I am about to cast for a short I'm directing for one of my film classes. I have directed some short films in the past but have never cast people in a professional setting. Aside from the physical look and how well they act what are some other things i should look for? or what types of things should I expect? What are some good questions i should ask? Any advice on this matter I'd greatly appreciate.
casting advice plz
- Thread starter BmoreBrecka
- Start date
how dedicated they are , you really dont want someone leaving half way through!! also make sure they are friendly 
it makes things easier if you get aolong
it makes things easier if you get aolong
* Do they come to the audition prepared? Headshot with resume--is the resume stapled to the headshot in a neat fashion?
* Do they have any theatrical training or experience? Do they have any film experience that isn't background/extra work?
* Are they friendly and poilte? Did they complain in any way about the audition setting?
* Let them do the scene without any direction, and then afterwards, give them some direction...anything that creates a change, subtle or extreme. Have them do the scene again...did they take the direction well? This is very important...
* Did they make eye contact with the other actor (or whoever is reading opposite them)? Is there chemistry?
* Can they act? This can be subjective...but for the most part it shouldn't take you more than 10 seconds to see if someone can act, or if they can't.
* If you like them, ask them their availabilty. Also ask them if they'd be willing to cut their hair (if you might need that).
* Be as prepared as you can be. Have the sides prepped and ready to give out. Hold the auditions in a clean, professional environment. If you can, try not to make it your house.
* Sometimes it's good to bring in two actors to read together, as opposed to reading with someone across a table...this shows you if they know how to connect with another actor, whether they can make eye contact, whether they can listen and respond well, and whether there is chemistry.
Good luck. I hope I've helped.
* Do they have any theatrical training or experience? Do they have any film experience that isn't background/extra work?
* Are they friendly and poilte? Did they complain in any way about the audition setting?
* Let them do the scene without any direction, and then afterwards, give them some direction...anything that creates a change, subtle or extreme. Have them do the scene again...did they take the direction well? This is very important...
* Did they make eye contact with the other actor (or whoever is reading opposite them)? Is there chemistry?
* Can they act? This can be subjective...but for the most part it shouldn't take you more than 10 seconds to see if someone can act, or if they can't.
* If you like them, ask them their availabilty. Also ask them if they'd be willing to cut their hair (if you might need that).
* Be as prepared as you can be. Have the sides prepped and ready to give out. Hold the auditions in a clean, professional environment. If you can, try not to make it your house.
* Sometimes it's good to bring in two actors to read together, as opposed to reading with someone across a table...this shows you if they know how to connect with another actor, whether they can make eye contact, whether they can listen and respond well, and whether there is chemistry.
Good luck. I hope I've helped.
wow thanks for all the great advice! im sure to add this to my checklist.
Response
Yeah I agree with the first post on dedication. Aside from the look and acting well, I always look at their resumes to make sure their passionate about acting (constant training etc.). Will add so much more dimension to your films if you use these types of actors.
Rodney Lazaro
Yeah I agree with the first post on dedication. Aside from the look and acting well, I always look at their resumes to make sure their passionate about acting (constant training etc.). Will add so much more dimension to your films if you use these types of actors.
Rodney Lazaro
I say these are all good tips but in the end go with your gut as well. I had a girl audition for one of my films and she had a great look and resume but she really didn't fit the part. Not that she wasn't talented. That girl now has a small speaking role in the next Twilight. do i regret my decision? no. She wasn't right for the role. On the other hand the girl i cast was a college student who wanted to be a news anchor but she had something special about her. My instinct said give the role to this girl. She turned out to be the best thing about that film. She is now starring in several other indie films in Colorado.
Resumes are nice and so are experience, but ask yourself is this person able to get across on screen the character that you've made on paper. Well that's my 2 cents.
Resumes are nice and so are experience, but ask yourself is this person able to get across on screen the character that you've made on paper. Well that's my 2 cents.
Although the OP started the thread back in October and has surely cast and completed his or her school project by now (hey Bmore Brecka, how'd it go?), if anyone else is looking for tips, this is what I do:
Make sure I have a sign-in sheet for them to fill out contact info AND indicate their availability for the days I will be shooting. Very important!
Give them sides (a few pages of the script) before the audition, so they can read it and let some ideas percolate before actually coming in and reading cold for me.
If possible, choose scenes for them to read which are important to you, and which involve interactions with other characters and a rise and fall of emotions.
Have several copies made of the sides, because someone always accidentally takes one home.
Have another actor there for the day (or a few actors who can only do half-days, or whatever they can swing) to read the scene with them to see how they interact with other actors. Of course, I buy lunch for the actors helping me out, and give them some money and cabfare or a Metrocard (subway). If it's someone who is already cast in a role in my project, I may ask their opinions on the actors coming in, too, because they might get a sense of what it would be like to work with them.
Have them read it several different ways, each time making different suggestions on how to approach it - this gives me an idea of how well they listen, follow directions, and how imaginative they are.
