How To Cast Your Film

You've got your script locked down and you're ready to cast your film, but casting can be tricky. I mean, how do you choose one actor over another anyway? Well, I've got the answers for you. So let's go over the steps on how you can cast your film.

The first step in the casting process is hiring a casting director. A casting director is someone who can handle all the logistics of casting, keeping you free to focus on just selecting the perfect cast. But if you don't have the budget for a casting director, don't worry. You can still do all these steps yourself. Next, the casting director sends out a breakdown for each character needed. These breakdowns are short descriptions of each character and are typically posted on casting websites, such as mandy.com, backstage, or now casting just to name a few. I mean, I could name more, but we don't have all day. You have a film to cast.

The casting director then selects potential actors or actresses for each part and books them for specific time slots. Pro-tip keep your time slots to around 15 minutes, as you want enough time to see what each auditioner can do, but also want to keep it brief. Next, you want to select sides for each character. Sides are one scene or a few pages from a scene that feature the character you're casting for. These tend to work best when it's just that specific character, and one other if possible. Also consider offering sides that offer the actor or actress the ability to show range. If need be, you can offer multiple sides depending on the needs of the role you're casting. The casting director then gives each actor or actress their sides beforehand so they can prepare for the casting call.

Next, but often simultaneously you'll want to book a space to hold your audition. You can find several theaters or casting studios online that offer this service. You'll want to book a block of time no longer than three to four hours, as casting calls can start to become fatiguing and potential candidates can begin to blur together. Also make sure you have a dedicated person to read lines with the talent. This way you can focus on their performance. And pro tip, make sure your line reader has some acting experience as acting is really reacting, and you want to give the talent something to work with, but also doesn't upstage them. And finally make sure your location has a bathroom and you provide water for your talent. Just don't put them in the same place. That'd be gross.

Pro tip, if casting union actors, these are actually required. So make sure you have them. Now it's on to holding your first casting call. First, make sure you film the audition so you have a reference to refer to later, as sometimes you can tend to forget each actor and actresses performance after seeing several in a row. Next, make sure you collect a headshot from the talent that you can use for future reference. Then have the talent clearly slate into the camera. Slating is when an actor or actress gives their name, height, and the part they're reading for. Again, this helps for future reference. Now how you run the rest of the audition is really personal preference, but here's what works for me. I like to start by asking the talent how they feel about the character and the piece. This can help you find out if the talent has put extra thought into the character, their motivation, and story. It can also help you weed out which of the talent are most excited about the part, as you want someone who is genuinely interested in being a part of the film.

Next, I have them perform the sides as they have prepared them with the line reader. This gives you a chance to see what they can bring to the table on their own. Then as the director, I give them notes on the performance.

Once the casting session is complete, the director, casting director, and producer then narrow down the potential auditioners to a select final few, who move on to the next round in casting, the callback. So now that you know how to hold a casting call, you'll be able to find the next Daniel Day Lewis for your film.

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