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How to Cast for a Film

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Hey, I did not see you there. Did you sneak into my house or something? It is kind of weird but anyway if you are here you might as well take an episode of my show. Hey, I am Steve Nelson and you are watching four-minute film school.

Today we are going to go over the process known as casting and no we are not talking about casting your ballots for president this November. That is better left to the professionals. Start the clock.

[Music Playing]

Good actors are about as hard to come by is something that is actually worth a penny. But this is especially true if you are casting pool is equal to the sum of all your friendships and family members which is especially the head if you are an orphan. Sorry, all you orphan film makers but as long as you know how to run a good casting call and or at least if you make enough movies with your friends or actors that they get comfortable in front of the camera. Well then, you will be making good movies I guess. Unless you are, dumb then.

Everyday your finger makes countless selfish clicks. Have it a couple for your friends. Share Indy Mogul, it is as easy as one, two, three. And then you can get back to whatever else it was you were doing.

Oh everybody is going to die and I am too. Oh hey I did not see you there when you were wrestling through the trees. But how did I know you are wrestling through the trees if I did not see you. Anyway, welcome back. Now as we were talking about the four casting calls as to find by Wikipedia or serious of auditions or in the golden days of Hollywood sexual favors giving to a casting panel.

When setting up your casting sessions you are going to need a lot of help. Not only for managing all the actors but for also forgetting different opinions on who is good? The director, the writer and any other people who is opinion to your value would be a benefit. Another person to manage all the actors and a friend who can read the lines with the actors auditioning would be great. You also want to make sure that you book a quiet room, imagine this is your own American idol auditioning session. So bring a camera and look back and see who is the best. And to laugh at the crazy is who will with out a doubt show up.
A lot of professional studios are available and are usually not that expensive but if you are too young or too poor to be able to afford doing that then go to your local high school or middle school. Talk to the administration and see if they will allow you to hold the casting session in the class room after hours. You can put a posting up for your casting call either on a place like Cregs list or mandy.com but you can also try doing it locally by putting up fliers at local theaters or high schools.

And if you are in a high school try talking to the drama kids to get them involved. They might be a little bit over the top but as long as you provide some food for them and get them all stuffed up they will fall into a food coma and will calm down because theater kids need to do that. And maybe I need to do that a little bit too.

If you are going to be paying these actors let them know before hand and also mention that you be providing food and transportation to those that are brought on to the project. Because seeming more professional will bring in more actors to audition. And what is more professional than popcorn.

A side is an exert from your script that you want your actors to read while auditioning. It should best exemplify the character that they are trying out for and you should have multiple copies on hand for every character as well as full copies of the script. You should also encourage your actors bring head shots but if they do not then you can chop up their bodies and burry them beneath the floorboards.

Do not get discouraged if you do not feel one of the roles of the first casting call. That is the point of having two casting call to bring in more actors the second but also to call back all the actors that were good. You should not put all of your reliance onto one actor for a role. You should always have back ups because you will never know what kind of scheduling he or she might come up.

And now, it is time for some tips from the forum members.

If you want to believe in your movie promise free food. You would be surprised how many people will be willing to be in the movie just for that.

Job listing Cleveland mentioned keeping your character descriptions somewhat ambiguous so more actors will come. Check out the rest of his post for tons of great casting tips and that will wrap up today's episode for four minute film school. Have a good day.

[Music Playing]

The worse movie by the best director was Panic Room by David Spencer, this was his first film after did bike club and it was terrible.

Jersey Girl by Kevin Smith. Just a bad film

The remake of the player of the Spy Tim Burke.

Steven Spielberg 1941.

Slither by George A Romero, great director horrible movie, stick to the virus zombies George.

Hey, I did not see you there. Did you sneak into my house or something? It is kind of weird but anyway if you are here you might as well take an episode of my show. Hey, I am Steve Nelson and you are watching four-minute film school. Today we are... click to read more


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