Casting Society of America
The professional association of casting directors hosting the Artios Awards and advocating for casting profession standards worldwide
Overview
The Casting Society of America, commonly known as CSA, is the premier professional association representing casting directors and casting associates in film, television, theatre, and new media worldwide. Founded to elevate the casting profession and establish professional standards for the craft, CSA has grown to include hundreds of members who are responsible for casting the majority of major entertainment productions across all platforms. The organization serves as the collective voice of the casting profession, advocating for the recognition of casting directors as essential creative collaborators in the production process rather than merely administrative functionaries who process actor submissions. CSA's work has been instrumental in raising the profile of casting as an art form and in establishing the professional norms that govern how casting directors interact with actors, agents, and producers.
CSA is best known for the annual Artios Awards, which honor outstanding casting achievements in film, television, theatre, and new media. The Artios Awards are the only major industry honors specifically recognizing the art and craft of casting, and they have become an important element of the awards season calendar in Hollywood and New York. Winning or being nominated for an Artios Award is a significant professional distinction for casting directors, and the ceremony provides a rare public platform for celebrating the contributions that casting makes to the success of entertainment productions. The awards categories span the full range of entertainment platforms and genres, recognizing excellence in casting across drama, comedy, animation, theatre, and emerging media formats.
How It Works
For actors, understanding the Casting Society of America and its role in the industry provides valuable context about the professionals who control access to audition rooms and ultimately influence which actors are presented to directors and producers for consideration. CSA members are bound by the organization's professional standards and guidelines, which include commitments to ethical conduct, fair treatment of actors during the audition process, and adherence to industry norms regarding session lengths, callback expectations, and the handling of actor materials. Knowing that a casting director is a CSA member provides actors with a baseline assurance that the professional they are working with has been recognized by their peers and has agreed to uphold the organization's standards. The CSA designation after a casting director's name in credits and casting notices signals professional standing and industry recognition.
The CSA provides a casting directory and resources that help industry professionals connect with qualified casting directors for their projects. This directory is valuable for producers, directors, and production companies seeking casting talent, as it provides a curated list of professionals who have met the organization's membership criteria and demonstrated significant professional accomplishment. The directory also serves actors indirectly by identifying the casting professionals who are most active and established in the industry, helping actors research which casting directors work on the types of projects they are pursuing. CSA's website and public communications provide information about the casting process that can help actors better understand how decisions are made and what casting directors look for when evaluating performers.
Who Uses It
CSA has been actively involved in advocating for the inclusion of casting directors in major awards categories, including a long-running campaign for an Academy Award for casting that has gained increasing industry support over the years. This advocacy reflects the organization's broader mission of ensuring that the creative contribution of casting directors is recognized and valued at the highest levels of the entertainment industry. CSA has also engaged with issues of diversity and inclusion in casting, encouraging its members to consider a broader range of actors for roles and to challenge assumptions about type-casting that may limit opportunities for underrepresented performers. The organization's position on inclusive casting practices carries significant weight because its members are the professionals who make the day-to-day decisions about which actors get audition opportunities.
Pricing & Plans
The Casting Society of America's public resources, including information about its members, the Artios Awards, and casting profession standards, are available at no cost to actors and other entertainment industry professionals through the organization's website. There are no fees for actors to access the CSA's public directory, learn about member casting directors, or review the organization's professional guidelines. The CSA is a membership organization for casting directors and associates rather than for actors, so the membership fees and internal programming are directed toward casting professionals rather than performers. Actors benefit from CSA's work indirectly through the professional standards it promotes, the visibility it brings to the casting profession, and the ethical guidelines its members agree to follow. There is no paid tier or subscription required for actors to engage with CSA's publicly available resources. Compared to commercial casting databases and directories that charge actors for access, CSA's public information provides authoritative context about the casting profession without any cost.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
CSA's greatest strength for actors is the professional legitimacy and ethical standards framework it provides for the casting profession, ensuring that casting directors who are CSA members operate within established norms that protect actors' interests during the audition and casting process. The Artios Awards create industry-wide visibility for the art of casting, which benefits actors by reinforcing the idea that casting is a creative process that should be conducted with the same rigor and respect as other creative disciplines. The organization's advocacy for diversity and inclusive casting practices sends a powerful signal from within the casting profession itself, which carries more weight than external pressure alone. CSA's directory provides actors with a reliable way to research and identify established casting professionals, reducing the risk of engaging with illegitimate or unprofessional casting operations. The organization's campaigns for greater recognition of casting directors — including at the Academy Awards — strengthen the casting profession in ways that ultimately benefit actors by ensuring that the people who champion them within the production hierarchy are empowered and respected. CSA's professional standards create accountability mechanisms that give actors recourse if they experience unprofessional treatment during the casting process.
What Could Be Better
CSA is an organization for casting professionals rather than actors, which means that actors cannot join as members and have limited ability to participate directly in the organization's internal activities or governance. The organization's influence depends on voluntary compliance by its members, and not all casting directors are CSA members, which means that the professional standards it promotes do not apply universally across the casting profession. The CSA directory, while useful, does not include every working casting director, and some highly active casting professionals choose not to pursue or maintain CSA membership for various reasons. The Artios Awards, while prestigious within the casting community, receive less public attention than other entertainment industry awards, which limits their effectiveness as a tool for raising general awareness of casting's importance. CSA's advocacy for inclusive casting, while meaningful, has not eliminated the systemic biases that continue to shape casting decisions across the industry, and some critics argue that the organization could take stronger positions on specific representation issues. The organization's focus on establishing casting as a recognized creative profession sometimes takes priority over addressing the specific concerns and experiences of actors who interact with casting directors.
Our Recommendation
Actors should be familiar with the Casting Society of America because understanding the organization that represents the gatekeepers of audition opportunities provides important context for navigating the casting landscape professionally and strategically. When you see the CSA designation after a casting director's name, you can have confidence that the professional has been recognized by their peers and has agreed to uphold certain ethical and professional standards. Researching CSA members who work in your target genre or market can help you identify the casting directors whose offices you should be targeting with your submissions and who are most likely to appreciate your specific talents. Following CSA's public communications and social media can provide insights into casting trends, industry priorities, and the evolving expectations that casting directors bring to audition rooms. While actors cannot join CSA, engaging with the organization's publicly available resources and understanding its role in the industry makes you a more informed and professionally aware performer.
Pro Tips
Visit the Casting Society of America website to familiarize yourself with the organization's member directory and identify CSA casting directors who work in your target areas of film, television, theatre, or new media. Pay attention to the CSA designation when you see it in casting notices, credits, and industry publications, as it indicates a casting director who has achieved professional recognition and agreed to uphold the organization's standards. Follow CSA on social media and subscribe to their public communications to stay informed about Artios Award nominations and wins, which can help you identify the casting directors who are currently doing the most acclaimed work in the industry. Research the CSA's professional guidelines for the audition process so that you understand the standards you should expect when auditioning for CSA member casting directors, and know how to raise concerns if those standards are not met. When preparing for an audition with a CSA casting director, research that individual's recent projects and casting preferences to demonstrate professionalism and preparation. Share CSA's advocacy campaigns for greater recognition of casting with your industry networks, as supporting the elevation of the casting profession ultimately benefits actors by ensuring that the people who discover and champion talent are valued and empowered within the production hierarchy.