I'm 18...

bballplaya283 said:
Try being 14 and looking to cast adults.

The only adults I've had in any of my shorts have been neighbors or parents with no acting ability.
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Look to your local junior College. At 15 I had far better communications with college students than I did with my highschool peers. At that time there was a growing population of youth who were dissatisfied with a war, and the way things were. They engaged in rebelious acts, and had envisioned a future of peace and prosperity with out war... well, you to can take on the dream...
 
If you are very young, or inexperienced, consider having a real CD (casting director) assist you. Many will work on student films for little to no cost (or their casing assistances might just to get a casting credit). There is much more to proper casting than just putting out a notice and seeing who shows up. Professional actors can spot an inexperienced casting notice a mile away and will steer clear of projects that they don't consider worthwhile. There are many on line sites that are great resources such as:

www.nowcasting.com

www.lacasting.com

www.breakdownservices.com

Great talent can make or break a project so if it is important, don't make a mistake in the beginning (casting) that will effect the outcome of your project.
 
Its the same with everything in life. Your attitude is what people look to foremost. And of course first impression is what is going to determine a lot for you. Dont try to speak to older people about non important issues because they may not relate. Stick to discussing what your shooting and why. Stick to what you know well.

If you cast a 35 year old actor who does have a long list of credits, he/she WILL know acting better than you, being 18. But dont forget this your vision and you know what the goal looks like. That said a collaborative approach will get you: happier actors, better performances and most importantly the job done. Learn when to pick your battles.
 
I would add:

If you understand the reasons (some valid, some not) that older people may be hesitiant, and addres those reasons, you will also improve your results.

Valid reasons people may be hesitant: Your likely inexperience. The general expectation of "ADD" among the young (ie, they expect you to waste their time and never finish your project).

How to address them? Have a very professional demo, probably a completed short, which will showcase your experience, your persistence, and the quality of results you are cabable of achieving.

Invalid reasons: Ego. Pride. Conceit. Disrespect.

How to address them? Don't. Be glad they showed their unprofessional ways immediately. They would be nothing but a disruption on the set.

And using a casting director doesn't hurt either :-)
 
Paint a beard on your face and talk about black tuesday whenever possible. They will never guess you are 18. If that doesnt work, 500lb productions has a good point.
 
I'm 18 too, but in all honesty I don't even really consider my age to be a factor when I start a production. I work with who I need, be the person older or younger it doesn't matter to me, as long as they do what they are supposed to do and are professional about it.

Like people have said, if you're professional people will respect you, but don't think of yourself as younger than them. Think of yourself as if you were their age, because you're on the same level. You're collaborating with a team of individuals to achieve a set goal. Age shouldn't even come into play unless it comes to buying something you can't at 18. It's all about your mindset and your level of confidence. Don't mistake this for being cocky though.

-Kegan
 
Hunter007 said:
Like people have said, if you're professional people will respect you, but don't think of yourself as younger than them. Think of yourself as if you were their age, because you're on the same level. You're collaborating with a team of individuals to achieve a set goal. It's all about your mindset and your level of confidence.

-Kegan
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Precisely. Well said my friend!
 
I'm 22 and I look closer to 17 (still carded for everything) but I just finished a short film with an actor in his 70s. Like everyone said, the most important thing is being professional. One thing that I've done is take upper level acting classes (stuff that normally only a theater major would take). People will spot you as a film guy pretty quick but they tend to respect that you're willing to take such a theater/oriented class just to be a better director (and of course meet actors). I actually got nervous myself trying to cast someone in such late years and asked one my actor friends what he thought would be the best way for someone of that age to take a "kid" like me seriously. He suggested trying to make them into as much of a collaberator as possible. This is really good for older actors who want more control. On the other hand it's bad for me since I'm a pretty damn controlling director. Thankfully, the guy I got was wonderful, very easy to work with, and very eager to take direction. Hope that helps.
 
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I directed CRUENTO (http://www.vokteren.thedigitalline.com/Cruento.wmv), and I'm 15. The actors are 20 and 24-26. Though the dp is older than me (and the cast) I directed most of the film.
It was a weird situation. I wasn't as confident as I would be if I was directing some of my friends, that's for sure! But it was a interesting and good experience. :)
 
It comes down to this: Can you direct a film?. If your answer is yes, then they should have no reason to think "He can't direct a film"! The main thing is to impress them during the casting interviews! Conduct yourself like a big director on set, and people will treat you like a big director. ACt experianced and know what your talking about, and people will think your experianced and know what your talking about.

If you show up to set donning an Eminem du rag and pants down to knee's and using slang terms like "Yo" "Sweet...Dude!" etc, you might have a little problem being taken seriously. Watch what Spielberg and Lucas do... They'll lead you right.
 
a) Ivar must be rich, or a prodigy.

b) This is a really old thread. It's good that some of the newer people who haven't seen it can look at it.

c) Honestly, I know I'm competing with some tough competition up there, but I do think it makes a difference, when you are younger than them, it is a little different. I think when you make a mistake, they'll criticize you more. Not saying that it's impossible, especially because you can drive, you can... uh, vote....

Just my opinions.
 
Watch what Spielberg and Lucas do... They'll lead you right.
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Well, hopefully not Lucas...

I'm actually really curious how Mel Gibson directs... he seems to get great results all the time.
 
Lines form on my face and hands
Lines form from the ups and downs
I'm in the middle without any plans
I'm a boy and I'm a man

I'm eighteen
and I don't know what I want
Eighteen
I just don't know what I want
Eighteen
I gotta get away
I gotta get out of this place
I'll go runnin in outer space
Oh yeah

I got a
baby's brain and an old man's heart
Took eighteen years to get this far
Don't always know what I'm talkin' about
Feels like I'm livin in the middle of doubt
Cause I'm

Eighteen
I get confused every day
Eighteen
I just don't know what to say
Eighteen
I gotta get away

Lines form on my face and my hands
Lines form on the left and right
I'm in the middle
the middle of life
I'm a boy and I'm a man
I'm eighteen and I LIKE IT
Yes I like it
Oh I like it
Love it
Like it
Love it
Eighteen!
Eighteen!
Eighteen!
Eighteen and I LIKE IT


- Alice Cooper
 
Shaw said:
Well, hopefully not Lucas...

I'm actually really curious how Mel Gibson directs... he seems to get great results all the time.
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i'll tell you how he directs. like a ****in' jackass. i was working with Apocalypto dailies a few months ago. in one set-up, he had is lead actor dive into a pool of mud where he had to hold his breath for nearly a minute, then slowly emerge into a close-up. it was a tough one to pull off. as the actor came up hitting his mark in front of the camera, you could hear Mel off-screen yell, "Not F*ckin' buyin' it!!!"
 
I'd love to put him and Michael Bay in a Thunderdome-style sudden-death cage match...

...never worked with Gibson, and after his widely-publicized comments on the shoulder of PCH, I don't want to, either.
 
cygnet74 said:
i'll tell you how he directs. like a poo pooin' jackass. i was working with Apocalypto dailies a few months ago. in one set-up, he had is lead actor dive into a pool of mud where he had to hold his breath for nearly a minute, then slowly emerge into a close-up. it was a tough one to pull off. as the actor came up hitting his mark in front of the camera, you could hear Mel off-screen yell, "Not F*ckin' buyin' it!!!"
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Wow... totally not the image I'd see.
 
The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes. - Benjamin Disraeli
 
I wouldn't have a problem working with a young director if it was a good script and I saw something in the person that I admired or respected. It comes down to how much you want to make a good film...
 
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