WHAT WE DO
From national commercials and feature films to tiny indies and real-people casting, we've done a little bit of everything. What do you need? Principals? Background? A man over 7' to be in a scene for a circus? Yeah, that was a request and yep, we found a guy.
We're based in Chicago and often work LA, NYC, and sometimes Sydney, Australia. We're here to solve problems, meet deadlines, and stay on budget. We will bring in the best actors, we just won't charge as much as other offices to do it.
Give us a shout about your project to see how we can help.
NARRATIVE
Commercial
New Media
COMMERCIAL
NARRATIVE
REAL PEOPLE
TESTIMONIALS
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
"Sarah Cayce is a casting ninja and all around badass. You will regret not working with her and her team."
KENDAL MILLER CLIENT
WITH LOVE, FROM ACTORS
Compass always makes sure you have your best audition. They make you feel comfortable and give you a true chance at success. I love when I see Compass in my itinerary.
MICKEY O.
Compass Casting is my favorite casting company to audition at. They are always so nice and welcoming. You know they have your back and make sure you’re giving your best take.
JILL O.
You could teach the equivalent of bedside manners to LA casting directors as a side business.
MARC N.
Compass Casting brings a rare mix of professionalism and kindness to an otherwise difficult business.
STEVE B.
Sarah truly cares about actors. She's warm and inviting during auditions (& not all casting directors are like that.) She has experience and professionalism that belie her youth.
MJ S.
I have had the good fortune of being directed by Sarah Cayce, owner of Compass Casting. At first I worried I would be intimidated, but that fear quickly dissipated when I realized how warm she is in everything she does. She is a true professional, but in a real and human way.
SANDY G.
Sarah and her team are the BEST. They are always rooting for you in your audition. I always have the best auditions here and looking forward to many more.
ASHLEY B.
Compass Casting is very professional! I love coming in for auditions, they make you feel very welcome and comfortable!
MICHAL K.
Friendly, Supportive, Professional...As an actress, they help make the audition a joy! As a producer, they excel at finding just the right cast for your project
ANN A.
MEET THE TEAM
Sarah Cayce, CSA
Casting Director + Owner
Sarah has worked in the industry for over thirteen years. Casting is her bread and butter, but she's also an Emmy-nominated producer and award-winning director. She’s been lucky to work on films like AUGUST OSAGE COUNTY, TO THE WONDER, RUDDERLESS, and many many more. Sarah has seen thousands of actors for hundreds of commercials with clients like NIKE, CORONA, HONDA, and hundreds more.
When she's not casting, Sarah's playing a lot of guitar, making coffee, and spending time with her wife.
Eve Rosenthal
Casting Associate
Eve is originally from Colorado, graduated with her BFA in Actor Training from The Hartt School in Connecticut, and is now Compass Casting's very first Casting Associate. Her history and education in performance make her an understanding and encouraging presence in the audition room, where she aims to make every actor feel at ease.
When not in the office, Eve can be found binging NPR, watching true crime documentaries, and drinking good beer.
Tucker
Best Boy Casting
Grips have Best Boy Grip, Compass has Best Boy Casting.
Tucker is a corgi-something mix who likes to sit on actors' feet during their auditions and loves the beach. He's helped thousands of actors stay calm during their auditions. He's not a very good reader, but he's very good at being supportive.
He's kind of bashful but you can pet him if he walks up to you.
Compass Casting is a proud Casting Society of America office.
Gabriela Medina
Casting Assistant
Gabriela is from the often-forgotten state of Maryland - yes, she likes crab. She has a BA in Film from Vassar College, and initially joined the Compass team as an intern. Now, as a casting assistant, Gabriela's happily branching out from her acting background and exploring other avenues of the film industry.
After work, Gabriela enjoys testing new cocktail recipes at home, sipping said cocktails on her patio, and then finding good chicken tenders.
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Alison Kertz
Casting Assistant
Alison is from St. Louis and started out as a musical theatre kid, took the wrong fork in the road and went to school for opera, and ultimately doubled back and graduated with her master’s in acting from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She joined the Compass team as in intern in July of 2020, and was thrilled to become a casting assistant in January of 2021. As an actor, she knows how to be generous with other actors in the audition room, and she strives to make actors look as good as possible, no matter the circumstances.
When she’s not working at Compass, you can find Alison cuddling her cats, reading fanfiction, and dreaming of Scotland. Usually all at once!
FOR ACTORS
Want to submit?
We're a very green office, so please don't mail us your headshot. Instead, click the button below to email us your headshot, resumé, reel, and anything else you'd like us to see. We hope to see you in the room soon!
Building a Resumé
Too often resumés aren't looking their best. Just like the business world, there's a format you need to follow to be treated like a professional. Here's a template you can use to start your work.
Download Resumé Template (.docx)
Tips
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Use fonts that are easy to read and professional
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Stick to two fonts max
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Make sure your agent contact information is present if you have one
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DO NOT put your home address
Getting an Agent
Compass Casting can't recommend an agent to you, but here are some tips to help you on your search:
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You are going into business with your agent. Make sure you trust them with your money and with your well being. They are making deals for you.
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Your agent makes money on commission. Period. As soon as they start asking for money for classes/headshots/website fees/etc. start putting some red flags up.
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If you book a SAG-AFTRA gig, agents are required to only charge 10%. Non-Union work can charge anywhere from 15-20%. Be careful if they start taking more.
Consultations + Classes
If you're interested in meeting with casting director Sarah Cayce or continuing training with your craft, you can do that through The Forge!
Sarah teaches exclusively through The Forge, an on-camera acting studio committed to excellent training at affordable rates for actors.
If you'd like a casting opinion on your tools, to get your questions answered, or a push in the right direction, you can schedule a consultation with Sarah through The Forge here.
GET IN TOUCH
For Producers: (312) 339-5198*
For Actors: (312) 313-2578
@CompassCasting
* - Actors, do not use the producers number, please. If you have questions, use the number we listed for actors. Seriously.
Subscribe to The Hustle
Our email list, The Hustle, is a casting email for indie actors to submit to whatever projects you feel you're right for.