Marcia Shulman on Casting Vampire Slayers, Angels, and Grouchy Doctors
Marcia Shulman, who is based in New York City, advises Fox Broadcasting Company on key casting decisions and is responsible for expanding talent discovery capabilities both in and outside the U.S. More »

Veteran Casting Director Cami Patton on How Casting Has Evolved
Cami Patton may have been born to be a casting director. As a child, she spent a lot of time with her mother at the Town Theatre in Columbia, S.C. At age 6, she would give notes after rehearsals. More »

Don't Glamorize
When it comes to us reading unsolicited submissions, however, it does boil down to what is going on in that particular period. More »

The Right Track for All Ages
Always use common sense when contacting a casting director. Talent should know their boundaries and use proper etiquette. More »

Russell Boast Prides Himself on Being an Ally to Artists
Los Angeles casting director Russell Boast was born in South Africa, where he grew up surrounded by artists. More »

Actors Generating Jobs Via The New Producers
Nearly gone are the days of the sole producer who stumbles upon or nurtures an obscure project with an inevitable eye towards commercial presentation. More »

'Gossip Girl' CD David Rapaport Discusses How He Finds New Faces
My favorite method of finding new talent is going to the location where we're filming and casting real people, not actors. More »

CD Chris Game Brings His Well-Rounded Experience to the Audition Room
The Los Angeles–based casting director has worked as an actor, director, writer, and production assistant and has been teaching acting for more than 10 years. More »

Sig De Miguel on the Importance of Integrity in the Casting Process
For the last 15 years, Sig De Miguel has worked almost exclusively on casting feature films. He says his first exposure to the entertainment world came from watching movies regularly with his family. More »

Fair Wages? Are Actor Unions Fairly Serving All Actors?
There's been an alarming shift towards lower actor wages within the unions. And too many members of AEA and SAG have been complacent about it. More »

CD Emily Schweber Offers Advice on Headshots and Auditions
Some of the films she has cast have been shown at the Sundance Film Festival, including "The United States of Leland," "Bookies," and "Steel City." More »

Agent Ready or Not
Here is a questionnaire which will give insight into your readiness for an agent. The individual questions are based upon my extensive conversations with agents and behavioral therapists. More »

CD Wendy O'Brien on What She's Looking For
She currently handles "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "Sons of Anarchy," "Men of a Certain Age," and "Teen Wolf," as well as slew of pilots—and she loves her job. More »

How to Cast an Equity Showcase
Since 2005, casting director Joy Dewing has worked at Clemmons/Dewing Casting in New York. Back Stage asked Dewing for her advice on casting your own Equity showcase in New York. More »

Returning Actors: A Not-So-Welcome Back
There is a harsh reality awaiting these actors hoping to return to the thespian fold. They will not be welcomed back with warm embraces and adulation by hirers and representatives of talent. More »

Actors Should be Prepared and Keep Chat Minimal
I always look at unsolicited submissions for feature films. Those are always exciting for me, because I could meet an unrepresented actor who is just the person I need for a role. More »

Head Case: Actors Acting Against Their Best Interests
To borrow and mangle-by-paraphrase Arthur Miller: Their craniums are living thoughts of quiet desperation with destructive speculations ricocheting off one another. More »

How I Met Marisa Ross
Marisa Ross knows comedy. The Los Angeles–based casting director for the hit CBS series "How I Met Your Mother," Ross is also casting with Alyson Silverberg the Fox pilot "Iceland." More »

How Failure Worked for Me
For years I had a deeply personal secret. Only family and acquaintances I knew from the era of bell-bottom pants and Ford Pintos were aware of my shame: I failed seventh grade. More »

It's Gotten Nicer in New York
New York commercial casting director Mary Egan-Callahan, of House Casting, originally thought she wanted to be an actor, until she landed a casting internship and fell in love with casting. More »

The Ugly of Our Trade
Sue reminded me of the harsh realities of our trade: If the actors were not making money for the company or, as in Peter's case, not an easy sell, then it only made sense to let them go. More »