casting directors

Casting directors are pointless! Why can't the director go out there and find his own actors, i always do.

You pay a casting director for access to (hopefully) a network of quality actors. The casting director can save you a lot of time & give you legitimacy with the actors. You can do your own casting calls etc. but then you won't have as many references on the actors (a casting director can often give you the "inside scoop".) The downside is that if you want particular ethnicities that the casting director doesn't have access to, then you may come up dry on some parts.

Kimo said:

Hi all,

I'd like to run the issue of casting directors by you guys. Anyone who's listened to the commentary of Get Carter, by Mike Hodges, will possibly recall his thoughts on the subject of casting directors.

What are the thoughts and feelings of people who use this site? Regarding specifically to indies, by the way. This would especially include film makers, directors, etc.

Anyone who's had experience of how they fit into the scheme of TV, will know why they are used for that particular medium. But what about indies?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the replies. All valid points, and yes prestigious casting directors can be a link to prestigious agents representing prestigious actors.
How about that Mike Hodges leaning, however? That he has never used casting directors, and never will? His reasoning is that casting choices are part of his creative process? This stand has cost him, but it didn't seem by the commentary that he was that concerned...

Casting directors are pointless? Sounds like a comment made from someone who has never needed one. If so, then okay, BUT sometimes the use of a good casting director makes the Director's job easier. Have you ever had to cast a project and not find a good actor to fill the bill? Your whole script relies on a talented indiviudal (s) to portray the characters. In Dallas we have a lot of actors, but not all of them are as talented as the number of actors in NY or LA. For my next feature film I will need 2 starring roles, 6 co-starring roles and about 20 day players and 150-200 extras. Using a good casting director I will only need to see about 10-15% of the number of actors auditioning. My time during pre-production is spread thin, and since "casting is 90%", I intend to let my casting director find me some good candidates without me having to see all of them. I will come in for call-backs after reviewing the audition tapes with the casting director to confirm the list of call-backs. I will make the final casting decisions, but I will use a CD for the process to assist me.

Just like any job, the proper scheduling of my time is important. I don't want to "major in the minors" as we say. I am not a micro-manager. I spend my time doing the most important things at the best times, and using a good casting director will be best for me.

As for Mike Hodges, I couldn't care less about how he spends his time. Thje casting choices are a part of the creative process, but if you only need to find 3-4 actors, that's fine. In my case I'd end up becoming a casting director anyway to find the number of actors necesary for the next feature.

Remember, casting directors know 10 times as many good actors already since they have been auditioning these same actors for years and they know who's good, who isn't and who is new and might just have the chops to fit the bill. These CD's are experts in finding good actors to audition and not just some aspiring wannabe's who have a good look but no substance. Local casting directors (not just "prestigious" ones) have a real handle on the local talent and can direct you to the LA or NY market if the locals can't handle the role.

Comments like Mike Hodges' and others set off my bs meter. Sounds like comments made from someone who really doesn't know what a good casting director does. Leave the ego outside the casting door and get help finding the best actors to fit the roles.

Eddie Rex said:

Casting directors are pointless! Why can't the director go out there and find his own actors, i always do.

Click to expand...

I'll tell you why I can't get out there and find my own actors.

Here in L.A. I can get 800 resumes for each part I need to cast. I just don't have the time. And as both WritemCowboy and filmscheduling said, a good casting director has contacts with more actors than I do.

I agree they are pointless when you are doing a small movie with your friends, but even on a no pay or low pay movie a casting director is as important as a director of photography. And I'm not talking about "prestigious" casting directors finding "prestigious" talent.

Mike Hodges? If he's comfortable doing the casting there really isn't much to comment on. Just like some directors like to shoot their own movies. It's not really debatable.

There is so much that needs to be done during preproduction, it is very useful to have someone getting all the casting in order, but this is of course dependent on your style, and the size and scope of the project. If you can get everything done alone, more power to you, but I find that it's helpful to involve many people in the entire filmmaking process, from conception all the way through screening and beyond. (Which is also great prep for working on a large shoot in the future, as there will be others being paid for all the little things that I have to worry about now, or find someone else willing to worry about them...)

Well my last short film "The Perfect Woman" had a budget of about £40 and for casting i just phoned up actors and actresses i know and said "hi, we're doing a film! Do you want to be in it?"

So for me a casting director is not essential.

Also when i see classic comedies like Laurel & Hardy, on the credits i never see any casting directors listed. Obviously Hal Roach may have done his own casting, just like Charlie Chaplin.

This is the kind of feedback I was waiting for. Great stuff. On the "prestigious" point...I recently watched a short film (2mins) made by a director who had never done 'big movies.' Yet this two person cast included Saffron Burrows and Jack Davenport. The film was really, really good. It was sumptuous viewing. Then I noticed the casting director in the credits...And I'd met him before. He's actually a really nice guy, and probably did lend his services for this kind of production.

Eddie Rex said:

So for me a casting director is not essential.

Click to expand...

That’s a little different comment than:

Eddie Rex said:

Casting directors are pointless!

Click to expand...

I wouldn’t have even replied to you “not essential” comment because you are right - for a short using your actor friends, a casting director isn’t needed.

Maybe Hal Roach, like Mike Hodges, acted as his own casting director. That still doesn’t make them pointless. Many directors write their own scripts - doesn’t make writers pointless. Back in the “studio system” days directors didn’t even have a choice - actors were assigned to a film. Even the big stars.

Eddie - if you never want to use a casting director, no one here is trying to convince you to use one. It was your “pointless” comment that drew replies.

Another thing to understand is that a casting director doesn’t have the final say. On my non-prestigious movies, casting non-prestigious actors I decide who are the ten to twenty actors who will audition and I make the final decision at auditions.

