Casting Director
Sparkle Hickey, Make It Sparkle Casting
Sparkle Hickey is a casting director in Los Angeles. She is the owner of Make it Sparkle Casting.
What’s a casting director do?
A casting director acts as a liaison between executives and actors or actresses. The process is that a producer, director, and executives of television shows, commercials, photo shoots, print ads, and events are looking for talent to fill their production needs. The casting director fills those needs with talent they’re looking for.
What do you spend the majority of your time doing?
I spend the majority of my time networking. That, and going through tons of photos and headshots.
It’s hard to find someone with a critical eye for talent and know what it is that people are looking for. As a casting director, you have to find that talent, and you have to have that critical eye. If you have that critical eye, and know what people want and know what the role calls for, the possibilities are limited.
What’s the biggest challenge in your job?
The biggest challenge is finding the talent to fit the role. Because it can be difficult. You know what the director is looking for and you know what the script calls for. You want it to be perfect. And to find someone who fits in perfectly is tough, whether it’s your first time or your hundredth time.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be a casting director?
My advice would be to start now by doing your research on every single show you watch. Start to read through the credits when they roll, and research the credits. It’s important to know that everything you see on TV had someone envision it, and place someone in that role.
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