February 27, 2023

Winners Announced: The CDG Casting Awards 2023

Supported by Spotlight and Headline Sponsor EON Productions The Casting Directors’ Guild are delighted to announce the winners for the 2023 CDG Casting Awards, in partnership with Spotlight. Now in its fifth year, the CDG Casting awards seeks to reward and celebrate the incredible work achieved by casting teams across Film, Television, Theatre and Commercials. This year, a new category was added to champion the success of those casting children across all media types. There was also a special award recognising Ian Smith’s ‘Contribution to Casting’, sponsored by Conway Van Gelder Grant.

This year’s ceremony was held at Ham Yard Hotel and hosted, for a second time, by Jennifer Saunders. This year’s presenters included Bella Ramsey, Asim Chaudhry, Richard E. Grant, Rob Brydon, Harry Trevaldwyn, Laura Donnelly, Rose Ayling-Ellis, Toheeb Jimoh, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Gemma Chan.

“It’s been a real privilege for Spotlight to be supporting The CDG, once again, for the 5th annual CDG Casting Awards. Whilst casting is a broad and varied profession across many different art forms, what unites the members of this often overlooked role in the industry is the passion, expertise and creativity required to bring incredible casts together. These awards are not superficial, they are here to remind us of the irreplaceable role of this profession in artistic and commercial successes. A huge congratulations to all the winners this year!”.
Matt Hood, Managing Director at Spotlight.

The 2023 categories and winners can be found here

Press Release
March 2, 2022

2022 CDG CASTING AWARDS WINNERS

The Casting Directors’ Guild are delighted to announce the winners for the 2022 CDG Casting Awards, in partnership with Spotlight. Hosted by the brilliant Jennifer Saunders, the intimate industry ceremony took place at Ham Yard Hotel in London on Tuesday 22nd February. Now in its fourth year, the CDG Casting awards seeks to reward and celebrate the incredible work achieved by casting teams across film, television, theatre and commercials. This year’s presenters included high-profile names from across the industry including; Adjoa Andoh, Emily Barber, Nicola Coughlan, Jamie Demetriou, Sope Dirisu, Clint Dyer, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Ncuti Gatwa, Victoria Hamilton, Tommy Jessop, Adrian Lester, Ralf Little, Pixie Lott, Ambika Mod, James Norton, Jessica Plummer, Giles Terera and Marisha Wallace.

You can download the full list of the winners here.

January 27, 2022

The Stage – NT casting boss: No excuses for exclusionary casting after pandemic.

Increased online auditions during the pandemic means there is now no excuse for failing to cast inclusively, the National Theatre’s head of casting has argued.

Alastair Coomer, who leads the casting department at the NT, said producers and venues – particularly large organisations – should be ensuring that they reach out to actors based in all parts of the UK by offering online auditions. Coomer said having the option of casting remotely also means producers and casting directors must address historic accessibility failings.

Read the full article on The Stage here.

Press Release
January 24, 2022

Star Makers: Casting is the invisible artistry of filmmaking

Movies rely so heavily on a perfectly chosen actor in the leading role. Considering how important it is to get this right, the casting directors who do this are often overlooked. Here, writer Anna Bogutskaya meets some of the most crucial casting directors in modern cinema, and looks back on the people who paved the way for them.

Click here to view this article click HERE

 

Press Release
January 17, 2022

2022 CDG Casting Awards

The Casting Directors’ Guild are delighted to announce the nominees for the 2022 CDG Casting Awards, in partnership with Spotlight. Now in its fourth year, the CDG Casting awards seeks to reward and celebrate the incredible work achieved by casting teams across Film, Television, Theatre and Commercial. This year, The CDG are also thrilled to welcome Netflix as a brand new category sponsor, a testament to the continued success and demand for limited series.

You can download the full list of nominees and categories here

Press Release
January 22, 2021

The Casting Directors’ Guild announces new committee members, and the formalisation of an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion group

The Casting Directors’ Guild announces new committee members, and the formalisation of an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion group

The Casting Directors’ Guild is delighted to announce two new committee members, Jane Anderson and Stuart Burt, and the formalisation of an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) working group, to promote and prioritise these values in the casting profession, both within the Guild itself, and the work of its members.

On the central committee, Jane Anderson and Stuart Burt join ongoing members Victor Jenkins (Chair), Jessica Ronane (Vice Chair), Andy Brierley and Kate Ringsell.