Have someone with me for a second opinion, to get lunch, and to help me keep everybody's headshots and my notes organized.
Of course, my gut instincts are usually right, but these are a few ways that let me assess if I want to work with someone and make the process easier.
.
Make sure I have a sign-in sheet for them to fill out contact info AND indicate their availability for the days I will be shooting. Very important!
Give them sides (a few pages of the script) before the audition, so they can read it and let some ideas percolate before actually coming in and reading cold for me.
If possible, choose scenes for them to read which are important to you, and which involve interactions with other characters and a rise and fall of emotions.
Have several copies made of the sides, because someone always accidentally takes one home.
Have another actor there for the day (or a few actors who can only do half-days, or whatever they can swing) to read the scene with them to see how they interact with other actors. Of course, I buy lunch for the actors helping me out, and give them some money and cabfare or a Metrocard (subway). If it's someone who is already cast in a role in my project, I may ask their opinions on the actors coming in, too, because they might get a sense of what it would be like to work with them.
Have them read it several different ways, each time making different suggestions on how to approach it - this gives me an idea of how well they listen, follow directions, and how imaginative they are.
Have someone with me for a second opinion, to get lunch, and to help me keep everybody's headshots and my notes organized.
Of course, my gut instincts are usually right, but these are a few ways that let me assess if I want to work with someone and make the process easier.
.
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how dedicated they are , you really dont want someone leaving half way through!! also make sure they are friendly
I couldn't agree more. I've worked with some very talented people over the years who were a nightmare on the set. In the end, it just wasn't worth putting up with it -- especially on an indie film.
Another quick piece of advice would be to ask the actors you're auditioning to do the same scene multiple ways. Often the best actor for a role isn't the one who came closest to your vision of the character on their first attempt, but the actor who was best able to take direction.
If you're interested, I wrote an article on the casting process a while back. You can check it out here: http://www.opensourceartistry.com/independent-film-pre-production-casting/. It covers topics such as the audition space, sending out casting calls, conducting the audition, and making casting decisions. I hope it's helpful!
update
Hey guys! thanks for all the good advice! I definitely didn't forget about your suggestions while casting. M1chea1 I appreciated the bullet points, they were easy to check on my iphone during casting haha, as well as all the other responses. I unfortunately had the auditions December 19th during the blizzard in New York so a few people canceled and i think one of them straight up forgot, but oh well. For the actors that showed up I was pretty satisfied, I found an actor for all the main roles (only 3), so that was good.
Letting the actors do there thing the first time was definitely a big help. Seeing how well they took direction afterward helped me to see how life on the set was going to be like. One of the actors was, let's just say, not what I was looking for, but after I gave him some specific direction, he pulled a complete 180. I was shocked that worked so well.
I'd say for my first casting experience, it went pretty well. I'm looking forward to it and yes, I know I posted this in October but we are actually just about to start filming (patience is a virtue, right?). I'm really excited about it and can't wait to start. It will be completed in early May though that's for sure. Well, that's all for now. Thanks again!
Hey guys! thanks for all the good advice! I definitely didn't forget about your suggestions while casting. M1chea1 I appreciated the bullet points, they were easy to check on my iphone during casting haha, as well as all the other responses. I unfortunately had the auditions December 19th during the blizzard in New York so a few people canceled and i think one of them straight up forgot, but oh well. For the actors that showed up I was pretty satisfied, I found an actor for all the main roles (only 3), so that was good.
Letting the actors do there thing the first time was definitely a big help. Seeing how well they took direction afterward helped me to see how life on the set was going to be like. One of the actors was, let's just say, not what I was looking for, but after I gave him some specific direction, he pulled a complete 180. I was shocked that worked so well.
I'd say for my first casting experience, it went pretty well. I'm looking forward to it and yes, I know I posted this in October but we are actually just about to start filming (patience is a virtue, right?). I'm really excited about it and can't wait to start. It will be completed in early May though that's for sure. Well, that's all for now. Thanks again!
Glad you're still rocking and rolling with this thing. Sounds like the casting process went pretty well and had some good learning experience going for it, too.
I'm awfully damn jealous you got something off the ground.
Heh.
I'm awfully damn jealous you got something off the ground.
Heh.
Michael mentioned it, but ANY complaining or unhappiness with the length of time they have to wait, the comfort or location of the audition, etc... is instant disqualification.
update
hey guys, I know it's been a while but, the editing is almost done. Here is a scene from it my DP put up for his reel. This scene is after the daughter and mother come back from the daughter's ex-boyfriends funeral. Hope you guys like it! http://www.vimeo.com/10738796
hey guys, I know it's been a while but, the editing is almost done. Here is a scene from it my DP put up for his reel. This scene is after the daughter and mother come back from the daughter's ex-boyfriends funeral. Hope you guys like it! http://www.vimeo.com/10738796