Casting

Tessa Frank

Casting Director
A woman with curly brown hair and blue eyes wearing a gray sweater and a colorful scarf, standing indoors with her hands in her pockets and smiling gently.

I used to answer the question of what I do for a living with “something in media.” And in a way, that’s still true. But more than anything, I work with people — and that’s exactly what I love about my job: the exchange, the collaboration with a wide range of personalities, each with their own visions and perspectives, yet united by one shared goal: giving our very best for the film.

A woman with curly brown hair and blue eyes sitting at a table, talking on her cell phone in a cafe or restaurant with warm lighting and blurred background.

I still vividly remember a chance conversation in my early twenties with a casting director from Hamburg. Her job fascinated me instantly. But how do you actually become a casting director? Coming from a family with no connection to the creative industry at all, that question was never really answered — let alone actively pursued. All the more grateful I am today that, after a few detours along the way, I’ve ended up exactly where I belong.

During my Culture Studies degree in Lüneburg, a seminar by MOIN Film Fund (then Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein) on “Green Production” gave me my first insights into the film and television industry. Even before finishing my bachelor’s degree, I completed my first assistant directing internship on a Studio Hamburg production. My first “real” job followed as a production assistant — and many more assignments on a wide range of productions after that.

Between projects, I went on to pursue a master’s degree in Potsdam. Film — and sustainable filmmaking in particular — never let go of me. So when the opportunity arose to write my master’s thesis at Bavaria Fiction, once again focusing on “Green Production,” my bags were packed in no time.

But fate — or rather, Covid — clearly had other plans. What was initially meant to be just two weeks of support turned into a position in the casting department at Bavaria Fiction. There, I not only met incredibly inspiring colleagues, but also discovered my true passion for this profession — and finally answered the question for myself: how does one become a casting director?

I’m excited for everything that lies ahead — for the projects, and above all, for the people.

tessa@casting-creatives.com
+4915228628180

about me