Anybody do a lot of casting?

L

LukeJ

Well-known member
Because I've done none. My first is an open audition on Saturday at the local library. I advertised it as a four minute short on Craigslist and got about twenty responses. How many people do you think will show up? I listed it in The Portland Metro area. I'm worried that the library is going to be filled with kids on skateboards and chit.

Also, if you have any tips for me, something I might not already read about, well, I'd be much appreciated. Thanks. J.
 
Respect those that come in first and foremost. Acting is tough.

when I cast I always have somebody handle reception and I have coolers full of coffee drinks and water. maybe even some snacks, but that depends on if it's an open call or if you're scheduling people.

Casting always runs longer than expected, so plan on too many people showing up and if they don't at least you were prepared. Have places for people to sit if you expect long waits.

For serious casting of just a few roles, it's better IMO to actually schedule people into time slots for their auditions.

As for what to do with them when they're in the room, welll....you take the cute girls, sit them on the casting couch....sorry, wrong post. Seriously, I set up the camera and tell them to give their slate to the camera. Maybe even have them sit in a directors chair and put a soft light or two on them just to get an idea of skintone, etc.

I then tell them that we'll read through the sides (which they should have in the waiting room in most cases) once just to get a feel for the words out-loud and then I redirect them and let them go again. If I think they're promising I give them an odd direction to go in or something a bit different just to see how they handle direction.

most of the time I ask everybody how their schedule is and if there are special requirements like stunts, nudity, etc. this is a good tim to talk about it.

Always act professional and be kind to everybody and the word about what you're doing will spread like wildfire.

Good luck,

J.
 
i conduct 1st round auditions as such...

listen to the scene as they prepared it. if they are less than compelling, thank them and move to the next. if they manage to not be boring and recognize the "turns" in the scene, give them an adjustment in the other extreme (i.e. from sweet and flirtatious to resentful) to re-read the scene just to see if they listen and can follow direction -- doesn't have to be right for the character.

if they listen, you've got one to call back for round two where you work a little more with them. in my case, i set up dramatic improvisational situations between two actors, giving them adjustments, changing their objectives, etc. etc.

this method hasn't failed me yet.
 
I'm doing my first audition soon. I'm having them RSVP. I used a local casting paper, the Nevada film office hotline which tells about upcoming casting, and I also used craiglist. I got about 40 responses. (it sounds sort of slim, I know. But it's for ages between 20-35). So as of now, I have 4 saying yes , 2 saying maybe, and 1 saying no. I'm sort of worried the rest one get back to me, but I suggest the RSVP method it will show you whose actually interested - instead of them showing up on a whim and then backing out of your project.

I'm probably more nervous than the actors that will show up. lol!
 
directinglegend said:
(it sounds sort of slim, I know. But it's for ages between 20-35)
Click to expand...

You should be getting the MOST responses in that age range, not the fewest.

As for me, I use something similar to cygnet74's method. It works well. Unless my day is just absolute hell, I do like to give every actor two shots at the run-through. Sometimes someone who made terrible initial choices turns out to be excellent at taking direction, or turns out to be right for another part...

Everything insanityfw said is good advice. Make sure to make sides available to the actors who wait outside!
 
Really, because when I planned an audition with a friend it required some younger kids like 10 or 12 and he got over like 60 emails.
 
Haven't read the other posts... But here's what I did..... I used several sites... craigslist and lacasting... I had the most luck with lacasting.com got tons of submissions... then I went through headshots with my casting director, and then I had her call the ones I wanted to come in and read... We set up times for everyone... staggering them 30 min. or so... then we sent out directions, sides, and specific audition times to everyone... I didn't do call backs, as we knew right away who we wanted to cast after the first set of auditions.
 
Well, I've never cast 10-12 year olds, so I don't know, but most working actors are in their mid-20s. In LA, at least, you can't avoid getting a ton of responses from this range even if you've been quite specific about needing older/younger.

A bit more on process now that I have a minute. We generally work with a casting director here, who puts out the casting call (usually through Breakdown Services, sometimes Backstage West)... Breakdown has a great website for this although you have to pay for it. She's comfortable working with us so she does initial selections from the respondees, then we use her account to filter down the remainder to who we actually want to see. I give them 10 minutes a piece, generally speaking you shouldn't need more than this (default is actually 7.5 minutes)... if it were for the starring role or a feature film, this would be more. Then I set aside however many hours of my day and wait for them to stroll in. Actors are rarely on time, at least in Downtown LA. Often late, but just as often early, so I don't bother much keeping track of exact times.

Do get a headshot from everyone who shows up, and make sure that headshot has contact information on it! For whatever ridiculous reason, I've run across more than a few talented actors who somehow failed to put their contact info on their materials!
 
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