How To Do A Table Read
A table read is a key step in the pre-production process, as it's the first time you'll be gathering up all of your cast and key crew members in one place. But there are some important steps you need to take in order to ensure its success. So let's go over how to set up your table read correctly and what to do once you get there.
A table read helps you know if the script is working, as some lines might sound great on paper, but feel awkward and clunky when an actor reads them out loud. Pro tip, this is especially great for comedies so you can tell if a joke is landing. Second, a table read helps the cast get familiar with the script, each other, and the director.
After all, filmmaking is a team sport so the sooner you can get the whole team together, the better they will be at teamwork. Plus, this can also help you test chemistry between actors who need to display that on screen, such as romantic interests and friendships. By building these bonds between the actors earlier rather than later, they can begin to create lasting connections and gel better on set.
Finally, table reads give you the opportunity to talk about characters and motivations with your actors. Besides auditions, this is your first chance to hear your cast interpretation of their characters and what they sound like, which can sometimes surprise you and change your perception of a character all together. For the actors, this is also their first chance to really play and discover the character, as well as see how they perform with the other actors. And in some situations it might make you realize you need to recast a part if an actor isn't really doing it for you.
Alright, now on to set up. The first step of setting up your table read is acquiring a location for holding it. This can either be your living room or a rented out space, such as a casting studio or a conference room. Wherever you hold it, just make sure there's enough seating for everyone and there's access to a bathroom. If it's too difficult to arrange to have everyone in the same room, you can also do them virtually over a video chat. But I highly recommend you use this as a last resort, as people in the same room together is key for performance energy, and video chats can suffer from awkward lag.
Next, make sure you provide water and snacks as it can be a long process, especially for feature-length scripts. Also make sure you email copies of the script ahead of time, so talent can prepare, as well as print out hard copies for everyone attending the table read. For key crew members, such as the director, writer, and casting director, make sure to provide them pens and pencils for note taking.
Next, make sure you assign someone other than the director to read stage direction and any filler roles that might not be cast yet, so that the director can focus on just listening to the table read. And finally, if possible, record your table read unobtrusively by simply placing a camera on a tripod in the corner of the room. This can help you go back and reference what did and didn't work performance and script wise later.
Now that you know how to set up your table read, let's go over some tips on how to run one. First, make sure the director writer, producer, and any other key stakeholders attend. It's especially helpful to have the writer there so they can take notes on potential changes to dialogue and scene direction. Second, make sure all of your cast attends as well, so again they can meet each other and get a feel for performing the scene with each other.
Third, make sure everyone is facing each other on either the other side of a table or in a circle so they can make direct eye contact. This helps the actors when performing and helps the director see their performances. Fourth, make sure to tell your cast to read at performance level so you can really get a feel if the dialogue is working. And finally fifth, allow time for questions and answers at the end to help clear up any confusion anyone might have about the script, characters, or motivations.
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