VERTIBLOG Film School VIII - THE $1,000 MOVIE, Part 7

PRE PRODUCTION (continued)

STEP 2. FIND YOUR CAST/CREW

So. Now, you need to find a talented cast and a competent crew. One that has a flexible schedule.

That will work for free.

On nights.

And weekends.

Yeah, this is going to be a tall order, but not as hard as you may think. Since it seems the obvious thing to do... let's break it down into two tasks: finding your cast, and finding your crew.

Before you do anything though, you should realize that from this point on, you're going to be a man/woman in demand. There are going to be a lot of people who are going to try and reach you, and you've got to be available. The best way to do this?

Get online.

Create a MySpace account, create a blog, create a website. Create some kind of on-line, correspondence-based identity that will allow interested parties to e-mail you, IM you, post on a forum, or leave comments.

This is where you're going to point people who are going to be interested in getting on-board your train.


******************PRODUCTION HINT*******************

Update frequently, and post as much or as little as you like about your project. For example, if you're making a schlocky horror comedy called ATTACK OF THE SPACE CHICKENS, it may be prudent to keep the title out of the initial contact you'll have with actors/crew. It's very important at this stage to have people take you seriously. You want to attract talented people, and talented people may not, or just think they don't, want to be associated with ATTACK OF SPACE CHICKENS. Hopefully, after the initial contact, your charm and the quality of the script with convince them.

*******************************

STEP 2. FIND YOUR CAST/CREW
Step 2a: Finding your cast

As filmmakers, we can't live without actors. But that doesn't mean we have to understand them. I certainly don't. They traipse around in an imaginary world, surrounded by technicians and crew, while trying to find some inherent "truth" in the characters they're inhabiting. Crazy, huh?

But oftentimes I'm astounded at what you can get out of good, prepared actors. You'll write some dialogue with something in mind -- some tone or delivery -- and then an actor will surprise you, giving you something you hadn't thought about. Something better. It doesn't happen all the time, and it rarely happens with amateurs, but it's those moments where you scratch your head, tell them 'great job', and wonder how the hell they did it.

So, as much I don't get the actor's craft, there's one thing I DO understand about them:

They're desperate, insecure people who will work for table scraps.

Not all of them maybe, but as soon as you announce that you've got a feature film in the works, watch them come begging. You'll discover that finding actors will be extraordinarily easy.

Finding good ones, however... that's the tough part.


-CAST
--Sides

When casting for MAGDALENA'S BRAIN, I'll admit that when that first actor responded and asked for 'sides', I had no idea what they were talking about. After I kept them busy for a moment, and rushed to do a Google Search, I quickly discovered that sides are simply script pages that are to be read by potential actors for a specific role.

So what you do is this: you go through your script and find scenes that really represent your character-- maybe a typical scene that shows the character as they are through most of the movie, but perhaps with a moment that displays anger, or fear, or introspection, or whatever -- then you cut and paste these scenes into a new document, and you have a side. When you schedule a casting call, make sure that the actors have sides beforehand, or at the very least, bring extra copies to the session to give them well before they go before the camera.

-CAST
--Casting Call

Pick a date. Preferably a weekend. And find someplace to take over for a few hours. It's important to note here that you should make every effort to secure a location that has a good-sized waiting area, and a rather private performance area. It's NOT a good idea to have actors read in front of other actors.

******************MONEY / TIME SAVING HINT*******************

Go through the phonebook and use your Google know-how to locate a local community theater organization. Call them and explain your plight: you're an independent filmmaker casting a new feature film. You're beginning the casting process and would like to use their facility for the cattle call. Most local groups use high schools or middle schools for their performances -- try to find one that doesn't, that has it's own private facility. If you can't find one wit their own space, get contact info for their venue and ask if you can use their name to schmooze the facilities manager.

Also, ask if they'd mind posting a casting notice within their organization. They'll bend over backwards for you, believe me.

*******************************

Once you've nailed down a date and a location, there are a couple of things you should do before getting the word out.

Update your MySpace account/Blog. List the hours / location / directions to your call. Also, very important, list the roles you are trying to fill:

Hector (male lead) - late 20s/early 30s. Hispanic. A drug dealer who is trying to get out of the business. His pregnant wife has become sick, and he's beginning to recognize that if he's not careful, he may become just like his father.

Juliana (female lead) - Hector's wife, white, 20s. She thinks Hector had left the drug trade when they married 1 year ago. But she's starting to become suspicious. Should she confront him and risk losing him, especially when she needs him the most?

Ralph (supporting) - Hector's father, white, late 50s. Hardcore drug dealer and unapologetic about it. He thinks his son is weak for wanting out of the family business. But he'll soon learn that the responsibilities of a father to a son are too great to hide from.

... and so on.

Also, if you're comfortable, list sides on the site as downloadable documents. Or have people request sides if they like. Remember to bring lots of extras to the call, though. People will forget theirs.

Now that all of the important info is listed on your site, you've got three potential avenues to get people there.

-Flyers
-On-line Sources
-Phone Calls/E-mails

Flyers:

Keep it simple. Use those layouts skills you have (if you don't, you know someone who does), and create an 8x10 flyer. Include pertinent information about the production and be up-front about payment. Mention that there may be payment for principal roles, and perhaps you'll attract a higher level of performer. If you do find that unbelievably perfect actor that absolutely will not work for free, deal with that after you've at least auditioned them. And remember, you DO have SOME money to play with. You just gotta spend it smartly.

On the flyer, be somewhat general. Something like:

"FEATURE FILM CASTING CALL

Professional local filmmakers are looking for local talent to join us on our ambitious feature film production. To be shot in late June/early July. Speaking parts, principal roles and extras needed. All ages, all races (no children until 16, please).

