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Quick answer: A production company is the business that develops and makes a film, series, commercial, music video or play: it puts the project together, manages the budget, hires the team and gets it made. For actors, it’s the company that ends up hiring you, usually through a casting director it brings on board for each project. Knowing who does what helps you understand how the industry works.
“Production company” covers a lot of ground. It can be a big company that makes series for streaming platforms or a small group staging a show in an independent theater, and that range confuses many people who are just starting out.
In the US, you’ll also hear about studios, networks and streamers. They often finance and distribute a project, while the production company handles the work of making it. Sometimes they’re the same company, and sometimes a production company has a deal with one of them.
What does a production company do?
It’s the company that creates the content: it owns or develops the project, drives it forward and needs actors to bring it to life. It can make films, TV series, commercials, music videos, streaming content or plays. These are its main tasks:
- Develops projects: works with writers and directors to shape what it’s going to make.
- Finances the production: manages the budget, whether it comes from its own funds, investors, a studio, a network or a streamer.
- Hires the team: cast, director, camera, sound, wardrobe, makeup and every other department. For the cast, it usually brings in a casting director.
- Runs the shoot: schedules, locations, permits and all the logistics.
- Gets it seen: works with networks, streaming platforms or distributors so the project reaches an audience.
Netflix, for example, works with production companies in each country, and they handle the casting for each project. That’s why it pays to follow them, as we explain in how to audition for Netflix.
Production company vs casting office
A casting office, sometimes called a casting company or casting agency, is the team that finds and auditions the actors for a project. It works on behalf of the production company: it gets the description of the roles and runs the whole casting process.
In commercials and TV, it’s common for the production not to cast in-house and to hire a specialized casting director instead. That way, each company focuses on what it does best.
Commercials add a few more players: the brand (the client), its ad agency and a production company with a director who shoots the spot. The casting director is usually hired by the ad agency or the production company, and the final picks go to the client for approval before the actors are booked through their agents. If that’s the work you’re after, read how to get commercial auditions.
Why it matters to you as an actor
Knowing how a production company works helps you understand who you’re dealing with at each stage. Each relationship has its own rules:
- The production company: owns the project and is the one that hires you.
- The casting office: runs the search and acts as the bridge between you and the production.
- Your agent or manager: if you have one, represents you and works for your career. More in what is a talent agent.
For example, if you’re handed a deal memo, check which production company is named and which project it’s for. On union jobs, it also helps to know whether the company is a SAG-AFTRA signatory, meaning it has signed an agreement with the union to hire its members and follow its rules.
To start mapping who’s casting where you live, read our guide to getting auditions in the United States. If you also work in Spanish-language markets, the Latin America casting directory lists agencies, Instagram accounts and casting sites by country.
Tip: Research the production companies active in your city. Follow them on social media, get to know the kind of projects they make and keep an eye on their casting calls. A production company that knows your work can call you in directly for future projects.
Frequently asked questions
What is a production company in acting?
It’s the company that develops and makes a film, series, commercial or play: it handles the budget, hires the team and the cast and organizes the production. It usually hires a casting director to find the actors. Telling the two apart helps you know who you’re dealing with at each stage.
What’s the difference between a production company and a casting agency?
The production company owns the project and makes it: it finances it, organizes it and oversees the creative work. The casting agency, or casting office, works for the production company to find and audition the actors. They’re two businesses with different but complementary jobs.
How can an actor work with a production company?
There are three usual paths: booking a role through one of their open or closed casting calls, being recommended by your agent or someone in the industry, or being called in directly because they already know your work. Following active production companies and watching their casting calls brings you closer to those opportunities.
What kinds of projects does a production company make?
Many and very different ones: films, TV series, commercials, music videos, documentaries, unscripted shows and content for streaming platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video or Disney+. Some also produce theater and live shows.
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