Casting vs Cast-ability

In the performing arts business in order to get a job one most go to an audition. Getting this job depends on two different variables; casting and cast-ability. Even though they look the same they are quite different. Your casting really relies on the way you look mostly. This can be quite difficult to alter but you can do things like:
Dress for the role, if you know about character beforehand you can wear clothes that would suit their personality such as if they were a gang member from the mean streets of Brixton you wouldn't go dressed in £200 suit. You can also dye hair, remove piercings, change your status by sitting up straighter or pushing out your chest to give yourself a higher status or hunching your back to make yourself lower.

Now your cast-ability is what is more important. Your cast-ability is the talent you posses and how you can manipulate it to gain a role. There is way more you can do to change your cast-ability e.g. using accents, using front of mouth articulation, adapting your voice for stage or screen, the list goes. The casting directors wish to see what kind of range you can play. Another deciding factor that will improve or hinder your cast-ability  is knowing your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to your own style. If you know that you can do a strong American accent but you have terrible posture then you know what to work on!

My own casting range:

• Playing age: 15 - 17 
• Priest
• Common working man
• Gangster/ Drug lord 
• Abuser/ Aggressor
• Action hero 
• Dancer/ Artist 
• Horror/victim 
• Psycho   
• Gleek 
• Athlete 
• Dark humour