I HEART ACTORS

If an actor comes in with the sides for an audition and the page numbers say 1 of 3, 2 of 3, etc… If they are missing page 3 of 3 why are they surprised that they don’t have all of the sides? How much hand holding do I have to do? A rhetorical question, because the truth is that Casting Directors have to be very specific in everything we do in order to get an actor to audition to the best of their ability. I make the script available to all, I make the sides available to all, actors can call me for information, I am available by email, I reschedule and reschedule and reschedule actors till I am blue in the face and then after the 5th reschedule and the actor comes in for the Director, they admit in the office to the Director that they haven’t read the script! I want to cry. WHY DID I KEEP RESCHEDULING YOU? I know you are busy people, but if you are meeting with a Director, please read the script. It makes a huge difference in the overall perception of how a Director places you in his/her mind. Also, if you read the script and don’t like it, please do not come in to the audition…PASS! It’s ok, I will find someone who does want to do it. My feeling will not get hurt.
I was watching a Casting Director being interviewed on a web-series about Casting Directors, and she was saying that the reason she loves casting is that she “loves actors.” I have heard this a lot from Casting Directors. I am now going to shock all of you; I don’t think you will ever hear me say, “The reason I am a Casting Director is because I love actors.” I love casting because I am passionate about finding the right actor for a role in a film for a Director/Writer who writes stories passionately. I admire actors, I wish I could be as creative and be as talented in what I do in my field as some of my favorite actors practice in the craft of acting, but to me, saying you love actors seems weird. I love the craft of acting and I respect actors who transcend themselves and make a performance so detailed and flawless that I am swept away into the story that I am watching or casting. To me, that is where the love is. I am not passionate about actors, I am passionate about good acting. It is what I teach, it is what I preach, and it is how I try to make the best cast come to a film. When I say to a director, “This actor is really good,” I mean it. I am not just saying it.

I love actors when I see how well they bring a film to life. I do use or bring in many of the same actors when I am casting a film, or try to, because I know that they will give 110% on set. I see as many actors as possible for a film. I have a policy of never shutting out an actor because their previous audition sucked. I give second, third, forth chances…but by the 5th time, not so much…Maybe I do “love” actors on some sub-conscious level. After all, I was one a long time ago. My love for actors is my respect for what an actor does, goes through and gives emotionally to a script and developing a character. But in a sense, everyone working on a low-budget film is doing the same thing an actor does. The DP, AD, PA’s are all spending crazy amounts of time on getting the vision of the director/writer on the screen to look the best it can look. We are all in it for the best intentions: to make a great film.

So, in the spirit of me maybe admitting to myself that I do love actors, I give you the website to a smart actor, one who knows how to market herself and an actor whose talent I respect. I have cast her once, I am sure I will cast her again soon… www.jamiesorrentini.com

I am still in Hawaii and casting is almost complete. I had dinner tonight with two of the cast members. It is an exciting time when you see your hard work come together…

More casting in Hawaii…

Happy 5th of July…I ate and drank and slept a lot yesterday, which I needed because being on location can be exhausting. All you do is wake up, go to the office, work late, because you don’t have anything else to do, and go home and go to sleep and repeat the next day. I have not been to a gym in a month. I look like Jabba the Hut, except that I think he is probably more handsome then me at this moment.

The film I am working on in Kailua, HI (“One Kine Day”) is supposed to start shooting on July 13. I promised to stay the first week to help with the actors who have never been actors before, work on their acting. On top of my casting duties, over the past few weeks I have been conducting acting workshops with the newbies. The director wrote the film for them and it is my job to get them to a level where they understand what it will take to have their personalitites register on screen. I keep reminding them that there is more to it then just reading lines. Actually we have gotten very far in a very short amount of time. I love teaching acting and opening up their world to what I think makes a good actor. Also, this experience reminds me what I am looking for and that there are key points that I make over and over again when talking about acting. I am teaching them to listen to each other, listen hard and feel the moments in-between their lines. I don’t want them to say a line just because it is there on the script. There has to be a reason, a motivation for them to be in the scene. I keep reminding them that the audience is not forgiving and that bad acting, not listening, not being present in any moment no matter how small that moment may seem, will disengage the audience. The Director worked with the actors on Friday and he was happy with how they have improved. I stay away from character development. I think in this situation this is the Director’s job, for me it is about truth, not losing the audience while you are on-screen.

I have seen about 200 actors over the last week and a half. I am also helping with the background/extras and have been trying to find real pregnant young women who can pass for 16 and babies. In Hawaii you can work as an adult at 16. There is a website where permits are issued and this usually takes no more then one day to get permission. Fun fact: within the last ten years Hawaii changed it’s age of consent law from 14 to 16 years old.

Production may push one week. This would only effect me in that I have another film to start as soon as I get back to L.A, they want me to start on the 13th but have agreed to wait a week. If the film doesn’t shoot the week of the 13th then there is little reason for me to be here that week as we will be 95% cast and any odd casting touch-ups can be done by my very able casting assistant. Either way it doesn’t really matter, I am happy that I have another gig lined up in L.A, and of course that film has it’s own issues already! I will tell you more soon.

There is another film in pre-production nearby and I am meeting with one of the producers this week to see if they need a CD. I don’t expect to get a job out of the meeting but it is always good to meet new people and try to create more doors to open.

And that is all I’ve got. Hawaii is beautiful and I wish I could see more of it! Aloha…