{"id":1542,"date":"2019-05-09T12:12:27","date_gmt":"2019-05-09T12:12:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=1542"},"modified":"2026-03-30T09:11:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T09:11:02","slug":"casting-director-sue-odell-cda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-industry\/casting-director-sue-odell-cda\/","title":{"rendered":"A Day in the Life of a Casting Director: Sue Odell, CDA"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Spotlight spoke to Casting Director Sue Odell on her hands-on approach to casting, the realities of a commercial casting timeline, and how inclusivity factors in\u2026<\/h2>\n<blockquote class=\"quoteMacro style1 noAuthorImage\">\n<div class=\"quoteText\">\n<div class=\"quoteTextInner\">\u201cI like to give [actors] confidence straight away &#8211; I try to find interesting types that aren\u2019t conventionally pretty. I give them confidence by finding that something about them &#8211; I love the chip in your tooth! I love your eyebrows!\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer>\n<div class=\"quoteAuthorInformation\">\n<div class=\"quoteAuthorName\">Sue Odell<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3><strong>What got you into casting in the first place?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t ever planned. I was a graphic designer. I worked in magazines and on TV, and then a photographer called Iain McKell &#8211; this was 1983 &#8211; came up and said he wanted to put on an exhibition of his work. He was super cool, photographed Madonna, Malcolm McLaren, Vivienne Westwood\u2026 and he asked me to work with him. I put on the exhibition of his work that was a massive success and after that he said come and work with me full time. So I left my job as a graphic designer.<\/p>\n<p>I started off by cleaning the loos and making lunches in the studio, and one day we were given an advertising campaign for Smirnoff. He said, \u201cRight, can you sort it out for me?\u201d I had to find the models and all the clothes and props, find the locations. I did absolutely everything. I lived (and still do) in Camden and sort of went around and did street casting \u2013 I didn\u2019t know any actor agencies. I knew some fashion model agencies but we didn\u2019t want that sort of person.<\/p>\n<p>I went out and did \u2018street casting\u2019, and found all the props and locations\u2026 after that we started getting more and more work and it just developed from there. For the first 20 years I did casting and styling &#8211; all the location scouting, the whole production. Everything \u2013 which was incredibly unusual at the time which is why I think people like working with me.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>How did your process develop? How did you \u2018learn\u2019 to cast?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Well, I cast for advertising mainly. I also cast short films, and I\u2019ve just cast my first feature this year. The advertising agency will come up with a concept. In the olden days, I worked with Don McCullin for a time, and we did an anti-heroin campaign. They wanted a girl being sick in a loo, and a boy holding some heroin\u2026 First of all, Don wanted to go to Liverpool and work with real prostitutes and drug addicts, and the agency said no, you have to approve everybody! Then I really went out and about in Camden &#8211; I wanted a boy with real bitten nails. I worked with Don for some time, casting the Met Police campaign and other jobs. Then I worked with Lord Snowdon, for 6 years as his casting director and stylist, and that was quite different &#8211; all posh, upmarket advertising campaigns\u2026<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve always done street casting, I had an eye for that. One of my favourite jobs ever was for Accurist watches, the ad agency gave me the copy line \u201cNo ordinary old-timer,\u201d and 6 weeks &#8211; unheard of now! They wanted me to find really interesting-looking older people. I went around drag clubs and gay clubs and tattoo conventions. One of the subjects I found was a woman in her 70s who was completely tattooed from head to toe (unusual at the time!)\u2026 I loved all that.<\/p>\n<p>Occasionally I\u2019ve used a casting assistant, but mostly I do everything myself. My casting director friends are often surprised, I literally do everything myself from the booking in, to taking photographs. I will book a camera operator for moving image, but I&#8217;m there at the casting meeting the actors the whole time. I think I\u2019m a control freak!<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Where do you look for talent?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I go to the theatre a lot\u2026 And new theatre companies like Redgates Theatre &#8211; incredible places where you can pick up great talent&#8230; The job I\u2019ve just done, which is a big TV commercial, they wanted families &#8211; the way I started was by going to child agencies and then from there we used the whole family. The siblings and parents and grandparents hadn\u2019t been in front of the camera before. But we wanted real families. It\u2019s much more natural [that way].<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What do you like to see from headshots or photos on a profile in general? What are the common mistakes on acting profiles?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I want to see the whole body &#8211; too often it\u2019s just headshots\u2026 Everyone should have at least one three quarter or full length picture on Spotlight. Ideally everyone should have some kind of moving image\u2026 sadly so many actors haven\u2019t got a showreel but sometimes when they have they\u2019re wearing camouflage make-up or something so I can\u2019t see their faces. Or they\u2019re putting on an accent. If I hear that I\u2019d just think \u201cthat\u2019s not what I expected\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>I wrote recently on Twitter that I looked through 700 showreels for one film job.. Now if you think that I have to look through the first minute of 700 showreels\u2026 that\u2019s a lot of time! An actor asked me, \u2018So that means you didn\u2019t get to the end [of my three minute showreel]?