathy and initiative to ask the right questions for the project.
- Highly organised: implementing systems to manage casting team and contributors.
- Industry knowledge: particularly in all aspects of casting under-18s, in welfare protocols, compliance, safeguarding, GDPR and the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.
- Communication: liaising with various departments including compliance, senior editorial management and production team, commissioner.
- Confident: in leading creative brainstorms and pitching contributors to senior team and commissioner.
- Problem-solver: a can-do attitude to issues as they arise and works collaboratively with the wider team to troubleshoot solutions.
- Active listener: is a supportive presence to contributors and their families/representatives at every stage of the process ensuring their voices have been heard.
- Excellent writing skills to create casting call outs and pitch documents.
- Strong editing skills to create and oversee casting edits.
- Logistical planning, to organise recces and large-scale audition processes.
- Networking and establishing relationships with external organisations to promote casting opportunities.
- An understanding of social media campaigns and targeting.
- Delivering under pressure, working to tight deadlines to meet contributor goals and responding to changes in the editorial brief that affect the casting process.
- Proactive: lead the casting team with drive, determination and explore new ways of working.
- Honesty and integrity: have clear and transparent communication with contributors and wider team to disclose and troubleshoot issues at the onset.
- Confidentiality and discretion: make sure personal and sensitive information is managed with professional discretion and in line with GDPR/data protection guidelines.
- Ability to prioritise: managing the workload of the team to ensure the casting strategy is carried out in the most efficient ways.
- Resilience: be able to adapt to an evolving production schedule and any changes in the casting and editorial brief.
- Positive mindset: keep the team morale high particularly during challenging casting periods.