cattle call for kids

brianluce

Carbonite Member
I have to find some child actors to do a few simple lines (groan....), gonna have to sift through a lot of them I'm sure. Anyone know some quick exercises to assess acting skill for people (kids) that most likely have never acted? To make things worse, these kids aren't native english speakers though they know a bit of english...
 
If at all possible I'd suggest finding a casting director for this. Will save you lots of headaches. Of course, that may not help in your circumstances given the native speaker comment.

Sometimes you can get schools to let you audition their students if you make the project sound worthwhile for their kids' education. Good way to see dozens a day quickly.
 
I shot a childrens musical 2 years back, had lots of kids come in and try for the lead. It could have been overwhelming since there were several I liked on the spot.

One word of advice I can give is to tape the call (which is a pretty standard procedure). This is what really helped me reach a quick decision with so many to choose from.

During the call, make quick notations about which kids really stick out and which ones completely miss the mark, then go back with your notes and watch your favorites first. I did this process with the help of my best friend, someone I really trust, and in the end, I knew I made the right choice with who I cast for the part.
 
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