jpbankesmercer
Director Mod
Casting/ Auditions.
Casting (The first cut)
If time permits, you should always be at the casting. Directing when boiled down to its essence should revolve around working with the Actors. So if you are present at the casting at least you know what you’ve got to work with. Acting itself is not rocket science, (even though it does get shrouded in mystery), a good Actor is someone who is willing, willing to express himself or herself and be open to suggestion. For this reason it’s better not to cast friends and family, (unless they are jobbing Actors), because their motivation will be different than yours, (they are only doing it to please you), it’s always a problem asking someone you know to do something they might not be comfortable with. If you have that Director/ Actor separation you’ll find it easier to stretch the performer. Unfortunately lots of people THINK that they can act, the truth from sitting on many audition panels is, really good performers are few and far between. Don’t get me wrong acting is a skill you can develop over time but for some the thought of being an Actor, (red carpets), and the reality, (waiting around on freezing cold night shoots and only being used for five minutes if at all!), takes time to sink in. People, unwilling to be open and let their soul be laid bare will at some point struggle with more meaningful text. Inexperienced actors also tend to lump all types of performance together, as a young actor myself I thought I could cover everything from presenting to Shakespeare, only through many jobs/ time did I realize as a performer where my strengths did lie. Some Actors are talented enough to work across the board but if your reading this as an upcoming Director/ Producer I would hazard a guess you don’t have the funds to attract top talent, saying that many named Actors have taken on projects due to the strength of a script. So let’s just say for arguments sake that you are working with new talent.
Prep.
Use any journals possible to advertise the casting. On receiving the possible headshots/ C.V’s organize them into who you are willing to cast. Staple the headshot’s to the C.V.’s, (they tend to separate and become a nightmare situation if you don’t), and have the Producer/ Line Producer or Casting ring round and inform them of the casting location/ time slots well in advance. Try and book somewhere quiet and make sure you won’t be disturbing anyone else around you. Ask others who are involved in the project to help on the casting days. I tend to have one person out front meeting and greeting who also handles the contact phone, (people will run late and ring you, you don’t want to interrupt someone during their audition), I also have at least one other person with me in the casting room, to discuss and offer a different point of view and be impartial. Video all of the auditions, it’s amazing after seeing 50 people how much you forget. Sometimes I have even used the performers original casting tape in the finished project. These tapes will be invaluable material for anyone who may not be able to be at the auditions, (exec producers, writers.)
Through experience, as the one who will be working with the performer, I try and get final say on the casting, it’s not always the case but the tapes can help you reach a decision that suites everyone.
The Audition.
When the performer enters introduce yourself and the panel, have a brief synopsis of the project. Personally I always ask Actors to prepare a piece of their own choice, this will give you the first clue on how the performer view themselves, they might pick some obscure text no-one has every heard of before but 9 out of 10 times they tend to choose something they feel comfortable in delivering or is close to their range. After they deliver the piece try and hold back any immediate reaction/ emotion on the delivery and go straight into asking them general questions about their acting experience. This method covers you if they are truly terrible or amazingly talented; remember if you’ve asked 100 people to turn up, it would be unfair to offer any part until you’ve given everyone a chance. It will also save you any embarrassment if someone turns up later that fit’s the part better than you could have ever imagined. It gives them a chance to impress you at a further stage; I have seen many truly bad monologues only to be blown away by further improvisation. Don’t be frightened to stop a five-minute monologue with a polite ‘I’m going to stop you there’, time is of the essence on such days and you will quickly know who is wasting that precious commodity. After some brief questions I do a quick improvisation, (with myself or someone I have brought along on the panel), Actors in general don’t get a lot of feedback on their skills, lot’s of people will say you’re a good Actor to be polite, it’s a strong person who will stand up and say, ‘Actually maybe you should stick to selling Kitchens.’ Trying to make it in such a hard profession, it’s difficult to be objective with the material you choose. Improvisation will give you an insight on how an Actor can think on their feet, (most Actors will be prepared for improv.), don’t be afraid to give direction while their performing, changing emotions and motivations will help you see how versatile they are and how they take to your direction. Try and remember that for the amount of people who are bad at delivering straight-text, the same amount will also be bad at improvisation. Your job at the casting will be to unearth all possibilities with your performers and give everyone a fair chance. Time is short when shooting, personally when on set, I like the Actors to know exactly what they are doing on the day, (rehearsals), a good Actor should excel your expectations and offer you something you never imagined possible. If you have to work with them too much on the day, it’s dragging you away from the other 1001 things you have to think about. Of course you should still be working on the performance but understanding the essence of the character should be nailed to some degree by this point. This whole process should be done within about ten minutes; treat every audition the same, I think it’s only fair to give everyone a good crack of the whip, they might have travelled great distances, changing plans to get their shot at the project. Finally find out their schedules and make sure they are available when you need them.
