My First Casting Call

[NicklausLouis]

I am planning a Casting Call for my upcoming short film. It will be the first CC that I've ever had for one of my films. Anyone have any advice for me? I am wondering if I should have the actors that audition sign release forms and whatnot, and what kind of form I should have them sign. I plan on taping the auditions, so I am not sure what I need to do there.

Basically, if you have any advice or ideas...lay it on me, I'm all ears.

Poke

 

[NicklausLouis]

I guess I forgot to update this thread.

Shooting has been pushed back, so the auditions were not held. They will be in late November now.

Thanks to everyone for the great advice.

Poke

 

[JonnyMac]

There's a comment early in this thread about giving actors "a few minutes" to prepare before an audition instead of sending them sides (to keep the sides from "floating around"). It's tragic that so many directors think acting is an automatic process; it isn't, and like the other processes in film production requires time to consider choices (this [unseen] prep time is what makes great acting seem automatic). I once asked a director if he would give his DP just a few minutes with a brand new camera and film stock before shooting his movie -- the director scoffed and said, "Of course not, that requires planning." Acting does, too. Dialog is very malleable and we actors appreciate the time (more than a few minutes) to explore the multitude of possibilities that a script presents so that we can give our best interpretation to you.

 

[Spatula]

Since this thread is up in front, I posted a little blurb on the blog about a recent audition I went to. If you skim to the end, there's a few important points I deduced from the point of an actor that directors can do to get the best out of their auditionees.

 

[JonnyMac]

It would be nice, but I don't know that you'll find a lot of directors or casting directors wanting to spend time to get to know actors before an audition. Our job as actors is, in fact, to live privately, in public, and on demand. It's that "on demand" part that some directors think means no prep time with the script -- and it's just the opposite if they want good acting (versus just reading). Being able to "live" the script, fully, freely, honestly -- and on demand -- means having spent significant prep time before the audition/performance.

 

[Spatula]

True, but the least I can ask from a future puppet-master, is that they at least ask me ONE non-audition related thing about me, before diving into a cold read with poorly established characters, lol.