In the vertiginous world of entertainment, where the dreams of fame and recognition swarms, there is a key figure, often invisible to the mass public, but fundamental in the realization of audiovisual and theatrical projects: the casting director.
How is talent perceived and chosen? This is a central question around casting work. Beyond academic training and experience, there is a crucial factor in the trial direction: the eye. It is an eye that trains over time. It is not only pure intuition, but an intuition backed by years of “backup” and knowledge of the environment.
The casting process is a team work; Casting directors do not operate alone. They collaborate to find the ideal people to give life to the characters. The search for talent is nourished by various sources: own databases, open calls, and what we call “real searches.” While the representatives played an almost exclusive role, the process has “democratized”, allowing more actors to arrive on other ways.
When talking about talent, we can talk about the case of Lali Espósito, whom the public saw to grow as a child. It is paradigmatic of what is considered “pure talent”, that innate “light” that seems to possess since childhood. But talent is not always evident in the first instance. Lali arrived at a casting without agency or manager, a scenario that continues to occur today. Her persistence, despite her mother’s initial refusal and feeling frustration for not having to act in that first test, led her to be selected for her first series.
Another fascinating example is those who arrive at the casting with the character ready. Not only do the lines interpret, but they commission the “Physic Role”, the physical appearance and the expected attitude. This underlines a key point: sometimes, what is sought is such a deep connection with the character that the distinction between actor and role is momentarily blurred.
But what about the little ones? The casting of children has particular challenges. There is the presence of “helicopter parents”, those who constantly fly over their children, projecting their own desires or frustrations in the incipient career of children. Ideally, the child who attends a casting should “come to have fun.” It is essential to discern whether the passion for acting is genuine of the child or a paternal impulse. Fortunately, the legal framework has evolved; There is a law that protects the working child, establishing time limits (currently 4 hours) and ensuring that delicate scenes are recorded in a fragmented way (“by cut”) to protect them.
Postpania casting. In the postpania era, a modality that was strengthened in Argentina and that was already common in the United States is the “autocasting.” It consists of the actor to record his own test at home, following certain technical guidelines such as a white background, horizontal format and a silent place. While it may seem like a “fiaca” for actors accustomed to face -to -face dynamics, it is a key tool that must dominate. It allows to show a large amount of material and is the first filter before a possible virtual or face -to -face casting. For those who just begin, practice self -scratch at home, even sending it to friends, it is an excellent way to familiarize yourself with technical aspects and be prepared when the real opportunity comes.
For those who seek to make their way in acting (or any entertainment discipline) it is important to know how to handle frustration. After preparing, studying and giving his best, a “no” in a casting rarely means that the actor is bad or good. Simply, “you are not what they are looking for” for that specific profile. Understanding this is vital for mental health and perseverance in a career with such exposure and rejection. The example of the protagonist of the series “Adolescence” illustrates this: he fit perfectly with the character that was needed, even if he did not respond to a superficial stereotype.
In short, the perception and choice of talent in casting is a complex process that mixes intuition trained with experience, the deep understanding of the characters, knowledge of the environment and the ability to see the potential beyond the obvious. For the actors, the way demands training, perseverance, adaptability to new tools such as autocasting, and a mental strength to understand that each casting is an opportunity, and every “no” simply part of the search for that “yes” that fits perfectly. The talent is in Argentina, you just have to know how to look for it and give it the tools to show yourself.
*Vanina Martorilli is director of Casting Talent Producer and artistic producer with 30 years of experience in the audiovisual industry.
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By Vanina Martorilli