Finishing up.
After the audition thank them for their time, (still keeping tight lipped), if your interested say so but try not to offer anything until you’ve gone over all possibilities. When they leave briefly discuss the audition with anyone else on the panel and make good notes. Many times I thought someone was right only to be told some relevant information by the panel that has changed things. Keep headshots and C.V.’s together and start a pile of No’s, Maybes and Yes’s. Though be warned, many times I found myself re-looking at the No’s and slipping them back into the Maybes.
If you have the time, clear your head for a few days and get the tapes back. Watch the auditions and make new notes, when finished check them against your old ones, (this should give you a clear overview.) Don't cast someone on looks alone, of course you will have a pre-conceived idea of the character but being realistic about a performers ability will save you lot's of stress in the future. Make sure everyone who needs to see the tapes gets a chance to before you cast, don't offer anything out until everyone have had their say. Then you can start to phone the Actors with the good news, be prepared that they might turn you down! So have a few backup choices ready. Also contact the people who didn't get the part, it's only courteous and you might find that you need them for a project in the future. Good hunting...
This short text is only offered as a practical guide, I’m sure I’ve missed out many things. I am not trying to cover everything or preach, it represents only the basics of what I have learnt working as a performer/ Director for the past fifteen years, I hope someone finds it useful.
Many Thanks.
J.P. Bankes-Mercer
Casting (The first cut)
If time permits, you should always be at the casting. Directing when boiled down to its essence should revolve around working with the Actors. So if you are present at the casting at least you know what you’ve got to work with. Acting itself is not rocket science, (even though it does get shrouded in mystery), a good Actor is someone who is willing, willing to express himself or herself and be open to suggestion. For this reason it’s better not to cast friends and family, (unless they are jobbing Actors), because their motivation will be different than yours, (they are only doing it to please you), it’s always a problem asking someone you know to do something they might not be comfortable with. If you have that Director/ Actor separation you’ll find it easier to stretch the performer. Unfortunately lots of people THINK that they can act, the truth from sitting on many audition panels is, really good performers are few and far between. Don’t get me wrong acting is a skill you can develop over time but for some the thought of being an Actor, (red carpets), and the reality, (waiting around on freezing cold night shoots and only being used for five minutes if at all!), takes time to sink in. People, unwilling to be open and let their soul be laid bare will at some point struggle with more meaningful text. Inexperienced actors also tend to lump all types of performance together, as a young actor myself I thought I could cover everything from presenting to Shakespeare, only through many jobs/ time did I realize as a performer where my strengths did lie. Some Actors are talented enough to work across the board but if your reading this as an upcoming Director/ Producer I would hazard a guess you don’t have the funds to attract top talent, saying that many named Actors have taken on projects due to the strength of a script. So let’s just say for arguments sake that you are working with new talent.
Prep.
Use any journals possible to advertise the casting. On receiving the possible headshots/ C.V’s organize them into who you are willing to cast. Staple the headshot’s to the C.V.’s, (they tend to separate and become a nightmare situation if you don’t), and have the Producer/ Line Producer or Casting ring round and inform them of the casting location/ time slots well in advance. Try and book somewhere quiet and make sure you won’t be disturbing anyone else around you. Ask others who are involved in the project to help on the casting days. I tend to have one person out front meeting and greeting who also handles the contact phone, (people will run late and ring you, you don’t want to interrupt someone during their audition), I also have at least one other person with me in the casting room, to discuss and offer a different point of view and be impartial. Video all of the auditions, it’s amazing after seeing 50 people how much you forget. Sometimes I have even used the performers original casting tape in the finished project. These tapes will be invaluable material for anyone who may not be able to be at the auditions, (exec producers, writers.)
