How to write a casting brief: copyable template and final checks

A casting brief should let an actor decide whether the role is relevant and submit the right material. A poster may attract attention, but the application page needs the details that make the opportunity usable.

The structure below is an editorial template. Complete it with your own production information and check it against the final application. See the casting call template landing page for the ShortCine workflow.

Draft the project information

Working title: [project]

Production type: [film, commercial, theatre, or another accurate description]

Production team and contact: [responsible person or company]

Synopsis or project context: [brief description]

Location: [filming area and any relevant travel expectations]

Dates: [shoot, rehearsal, and other required attendance]

Confirmed or provisional: [status of the schedule]

Do not fill an unknown date with a guess. State what is provisional and when you expect an answer. The same care applies to company names and distribution plans: describe what is agreed rather than what you hope will happen.

Write each role separately

Character: [name or role identifier]

Description: [the character and the work involved]

Playing age: [if relevant]

Language and skills: [requirements the performance actually needs]

Experience: [what is required or whether beginners can apply]

Relevant performance conditions: [details applicants need to assess participation]

Separate a genuine requirement from a preference. If a specific skill is central to the scene, explain that. If the team can consider people with different experience, avoid wording that unnecessarily rules them out.

Explain compensation in plain language

State whether the role is paid, unpaid, deferred, or arranged another way. If paid, give the amount or the proposed basis for agreeing it. Identify covered expenses separately.

A blank compensation field leaves a question unanswered. If terms are still being discussed, disclose that and explain when applicants will receive the details. Confirm the final arrangement with the selected performer; the brief itself does not complete that agreement.

Ask for the material you need now

Apply through: [application URL]

Material: [profile, photos, existing reel, or requested scene]

Role-specific questions: [necessary information not already supplied]

Deadline: [date, time, and time zone]

Planned next step: [profile review, callback, or other accurate process]

Questions: [contact route]

If you request a new scene, use the self-tape request template to make the task clear. Avoid collecting personal information that you do not need for the current decision.

Check the page against the form

ShortCine supports project details, multiple roles, deadlines, compensation fields, and role-specific application questions. Make sure the text of the brief agrees with the fields you set. A paid label and an unpaid description will leave applicants unsure which to trust.

Check the URL you plan to share and the material an applicant is expected to submit. When a deadline or shoot date changes, update the call and communicate the change to people affected.

For a complete fictional example, use the two-role short film casting brief. Plan the shortlist criteria before publishing so the team knows what it will review.