'Hiring' actors/actresses-need some help

R

Robcbh

Im at a dilemma of sorts. There is s short film festival coming up, I have everything-the script, location,- basically everything i need to do as a director, but i have no actors. I dont know anyone with in the theature department at my college, i dont really have any friends interested. IM not looking to hire professionals, so how should i go about this? Should i put up fliers within my school, post of craig's list....im at a lost help.

PS i go to Bridgewater state University in Massachusetts
 
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Depending on your area, you may have social film sites that cater to this kind of posting (example: Ourfilmspace.com or NEfilm.com for NE area). Great place to post auditions.

Facebook is another place.

Even researching film production companies in your area, finding out the cast, and emailing them with your 'pitch.' Audition first though.

If you do the Googling, you will find a lot about the talent in your area, and emailing directly can be the fastest route to forming a bond.

Good luck.
 
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More important than anything, in my opinion, you need to be bursting with enthusiasm. Without a solid body of work, and without relationships established, all you've got is yourself to sell people with, so you need to be visibly really excited about it. Share your story with everyone you know. EVERYONE! If you can't find friends to work with you, you're not trying hard enough.

And yes, you should post ads in the theater department. Post ads on craigslist. All that.

Don't know anybody in the theater department? Befriend them. Talk to a professor and ask to be able to speak to a director's class in the last minute of class. Find an Assistant Director (the equivalent person in theater is the Stage Manager). If you can hire an AD, you're money, cuz they'll have the contacts.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
More important than anything, in my opinion, you need to be bursting with enthusiasm. Without a solid body of work, and without relationships established, all you've got is yourself to sell people with, so you need to be visibly really excited about it. Share your story with everyone you know. EVERYONE! If you can't find friends to work with you, you're not trying hard enough.

And yes, you should post ads in the theater department. Post ads on craigslist. All that.

Don't know anybody in the theater department? Befriend them. Talk to a professor and ask to be able to speak to a director's class in the last minute of class. Find an Assistant Director (the equivalent person in theater is the Stage Manager). If you can hire an AD, you're money, cuz they'll have the contacts.
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I tend to think that im a pretty enthusiastic guy, especially talking about horror movies. But, my fiance said that it would be rude of me to simply walk up to theater people and ask them to be in my movie without creating a relationship first. She's no expert on hiring and casting, but i just was wonder how the forum goers feel about this. As a side note i did contact some people form ourfilmspace.com and have gotten a response with some interest, which is cool news.

This will be my 2nd film ever and the first time i havent done it with just family and friends, so its a littlle nerve racking of an experience.
 
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Robcbh said:
But, my fiance said that it would be rude of me to simply walk up to theater people and ask them to be in my movie without creating a relationship first.
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No way. Not even slightly rude. Complete opposite. Communicate your vision as clearly as you can, and how you think you can successfully pull it off -- that's the kind of thing actors WANT to hear. They won't think you're rude, they'll think you're cool for sharing your interest with them. That doesn't mean all of them will want to or be able to join on, but I assure you, they will not think you rude.

If you're big on forming a relationship with somebody, I really think it a good idea to try to find a friend in the theater dept. who is interested in being either your AD or your Casting Director.

Best of luck! Theater people are fun to work with.
 
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Robcbh said:
But, my fiance said that it would be rude of me to simply walk up to theater people and ask them to be in my movie without creating a relationship first. She's no expert on hiring and casting,
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Good then that you have asked people who have some
experience on hiring and casting. Not only do I know for
a fact (based on experience) that's it is NOT rude to simply
walk up to theater people and ask them to be in your movie
without creating a relationship first; but I know that simply
walking up to theater people and asking them to be in your
movie may possibly work.

Of course asking them if they would be interested in auditioning
would be even better, but if you see someone you know is an
actor and feel they would fit a role in your film, it's actually quite
flattering for the actor to be asked - no audition needed and no
creating a relationship needed.
 
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I'm glad the OP is interested in finding real actors/actresses instead of casting friends and acquaintances for his film. I have worked on several films with great promise, only to have them fail at crucial points because of poor acting. We had several local theater company actors, and they were fantastic.

It may be that one of the problems is that the director picked up many of his cast from an open call, and he just couldn't say no to anyone. So he just re-wrote the script to include more speaking roles.
 
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I've sent friends to theater shows, and had them pick the 3 actors they liked the most. Then I told them to go up to those actors, mention you would like to see if they would be interested in film acting.

Most stage actors (at the college level) are just DYING to be film actors in the long run. Some will want to stay on stage, but most won't. Most people who become actors today do it because of big screen dreams, not dreams of winning a Tony.

I've found the response is overwhelming, you just have to be careful. Said friend went up to the 3 actors, and had about 20 of them hounding him for a part in his tiny little short, so now he's got no drought of actors.
 
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