Casting Agencies: How They Work and Which Are the Best Ones in the Czech Republic?
Updated 30. 3. 2025
Have you ever seen the term Casting Agency in movie credits and wondered what it actually means?
What is the purpose of a “casting agency“?
How can you recognize a good one, and how much do their services cost?
And which are the best casting agencies in the Czech Republic and Slovakia?
That’s what we’ll cover in today’s article! Enjoy the read! 😊
>>> Looking for extras, actors, actresses, or models?
Contact us HERE <<<
1) What is a Casting Agency?
A casting agency recruits actors, models, extras, and other artists for films, commercials, and music videos.
Their clients are film production companies or event agencies that hire them for casting services.
But why doesn’t a production company find actors themselves? Why do they need an agency?
Because a production company focuses on creating (producing) a film, commercial, or music video and simply can't do everything on its own.
With a few exceptions (like us! 😊), most production companies don’t have their own in-house casting agency.
Casting agencies typically have large databases of actors, models, hosts, children, and other performers, which they offer to production companies.
These databases can be vast, containing thousands or even tens of thousands of people. Most of whom are not professional actors but rather extras.
To stand out from competitors, casting agencies try to recruit the most unique individuals, foreign artists, various ethnic groups, or people with special skills like juggling or acrobatics.
Casting agencies also organize auditions for directors or producers.
They can either select candidates from their own database or announce a public casting, depending on the role requirements.
In some cases (such as for extras or minor roles), the client may be satisfied with just a photo and a profile from the agency’s database.
>>>Want to register in a casting database? Sign up HERE! <<<
2) Casting Database
A quality casting agency must first and foremost have a well-organized and professional casting database.
Such a database usually contains thousands of registered individuals who can be filtered based on gender, age, hair and eye color, skills, acting experience, and more.
The database should also include high-quality photos and, ideally, video footage of the performer.
Some casting agencies make their databases public, while others keep them private—it depends on their business model.
>>>Looking for people for a commercial, music video, film, YouTube video, or other project?
Browse our database HERE! <<<
3) How Much Does Registration or a Casting Agency's Service Cost?
Casting agencies charge fees based on different business models.
The most common model is taking a 20% commission from the actor’s payment. This is how the vast majority of casting agencies operate.
For example, if you earn 60,000 CZK (€2,400) for a TV commercial (which may seem like a lot, but these opportunities are rare, and you have to attend many auditions to land such a role), the casting agency will deduct 12,000 CZK (€480), plus you’ll also need to pay income tax.
For smaller projects, the percentage can be even higher. For example, if you are cast as an extra earning 2,000 CZK (€80), the agency may take more than 20% of that amount.
Additional costs can include casting organization and pre-selection services, which usually range between 10,000–30,000 CZK (€400–€1,200), depending on the project size and the specific type of actors needed.
Self-tape castings, where actors record audition scenes on their phones, are also becoming increasingly popular. Agencies typically charge 10,000–20,000 CZK (€400–€800) for handling self-tape submissions.
Agencies that take a percentage from completed projects generally don’t charge a registration fee, as they expect to make money when they secure roles for their actors.
However, some agencies operate differently.
Instead of taking commissions, they charge a one-time registration fee, leaving the actors to negotiate their own rates for each project.
>>>Looking for actors for a commercial, music video, film, or other projects?
Contact us HERE! <<<
Both models have their advantages and disadvantages. It ultimately depends on personal preference and negotiation skills.
4) What Casting Agencies Exist in the Czech Republic?
There are dozens of casting agencies in the Czech Republic.
Some specialize only in extras.
When I was in university, I worked as an extra in several big-budget films, which gave me great insight into how international productions operate.
It was an amazing experience to play a soldier in an 18th-century period film and wear historical costumes.
How to succeed at auditions? Few tips here:
Being an extra isn’t highly paid, but the experience of seeing a major international film production up close is priceless. Not everything is about money. 😊
Other casting agencies focus exclusively on professional actors, ethnic minorities, or unique individuals.
Some agencies handle all types of castings, from extras to commercials and films.
There are many casting agencies out there.
How Does a Commercial Shoot Look Like When We Cast the Actors?
One of the agencies we work with is Markusfilm Casting, our own production company’s casting agency, which we’ve been using for our projects for a long time and are now gradually offering to others as well.
Our database includes thousands of registered individuals, making it easy for clients to search, post casting calls, and select the right people for their projects.
This casting agency has been incredibly helpful for our own productions, and we believe it will help others too.
Our database includes a wide range of talent, from professional actors to extras and unique ethnicities.
You can find here the reviews from people who got cast in our projects!
So feel free to register, or we can find people for you. :)
Where Have Actors from Our Casting Database Appeared?
1) Dr. Booster Commercial – we provided both actors
2) Railway Infrastructure Management Commercial – we cast both actors
3) Casting of lead roles – father and daughter, plus extras
4) Eco Power Commercial – we provided both actresses
Author of the Article:
Mgr. Marek Dvořák
CEO, Markusfilm s.r.o.
Translator of the Aricle:
Patrícia Truchlíková, DiS. art.