\u2019 and I suppose I might not have \u2013 though of course I hope go back and look at a few whole showreels at least.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>How much say do you have in suggesting different kinds of people for a role?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I always suggest actors. If it\u2019s advertising, the photographer might go \u201calright, I&#8217;ll listen to you\u201d but then the advertising agency and clients might go for someone much more conventional&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>In the end it\u2019s not up to me. If it\u2019s a film, the director will say, who do you think? The director will be with me, we will always cast together&#8230; But if it\u2019s adverts, those ad agency folk rarely come along.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What\u2019s your view on \u2018inclusive\u2019 casting?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I do a lot of LGBTQ+ castings and go to loads of events, I know loads of LGBTQ+ identifying actors and I\u2019ll try to call them in to castings. It\u2019s difficult sometimes to figure out how to cast [more inclusively] for lots of different reasons\u2026 I\u2019ve done two films with trans roles and I always insist we must cast a real trans actor. In fact a film that I\u2019ve cast recently, which is fantastic and coming out soon, is called My Brother Is A Mermaid, and I cast a trans teenager. It was interesting finding trans teens&#8230;and their incredibly supportive parents too. I found the person we cast on Spotlight, but I also sent [the breakdown] out to loads of different LGBTQ groups and put it on social media\u2026 asking around and going to agencies. Of course some agents do know if their clients are trans or gay or queer, but many don\u2019t. When I was casting one of the trans roles recently, we saw lots of cisgender as well as trans people &#8211; I said it had to be a trans person though, it matters a lot. And they agreed.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What your day looks like then &#8211; how do you make a breakdown? How do you start the process?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If a job comes in today, I might have to cast it in just one- or two-days\u2019 time&#8230; I have a core of agents that I deal with and I would send them something first. I keep a lot of people in mind, on file, and I would go to them too.<\/p>\n<p>Loads of actors write to me and I take headshots and label them and keep them on digital files myself. I just have a folder called \u2018actors\u2019 and if I\u2019ve seen them in a show, I make a note. I don\u2019t know how other casting directors do things\u2026<\/p>\n<h3><strong>So you start with some people you might know, or agents you\u2019re familiar with &#8211; how do you then narrow down who to bring in?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>It depends. This casting I did on Friday, I think I only knew about it on Wednesday. Some agents then check for me who is available, others just suggest lots of actors who in the end aren\u2019t actually available. We casting directors always have an issue with actors not being available and being told so right at the end of the day before the casting. I complain about no-shows on Twitter &#8211; for me that\u2019s massive. They\u2019ve taken up a slot that another actor could have had.<\/p>\n<p>I do ask for self-tapes quite often now too. A self-tape helps narrow things down a lot. I just did [an advert] for Multiple Sclerosis, and I wanted people who actually had MS. I found loads of people. But I didn\u2019t want them all to have to come in for a casting, so they all did self-tapes. I then called in a few of them to a casting in my studio. Obviously I love to work with people of all abilities\u2026 Sometimes [clients] will whisper in my ear that they\u2019d like to see more people who are diverse in some way, but you aren\u2019t allow to specify a particular ethnicity on the Spotlight breakdown unless there is a reason for it \u2013 for instance if it\u2019s for a medical campaign that targets a particular audience.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>You often hold castings here, in your home\/studio&#8230;<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I do cast in my own house, I have done for 28 years. People love coming here &#8211; it\u2019s an eclectic weird colourful house\u2026. I sometimes cast in town because I can only really accommodate up to three clients here. It\u2019s difficult when clients are in the room because it can stifle the process, but usually they are on their computers, not paying much attention to the actors I\u2019m casting\u2026<\/p>\n<h3><strong>This has come up in other chats. Lots of people in the room can be a bit off-putting. What do you do to make people comfortable with that? Does it vary from person to person?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Very much. I like to give them confidence straight away &#8211; I try to find interesting types who aren\u2019t conventionally \u2018pretty\u2019. I give them confidence by finding that something about them &#8211; I love the chip in your tooth! I love your big eyebrows! I am very honest. I don\u2019t like older men dyeing their hair\u2026 I always tell them if they just let it go salt and pepper, they\u2019d get much more work. Ha! There\u2019s me saying that with my bright red dyed hair!<\/p>\n<p>I always ask people to take their make-up off. I don\u2019t think it helps with anything. I take casting photographs, and my lighting is side-lit &#8211; it shows up any blemish, it\u2019s very honest, and that\u2019s what I and my clients want.