Casting Calls London

Casting Breakdown

The Interview Coach

FORMAT: Short Film / Scene
SETTING: Interview-coaching office
TONE: Grounded Contemporary DocuDrama

James
Gender: Male
Age: 30–39
Role: Supporting
Character Description

James is a capable, intelligent man worn down by prolonged unemployment. He has spent his entire adult life in customer service and takes pride in his work ethic, professionalism, and reliability. Despite his experience, he feels invisible in a modern, algorithm-driven job market.

Personality & Inner Life
  • Frustrated, emotionally exhausted, but articulate.
  • Self-aware and reflective, with a dry, understated wit.
  • Carries quiet shame and anxiety about identity and worth.
  • Still searching for hope, even when he denies it.
Performance Notes
The actor must sustain a long, emotionally layered monologue without melodrama. James isn’t angry at the coach—he’s angry at the silence of rejection. Arc moves from defeat toward cautious motivation.


John
Gender: Male (Open)
Age: 40–55
Role: Lead
Character Description

A seasoned career coach—professional, composed, and pragmatic. He believes deeply in mindset and structure but never dismisses the client's lived experience.

Performance Notes
Requires restraint. Should never feel preachy. Power comes from clarity, patience, and quiet authority.


Julie
Gender: Female
Age: 30–45
Role: Supporting
Character Description

A skilled working mother navigating automated job markets. Adaptable and deeply competent, but worn down by the emotional toll of providing for a child alone.

Backstory / Stakes

Julie is chasing stability over ambition. The urgency of rent and childcare drives every decision. She is fighting invisibility, not incompetence.

Performance Notes
Demands emotional realism. The breakdown must feel earned and human—never hysterical. Transition from despair to determination within a single scene.


Amy
Gender: Female
Age: 40–55
Role: Supporting
Character Description

Highly accomplished leader confronting unspoken biases of age and "culture fit." Polished exterior masking deep insecurity and the fear of becoming invisible after decades of contribution.

Performance Notes
Exceptional emotional restraint. Pain is intellectualized and controlled. Balance authority with vulnerability.


Sam
Gender: Any
Age: 21–26
Role: Supporting
Character Description

Recent graduate caught in the entry-level paradox. Digitally fluent but exhausted by the pressure to constantly self-brand before being granted permission to belong.

Performance Notes
Strong verbal dexterity. Performance should feel restless and kinetic, grounding as the coaching reframes his experience.


Daniel
Gender: Male
Age: 45–55
Role: Supporting
Character Description

Senior finance professional contemplating a shift into teaching. Faces the vulnerability of starting over and exchanging certainty for purpose.

Performance Notes
Subtle authority and emotional depth. Conflict is internal, expressed through measured speech and metaphor.

Core Themes Explored
  • Modern unemployment and identity
  • Algorithmic rejection and invisibility
  • Self-worth tied to work
  • Ageism, credential inflation, and "culture fit"
  • Hope rebuilt through perspective