Cast


Choosing the right cast: how and what to do?


Choosing the right cast is very important, because as Joseph Ashton told us last week  "they are the show" so if you don't have the right cast "you don't have a show."




I am doing stage managing atm at the camelot cinema, and when i am backstage after i checked that all the actors are ok i start watching the play from backstage.  sometimes when things go wrong,for example forgetting a line , saying the wrong line, getting out of the wrong door, holding the wrong thing, actors are able to fix it straight away without anyone noticing.for example adding a complete new line and it looks and sounds completely natural because they know their character very well.


that's a sign that you have the right actor out there on stage.




But how do you  know that you have the right one before hiring him/her?


CASTING is the word. it all starts there and it all ends there.


the director is the person who does it, he has to be open minded about it, and take all his time with the person to make sure he is the one , at the end it is an investment! sometimes an actor get called twice and three times until he gets the role.


The director have to test all the actor's ability and strength,

•  which means his intelligence , if  he discusses the script with him, if there is anything about the character he doesn't get.
• he needs to check his acting skills of course , and to do that he needs to give him the space, another actor to read the script with him, otherwise he wont feel it and then wont be in the mood of acting.
• check their physical ability, and it should always be recorded and get different angles as well. because what we think of some people  are photogenic, sometimes  on camera they look the complete opposite.
• the need to perform , check their resume,what they've done before,if they can do it or not.

you have to cast the relationship as well as the role, and the ability if you personally  as a director can work with him/her or not. this could be done over a cup of coffee.you can discover a lot about the person because most  of the stress would be gone because they don't feel as if it is a job interview anymore and they can open up, and you can see the real them, and you can evaluate whether they are the right one or not.

you have to know though that on the casting day they are going to be very nervous so the very couple of minutes might not give their best or you might say that's the one. but you must offer them water , chat a bit with them to make them comfortable just to loosen up a bit.

and as i said before directors have to be open minded on the day and not expect actors to do exactly what they've imagined in their heads.at the end it's all about creativity!

That's all for tonight...........................................Au revoir