Challenge of Holding Callbacks

C

citychik

New member
I held auditions for my next project a few days ago and have been having a tough time winnowing down the actors I might want to use. I've never had so many that stand out as possibilities before, so this time I want to hold Callbacks -- but I'm not sure how to schedule the callbacks so that each "Boyfriend" candidate does a scene with each "Girlfriend." What's the best way to approach this (pairing up people to test their chemistry), so that none of the actors has to sit around and wait for hours? It's the logistics of a reasonable schedule that has me stymied.

Thanks, in advance, for any suggestions!
 
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Figure out the scene you really want to see, pair them up and then tape it. This way you can go and review the tape repeatedly and focus on each actor closely. Get them in and out of the call back, then make the decision afterwards.
 
Doc Bernard said:
Figure out the scene you really want to see, pair them up and then tape it. This way you can go and review the tape repeatedly and focus on each actor closely. Get them in and out of the call back, then make the decision afterwards.
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Thanks for your response, but that doesn't really answer my question. I do know which part of the script I want to use, and will tape it (of course!).

The problem I'm trying to figure out goes beyond just pairing people up. If I hold them in pairs, I'll just get to see Boyfriend A with Girlfriend A, Boyfriend B with Gilfriend B, and so on. That way only shows me the chemistry between one person and another.

I want to see one person and how they are with everyone, i.e., Boyfriend A with Girlfriends A, B, C, and D. Then Boyfriend B with Girlfriends A, B, C, and D. Then Boyfriend C with Girlfriends A, B, C, and D. That means I will have to hold multiple callbacks or have one person there a really long time while trying out the others, who will have to come back later to do the scene again with the other guy.

What's the best way to handle that? On a low budget?
 
Doc Bernard said:
You are in the call back stage. You should already know who you want to pair up already.
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Er, no, I have narrowed it down to my top picks and want to see different combinations. I only got to see each of them audition with the Readers that helped me out. Now I want to see their chemistry with other actors being considered. If I knew in advance who worked well together I wouldn't really need callbacks, I'd just cast it. Why "should I know" in advance (and why are you "shoulding" on me?) when I haven't seen them work together yet? They're all really good and it's hard to decide. If you don't have the kind of suggestion I requested, why post?

I was hoping someone might have a logistical tip on mixing and matching the actors. After I find the pair of actors I want for the couple, I have to have more callbacks for a third lead who will play off those two, so I'm trying to handle this as efficiently as possible.

.
 
Top male actor with top female actress, second best male with second best female, etc. You need to look at this differently than "hey, we are calling you back, but you need to audition completely over again." You have those you like and should already have some idea of who to pair with who. If they are good actors, they will develop "chemistry".

If you start "playing around with combinations", these actors, if real actors, will look at you like you have no idea what you are doing and may just say, "Great, a waste of time" and just walk.

And I do a lot of acting myself, and yes, I HAVE done exactly this if the CA starts jerking me around. Either I have what you are looking for or I don't. You are casting actors not "chemistry".
 
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Doc Bernard said:
Top male actor with top female actress, second best male with second best female, etc. You need to look at this differently than "hey, we are calling you back, but you need to audition completely over again."
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Well, I wasn't really looking at it as starting over.

Okay, I tried to narrow it down some more...

The problem is I have three top actresses that I like equally well, but they're very different from each other. I have two top guys I like equally and one guy who comes in second. For the third lead, I have two favorites - again, very different from each other.

When I look at the top picks of the women, and the top picks of the guys, I could see a variety of combinations and my consideration of them changes depending on the pairing. And who I cast as the third lead depends on who is cast as the couple.

...maybe I need to really ask myself if there is one of my top picks I like even just a tiny bit better than another - but it's really difficult!
 
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