Quick Help! AUDITIONING ACTORS.

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Dennis Mikula Films

How do I go about doing this??

I have 4 scheduled auditions today with actors and I thought it would be simple but after thinking about it...how do I go about doing it? Any advice?

Thanks.
 
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Um...I'm guessing you never cast anything. First thing first. You need to hold auditions in a safe office/theater space. Never hold auditions in your living space. Its not safe for you and its not safe for actors.

2nd. I'd highly recommend hiring a casting director. If you're in a bigger market (LA or NY) you can probably get a casting assistant at a major office to cast cheaply or for free if your project is solid. IE: If you're going to have a good script and high production value.

What is your experience? Be up front with your actors. There is nothing worse than auditioning for a crappy film with no budget and no one on board with experience and being told the exact opposite. Don't BS about pay either: if you're not able to pay your actors make yourself available to get them a free copy because that is the only reason they are doing free work.

You shouldn't have them reading the entire script with you. Pick one or two scenes per actor that have the most extreme levels the actors will need to play. Run it with them. Then, even if they are good, I would redirect them to have them play it differently to see if they are good at taking direction. Definitely record. Do NOT Post the auditions online. It is wrong and illegal without the actors consent. And its rude and uncouth to ask an actor to sign a waiver for their audition. Back when I was non union and I auditioned for non union films I saw this a couple of times....I passed on the auditions.

If this is a union project then you have another set of rules you must follow legally. I'm guessing its not union otherwise you'd probably already know this.

Hope that helps.
 
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My film was super-no-budget and I still hired 2 paid casting assistants (I got from a really nice casting director) and rented space for the auditions. For me Casting is the #1 pre-production priority. I'd rather film on a cheap camera with lame locations with good performers then have the best equipment/locals and terrible actors.

bez said:
Um...I'm guessing you never cast anything. First thing first. You need to hold auditions in a safe office/theater space. Never hold auditions in your living space. Its not safe for you and its not safe for actors.

2nd. I'd highly recommend hiring a casting director. If you're in a bigger market (LA or NY) you can probably get a casting assistant at a major office to cast cheaply or for free if your project is solid. IE: If you're going to have a good script and high production value.

What is your experience? Be up front with your actors. There is nothing worse than auditioning for a crappy film with no budget and no one on board with experience and being told the exact opposite. Don't BS about pay either: if you're not able to pay your actors make yourself available to get them a free copy because that is the only reason they are doing free work.

You shouldn't have them reading the entire script with you. Pick one or two scenes per actor that have the most extreme levels the actors will need to play. Run it with them. Then, even if they are good, I would redirect them to have them play it differently to see if they are good at taking direction. Definitely record. Do NOT Post the auditions online. It is wrong and illegal without the actors consent. And its rude and uncouth to ask an actor to sign a waiver for their audition. Back when I was non union and I auditioned for non union films I saw this a couple of times....I passed on the auditions.

If this is a union project then you have another set of rules you must follow legally. I'm guessing its not union otherwise you'd probably already know this.

Hope that helps.
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A great, cheap place to hold auditions is at a small theater. Usually they are desperate for money. I remember one that only charged something ridiculous like $20 an hour. You want to hold auditions somewhere that is in the middle of where everywhere lives -- not on the outskirts of town. So in LA you want to have auditions in a place like Hollywood, West LA, Sherman Oaks or some place like that. If you hold auditions up in Chatsworth or Calabasas or Pacific Palisades you will lose people by default.
Oh and always ALWAYS have a backup choice for each important role. 1 out of 10 people who you cast will ultimately flake out, some the day of the shoot.
 
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I just took my daughter to an audition that was held at a newly opened tea house. My impression was that he got to use the space for free in exchange for suggesting to the actors that it might be cool to order something. There was no pressure--just a casual suggestion, and we did end up ordering some food and drinks.
 
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