The EDI Group (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) was started two years ago on an informal basis, to seek out ways to be proactive in promoting these values within the casting profession. The group has now been formalised, consisting of twelve CDG members taking on varying areas of responsibility. Some of the bigger projects they have underway include:

  • Creating a paid casting internship for people who are currently under-represented
  • Professionally auditing audition spaces for accessibility
  • Initiating a system of diversity data monitoring within the CDG
  • Meet and greet events for D/deaf and disabled actors to meet casting directors
  • Increasing representation in the CDG’s social media output
  • Finding ways to help members understand and encourage the use of sensitive terminology in regards to different identities

The EDI are working alongside the CDG committee to update the Guild’s Code of Conduct, and have built working relationships with the Personal Managers Association (PMA)’s Diversity Group, and the Independent Commission for Race Equality launched by Equity.

Victor Jenkins said: “I am proud to be heading into my 4th year as Chair of the Guild, and I’m very excited to have Jessica Ronane as Vice Chair, and a committee made up of fellow experts in our field. 

The very nature of our jobs means that our work happens away from the public eye, behind the camera, in the wings, ensuring that the artists we work with have safe, private spaces to create. That being said, as our industry grows and changes, the Casting Directors’ Guild renews its commitment to being as accessible, transparent, and accountable as possible. We are living through a time of great change and we feel fortunate, as a front facing organisation, to be charged with steering our working practices for the benefit of all. 

With all that in mind, we look forward to a productive, busy & restorative year.”

The third CDG Casting Awards in partnership with Spotlight will take place on Tuesday 16 February 2021 during an online ceremony, to recognise casting achievements across Film, TV, Theatre and Commercials from the last year.

ENDS

For press enquiries please contact:

Francesca Maguire, franmaguire10@outlook.com / 07747 605971

 

Notes to editors:

The Casting Directors’ Guild is a professional organisation of Casting Directors in the film, television, theatre and commercials communities in the UK and Ireland who have joined together to further their common interests in establishing a recognised standard of professionalism in the industry, enhancing the stature of the profession, providing a free exchange of information and ideas, honouring the achievements of members and standardisation of working practices in the industry. The CDG upholds the highest ethical standards and advocates for the fair treatment of performers in the casting process.

The CDG Committee includes:

Victor Jenkins

Jessica Ronane

Jane Anderson (new)

Andy Brierley

Stuart Burt (new)

Kate Ringsell

 

The EDI Group includes:

Sonia Allam 

Heather Basten

Ray Böhm

Francesca Bradley

Aisha Bywaters

Ollie Gilbert

Jill Green

Ri McDaid-Wren

Katie Mozumder

Verity Naughton

Olissa Rogers

Gabriella Shimeld-Fenn

Press Release
December 16, 2020

Nominations announced for the CDG Casting Awards 2021

Nominations announced for the CDG Casting Awards 2021

Online ceremony: Tuesday 16 February 2021

 

The Casting Directors’ Guild (CDG) in partnership with Spotlight is pleased to announce nominations for the 2021 CDG Casting Awards, which will take place during an online ceremony on Tuesday 16 February 2021. This event marks the third year of these awards, which recognise and celebrate the artistry of casting across Film, TV, Theatre and Commercials. The eight categories are:

– Best Casting in a TV Drama Series
– Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series
– Best Casting in an Independent Film (under £3 million) – includes straight to TV
– Best Casting in a Film (over £3 million) – includes straight to TV
– Best Casting in Regional Theatre (Outside of M25 includes straight plays and musicals)
– Best Casting in Musical Theatre (inside M25)
– Best Casting in Theatre (inside M25)
– Best Casting in a Commercial

Victor Jenkins, Chair of the Casting Director’s Guild commented: “In a year that saw the very first BAFTA wins for Scripted Casting in both TV and Film, we are delighted to be able to present the third annual CDG Awards, celebrating the creative vision of casting on stage and on screen.

The pandemic has unquestionably had a devastating effect on our industry, and the theatres most of all. We must recognise that without the theatres we would not have many of the world-beating productions that have made it to our screens. And like a lot of industries, we have had to adapt and support each other. Our industry only shines when each of its sectors thrives.

The list of nominees highlights a really exciting range of home grown and international talent, and showcases many of the productions that have kept the whole nation gripped pre, during and post lockdown – on screen and on stage (albeit sometimes via screen). These are all achievements that deserve recognition and celebration.”

Richard Wilson, CEO of Spotlight added: “We have always believed that the work of casting directors should be celebrated by our industry, which is why Spotlight is so proud to continue partnering with the CDG for their annual Awards. Huge congratulations to all the nominees, and all of the CDG, who have continued to deliver such incredible work through one of the toughest years in memory for our industry.”

