Running a casting call.. What Do I do?, Where do I start?, What all do I have to take into account?

Question

We're set on doing a new movie. Problem is, this is our first time we're ready to do an open casting call for roles in the movie. What are the steps we take from beginning to end, to make sure we have what we need to begin shooting.

How do we schedule?
Where should we look?
Who's the most important to pay?
How do let them know which parts are open?

Please tell me the beginning to end

Answer 1

There are two kinds of calls. Cattle calls, which are usually for the novices. It's a big room and a stage and tables for the staff and they stand up on stage and do a monologue or just talk and maybe you take a picture of them and video them.

There are the private ones. These are in a smaller room with a table full of staff and the actor comes in and stands there and does a monologue or pages.

Sometimes it's in a private office with just a few people.

The Casting Director is usually in charge and they set things up and coordinate and tell the actor what and where. They often do most of the speaking.

It's usually a key scene with a monologue or a dialog with the casting director or another actor taking the other part.

Sometimes you video it.

Actors usually pick the parts they want to play

Some change their mind and ask to read for another part. Gavin MacLeod originally went in and read for Lou Grant on the Mary Tyler Moore show and then after he walked out asked to go back and read for Murray Slaughter. He got that role. He was not A type enough for Lou Grant and he knew it.

Jerry Doyle walked into the Babylon 5 casting and they asked what role he was audtioining for and he said "I'm here to audtion for the roles I'm going to get!"

That may have worked in his favor.

Often writers, producers and directors see "types" in the cast.

They cast for it.

Dan Akroyd's Blues Brother character was an obvious influcence for the casting of Agent Smith in The Matrix.

You want a look and an attitude and you search for it.

Sometimes an actor brings a new flavor to the role. They make a sarcastic role more comical and irrereverent and you suddenly like that approach.

Generally you start with a cold reading. They get the sides 10 minutes before they are showed in.

You want to see how well they work with a short span of time.

Answer 2

There is no easy way to explain this all to you, the best thing would to be wait on this project until you take some (at least) basic film producing classes, so you're not just jumping into something you might not be able to handle. Then I would start with a website that lists casting calls like mandy.com. Some books about the subject might help as well.

Answer 3

Why don't we give you a synopsis of what is covered in four years of film school?