Casting Associate

Job Description

About BuzzFeed, Inc.

BuzzFeed, Inc. (Ticker: BZFD) is home to the best of the internet. Across food, news, pop culture and commerce, our brands drive conversation and inspire what audiences watch, read, buy, and obsess over next. Born on the internet in 2006, BuzzFeed, Inc. is committed to making it better: providing trusted, quality, brand-safe news and entertainment to hundreds of millions of people; making content on the internet more inclusive, empathetic, and creative; and inspiring our audience to live better lives. We'll continue to recruit the best founders and creators to join us in this mission, with more additions like Complex Networks and HuffPost to come.

The Role

The Casting Associate I works directly under with the Casting Producer and other associates and associate producers in casting all videos for Unscripted BFEG and BFMP productions. Will take a leadership role over particular projects with all aspects of casting relating to unscripted content with minimal crossover with scripted.

You Will

• Takes active leadership role for specific projects (eg. Research-heavy projects, series, etc.)
• Meets with key production staff to troubleshoot casting issues
• Manages status updates for each project to streamline the workflow of the department
• Checks talent availabilities, conflicts, sends out paperwork via DocuSign
• Manage and prioritize a high volume of projects and deadlines
• Creatively source qualified candidates for a variety of projects simultaneously
• Cold calling and pre-interviewing for a variety of projects
• Send out appointments for casting sessions
• Conduct extensive outreach/research to target the best candidates
• Compile large amounts of research and data into shared documents
• Scour talent and independently determine viable candidates
• Oversees collection of all talent documents prior to shoot date
• Work with Associate Producers and Directors on current projects to cast participants
• Maintain strong talent relationships throughout the development process
• Source and assess new talent via live performances, conventions, conferences, associations, organizations, businesses, minority organizations, universities and colleges, independent professionals, web searches, newspapers, books, magazines, talent representatives and all other applicable sources.

You Have

• Proficient interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to step into leadership role if/when needed
• Advanced outreach and research skills
• Proficient in Reality Outreach techniques, knowledge of Breakdown Express, Casting Frontier, etc.
• In-depth of knowledge in specific areas of casting
• Working knowledge of Mac, Breakdown Express, Casting Frontier, EcoCast, LA Casting, Casting Crane, Skype, Google Suite, etc.
• Positive attitude, friendly, outgoing
• Must be able to work as a team as well as individually
• Ability to multitask
• Work on tight deadlines
• Must have a sensitivity for minorities (i.e. LGBTQ communities, people with disabilities, etc)
• Tech savvy and knowledge of equipment and programs used for video calls and auditions
• Must be able to work in a highly collaborative environment
• Active knowledge of current events, pop culture, and global event
• 3-4 years of experience
• BA/BS or equivalent

Life at BuzzFeed, Inc.

We celebrate inclusion and are committed to equal opportunity employment. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against based on age, race, gender, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability or any other protected category.

You can expect:

• A supportive, inclusive atmosphere on a team that values your contributions
• Opportunities for personal and professional growth through work experience, offerings from our in-house Learning @ BuzzFeed team, our Employee Resource Groups, and more
• An attractive and equitable compensation package, including salary and stock options.
• A generous benefits program featuring paid time off, unlimited sick time, comprehensive medical benefits, a family leave policy, access to mental health platforms, retirement plans, gym and wellness discounts, and much more.

We want all employees to feel safe and comfortable when they engage in any in-person meetings, when visiting the office, or when working from an offsite production or meeting location. As part of this commitment to health and safety, BuzzFeed requires COVID-19 vaccines for current U.S. employees, including all newly hired employees. Requests for accommodation per applicable law for health and/or religious reasons will be considered. Union employees are subject to what is outlined in their applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Note: BuzzFeed, Inc. offers remote/flexible work (unless specified to be required to be in-person) and open to hiring remote candidates who are residents in the following states: CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, MI, MS, MT, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, and WV. For non sales roles, we can also hire in AK, AR, AZ, ID, KS, MO, ND, SC, and VT.