Casting Assistant

BBC Studios; London; Hybrid; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job description

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is a world-renowned content studio and channels & streaming business, powered by British creativity, with a reach that touches audiences in every corner of the globe.

We work with outstanding creative talent who are responsible for platform-defining shows from Strictly Come Dancing to Bluey, EastEnders, Prehistoric Planet and Planet Earth III.

The range and quality of our content is unsurpassed, creating critical and commercial successes and global phenomena.

From BAFTAs to RTS Awards, BBC Studios is Britain’s most awarded production company and the only producer with three of the top ten shows on IMDB; we’re the home of bbc.com, the widest-read English language news website in the world; and the UK’s largest distributor of British content.

About BBC Studios Drama Productions

BBC Studios Drama Productions sits at the heart of the UK as our slate of award-winning soaps and dramas continue to bring audiences together week after week.

BBC Studios Drama Productions is the UK’s biggest Drama production hub outside London. It sits at the heart of the UK as our slate of award-winning dramas continue to bring audiences together week after week. Silent Witness, EastEnders, Casualty, Father Brown, Shakespeare & Hathaway, Pobol y Cwm and comedy drama Anfamol remain a constant source of gripping entertainment, addictive storylines and loveable characters year on year. In addition to our ongoing productions, we are embarking on an ambitious growth strategy and we have a slate of fresh and exciting new shows.

THE ROLE

The in-house Drama Casting department specialises in casting hugely successful dramas including EastEnders, Casualty and Father Brown. They are an integral part in the creation of much-loved shows that entertain millions of viewers every week.

We are looking for a new Casting Assistant who will play an integral role in the busy Casting department’s responsibility to scout talent, negotiate and liaise with agents and arrange frequent casting sessions. You will be someone with past casting experience within TV, film or theatre and have a clear passion for the Scripted genre.

Duties

You will support and work closely with the Head of Casting and the in-house Casting Directors on a daily basis. Your duties will include but are not limited to:

1. Checking availabilities
2. Issuing casting breakdowns via Spotlight and facilitating open casting calls
3. Setting up casting sessions and self-tapes
4. Operating cameras and reading in during auditions
5. Editing & uploading audition tapes and self-tapes
6. Conducting and presenting casting research
7. Running casting sessions for children and young performers
8. Identifying and communicating changes to scripts and schedules

This is a hybrid role based in Television Centre, London, with a minimum of at least 2 days in the office, plus ad-hoc as required. Occasional travel to other BBC sites will also be required, including to cities across the UK.

We are ideally looking for someone to start in this role by late April / early May.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE?

To Be Successful In This Role, You Must Have

1. Demonstrable passion for Drama Television, Theatre and Film
2. Experience of casting, particularly within TV, Film or Theatre.
3. Extensive knowledge of actors and an ability to identify new talent
4. Experience of working with agents and building relationships with them
5. Experience of setting up and running casting sessions independently - working autonomously without a Casting Director as required
6. Experience of casting children and understanding how to get the best out of them in audition
7. Confidence working alongside directors, producers, execs and other senior level staff.
8. Good IT skills are essential & a basic knowledge of editing software
9. Administrative experience and examples of working in environments where there are competing priorities and problems to solve
10. Awareness of how to handle confidential information with tact and sensitivity
11. Experience of working in a position that requires communication with a range of stakeholders and having the confidence to challenge, express your opinions and negotiate solutions.
12. An enthusiastic approach to teamwork and sharing ideas.
13. Experience of talent fee negotiations is desirable, but not essential

LIFE AT BBC STUDIOS

Here, we champion an inclusive culture aligned with our Pledge, fostering an environment where you can freely unleash your creativity, in the pursuit of bold content. Collaborating with some of the industry’s brightest talents, you’ll have the chance to leave your imprint on millions of viewers worldwide. What’s more? There’s plenty of opportunities for growing your career with us too, nurturing and developing talent is ingrained in our DNA – we’d love for you to be part of it.

We don’t focus simply on what we do – we also care how we do it. Our values and the way we behave are important to us. Please make sure you’ve read about our values and behaviours.

The BBC is committed to building a culturally diverse workforce and therefore strongly encourages applications from underrepresented groups. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of their background.

BBC Studios puts sustainability at the heart of everything we do both onscreen and offscreen, including delivering against the BBC Group’s science-based Net Zero targets.

We are proud to share that we are a Level 2 Disability Confident Employer and we strongly encourage applications from disabled people. If you meet the minimum criteria for this role and declare that you are disabled, we will ensure to advance you to the next stage (minimum criteria above).

If you require any reasonable adjustments in order to apply please contact us on [e-mail].

Package Description

Job Reference: 23256

Band: B

Salary Range: £27,000 – £31,000 + London Weighting at £5319

Contract: 12 Month FTC/ Attachment

Location: TVC, London

WHAT WILL YOU GAIN FROM WORKING AT BBC STUDIOS?

1. We offer a competitive salary package
2. Parental leave for new parents, regardless of gender, of up to a year with 18 weeks fully paid
3. 26 days holiday (plus an additional day which is a Corporation Day) with the option to buy an extra 5 days
4. A defined pension scheme and discounted dental, health care, gym and much more
5. A comprehensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
6. Excellent career progression – access to courses, webinars, workshops and the opportunity to work in different areas of the organisation

NEXT STEPS

We appreciate your interest in this position and understand how important this opportunity is to you. Due to the high volume of interest we may need to close the application period earlier than anticipated. This step is necessary to ensure we can provide a high level of attention and service to all applicants. Thank you for your understanding.

To be considered for this role you will need to be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of your employment.