Casting Directors and Reality TV
What do reality television casting directors look for during auditions and what makes a great reality television cast
What makes a great reality television ensemble? Looks, personality, talent... Read on to find out the scoop from a film and television casting director.
There are four basic types of reality television show categories: a slice of life, the social experiment, a talent competition and the game show. However, no matter how seemingly diverse these formats of reality television shows are, the casting directors job is very much the same. It is the casting directors job to not only ensure that the reality television cast is “television friendly,” they also must often be talented, attractive, and above all, have a great personal story to share with an audience!
For a reality television casting director, a slice of life reality show like The Osbourne’s or Breaking Bonaduce is the most simple to cast. First, more likely than not, the participants are famous or even infamous personalities. These starring celebrities may also be producing the reality show. Slice of life reality television stars all know their own “quirks” and are ready, willing and able to expose themselves. The show usually runs smoothly by itself. After the celebrity star is set, the challenge that the casting director faces is locating all the other cast members. Just imagine what its like to find (and convince) someone to let Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie live with you!
The casting director who is working on a social experiment reality show like Big Brother or The Surreal Life, is looking for one basic factor in a qualified participant, and that is called conflict. Drama within oneself is good (who could possibly forget that poor girl who had Lyme disease on The Real World: Seattle), but tension with the other cast members is even better. Most simply stated, the casting director is looking for participants with a lot of attitude and issues.
For the reality show that is also a talent competition, the casting director has a split focus. The first order of business is obviously to attach cast members with talent. However, just as crucial as a participant’s perfect pitch on American Idol, or their flawless gown design for Project Runway, is their own personal dramatic saga. Here are some memorable highlights of great reality talent competition casting: any set of twins (“if you’re a twin your in”), Laura from Project Runway, who was not only extremely talented, but also extremely pregnant, and finally that guy who lunged at Paula Abdul during the Los Angeles American Idol callbacks (they even brought him back for a starring appearance in the finale). Whether they had talent or not, from a casting directors perspective all of these individuals made great television.
A casting director working on a game show style reality series takes a bit of all the discussed traits to assemble the perfect cast. Irrespective of that, in game show reality series casting, intelligence and/or athletic ability are substituted for the talent factor. You may have noticed that there are several common archetypes in game show reality casting. For example, what would The Amazing Race be without several mind-blowing arguments every episode or a television season of Survivor without the flirtatious bombshell or the token mandatory lazy tribe member?
Who knows? One day it might be you!
About the author: Lynn Mason-Pattnosh is a freelance writer and casting director with advanced degrees in the Humanities, Theater and Education. She’s also the writer in charge of the NW U.S./Alaska Travel Section here at Suite101.com. To learn more about her, check out her profile.
