10 things to consider when making casting offers
Because its more than just about the money....
Who is sending the offer? Generally the Casting Director is sending the offer but occasionally an entertainment lawyer or Producer may send an offer if the scenario is somewhat specific or delicate. Whenever I work with Casting Directors I often ask to see and approve the offers before they are sent in case I need to tweak the language.
Who is receiving the offer? If you are already in talks with an agent or manager regarding a specific talent then it will be easy to continue with that relationship in most cases. On the occasion that an actor is not represented you can send the offer directly to them. If an actor has several people representing them at an agency you might send a preliminary email asking who the offer should be sent to (who is the point person) and maybe who should be included in the email.
What are you offering the talent? The better the offer up front often the quicker you will be able to close the deal. The offer is more than just the actor’s salary, its the whole package. Can they bring their own hair/makeup person? Do they get a single trailer with all the amenities? Will the actor receive a single card in the credits or tickets to the premiere?
How long will the actor film? Well known talent generally aren’t known to wait in their trailers for days on end. Most of them want to be shot out within a few weeks even if being paid handsomely. When creating your schedule its important to consolidate the cast as much as possible. Knowing how long an actor films for is essential when making the offer… Because sometimes the dates can shift a week or more its generally a good practice to phrase it carefully.
Does the actor have to travel? If you are filming outside of Los Angeles or New York then you will most likely need to travel at least a handful of actors to your location. Coordinating their travel can include everything from setting up car service to the airport, first class flights, hotel accommodations, transportation and per diem. Occasionally certain actors will request certain types of things at their hotel like room service or a gym. These requests if handled properly can really show the actor you are aiming to make their experience as good as possible. I typically like to have a hotel decided before I even finalize most casting so I know what options I have at hand. Having these bookings known ahead of time will help assure the talent you have a plan.
Will their be rehearsals? Depending on the script and director their may or may not be any rehearsal prior to filming. Its important to figure out with your director prior to casting if they do want to do rehearsals and if so with which talent and when? Sometimes its a budgetary thing and due to the schedule its just not feasible. At the very least its good for the Director to talk to the leads and get to know them as much as possible prior to filming.
Who are the other cast? Depending on the project you may or may not be able to give out certain information to a potential actor. Sometimes an actor may be on the fence of making a decision until they know who is playing opposite them (ie..love interest). This can be a delicate conversation if the other cast member isn’t confirmed yet or is someone this cast person is not that excited to work with. In general this is typically only an issue with leads of a film or tv show.
Does the actor have any conflicts? This is very important to know prior to filming. If an actor has another movie or tv show that butts up against your schedule it could be potentially troublesome if your production goes longer than planned or is unable to shoot the actor out. Sometimes conflicts could mean the actor has a speaking gig or a film festival to attend and in some instances its best to allow these conflicts if trying to get known actor for a certain role.
Will the actor use any of their own clothing? If filming a low budget movie then asking the actor to use a portion of their own clothes may be a common ask. Higher budget films and tv shows often provide everything possible even multiple changes for day players. If you know you want to make this ask and the filming is happening on location its a good idea to let the Costume Designer do a zoom with the talent days before they board their plane so they pack enough possibilities.
What about the contract? For most lead actors its generally best to have an entertainment lawyer draft a long-form agreement after the initial offer is accepted. If the offer is for a small role with no travel then a simple short form agreement may suffice and may not a lawyer to review. Its a good idea to proof these contracts after the lawyer finalizes them. In general I like to have multiple eyes on contracts as its easy to make a mistake and have an error in them.