Advert Casting in London: Actors, Models and Real People for One Campaign
Most adverts need actors, models and real people at the same time. Split the roles, brief each supplier once and settle usage early, and the casting stays quick.
- Most adverts need more than one type of performer: actors for lines and performance, models for look and stills, and real people for authenticity. Plan the mix before you brief anyone.
- Decide who carries the story first. Speaking and acting roles go to actors. Product, beauty and fashion looks go to models. Background and "customer" faces can be real people.
- Usage is the biggest cost lever. Settle media, territory and duration before casting, because they shape what performers and agencies will quote.
- Run one clear brief to each agency, keep the timeline to self-tapes and a recall, and book in writing with fee and usage stated.
- Casting the whole campaign through one agency group saves time, but the same rules apply to any combination of suppliers.
Advert casting in London is seldom a single decision. A thirty-second film for a retailer might need a lead who can act, two supporting parts, a hand in close-up, a group at a table and a model for the stills campaign that runs alongside it, cast from a board of commercial models. Each of those people comes from a different pool, is booked through different routes and is licensed on different terms. Brands that cast the whole thing in one plan finish quicker and end up with fewer contract surprises.
The split between those pools, the route for each part, the self-tape and recall stage and the usage terms all need settling early. Allied Artists represents the actors, and our sister company The Diversity Agency, which represents commercial models for brands, e-commerce and campaigns.
Step one: decide who carries the story
Start with what the audience needs to understand in the first three seconds, then work out who has to deliver it.
- Actors carry anything that depends on performance: lines, a reaction, a joke, a change of mood across a scene, a character with a clear point of view. They take direction in a few takes and repeat it.
- Models carry anything that depends on how someone looks, moves or fits the product: beauty, fashion, e-commerce, lifestyle stills and the "hero" frame on a billboard. They are booked for their look, proportions and ease in front of a stills camera.
- Real people carry trust: customers, staff, families, neighbours, community faces. They add truth to a scene that needs to feel unscripted.
Plenty of people can do more than one of these. If you are unsure which route is right for a role, write down what the person must do on the day. If the answer includes "say" or "react", you want an actor. If it includes "show" or "wear", you want a model.
Step two: build the cast list by role
Write the cast as a table before you contact anyone.
| Role | What they do | Likely route |
|---|---|---|
| Lead or "hero" speaking part | Carries the film, delivers the line | Actor |
| Supporting characters | Interact with the lead, react, speak a short line | Actor |
| Stills talent | Poses for the campaign images | Model |
| Product or hand shots | Holds, uses or applies the product | Hand or product model |
| Group scenes | Fill a restaurant, office, street or family table | Real people, or supporting artists |
| Voice | Narration or voiceover | Voice actor |
Add age range, look, any skills such as sport or an instrument, and whether a role is exclusive to a category such as telecoms or fashion. Competitor exclusivity affects fees, so state it early.
Step three: choose where each part is cast
Each pool has its own best route.
Actors
Brief a talent agency. You receive a shortlist with headshots, showreels and Spotlight links, and the agency handles availability, fees and contracts. Our guides to casting actors for a commercial and commercial actors in London cover the process in detail.
Models
Brief a model agency. The Diversity Agency shows its boards online, so you can browse before you ask. For fashion and beauty looks, Faces by TDA is the place to start, and its piece on commercial models versus editorial models explains why advert work asks for a different type of model than a magazine shoot. For hands and product, see Hands by TDA.
Real people
Real people casting finds non-professionals who look and sound like your customers. It works best when you want natural reactions and are prepared for more preparation time on the day. TDA's client guide to real people casting explains what to expect.
Background and extras
For crowds, use a casting agency or supporting artist supplier. Our guide to hiring extras and supporting artists in London covers what to put in the brief.
Step four: write one brief and send it to everyone
The same six facts go to each agency, so that everyone is working from the same plan:
- The campaign. Brand or product, and where it will run.
- The roles. The table above, with ages, looks and skills.
- Shoot dates and locations. Include fittings, rehearsal and any travel.
- Usage. Media, territory and duration, covered below.
