alex whitmer
Veteran
I have done a little over the years, mostly for small projects that need 2 to 5 actors. One needed 12. But now I'm casting a film that needs 28, and it's just such a fascinating aspect of film. Love it.
A few things really jumped out this time: it is the smallest roles that are the hardest to fill. Seems nobody wants them. You find the perfect candidate, send them the scene, and they either never respond, or say something like 'That's it?'? I've been through 50 headshots and I don't know how many emails and several actor databases to find a few roles and have still come up empty.
On the other hand, the lead has them lined up. It's not that hard to filter out who isn't going to work, or who is just looking for a part - any part. But then you find 2, or even 3 that you just know will knock it out of the park, and each a little differently, all of which will bring great layers to the character, and you can only pick one. They each want it bad, and you know you will be sending a letter saying sorry. Dang! And you knock your head over and over asking yourself if you made the right decision. It's all a perfect angst.
Then of course you get the clown who wants to toss in freind cuz, well, they're friends and you know it has disaster written all over it. What's worse is when they replace an actor you have already cast, and they mention in passsing, 'Oh, I put my friend Kerry in that role.'
Uh, no you didn't.
The other fun part, of course, is making sure family members look like family members. You find the perfect mom, only to replace her because the perfect son - and a more pivotal role - comes along afterwards, and you need to start over.
And then, twins apply, and as you know it's just so rare, and any responsible filmmaker would jump at the chance, so you rewrite a scene to fit them in.
As one biz friend said 'Casting by the writer. Interesting perspective'. Is there another?
It's all so cool. I like it as much (more?) than actually writing.
Alex
A few things really jumped out this time: it is the smallest roles that are the hardest to fill. Seems nobody wants them. You find the perfect candidate, send them the scene, and they either never respond, or say something like 'That's it?'? I've been through 50 headshots and I don't know how many emails and several actor databases to find a few roles and have still come up empty.
On the other hand, the lead has them lined up. It's not that hard to filter out who isn't going to work, or who is just looking for a part - any part. But then you find 2, or even 3 that you just know will knock it out of the park, and each a little differently, all of which will bring great layers to the character, and you can only pick one. They each want it bad, and you know you will be sending a letter saying sorry. Dang! And you knock your head over and over asking yourself if you made the right decision. It's all a perfect angst.
Then of course you get the clown who wants to toss in freind cuz, well, they're friends and you know it has disaster written all over it. What's worse is when they replace an actor you have already cast, and they mention in passsing, 'Oh, I put my friend Kerry in that role.'
Uh, no you didn't.
The other fun part, of course, is making sure family members look like family members. You find the perfect mom, only to replace her because the perfect son - and a more pivotal role - comes along afterwards, and you need to start over.
And then, twins apply, and as you know it's just so rare, and any responsible filmmaker would jump at the chance, so you rewrite a scene to fit them in.
As one biz friend said 'Casting by the writer. Interesting perspective'. Is there another?
It's all so cool. I like it as much (more?) than actually writing.
Alex