Creating a character is one thing, finding the right actor is another. Get it wrong and your script is doomed. Fortunately Ben Cogan understands that as much as he understands actors. Put those two thoughts together and you've got BeCo.Me.
Creating a character is one thing, finding the right actor is another. Get it wrong and your script is doomed. Fortunately Ben Cogan understands that as much as he understands actors. Put those two thoughts together and you've got BeCo.Me.
Ben has cast numerous episodes of casualty for me and has an unerring ability to match the perfect actor with the role. I was particularly proud of our collaboration on the BAFTA nominated FGM episode where he cast some of the most extraordinary young actors ever to play brilliantly the most demanding roles. We also spent two days together work shopping young actors for new serial parts I had devised. Working with Ben is always that rare mix of fun and excellence.
I’ve worked with Ben on Casualty where he cast a number of my episodes. I also worked alongside him to cast four new cast members. I love working with Ben – I love his passion, his integrity and his determination to find the best possible actors for the role. He is great at understanding and working with writers to realise their characters. It is brilliant to find someone who respects and responds so effectively to a writer's part in the process. His casting eye is superb and his knowledge of actors is exhaustive. I also love that he is committed to helping people break into the industry rather than simply using “names” – he cast a number of young actors for me who were simply astonishing. I look forward to working with him again soon and mining his fount of knowledge!
Ben is brimming with enthusiasm and always brings a touch of magic to the casting process. He sees something in your script that often you don't see yourself and finds actors - whether up and coming or national treasures - who are often surprising but always utterly perfect.
I worked with Ben Cogan for several years whilst producing CASUALTY. Together we cast every possible permutation of human being: leading ladies, character cameos, murderers, pensioners, children, doctors, probably even amputees. Ben was always a joy to work with and brought excellent casting ideas to the table. He was also brilliant in casting sessions - always helpful, always able to put nervous actors, tetchy producers and disagreeable directors at their ease. Through his efforts we managed to get some great names guesting in the episodes, and he often suggested people neither myself nor the director had thought of - and was often right. Ben had a vision of the show like any good creative, and I have no doubt he'll bring this vision to his own company. I look forward to working with him again as a solo operator.
Ben's strength is his drive - he will pull out all the stops to do the best he can. His enthusiasm is exemplary and ensures the highest quality of work. There is a genuine care to Ben's approach, he loves the shows he works on, the actors he works with and, from a writer's perspective, this care helps the writer feel safe in 'handing over their babies' to someone else.Communicative, enthusiastic and diligent- everything you want from a casting director. Not bad, for a Palace fan.
BEN COGAN is simply a wonderful casting director . I have worked with Ben on several 'Special' Casualties including the BAFTA winning 21st episode, and more recently the 30th birthday Specials. I have always been so impressed with his sensitivity to script and his superbly distinctive approach to casting choices and his inventive attitude to creating a varied and unpredictable list. He always turns all this round at an unwavering high standard under the classic big time pressures of a long running series. He is a wonderful team player always working so creatively with producer /director and writer. Actors love him and respond so well to work he does with them in the room in audition. Ben last cast 'Kiss Of Death ' for me, a BBC1 (2x1) and was frankly inspiring with his fresh and original work for the casting. His knowledge and appraisal of actors from A listers downwards was impressive and comprehensive. His auditioning was both rigorous and relaxed. And he brought fresh colours to our canvas and a huge energy to the whole process. Ben loves his work and it shows. He has an impressive understanding of scripts and the organic process of realizing the characters. His judgement is excellent and his ambitions high for any show he casts. As a show-runner with several new projects up ahead, Ben will always be my first port of call.
