A Cause for Celebration
October 23, 2008
I am currently prepping a short film called Touch and it has thus far truly been a labor of love. This week, finally, I have some really exciting news to report. We are cast!
Congratulations all around because my very hardworking, patient and persistent casting director, Lisa Mione, did an amazing job and I am absolutely thrilled to get started working with the brilliant women she found.
Touch is a simple little film about two women waiting for a train who make a deep but fleeting connection with one another. It’s one location, one day shoot and all about the performances so there’s zero room for error in the casting. This is a quiet film that will provide no distractions from bad performances.
And I couldn’t feel more confident with my team. After a very picky and exhaustive search we found our gems in Lily Knight and Tanna Frederick who have signed on to play the two women, Jean and Heather.
There’s a wonderful feeling that comes over me as a director when I know I’ve cast properly. It’s excitement, anticipation, eagerness to get on set and record the magic. And oddly a sense of calm.
To me, casting decisions are the most important ones I make on a film. After a long hard search I know I’ve found the best women for the roles and that brings us that much closer to executing the vision that’s been dancing around in my head ever since the producer first brought me the script.
I can’t wait to get shooting!
Before you cast them, do you get them both together to go through the script and see if they chemistry? Or is it done seperately?
How would you deal with two actors who are perfect for the roles, but for whatever reason, they just don’t ‘click’ together?
Hi Scott,
Good questions. Unfortunately, in this particular case I didn’t get to audition anyone because of the size of me/this project vs. the size of the actors. I cast from watching their previous work, in consultation with my casting director and after meeting them individually in person over coffee.
If I had to sell them to you I would of course tell you a million specific reasons why I know they are just perfect but in all honesty it just comes down to taste, gut feeling and experience. And that is what makes each director’s choices different – different tastes, different gut feelings and different experiences.
As to your other question, I have no doubt these women will click and, quite frankly, if they don’t it’s their job to make it work anyway - they’re pros and know that. However, if during casting I sensed that they wouldn’t then I wouldn’t cast them. Or if in the process we discover that they don’t then I will need to address it. Every situation, every actor and every director will deal with that differently and unfortunately you only figure it out with practice. But me, being who I am, am inclined to just be honest.
Contrary to popular belief actors are not babies – unless you treat them that way – and they want the film to be as good as you do. As long as you are respectful, people can take feedback. People on set actually want it. And that is, ultimately, your primary responsibility as director – to give constructive feedback so that everyone gets on the same page and makes the movie as you see it in your head, or sometimes you really luck out and they make something a little bit better.
You know another thing I wanted to add is to also keep in mind that just because talent may not be best buddies off screen doesn’t mean they’re not clicking on screen. Every actor works differently – some like quiet between takes, some like to chat, some like to stay in character – as long as it’s working for you on screen don’t worry yourself about the rest.
good luck with your film. I am always excited when there are films or stories with female leads, we need more of that so badly.
that was a very good question Scott asked. I agree with your answer that it’s actors’ jobs to click with each other anyway. Being an actor requires working with complete strangers and acting as if they are your lover, family, parent, whatever, etc…if they can’t do that, then they shouldn’t bother acting in films or TV.
a director casted an excellent actress for one of my stage plays and casted someone else as the mother (she sucked) and boy, the chemistry was AWFUL!!! as it would turn out, the actress playing the mother wasn’t even all that serious about acting and just wanted to make quick money. ugh.