Film Directing 115: The Director in Casting
/LEVEL 100 blogs are for film students and first-time directors taking on the directing role for a short film. The series is designed to help and guide new filmmakers through the director’s prep duties, pre-production activities, and principle photography dynamics.
Cast well and 90% of your job is done
The casting process is crucial. Actors can make or break the success of your film and your filmmaking experience. Give it the time it deserves, and give it your all.
It can be a great experience for everyone, but it can also be a bottleneck for any production – just because there are so many moving parts to the process.
Remember this: the audition is the first date in the actor-director relationship. It sets the tone for the creative partnership. Setting a consistent high bar for each actor’s audition is the best way to tackle this critical juncture.
Here’s the deal – you never know which actor coming in for an audition will be joining the team. So…
Rule #1: Respect the actors! Respect them as you go through every stage of the process!
You never who will grow and thrive in this business, so do yourself a favour and treat everyone you meet with pure professionalism.
Finding and securing the best actors can be time-consuming, but it’s particularly challenging for student films and first-time directors who are asking people to come out for free.
Spoiler alert: great actors are not lining up to audition for you.
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The big 3 casting categories for every role are:
Do they look the part?
Can they take direction?
Do they have range?
Seems pretty straightforward, right? But finding the right actor through the audition process is as much on the director as it is on the actor.
Whether or not they look the part is important. Film is a visual medium. But it's equally important to have an actor who can embrace the role and be someone who you can work with.
Qualifying an actor’s audition on ‘taking direction’ really depends on the director. Are you able to provide an actor with good direction?*
Qualifying an actor’s ‘range’ comes back – again – to the director’s ability to provide direction that allows an actor to show their range.
*note: if you’ve never directed before, we’ll cover the actor-director relationship dynamics later.
When the actor comes into the room to audition for you, remember that this is the only shot at a first impression — for the actor and yourself. Perhaps you’ve heard about the first 7 seconds? People make a judgement about someone very quickly when they are first introduced.
Govern yourself accordingly!
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Creating the opportunity for the actors and the director to have a wonderful audition experience starts with managing the mechanics of the process. It should be well-organized and professional.
This is how it usually goes:
Create a casting team*: casting director, audition facilitator/actor greeter, camera operator, and reader.
Create a casting breakdown – include the title and synopsis of your film, list of characters and their descriptions, audition dates, special skills (if required*), shooting dates and locations, and status of your production (student, non-union, non-paying, finished copy of the film to be provided, etc.)
Post your breakdown with a submission deadline – to casting websites, local acting workshops, social media group pages for actors or independent films, etc.
Allow adequate time between the submission deadline and audition dates.
Allow adequate time for responses.
Receive responses (which may include resumes and headshots) – it’s a good idea to create an email address for the production , as well as a folder to track each response.
Send back replies with the scene pages – have them pick an available time slot and ask them to send along resumes and/or headshots if they haven’t yet done so.
Create an audition schedule with the actors booked in 10- or 15-minute blocks.
Create the forms you will need the actors to fill out and sign:
i) Talent form with contact info, height, acting age range, availability, special skills, etc.
ii) Performer release form with relevant school info, no compensation understanding, consent and ownership waiver, release info, etc.
iii) Parent/Guardian authorization if they are under 18 years of age.
Hold auditions – Respect every actor! Give them a chance to be their best. Be grateful for their interest. (more on the director’s role in auditions later).
Callbacks – if necessary, but remember this takes additional time and resources.
Select and book actors*** – inquire about transportation: self-drive or do they need assistance.
Secure ‘first alternate choices’ – in case the actor you’ve picked can’t make the shoot dates and must be replaced.
The casting director or yourself must call or email every actor who showed up to audition – this is important for your film career karma.
*Note: Start working on casting as early in pre-production as possible.
** Special Skills: might be anything from throwing a frisbee to roller-skating to dancing, etc.
*** Plan to shoot within 1 – 2 weeks of booking your actor.
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A day of casting is fairly straightforward. A group of actors have prepared the material that you’ve sent, they’ve practiced and made decisions, and they’re ready to show you their ideas for the character in the scene.
Actors may have questions about the character. Be concise and don’t explain in great detail. This is their audition, not yours.
Actors may ask you what you’re looking for. Let them know that they’ll have a chance to run the scene a few times and, to start, you’d like to see what they have prepared.
Introduce the reader.
Roll the camera and have them begin when they’re ready.
After the first read of the scene, say ‘thank you’. Then provide a suggestion that allows them to take the character in a different direction. Something like, “This time, make them (the other character in the scene) laugh.” Or say, “make them cry.” Hopefully these simple suggestions prompt you to come up with better ones!
Remember to give the actor time to process your suggestion. Let them proceed when they’re ready. Be sure to roll the camera.
Take notes for each actor’s audition. What did you like? Did they surprise you? Were they willing to play with your direction?
Have several ideas and directing suggestions up your sleeve, and try to give each actor a chance to read at least 3 times.
Be genuinely grateful that they have come in. Thank them and let them know that you’ll be getting back to them.
This info should get you started. There are many other factors to consider through the casting process which we’ll explore in the level 200 directing blogs.
Keep in mind that if you’re really interested in directing – and getting better at directing – try to find and work with people who are really interested in acting – and getting better at acting. You will raise each other up!
