Tricks of The Trade Volume 3 #3 March 2007

CASTING ALTERNATIVES

Just as the formats of media and distribution have changed radically in the past decade, so have the ancillary services that support advertising, film, trade shows and theatre. Included in that tidal wave of business is casting and talent. How does it work? Where do you go? What will it cost? Read on and we'll enlighten you to a few of the options that currently exist, including a newly favored type of casting option - real people.

There are casting directors, talent and model agencies, real people talent and community-propelled listing services that have been the traditional model for talent booking. Which you (and your client) choose is largely a matter of experience, project requirements, budget and client preference.

Casting agents provide a level of service that would be considered concierge. From selects from their proprietary files, to ultimate responsibility for paperwork and attendance, they manage it all. These traditional agencies are better suited for jobs with ample budgets, though many will negotiate rates for a smaller budget project. Feature films are an arena where this selection may be appropriate.

Model and talent agencies can help filter selections, providing access to veteran on-camera, voice and tradeshow talent that is experienced. These types of agencies also provide assurances in the realm of usage and tax concerns. They also carry the responsibility for setting fees, ensuring their talent shows up in good order and taking care of paperwork.

All of the above options include a part of the business that is a "take to the streets" style of talent search; agents leaving their desks, in search of the perfect face for a client's request. The goal of the hunt, and what defines a great agency: finding talent to add to an expansive database that has everything from a cute newborn to a fire dancer; or the gnarled hands of a tow truck driver. The agent is paid to search.

But what we really have had fun exploring is what's called "real people casting" which has sprung to amazing popularity in the past few years. In the frenzied proliferation of outlets like American Idol, You Tube, Facebook and Myspace, the idea of "real people" as featured performers, has come to the forefront. With real people casting, individuals can submit their photos and contact information and be classified and organized for producers, photographers and agencies to view for specific projects. One such boutique real people casting group is the newly formed Blue Sky People in San Francisco.

From the perspective of the client (the one who is buying the talent), Blue Sky People works like this: Photographers, agencies and producers perform a free search in a password-protected database of professional and non-professional talent. There is no agent involved. There are unlimited search options and when you find talent you'd like to book, Blue Sky People schedules the casting call. Client and talent show up, choices are made and a small booking fee is collected from the client for the contact information. Aside from a free database of talent, the other major factor that sets Blue Sky People apart from a traditional agency is that all fees are negotiated directly with the talent, not with an agent.

William Delzell, founder of Blue Sky Rental Studios, offers, "This is a custom-made solution for the stock shooter." Being able to negotiate directly with talent allows media producers to work with the tighter budget, which is great for experimenting and portfolio building. And with the database so easily accessible, the options for casting are very broad, and not selected at the discretion of an agent. Despite this being a great alternative for a smaller budget project, the big fish swim here, too. At present, Blue Sky People is even casting for a nationwide McDonald's project.

As the industry has changed, business have created and evolved new services to fill the requests and budgets that are prevalent in the marketplace. Knowing what your options are will help you create an environment where your project can flourish and your clients can be satisfied.