NFTS Leeds: Casting for Factual Television

The explosion of constructed factual and factual entertainment formats means that Casting Researchers, APs and Producers are increasingly an integral and essential part of the production team for unscripted shows. Whether it’s First Dates, an observational documentary or The Apprentice, the success of the show hinges on casting the right contributors with the best stories to tell. The Casting team will be on board at the very start of production and will nurture and maintain the relationships with contributors right through filming. 

This two-day course, delivered by a leading Casting Producer, will equip you with the knowledge and skills to help you pursue a career in this rapidly expanding area of production and understand the different roles and responsibilities of the casting team. Through a series of participatory sessions, you will go through the process of casting for a factual show step by step, with examples of best practice at every stage. 

This course is ideal for those with great people skills who are looking for routes into unscripted production  or anyone currently working in a junior role in factual tv. 

What the course will cover: 

• Introduction to the Casting Team 
• The different types of casting within Factual 
• How to set up a Casting Plan 
• Things to think about in the early stages 
• How to find your cast – ways to reach out using social media, advertising and applications 
• How to Pitch your cast to the producers and commissioners 
• Creating a short pitch on your smartphone 
• Looking after your cast during production 
• How to get a job into casting – where to look for jobs and how to tailor your cv 

Please note you will need a smartphone with a camera to participate in one exercise.  

About the tutor
Jane Streetster has worked in the factual and factual entertainment space as a Series and Casting Producer in broadcast television for over 15 years. Her experience includes a variety of mainstream broadcast TV credits such as The Apprentice (BBC One)  Four in a Bed (Channel 4) This Is My House (BBC ONE) Towie (ITV), First Dates (Channel 4),  School for Stammerers ( ITV) and many more.