I'd like to share my thoughts on this and get some opinions from those who have far more experience than I do!
This is my first time directing, although I've acted as my husband's "right hand" on several of his projects and have also helped him in casting. He always holds live auditions, so that's what I'm used to. The notices go out onto casting sites, people schedule an appointment to come audition, we hold auditions. Simple.
For my film, I have someone handling all the audition scheduling for me and she gives me a quick run-down every day. I've been noticing a pattern here:
My casting director keeps telling me about how a lot of actors, especially those from out-of-area, keep pestering her about wanting her to just send me their demo reels instead of auditioning. I really don't like the idea of not meeting with actors in person for an audition. It just seems to me that a video tells me nothing about whether or not they can actually take direction. (I outright refuse to do "live cam" video auditions with how buggy my internet connection gets.)
But, judging from the number of people who plead with her to try to convince me to consider it, I'm wondering if that's the "norm" now?
After she tells them that I really do insist on live auditions, she's been getting some pretty snippy responses. Most belly-ache about how it's too much trouble to drive the distance for "just an audition". A few even ask if we will be compensating them for gas (or even air fare) for them to get to the auditions.
Granted, I'm not an actor, but I've never heard of any production paying people gas money to come audition for them. Does this really happen?
In my mind, actors who seriously want a role in the film will do whatever is required to get it. I'm holding my auditions at least 60 miles away from the nearest major city simply because I feel that if they can't drive there one day for an audition, what can I expect when I need them to drive out there for a few days? (One of my locations is about a mile away from where I'm holding auditions, although I will be providing hotel lodging in the area when we are shooting out there.)
Am I really just being old-fashioned?
This is my first time directing, although I've acted as my husband's "right hand" on several of his projects and have also helped him in casting. He always holds live auditions, so that's what I'm used to. The notices go out onto casting sites, people schedule an appointment to come audition, we hold auditions. Simple.
For my film, I have someone handling all the audition scheduling for me and she gives me a quick run-down every day. I've been noticing a pattern here:
My casting director keeps telling me about how a lot of actors, especially those from out-of-area, keep pestering her about wanting her to just send me their demo reels instead of auditioning. I really don't like the idea of not meeting with actors in person for an audition. It just seems to me that a video tells me nothing about whether or not they can actually take direction. (I outright refuse to do "live cam" video auditions with how buggy my internet connection gets.)
But, judging from the number of people who plead with her to try to convince me to consider it, I'm wondering if that's the "norm" now?
After she tells them that I really do insist on live auditions, she's been getting some pretty snippy responses. Most belly-ache about how it's too much trouble to drive the distance for "just an audition". A few even ask if we will be compensating them for gas (or even air fare) for them to get to the auditions.
Granted, I'm not an actor, but I've never heard of any production paying people gas money to come audition for them. Does this really happen?
In my mind, actors who seriously want a role in the film will do whatever is required to get it. I'm holding my auditions at least 60 miles away from the nearest major city simply because I feel that if they can't drive there one day for an audition, what can I expect when I need them to drive out there for a few days? (One of my locations is about a mile away from where I'm holding auditions, although I will be providing hotel lodging in the area when we are shooting out there.)
Am I really just being old-fashioned?