In short: A casting breakdown describes each role in a production so that actors, agents and casting directors can decide whether to apply. Give every role a name, an age range, a two or three line description, the scenes it appears in, the shoot dates and location, and the pay terms. Send it through one route with one closing date.
A breakdown does one job: it lets the right people say yes or no without reading the whole script. A vague breakdown brings in the wrong actors and wastes everyone's time, and one that is too tight stops good people applying. Write each role so that a working actor can judge it in less than a minute.
What the breakdown is for
The breakdown goes to agents, casting platforms and casting directors. It is the basis for a call for self-tapes or auditions, and it gives the director and producer one place to check the cast against the schedule. It is not a contract, so it should describe what is on offer rather than promise it.
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How to fill it in
- List the roles in the order they appear in the script, with the main roles first.
- Use the name from the script, and add the credited name if it differs.
- Write an age range, not a single age. Say when the story fixes the age and why.
- Describe the character in two or three lines: what they want, how they behave with others, and anything physical that matters, such as a stunt or a costume worn on the day.
- Give the number of scenes and say whether the role has lines.
- Add the shoot dates, the location, and whether the role is needed for one day or several.
- State the pay and expenses, or say plainly that pay is to be agreed.
- Give one closing date and one contact route, and say where tapes or emails should go.
StudioBinder's cast list template suggests adding columns for agent details, a preferred credited name and wardrobe measurements. Carry those across when they apply to the production.
Worked example
A two-day short film with one role, "ward sister".
- Age range: late 40s to mid 50s. No fixed age, because the story does not depend on one.
- Description: calm and exact, under pressure, does not raise her voice. Speaks in two scenes, does not appear in the stunt scenes.
- Dates and location: one studio day in the second half of December 2026, one location day close by.
- Pay: a day rate, stated in the breakdown, with expenses covered for travel.
- Closing date and route: 30 November 2026, by self-tape through the agent, or by email to the casting address.
Every line answers a question an actor would otherwise have to ask before they applied.
Common mistakes
- Giving one age, which rules out people for no good reason.
- Describing how the actor should look rather than what the character wants and does.
- Leaving out the dates and location. Actors need both to say yes.
- Leaving out pay, or putting it in a separate attachment that nobody opens.
- Pasting whole scenes of dialogue. Share only the scenes that matter for the role.
- Including personal details of people already cast. Keep the breakdown to the roles.
Actors who are asked for a self-tape need clear instructions, and the guide on how to record a self-tape covers what to put in them. The actor's side of the process is in what casting directors want from actor headshots. Actors who need new headshots or a self-tape session can look at the actor headshots page.
Sources
- StudioBinder, Cast list template, read 5 November 2026
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What goes in a casting breakdown?
The role name, an age range, a short description of the character, the number of scenes and whether there are lines, the shoot dates and location, the pay or a plain statement that pay is to be agreed, and the closing date with a contact route.
How specific should an age range be in a breakdown?
Give a range, such as late 30s to mid 40s, rather than one number. Only use a fixed age where the story depends on it, and say why.
Should a casting breakdown include the pay?
Yes, or say clearly that pay is to be agreed before any offer. Leaving pay out makes actors guess, and many will not apply without it.
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