2004 casting example

PLAN / 2004 / castinginfo.doc
general explanation of the casting process for new actors / extras
castinginfo-1.doc
CASTING INFORMATION

If you have never worked in films before, there are a few things you might want to know.

The pace is slow. Before a scene is shot, the scene and props have to be arranged, the action planned out, the camera moves planned, and the lights set up. It may take an hour to set up lights for one scene. Often a “master shot” is done of the whole scene and that is repeated as many times as necessary until there is a good take (which means the acting was good, the lines correct, no dogs barked in the middle, and the camera and sound people didn’t make any mistakes). If anything was not right, that means another take. When the master shot is completed, the same scene may be filmed again for close-ups and other angles (other angles may require new lighting). So, it’s a slow process. It takes 4-6 days to shoot a 20 minute film. And because there are so many things that can go wrong, it’s important to minimize problems.

There will be a lot of people around (we’ll have a crew of 5 plus the director and production people). This may be distracting so it’s important to learn your lines well enough so you won’t be distracted by the commotion.

If you are chosen for the film, you’ll be expected to:

Be there on time.

Come with proper clothing (you’ll be told ahead of time what to bring). Make sure that everything fits together, that socks and shoes go with what you’re wearing. The camera sees details!

Know your lines well. There will be some rehearsals before filming

Pay attention to continuity. We’ll sometimes shoot scenes on different days that in the film take place on the same day. This means you need to look exactly the same – same socks, same jewelry, same hairstyle, as well as obvious clothes. Don’t get a haircut in the middle of a film, or even right before unless you check with us first.

We’ll be shooting the film from __________________ to ____________________ at various locations around town. Some people will work only 1-2 days; some will work 4-5. We work long days, generally 9-10 hours, although you may not be in all the scenes on a given day. We’ll have an exact schedule later. We hope to not go overtime, but you should be prepared to stay later on the days you work.

We will let you know by ___________________ if you have been selected for a part. If you do not hear from us, it means you haven’t been selected for this film. But that doesn’t necessarily mean we didn’t like you or your acting. Each film calls for a distinctly different kind of person or talent – and if you don’t fit into this film you may fit for another. We’ll keep you information for future reference.

If you have any questions about this, please ask us. And thanks for coming!