Casting films

[alexwhitmer]

I have done a little over the years, mostly for small projects that need 2 to 5 actors. One needed 12. But now I'm casting a film that needs 28, and it's just such a fascinating aspect of film. Love it.

A few things really jumped out this time: it is the smallest roles that are the hardest to fill. Seems nobody wants them. You find the perfect candidate, send them the scene, and they either never respond, or say something like 'That's it?'? I've been through 50 headshots and I don't know how many emails and several actor databases to find a few roles and have still come up empty.

On the other hand, the lead has them lined up. It's not that hard to filter out who isn't going to work, or who is just looking for a part - any part. But then you find 2, or even 3 that you just know will knock it out of the park, and each a little differently, all of which will bring great layers to the character, and you can only pick one. They each want it bad, and you know you will be sending a letter saying sorry. Dang! And you knock your head over and over asking yourself if you made the right decision. It's all a perfect angst.

Then of course you get the clown who wants to toss in freind cuz, well, they're friends and you know it has disaster written all over it. What's worse is when they replace an actor you have already cast, and they mention in passsing, 'Oh, I put my friend Kerry in that role.'

Uh, no you didn't.

The other fun part, of course, is making sure family members look like family members. You find the perfect mom, only to replace her because the perfect son - and a more pivotal role - comes along afterwards, and you need to start over.

And then, twins apply, and as you know it's just so rare, and any responsible filmmaker would jump at the chance, so you rewrite a scene to fit them in.

As one biz friend said 'Casting by the writer. Interesting perspective'. Is there another?


It's all so cool. I like it as much as writing. Kinda.


Alex

 

[Obin Olson]

Wait till you toss all comon sense out the window and are fed a name that sells your film.

Welcome to the business side of movie making. You may not like it so much.

 

[Keith_D]

After the script it’s self, the second most importance decision you’ll make as a director is casting (the crew included.) This is where you determine the success or failure of your project. The old adage “ You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken sh#t”, comes to mind.

 

[Mark George]

I've only cast student (non-paying) projects so far, but still I'm amazed at how much talent there is in a city like Seattle. It must be the vibrant theatre scene.

And I agree it's fascinating. Actually, I'd call it semi-magical. Maybe it's still so new to me and that aspect will wear off, but in my still-limited experience I find myself thinking, "Oh, he was really good." And then the next candidate reads, and afterwards I'm thinking, "He was awesome, too." "And so was he." Etc. I think it's good to have a couple other people in the room, though not too many, at least one of whom is more level-headed than me.

Part of the magic stems from the fact that, as a writer, a good portion of my time is spent alone, inside my own imagination, where every idea is either uniquely brilliant or total crap depending on the weather, the time of day, etc. But you never really know if something is truly working or not until it is brought to life. Casting is the first time that happens.

I'm not a student anymore (though I'm still learning). Consequently, I will be paying the talent on my next project. It will be interesting to see whether my perspective changes, knowing that money is involved.

Mark

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Casting is the Second most important part of a Film, right after the Script...

I have enjoyed and hated writing, now I am enjoying and hating the casting process...

 

[alexwhitmer]

I suppose casting a screenplay strictly as a casting agent is quite different than casting something you wrote.

 

[alexwhitmer]

Part of the magic stems from the fact that, as a writer, a good portion of my time is spent alone, inside my own imagination, where every idea is either uniquely brilliant or total crap depending on the weather, the time of day, etc. But you never really know if something is truly working or not until it is brought to life. Casting is the first time that happens.

Hearing it read by a few different candidates really puts it into perspective. I see where certain dialogue should proabaly be changed or axed, but mostly it's the interpretations different actors bring to the story and live character. Some will do jusyt a cold read, others act it out without ever looking at the camera (good), maybe more like a screentest.

Really great stuff, and many of the 'Thank you, but no' are easy. A few are painful.

a

 

[Mark Warren]

I was directing a play once where the producer offered the lead to someone who accepted, then notified the photo-finish second choice moments later that they had not got the role. When the winner unexpectedly dropped out 24hrs later for personal reasons, the rejected one then passed. There's a moral in the story about timing in there somewhere. There's a separate lesson to the actor too about grasping opportunity or a lucky break rather than taking things personally.

 

[Ketch Rossi]

I suppose casting a screenplay strictly as a casting agent is quite different than casting something you wrote.

Not having experienced from a Casting Director's point of view, can't say, but I would have to agree with you completely.