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What happens then, when you\u2019ve actually got people in?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>They come in, it\u2019s all very friendly. My actor husband says hello to everyone, he\u2019s very chatty. If there are kids, I try to offer Party Rings as well as satsumas and bananas. I want them all to have a nice time. I don\u2019t like people waiting around. I don\u2019t give people a raffle-ticket &#8211; like you\u2019re number 105. The other day some people had to wait about 45 minutes and I felt absolutely terrible but I was very apologetic and everyone was very understanding. If I am doing a film, I like to give 20 minutes to half an hour per person which I didn\u2019t realise is quite a lot! As well as us asking them questions, I want time for the actor to interview the director and ask about the team too. All the directors I work with will also look after them as well\u2026<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Is there something about someone when they walk into a room that strikes you first?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I just like personality. I think it\u2019s important that they seem open\u2026 it depends on the job though, it might just be \u201cwow, you look amazing! You\u2019ve got the right look.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I usually suggest everything from very strong [and different] through to something \u2018safer\u2019. I like what makes people individual &#8211; sometimes people say \u2018Should I get braces?\u2019 I always say \u2018No, I love that gap in your teeth!\u2019 Come in as yourself, but we\u2019ll film you [doing an accent] too if that\u2019s what\u2019s needed. Sometimes we might just prefer your [native] accent.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>So once someone has come in, what happens next? What\u2019s your view on pencilling?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I\u2019ll write to them [all]. If Friday I did the casting, by Tuesday I\u2019ll say \u201cWe\u2019ve pencilled 5 people\u201d but it doesn\u2019t mean more people won\u2019t be pencilled &#8211; it depends on the client. We [might not have] heard from the client yet. I want to keep everyone informed. I spend my entire time nagging my clients as I don\u2019t like the idea of actors anxiously waiting to hear. For this job [I\u2019m doing now] five people have been shortlisted but\u2026 the clients might pick others too. I [do my best] to release people who are waiting. But I always keep a record of them for future jobs.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Any final advice for actors?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>You have to have a hard skin. Do something else as well &#8211; my husband is an actor, but he\u2019s a carpenter and a gardener as well. Very few actors can survive just being an actor. You have to do other work. Try and see lots of plays and films.<\/p>\n<p>Be honest, send honest pictures of yourself. Do not pay for showreels to get made\u2026 it\u2019s such a lot of money. A young girl sent me one the other day, and it was her and another girl and she didn\u2019t have a picture of herself, so I didn\u2019t know which person she was in the scene! If you\u2019re going to do that, try to [film] with someone completely different to you. If you can do more self-tapes [that will help].<\/p>\n<p>I prefer actors who wear less make-up, not so glammed up at my castings. It\u2019s like a canvas. I\u2019d like you to be a blank canvas, really. Depends on the role you\u2019re going for &#8211; you might like to dress up for it a bit. But don\u2019t dress as a character &#8211; if I\u2019m doing a part for a waiter, please don\u2019t show up in your apron!<\/p>\n<h3><strong>What keeps you going in casting?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>I just love getting people the work &#8211; it\u2019s the best feeling ever.<\/p>\n<p><em>Thank you to Sue for talking to Spotlight! You can read more about what Sue is up to on her\u00a0<\/em><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sueodell.com\/suepress\/\">website<\/a><\/em><em>\u00a0or on\u00a0<\/em><em><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/scorpioredhair?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor\">Twitter<\/a><\/em><em>. Take a look at more information and advice on\u00a0<\/em><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/?tags=casting%20directors\">casting directors<\/a><\/em><em>,\u00a0<\/em><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/?tags=auditions\">auditions<\/a><\/em><em>,\u00a0<\/em><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/?tags=showreels\">showreels<\/a><\/em><em>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/?tags=headshots\">photos<\/a><\/em><em>\u00a0on our website.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spotlight spoke to Casting Director Sue Odell on her hands-on approach to casting, the realities of a commercial casting timeline, and how inclusivity factors in\u2026 \u201cI like to give [actors] confidence straight away &#8211; I try to find interesting types that aren\u2019t conventionally pretty. I give them confidence by finding that something about them &#8211; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":2792,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[72,64,85,95],"class_list":["post-1542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-industry","tag-auditions","tag-casting-directors","tag-christina-care","tag-interview"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Day in the Life of a Casting Director: Sue Odell, CDA | Spotlight<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Casting Director Sue Odell CDA shares expert advice on street casting, commercial timelines, and the importance of diverse inclusivity.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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