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Virtual Casting Sessions — Live Remote Auditions With Real Camera Control

Run a live online casting call where you direct actors, models and brand talent from anywhere. Control the camera in real time and capture consistent, full-resolution audition frames — not a laggy screen recording.

Short answer

A virtual casting session is a live remote audition where the casting director joins talent through a shared room and directs them in real time. With CLOS you control the camera on the talent’s phone — focus, framing and exposure — and capture clean, full-resolution reference frames and audition video on demand. Every candidate is shot the same way, so you compare like for like instead of guessing from a compressed video stream.

Key takeaways

  • Direct talent live — give blocking, line and pose notes as you would in the room
  • See and control the camera in real time — focus, framing and exposure, not a fixed webcam
  • Capture consistent, full-resolution audition frames and video on demand
  • Compare candidates side by side with identical, studio-clean captures
  • Talent joins from any iPhone or Android with a link — no studio, no travel

A virtual casting session in CLOS — the casting director directs talent remotely and controls the audition camera in real time.

What is a virtual casting session?

A virtual casting session is a live remote audition: instead of bringing actors, models or brand talent into a casting suite, you run the read or pose over a shared room while everyone stays where they are. The difference between a real virtual casting and a video call is control. In CLOS the casting director sees the talent’s phone camera and adjusts focus and framing, then captures full-resolution reference frames and audition video at the exact moment a take lands — so the output is usable selects, not blurry screenshots.

This makes CLOS a fit for the whole casting pipeline: commercial and film acting, modeling, and brand or campaign talent. It complements modeling agency casting, which focuses on scouting and capturing model digitals; this page is about the live session and audition mechanics themselves.

How a virtual casting session works

CLOS keeps a remote audition as close to an in-person callback as possible.

Step one of a virtual casting session — opening a casting room and inviting talent and clients with a link.
01

Open a casting room

Create a session and send talent, agents and clients a single link — no app install for anyone watching.

Step two — talent joins a remote audition from a smartphone and the casting director sees the live camera feed.
02

Bring the talent's camera online

The actor or model joins from a phone and props it on a stand. You see their live feed and can frame the shot.

Step three — directing a live remote audition with camera control and capturing full-resolution audition frames.
03

Direct and capture on demand

Give notes, run the read, then set focus and exposure and capture full-resolution frames or roll audition video the instant a take works. Every capture lands in your dashboard in real time, so you can shortlist talent and share selects with clients the moment the session wraps.

Why casting directors choose CLOS

A casting decision is only as good as what you can actually see. CLOS makes remote auditions decision-grade.

Why CLOS

  • Real direction — adjust the camera and coach talent live, not after the fact
  • Apples-to-apples — identical framing and quality across every candidate
  • Faster shortlists — selects land in the cloud as you cast, ready to share
  • Wider talent pool — audition actors and models in any city without flights
  • Built to capture — a casting tool, not a meeting app squeezed into a callback
  • Client-ready selects — full-resolution frames and audition video, not screenshots

Virtual casting vs. self-tapes vs. in-person callbacks

How a CLOS virtual casting session compares to self-tape submissions and an in-person callback.
CLOS virtual casting Self-tape submissions In-person callback
Live directionYes — coach talent in real timeNo — pre-recordedYes
Camera controlYes — casting director frames & focusesTalent's own setupOn-site only
Capture qualityFull-resolution frames & videoVaries by submitterFull quality
Candidate consistencyIdentical for every talentInconsistentConsistent
Travel & schedulingNoneNoneFlights, studio, slots
Time to shortlistDuring the sessionAfter collecting tapesDays

For more on remote workflows, see CLOS vs. Zoom for photoshoots and the best remote photoshoot apps.

Virtual casting use cases

  • Acting auditions — run live reads and callbacks for film, TV and commercials with talent anywhere.
  • Model casting & digitals — combine a live session with clean reference frames. See modeling agency casting.
  • Brand & campaign talent — cast faces for a shoot, then book the virtual photoshoot with the same room.
  • Spokesperson & UGC casting — screen talent on camera before a video brief. See remote video interviews.

What you get on each plan

A virtual casting session scales with you — start free, upgrade as your slate grows.

CLOS plans for virtual casting sessions.
Plan Best for Highlights
FreeA first remote audition1 GB cloud, remote photo/video capture, focus & flash control, hi-res, archive download
ProWorking casting directors5 GB cloud, RAW / Apple ProRAW, telephoto & ultra-wide, ISO / shutter / WB, up to 6 viewers, non-expiring albums
EnterpriseAgencies & production teamsDedicated servers, team accounts, personal branding and custom features

See full pricing for details.

Run your next virtual casting session live

Open a casting room, invite your talent and start directing remote auditions in minutes. Free to start — no credit card required.

Start for Free See pricing

Frequently asked questions

What is a virtual casting session? +
A virtual casting session is a live remote audition. The casting director and talent join a shared room while staying in different places. With CLOS the director controls the talent's phone camera and captures full-resolution reference frames and audition video on demand, so a remote read produces usable selects rather than screenshots.
How do I run a remote audition with CLOS? +
Open a casting room, send talent a link to join from a smartphone, then direct the read and control framing and focus before capturing. Each take uploads to your cloud dashboard in real time. See how to create or join a room.
How is virtual casting different from collecting self-tapes? +
Self-tapes are pre-recorded with no live direction and vary in quality from one submitter to the next. A CLOS virtual casting lets you coach talent in real time and capture every candidate with identical framing and full resolution, so you compare like for like.
Can I cast actors and brand talent, not just models? +
Yes. CLOS works for acting auditions, commercial and campaign talent, spokespeople and UGC creators as well as models. For model-specific scouting and digitals, see modeling agency casting.
Can I capture audition video as well as stills? +
Yes — CLOS captures remote video and full-resolution stills in the same session, so you can record a read and grab reference frames without switching tools.
Is CLOS free for virtual casting? +
Yes. The Free plan covers a first remote audition with 1 GB cloud storage, remote photo and video capture, focus and flash control and hi-res quality. Pro adds RAW capture, more storage, more viewers and advanced camera control. See pricing.
Do talent and clients need to install anything? +
Clients and agents watch the casting from a browser with no install. The talent's capture device runs the CLOS app on iOS or Android.
How is the audition footage stored and secured? +
All transfers are encrypted and casting rooms are access-controlled. Captures live in your CLOS cloud dashboard, ready to shortlist and share; Enterprise plans support a DPA and dedicated infrastructure.

Related

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