The nominations for the 2021 CDG Casting Awards are:

Best Casting in a TV Drama Series
• Shaheen Baig for Giri/Haji (BBC Two)
• Kahleen Crawford and Dan Jackson for His Dark Materials (BBC One)
• Kahleen Crawford for I Hate Suzie (Sky Atlantic)
• Julie Harkin, Casting Associate: Nathan Toth for I May Destroy You (BBC One)
• Louise Kiely and Karen Scully for Normal People (Hulu)

Best Casting in a TV Comedy Series
• Tracey Gillham for Inside No 9 Series 5 (BBC Two)
• Sarah Crowe for Motherland Series 2 (BBC Two)
• Lauren Evans for Sex Education Series 2 (Netflix)
• Theo Park for Ted Lasso (Apple TV)
• Rachel Freck, Casting Associate: Cat Dickie, Child Casting Associate: Annelie Powell, Casting Assistant: Amy Jackson for Trying (Apple TV)

Best Casting in an Independent Film (under £3 million) – includes straight to TV
• Isabella Odoffin for Blue Story
• Shaheen Baig for Calm with Horses
• Louise Kiely for Dating Amber
• Kharmel Cochrane for Saint Maud
• Dixie Chassay for Sulphur and White

Best Casting in a Film (over £3 million) – includes straight to TV
• Jessica Ronane, Casting Associate: Christopher Worrall for Emma
• Des Hamilton for JOJO Rabbit
• Co-Cast Fiona Weir and Alice Searby, Casting Assistant: Sarah Wilson for Judy
• Kharmel Cochrane for The Lighthouse
• Sarah Crowe, Casting Associate: Xanthe Spencer-Davidson for The Personal History of David Copperfield

Best Casting in Regional Theatre (Outside of M25 includes straight Plays and Musicals)
• Jessica Ronane, Casting Associate: Abby Galvin for A Monster Calls (The Old Vic on tour)
• Matthew Dewsbury for King John/A Museum in Baghdad/The Whip (Royal Shakespeare Company)
• Charlotte Sutton for Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads (Chichester Festival Theatre, Spiegeltent)
• Hannah Miller, Children’s Casting Directors: Hannah Miller and Barbara Roberts for The Boy in the Dress (Royal Shakespeare Company)
• Nadine Rennie for The Last King of Scotland (Sheffield Theatres)

Best Casting in Musical Theatre (inside M25)
• Stuart Burt for & Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre)
• Jill Green, Casting Associate: Amy Beadel, Casting Assistants: Heidi Lawry and Nicholas Hockaday for Dear Evan Hansen (Noel Coward Theatre)
• Jessica Ronane, Casting Associate: Abby Galvin for Girl from the North Country (Gielgud Theatre)
• Paul Wooller and Felicity French for Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre)
• Jim Arnold for The Prince of Egypt, Children’s Casting Director: Verity Naughton (Dominion Theatre)

Best Casting in Theatre (inside M25)
• Jessica Ronane, Casting Associate: Christopher Worrall for A Very Expensive Poison (The Old Vic)
• Stuart Burt for Cyrano de Bergerac (Playhouse Theatre)
• Charlotte Sutton for Fairview (Young Vic)
• Anna Cooper for Teenage Dick (Donmar Warehouse)
• Isabella Odoffin for Three Sisters (National Theatre)

Best Casting in a Commercial
• Sasha Robertson for Amazon Alexa (Before Alexa)
• Emma Stafford for Barnardos Believe in Me – Anxiety
• Kharmel Cochrane and Martin Gibbons for Department of Education Every Lesson Shapes a Life 2
• Emma Stafford for NHS We Are the Specialists
• Sasha Robertson for Ovarian Cancer Action
• Leanne Flinn for Sport England This Girl Can – Me Again

The nominated productions premiered between 1 September 2019 – 31 August 2020 and have been selected by members of the Casting Directors’ Guild, who will now vote for a winner in each category.

For press enquiries please contact:
Francesca Maguire, franmaguire10@outlook.com / 07747 605971
Please download the press release here

Notes to editors:
The Casting Directors’ Guild is a professional organisation of Casting Directors in the film, television, theatre and commercials communities in the UK and Ireland who have joined together to further their common interests in establishing a recognised standard of professionalism in the industry, enhancing the stature of the profession, providing a free exchange of information and ideas, honouring the achievements of members and standardisation of working practices in the industry. The CDG upholds the highest ethical standards and advocates for the fair treatment of performers in the casting process.

Spotlight
Founded in 1927, Spotlight is a global casting platform of over 65,000 professional performers, and is used by casting professionals daily to cast hundreds of roles across stage, film and television. Spotlight aims to improve industry standards and practice, help nurture talent from all routes into the industry and raise awareness of issues within the industry such as inclusivity and equality.