Life As a Talent Director
Talent Director Job Description Audition and interview performers to select most appropriate talent for parts in stage, television, radio, or motion picture productions.
What Do Talent Directors Do On a Daily Basis?
- Read scripts and confer with producers to determine the types and numbers of performers required for a given production.
- Attend or view productions to maintain knowledge of available actors.
- Contact agents and actors to provide notification of audition and performance opportunities and to set up audition times.
- Audition and interview performers to match their attributes to specific roles or to increase the pool of available acting talent.
- Maintain talent files that include information such as performers’ specialties, past performances, and availability.
- Locate performers or extras for crowd and background scenes, and stand-ins or photo doubles for actors, by direct contact or through agents.
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What a Talent Director Should Know
When polled, Talent Directors say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Types of Talent Director
- Production Coordinator
- Talent Agent
- Extras Casting Director
- Production Director
- Artistic Associate
What Kind of Talent Director Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 134,700 jobs for Talent Director in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.2% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 16,500 new jobs for Talent Director by 2026. There will be an estimated 14,100 positions for Talent Director per year.

The states with the most job growth for Talent Director are Utah, Georgia, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Maine, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Talent Director
The salary for Talent Directors ranges between about $34,450 and $163,540 a year.

Talent Directors who work in California, New York, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Talent Directors make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $57,040 |
Alaska | $61,280 |
Arizona | $62,760 |
Arkansas | $58,750 |
California | $115,080 |
Colorado | $68,290 |
Connecticut | $84,900 |
Delaware | $59,680 |
District of Columbia | $89,390 |
Florida | $70,630 |
Georgia | $84,570 |
Hawaii | $73,200 |
Idaho | $55,600 |
Illinois | $77,960 |
Indiana | $48,300 |
Iowa | $46,610 |
Kansas | $56,680 |
Kentucky | $60,530 |
Louisiana | $56,290 |
Maine | $51,310 |
Maryland | $78,760 |
Massachusetts | $70,480 |
Michigan | $65,910 |
Minnesota | $73,110 |
Mississippi | $44,310 |
Missouri | $65,560 |
Montana | $51,920 |
Nebraska | $51,620 |
Nevada | $67,190 |
New Hampshire | $59,830 |
New Jersey | $92,180 |
New Mexico | $75,110 |
New York | $115,610 |
North Carolina | $73,980 |
North Dakota | $42,570 |
Ohio | $60,590 |
Oklahoma | $55,670 |
Oregon | $68,280 |
Pennsylvania | $76,050 |
Rhode Island | $65,660 |
South Carolina | $57,200 |
South Dakota | $55,930 |
Tennessee | $65,040 |
Texas | $69,280 |
Utah | $67,800 |
Vermont | $58,760 |
Virginia | $69,750 |
Washington | $71,430 |
Wisconsin | $57,110 |
Wyoming | $45,930 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Talent Directors
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Talent Directors:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Email software
- Microsoft Windows
- Database software
- Linux
- UNIX
- SAP software
- Oracle JavaServer Pages JSP
- Amazon Web Services AWS software
- Microsoft operating system
- Appointment scheduling software
- Blogging software
- Website development software
How to Become a Talent Director
Are there Talent Directors education requirements?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Talent Director?

Where Talent Directors Work

Below are examples of industries where Talent Directors work:

References:
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
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