If you’re an actor, you probably have friends that you can call up and you will make their day by saying you’ve got a roll for them. Cool. This part of pre-production will be easy. Or maybe I should say easier…
I have cast from my friends before with varying levels of success.
Here are the upsides:
- You don’t need to hold a casting session and so you don’t need to pay for a casting room (never hold casting sessions in your home if you are auditioning strangers),
- You get give something really cool (a roll) to another actor and friend,
- You’re already friends with the person so obviously you get along and are fond of each other which is very helpful on set,
- You have an idea of what they can do theatrically and what their talents are, and
- Working with your actor-friend builds stronger professional bonds with them.
The Downsides to getting your friends involved:
- They might be a great friend but a lousy actor,
- Sometimes friends are quite casual about what you are trying to do even though their laze faire attitude could cost you a lot of money and time (“I know you said 4pm call time but I know you’re a flexible and “cool” about that),
- It’s more difficult to handle if they do do something wrong (like be late or spend petty cash on the same food that is already sitting, uneaten, on the Kraft Service table),
- If the actor didn’t have to audition for the roll, sometimes they don’t value it as much. (I had one actor think that he was just the “Car Salesman Guy”, but he was actually the character that was going to steal the lead female character away from her abusive husband at the end of the movie. He didn’t read the script and so the initial meeting between the two characters lacked the subtext necessary to make the scene interesting.)
- And they may not be able to shift their frame of reference from you as an actor to you as a producer, which will limit your ability to tell them what to do on set (which is your job as producer) and might even jeopardize the authority you need with the rest of your crew because they will be observing how those close to you will be treating you and follow their lead.
I would call up several friends (that you like, trust and respect and that you know like, trust and respect you) and have all of them come in, along with other actors you pulled from some casting sites, and audition all of them. Even if you know your friend is perfect for the roll and totally responsible and respectful, this will make them feel like they won the roll (which they did, because probably no one came close to their excellence in the audition room) and will give them that winning feeling that will make them feel good about the roll and your project.
The details on casting your movie is as follows:
Setting up the Casting Session
This involves picking the date and time of the audition, as well as making sure all of your other dates are in place. You also must find a location for the casting session and prepare the schedule of auditions.
To find the best actors you must be sure you are very specific about what you are seeking. This process involves writing descriptions of the characters in your movie, posting on casting sites and receiving responses, calling actor in to audition, and scheduling actors auditions for the casting session.
Why Holding Casting Sessions are Good for You as an Actor
You want to know what a casting director is thinking, be a casting director for a day. It will help your auditions.
What to bring. How to prepare. What to look for in auditioners. You know… the details.
After the Casting Session – Picking Actors for the Rolls
You have held the initial casting session and brought in all of the actors to audition. Now it’s time to pick the cast.
