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CHAPTER 1
WHERE TO START?
Scripts and story have to come first, because without that you don’t really have anything
Jason O’Mara – actor
You have been planning your production, your script is locked and you are ready to start casting. Whether you are working in film or theatre, you need to be sure that the script, and your vision for it, is as clear and as polished as it can possibly be.
You also need to be clear on your budget and the implications that this will have on how you go about finding and engaging the right actors for your project.
ARRANGE A READING:
A reading does exactly what it says on the tin. A group of people, each with a copy of the script, are assigned roles and read the script out loud. In the industry this is for the producer, writer and director to hear the script and sometimes sales agents, distributors, producers, artists’ agents and other potentially interested parties are invited.
Agent
The actor’s representative.
For any project, the creative team need to hear the script out loud, so you should get other people who are not working on the production to read it for you. Try and get actors to do it or, failing that, friends or relatives.
What you need at this stage is to hear it, to be the audience, to close your eyes and see the action, so you can react honestly and make notes – without worrying about reading lines.
You will be surprised at how different it sounds and feels when you actually hear it. And what great ideas you will get. The people reading it will view it from their character’s perspective and they will tell you whether the dialogue trips easily off the tongue and if they feel that the character has a credible and satisfying emotional journey.
Hearing dialogue spoken, testing the dynamics between characters, discovering if the story makes sense and gauging a sense of the audience reaction are all benefits gained from a reading.
Focus on finding good readers.
Remember to ask someone to read the stage directions or
action. Be ready to make notes and/or record the reading.
Allow time at the end of the reading for discussion.
Action
The descriptions or stage directions in a script, i.e. not dialogue
New writing
If your script is new writing – that is, has never been performed in this version before – then you need to know that it works.
Previously produced work
If your project has already been produced a reading might not be as vital. However, if you have adapted a work – for example Romeo and Juliet for four actors – then it is advisable to read it before you move into casting and production.
It always comes back to the script! Casting has got to be a reflection of what is in the script.
Robert Banks Stewart – producer/writer
RESEARCH
There’s an intelligence involved in casting, which means having a real knowledge about the piece and the characters, having real insight into the period, the class and the background of that character.
Jeremy Brook – agent
To cast intelligently, you need an understanding of the world that the character inhabits. Each project will have its own particular demands and requirements. Here are some common areas for research:
The world of the script
You need to get a feel for faces and body type, how people move, talk, dress and communicate in the time your production is set. All these elements are clear indicators of what actors will need to bring to the production.
If you listen to British radio and television broadcasters from 50 years ago, it almost sounds as though it is another language. Therefore, if your production is set in the 1950s, you need to familiarize yourself with the authentic sound and accents of the period – of course, you may choose not to reproduce them exactly but, in order to make that choice, you need to have an informed point of reference.
Read contemporary books, fashion magazines, newspapers and adverts; watch and listen to radio, films and TV made in the period; and see plays written in the period.
Your script might require a character to speak in a particular language or accent, have a disability, or a specialized skill – such as tightrope walking. Now is the time to focus on the detail of what you will be requiring from your actors.
Research is a big part of all the other work you do before you get into the rehearsal room.’
Hannah Miller – head of casting, RSC
ACTORS
You need to become familiar with actors and their work, both on stage and on screen.
To do this successfully you need to see actors acting as frequently as possib...