Kimo - that is a really good example. If a producer has the money to pay SAG rates for a short film (and many do) then a casting director becomes essential. Most directors and producers who don’t have inside industry connections can pay a casting director to find actors who are willing to do short films. That’s when they become essential and far from pointless.

I have been filling the casting director position as part of my production duties for "The Rapture" (feature due to shoot July 2006).

If you are working with a sizable budget and the ability to hire union talent, I would think everyone would use a casting director.

I auditioned over 50 people while looking for two lead roles. The director was present for some of the auditions, but he didn't have to spend his afternoon getting a numb brain- I did. Then we had a second round of auditions- again, the director could focus on what he was thinking of production-wise and I could concentrate on photogenics, chemistry and acting ability.

When it came time to finalize the cast, we took the production team's opinions into consideration, but ultimately (I think) the director listened to my feelings and thoughts on casting. I think this because I held out for one actor in particular as a lead and he is playing the role.

We try to do everything ourselves when we're 'indie', but sometimes it is so nice to not have to.

What CHristine said, and adding to what she said... there were about 55 people auditioning in 4 hours, so we have to group them and it's nicer to look at thigns in 'general perspective'. For the 2nd read, we even asked our known actress to stand in with the 4 potential main roles and work with them on scenes and listen to her opinion on which 2 would be the best...

As the director, ultimately the decision is mine, however, I must also ask my fellow cast/crew and producers (we have about 10 people going through the audition process) that are 'key' to the success of MY movie, because they represent the opinion of the masses, hence, I make a movie with actors I like and all, but if they can't convey my vision and my message to the audience, they would be wasting my time (since most are doing it almost free and I have to compromise as this is being an indie film shoot), and overall, I will have lousy movie.

As the director, my goal and purpose of making a film is NOT about myself, but it's more about the collaborative work that we can create and make it shine, basically, what be the MOST we can get out of our film, in the case of Rapture, our goal is to MAKE money, so majority's perspective count.

Having Christine doing the casting for me, I have the extra additional perspective of cast that I might consider, and if she can rely the exact vision/information that i perceived of MY movie to the REST of the people, then I know I did a good job in delivering the message accross...

Not to mention, as indie filmmakers, our job is NOT only to make films but to learn from it and to grow.. Most of us dreamed of being that successful Peter Jackson, Bryan Singer or Robert Rodriguez, where we can spend other people's money to make film so we should slowly learn to 'collaborate'

I still find it hard to collaborate with certain aspect of filmmaking, particulary in editing, because I know what I want and sometimes I'm afraid that my message is not 'received' exactly as I wanted, plus I'm picky on certain minor details that I want, so I guessed I have to slowly learn to let that part go, while I do trust my collaborative team to carry my vision with me, now, if they screw up for the first time, I definetely know not to have them involved more. (the earlier you work with them, the earlier you know what is a miss and what is a hit and you can adjust from there).

Case in point, in addition on Christine as being the casting director, she will have to deal with SAG paperworks (why sag? So we get to learn a bit on how to work with union actors, this way when we get 'big' we know how to do it and find loopholes around it). At the same time, she's in charge of makeup/wardrobe, which is going to be a lot, plus the 'harness' corsettee disign for the cast...

While, I have one person in charge of the script analising/flushing it out, one on all special effects and props (cg or visual), one on only wire-work, one in catering (to feed about 200 people or so daily for probably 15 days), two in just go out and get funding and sales to distributors, etc.

All these 'main' team members get together as much as we can to talk about the movie, offering each, our perspective so we have a real movie that has a great points because we care on what we put out. Obviously, it would easily attract potential buyers as well.

Filmmaking is not about the director, but reality is more about the team efforts.

Some really balanced views here...Thanks for this. Good luck with your shoots, Lilith, and mdifilm.
Yeah, it's a boon, as they say, to get to know good casting directors...They all talk to each other so it can never hurt to have word of your production running through their particular pipeline. News spreads and can end up in never suspected ears.

I once went for an audition for this commercial, the casting director took an interest because of my special skill base because of it's relevnce. When I got there, I was warned that they had actually wanted a chinese guy, but couldn't get one. After the audition, the casting director agreed that I should have the job anyway as I'd impressed them. Even the producer thought that I should have the role...The director however, wanted to hold out for a chinese guy, after all it's what he wanted...But it's a funny thing when you turn up for an audition and the casting directors asisstant tells you at 1st glance that they wanted a chinese guy!
That commercial never happened, as quite a few I've gone for haven't. Right now though, I do have a commercial going out (since August) and I've had a little feedback on it, so people are seeing it.

I'm primarily an actor, but I do a bit of shooting, too, so I helped a friend cast and shoot his short film. After two days of casting I never appreciated casting directors more in my life; it seems to me that the biggest benefit they bring to the director is the weeding out the bad actors. It was physically draining to see how bad some of the actors were and I can't imagine a director wanting to be subjected to that as he/she has so many things to contend with for the project.

As many have said, if you are doing a small project and know qualified talent then there's probably no need for a CD, but I don't think they should ever be dismissed out of hand as "not necessary." Making friends with CDs is a good idea because they know the local talent base, and if you've got a good relationship they'll usually offer [free] guidance for those projects that are small enough in scope not to need their services.

Eddie Rex said:

Casting directors are pointless! Why can't the director go out there and find his own actors, i always do.

Click to expand...

I've found a casting director to be quite useful. I just wrapped my casting with a casting director and she asked very good questions and supplied great direction to get the most out of the session. I will definitely be using her from now on.

I used one on my last film, and will ALWAYS use one going forward.

I have better ways to spend my time in pre-production that weeding through 100 resumes and scheduling auditions.