We hope to hit the national film festival circuit this fall. Mostly deferred payments, but we have a budget to work with!

Please visit: www.glowingscreen.com for more details."

Don't be close-minded about race for any particular role -- some characters could be made vastly more interesting with a different ethnic skew. Age, too... we had originally written Magdalena as a 40+ year old woman, however when we found our perfect actress, she was 29 years old! Even keep an open mind about gender. If you have no principal female roles, and you find an incredibly talented woman... maybe you could re-write your protagonist.

Go to colleges and universities and have a look around, talk to students and determine where would be a good location for posting flyers. Go to the Communications Department and ask around. Some colleges have Theater Arts in the English Departments, or the Humanities Divisions. Figure it out. And then plaster your flyers on the walls.

-On-line Sources

Every state and region has on-line sources for independent filmmakers. When you start looking around, you'll be amazed at the community of like-minded folks out there. Here in Massachusetts, two great resources are the Mass Film Bureau and New England Film. Both of them have casting call classifieds which actors visit very often. Direct them to your contact page.

Also, Google your way through the groups and forums out there:
alt.movies.independent
rec.arts.movies.production
rec.video.professional
rec.arts.movies.production

-Phone Calls/E-mails

Go through the phone book and search through Google to find local community theaters, acting troupes, casting agencies, and video production companies. The theater/acting groups are easy enough; they'd be happy to talk to you and pass along any and all info you give them. The casting agencies and video production companies may give you a little resistance, but have a much bigger potential payoff.

Casting agencies make their living by charging both their clients and the companies with which they set up their clients. An independent filmmaker with no money to offer is not going to be on the top of their call-back list. But it's worth trying. Chances are you don't live in L.A., and chances are the casting agency you see in your local area is going to be pretty rinky-dink. That's good. Call them and lay on some of that charm, and suggest that the exposure you may be able to give their clients could certainly benefit them as well.

Video production companies are another potential source for actors. I've worked at a production company for 10 years now and we hire actors all the time. Mostly for corporate-type videos where we ask them to be insurance agents or doctors or narrators for programs about insurance agents and doctors. But these actors, the one we pay very well to do these boring, unpleasant programs... they want to be in movies. And they'll take a drastic pay cut to do so. Maybe even work for free. And me, as a producer at the production company, would be more than happy to facilitate a meeting with some of these actors. They're all really good guys who know what they're doing in front the camera.

Speaking of which...

You know who doesn't really know what they're doing in front of a camera?

Theater folk.

The flyers you give to community theater members? The calls you make to acting troupes? Expect a lot of interest... but don't expect too much experience... in front of a camera, that is. Actors who work on the stage can be amazing. On the stage. They can pull off a mean Mercutio to the people in the seats before them, but place them in front of a camera and ask for some subtlety... well, it's just a completely different form of acting.

This is not to diss theater folk.

Only to point out that you can be fooled into thinking an actor can pull of one of your characters based on seeing him on the stage. Maybe he can. But camera test him. Get him a side, get him to the casting call, and see if he has any movie chops.

Back to the casting call.

Expect a long day. With all of the hustling you've been doing, there's going to be substantial interest. Install a hit counter/tracker on your blog/site and keep an eye on it. It'll give you some indication on the interest you're stirring.

Don't do it alone.

Chances are you have some close friends who are thinking of helping you out with your project. Use them. You'll need at least three people.

First friend: the wrangler. This person will be in charge of crowd control. They'll assign numbers to people as they stream in, like in a deli, and collect some personal info. They'll also regularly hand you sheets with the people to expect next-- how old they are, what experience they have, what part they want. It's a thankless job; and requires excellent organization. It's also the wrangler's responsibility to keep the flow moving. As one person leaves, another is waiting to go in.

Second friend: the camera operator. Oh yeah, bring a camera. This friend will make sure that each actor, before they start their scene, will hold up their number (simply written on a piece of paper), and that each audition is in focus. The picture doesn't need to be pretty. In fact, the video will be more of a reference than anything else. You'll already be making decisions as you see them live.

Third friend: the reader. This friend will actually read with the actor. Don't worry about gender, and don't even worry about talent. Just make sure they're somewhat familiar with the sides beforehand. Don't let this friend screw around during the audition, so get someone responsible.

As you go through the process, something miraculous will happen within you:

You'll know almost immediately when someone is wrong for the part.

Sometimes before they even open their mouth. But give them a chance to prove you wrong. If a huge, overweight African-American guy is walking up to read for your lead (you know, the skinny white guy)... listen to him.

Also, have a prepared opening for all of the actors; "Hi there, my name's Marty Langford, I'm the director for the project. This is Jan and she's going to read with you. It says here you'd like to read for Juliana. Did you have any questions? Good, let's get started."

And tell everyone the same thing after they read; "Thanks so much for coming, we're seeing a lot of people tonight, and we'll be making our decisions in the next couple of weeks. Keep checking the web site for updates."

As you're watching auditions, feel free to give direction after a take. In casting, it's usually called giving an "adjustment". And be prepared to answer questions about the story/character. Giving some adjustment can really help determine what it may be like working with this person. Do they accept suggestions gracefully? Are they unable to adjust... having only one "note"? Don't waste your time giving adjustments to the people you know are wrong, only those with promise.

Finally, know that you probably won't be leaving that night with a full cast -- you may have lots of people you want to see again, but that's what call backs are for. In fact, I'd recommend NOT officially casting anyone at your first call -- you may think, "oh my God. It's her! She's perfect!". But at least sleep on it and watch the tape in the morning.

And call-backs can be a much smaller affair, with individual appointments... so don't worry about having to stage a big cattle call again.


(continued)
© 2006 by Marty Langford