Through experience, as the one who will be working with the performer, I try and get final say on the casting, it’s not always the case but the tapes can help you reach a decision that suites everyone.
The Audition.
When the performer enters introduce yourself and the panel, have a brief synopsis of the project. Personally I always ask Actors to prepare a piece of their own choice, this will give you the first clue on how the performer view themselves, they might pick some obscure text no-one has every heard of before but 9 out of 10 times they tend to choose something they feel comfortable in delivering or is close to their range. After they deliver the piece try and hold back any immediate reaction/ emotion on the delivery and go straight into asking them general questions about their acting experience. This method covers you if they are truly terrible or amazingly talented; remember if you’ve asked 100 people to turn up, it would be unfair to offer any part until you’ve given everyone a chance. It will also save you any embarrassment if someone turns up later that fit’s the part better than you could have ever imagined. It gives them a chance to impress you at a further stage; I have seen many truly bad monologues only to be blown away by further improvisation. Don’t be frightened to stop a five-minute monologue with a polite ‘I’m going to stop you there’, time is of the essence on such days and you will quickly know who is wasting that precious commodity. After some brief questions I do a quick improvisation, (with myself or someone I have brought along on the panel), Actors in general don’t get a lot of feedback on their skills, lot’s of people will say you’re a good Actor to be polite, it’s a strong person who will stand up and say, ‘Actually maybe you should stick to selling Kitchens.’ Trying to make it in such a hard profession, it’s difficult to be objective with the material you choose. Improvisation will give you an insight on how an Actor can think on their feet, (most Actors will be prepared for improv.), don’t be afraid to give direction while their performing, changing emotions and motivations will help you see how versatile they are and how they take to your direction. Try and remember that for the amount of people who are bad at delivering straight-text, the same amount will also be bad at improvisation. Your job at the casting will be to unearth all possibilities with your performers and give everyone a fair chance. Time is short when shooting, personally when on set, I like the Actors to know exactly what they are doing on the day, (rehearsals), a good Actor should excel your expectations and offer you something you never imagined possible. If you have to work with them too much on the day, it’s dragging you away from the other 1001 things you have to think about. Of course you should still be working on the performance but understanding the essence of the character should be nailed to some degree by this point. This whole process should be done within about ten minutes; treat every audition the same, I think it’s only fair to give everyone a good crack of the whip, they might have travelled great distances, changing plans to get their shot at the project. Finally find out their schedules and make sure they are available when you need them.
Finishing up.
After the audition thank them for their time, (still keeping tight lipped), if your interested say so but try not to offer anything until you’ve gone over all possibilities. When they leave briefly discuss the audition with anyone else on the panel and make good notes. Many times I thought someone was right only to be told some relevant information by the panel that has changed things. Keep headshots and C.V.’s together and start a pile of No’s, Maybes and Yes’s. Though be warned, many times I found myself re-looking at the No’s and slipping them back into the Maybes.
If you have the time, clear your head for a few days and get the tapes back. Watch the auditions and make new notes, when finished check them against your old ones, (this should give you a clear overview.) Don't cast someone on looks alone, of course you will have a pre-conceived idea of the character but being realistic about a performers ability will save you lot's of stress in the future. Make sure everyone who needs to see the tapes gets a chance to before you cast, don't offer anything out until everyone have had their say. Then you can start to phone the Actors with the good news, be prepared that they might turn you down! So have a few backup choices ready. Also contact the people who didn't get the part, it's only courteous and you might find that you need them for a project in the future. Good hunting...
This short text is only offered as a practical guide, I’m sure I’ve missed out many things. I am not trying to cover everything or preach, it represents only the basics of what I have learnt working as a performer/ Director for the past fifteen years, I hope someone finds it useful.
Many Thanks.
J.P. Bankes-Mercer
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