- Budget. A range saves a round of messages.
- Deadlines. When you need suggestions, when tapes are due, and when you decide.
If your brief spans both actors and models, send it to Allied and The Diversity Agency together. Allied is the acting arm of The Diversity Agency, so suggestions for both come back in one go. The commercial-model side of the work is covered by TDA in its guide to what it costs to hire a model.
Step five: self-tapes, shortlist, recall
Most advert casting now runs online. The agency sends shortlisted profiles, you share a short script or scenario, and each performer records a self-tape. You review the tapes, pick two or three per role, then hold a recall in person or on a call. A call-back with a pair of leads together is the best way to check chemistry.
- Send sides and a clear slate. Tell performers what to say, how to frame the shot and what to wear.
- Give a deadline that allows a re-record. Everyone does their best work on take two.
- Watch the tapes, not just the photos. A performer's read tells you more than any still.
- Use the recall to test direction. Give one note and see how fast they apply it.
For performers, our guide to how to do a self-tape audition shows what a good tape looks like, which tells you what to expect from the good ones.
Usage: the part that changes the budget
Performers are paid for their time and, separately, for how the finished work is used. Usage covers three things:
- Media. Social, online video, broadcast TV, cinema, outdoor, in-store, print.
- Territory. UK only, Europe, worldwide.
- Duration. Months or years, and whether it can be extended.
A short, UK-only online licence and a multi-year, worldwide, all-media buyout are very different prices for the same shoot day. Put the real plan in the brief. A plan stated at the start is cheaper and cleaner than extending the licence after the film has already run.
Models and actors are usually licensed separately, so the usage terms you agree with one agency do not carry over to the other. Keep a single document that records media, territory and term for every person in the campaign. That makes renewals easy and avoids using someone's image after their licence has ended.
Diversity, representation and fit
A campaign that speaks to a wide customer base should look like that customer base. Think about this at the cast list stage rather than the last-minute swap stage. TDA's guide to casting a diverse campaign without getting it wrong sets out how to do it well, and the same thinking applies to actors. Ask your agencies to include performers of different ages, ethnicities, sizes and abilities in the first shortlist, rather than adding them in later as an afterthought.
A realistic timeline
- Day 1. Send the brief to each agency.
- Days 2 to 3. Suggestions arrive. You shortlist and request self-tapes.
- Days 4 to 5. Tapes land. You pick the recall list.
- Days 5 to 6. Recall, decision and written booking confirmation covering fee, usage, dates and cancellation terms.
- Shoot. Performers arrive prepared, with wardrobe options if requested.
Shortening this is possible when a deadline is tight, but a shorter schedule gives you a smaller pool, because the right people book up. Start early and everything else gets easier.
Mistakes that cost advertisers money
- Leaving usage vague. Settle it before the shoot.
- Casting off headshots. Review the tape.
- Briefing each supplier differently. One brief, sent to everyone.
- Using an actor for a model's job, or the reverse. Match the person to the task.
- Skipping the written booking. A confirmation protects both sides, and a chat thread does not.
Quick answers
How do I cast an advert in London?
List the roles first, split them between actors, models and real people, send one brief to each agency, review self-tapes, hold a recall, and confirm the booking in writing with fee and usage stated.
Do I need actors or models for my advert?
Actors suit roles that depend on lines, reactions and performance. Models suit roles that depend on look, fit and stills. Real people suit scenes that need to feel unscripted.
What affects the cost of casting an advert?
The number of performers, the shoot days, and above all usage: which media, which territories and for how long. Exclusivity in your product category can also change fees.
How long does advert casting take?
With a clear brief, a realistic timeline is about a week from first email to confirmed booking: suggestions in a day or two, self-tapes within a few days, then a recall and a decision.
Can one agency cast both actors and models?
Allied Artists represents actors and is the acting arm of The Diversity Agency, which represents models. A brief for both can be sent to the two teams in one email.
To brief us, send the campaign, the roles, the dates, the usage and the budget through the contact page. We will come back with actor suggestions, and with model options from The Diversity Agency if the brief needs them.