This chapter, in addition to describing the duties of casting personnel, discusses the process of casting, from using casting agencies to who reads and who auditions, to how final decisions are made and who makes them. In addition, special circumstances such as working with minors and working with SAG-AFTRA and nonunion actors and extras are examined. Finally, because they are also seen on screen, the stunt department is discussed.
The casting department consists of the casting director, the assistant casting director (there may be many casting assistants), the extras casting coordinator, extras casting assistants, and in some cases a background coordinator (Figure 7.1). In high budget you most likely will have all of these positions. In low budget, you may only have one person who handles all aspects of casting, including the extras. In very low budget, you may have to do the casting yourself. Following are the duties and responsibilities of the casting director.
In low budget the casting director works as an independent contractor, meaning he is hired as an individual to cast a show. More than likely, casting directors like this are incorporated and hire themselves out from their own companies. In big budget, casting directors may work exclusively for a casting agency. In this case, the casting director may be working on more than one show at a time. On shows with very large casts, a casting agency may assign more than one casting director and a few assistants. The casting director in high-budget productions usually casts all speaking parts and special ability parts but not the extras. If a script calls for a large number of extras, it is wise to have a separate extras casting person or use an extras casting agency (more about these later). Casting directors usually start in pre-production, any time from one to three months before principal photography.
The catalogue is a book of actors’ headshots that is published yearly. The headshots are divided in categories, ingénue female, ingénue male, children, and character actors. In higher-budget films, the casting director may put together an A list and a B list. Yes, the A list is not just a term referring to actors; it is an actual list. The list is sometimes compiled by casting agents who keep track of who is currently “hot” in the business. The B list names actors who may mostly appear in supporting roles or who are no longer as “hot” as they used to be. These lists are changing all the time as actors come into and out of favor with the movie-going public.
Whether an actor reads or auditions is determined by his fame and experience. A well-known actor could be insulted if asked to audition. Therefore, some well-known actors may be asked only to read. To read is to come to a meeting with the director and producer alone and read for the part. They are not considered to be in direct competition with other actors who come to audition. Keep in mind that some actors are well known enough that they are not even asked to read; rather they are only asked to take the part.
A side is a copy of a single scene from a script that the actor is expected to use for audition. Having sides for the actors ahead of time or not is a matter of preference. Some directors and producers prefer an actor be fully prepared for a scene. Some directors and producers prefer to do a cold reading. A cold reading is when the actor reads the sides for the first time only immediately before the audition. Some actors do better than others with cold reads. The purpose of a cold read is to see what the actor may bring to a part based on instinct, without thinking too much. This method is more of a spontaneous, let’s-see-what-the-actor-can-do-off-the-top-of-his-or-her-head approach.
After the first casting session, the casting director discusses the choices with the director and producer. They then narrow down the list and create a list of actors to call back to audition again. The casting director will then arrange for the callbacks and run the session. After the callbacks, there may be further callbacks, or the producer and director will decide on who will play each part. Then the casting director calls all the actors (or their agents, if they have any) who have been chosen. Once the actors are cast, the casting director puts the production in touch with the actors or agents directly by providing the first cast list, with contact and agent information. Sometimes the casting director will also write up deal memos for the cast. Sometimes the unit production manager does this. An actor may be cast and have agreed to do a show, but not all aspects of the contract may have been worked out, such as credit size and placement. I once worked a show where the lead character’s contract was still in negotiation even when she arrived in pre-production to begin rehearsals. Once the cast list is turned over to production, the production staff takes care of updating and revising as changes occur. This list is generally not distributed to all crew, as privacy is an issue for well-known actors.
Keep in mind that sometimes the casting director’s job continues well into production. There may be one or more parts that are not cast in pre-production, or an actor may become unavailable through sickness or injury. There may also be a need for actors from the local area of shooting. The casting director then works with a local casting director to arrange local casting sessions.
The local casting director is a person who lives and works mainly in the area where you are shooting. These people usually have a pool of local talent they make available for auditions. If the show is SAG-AFTRA, the local pool of SAG-AFTRA talent may be quite small, depending on where you are shooting. If you are shooting in New York City, the pool will be huge. If you are shooting in Dallas, Pennsylvania, the pool will be very small. However, if the show is nonunion, the local pool could be quite large. With this quantity may also come many inexperienced actors. You may have more actors to choose from, but they may not be as high caliber. Then again, you may get lucky.
The local casting director puts together headshots of local actors, again based on a character breakdown. He then sets up casting sessions with the casting director, director, and producer and runs the casting session. He will also arrange for callbacks.
If you have a large number of extras on your shoot, it would be wise to hire an extras casting coordinator or an extras casting agency. An independent contractor in smaller cities can do extras casting. In larger cities, casting is usually done by an agency that specializes in extras. In some cases, you can get extras from local agencies because they know actors who will work in speaking as well as extras roles, which is why their pool of people can be quite large.
The extras casting coordinator is usually hired for the length of the show, or however long extras are needed. The process generally is as follows:
In bigger cities there are agencies that cast large numbers of extras. The process for the production is to contract with the agency for the show, and then provide the agency with a script and extras breakdown (see Figure 7.3), which shows the number of extras needed, what types (Caucasian, African American, Asian), and ages. The agency assigns one of its associates to supervise your show and provide extras. Your 2nd AD then provides the agency with a production schedule, showing what dates specific extras are needed. The 2nd AD will then call the agency the day before shooting and inform the contact person of the extras’ call times. These kinds of agencies have databases of hundreds to thousands of people available for work. Their job is to sift through this database and find exactly what you are looking for.
The background coordinator is a person who works for an extras casting agency, checks in the extras, counts them to make sure there are the correct number needed for the scene, and makes sure they sign their release forms. This coordinator then works with the 2nd AD or 2nd 2nd to get extras to the set as they are needed.
Casting assistants have a range of duties. These assistants are usually aspiring casting directors who are developing a keen eye for casting. Following is a general list of responsibilities:
There are a few different ways to conduct a casting session. First, you could hire a casting agency. They do all the work: finding actors, calling them, and setting up their audition times. However, in low budget you may need to do the casting session yourself. The following is a checklist of how to set up the casting session:
Now that you have prepared, here’s how to run the casting session:
Once the casting session is completed, you will need to make some decisions. A good method is to take all the headshots and place them on a big table. This will allow you to see how actors may look together. You can then decide which actors you want for callbacks, if needed, and whom you want to cast. Then call all actors and notify them of your decisions.
Screen tests are filmed scenes of actors auditioning for a part, usually only done in higher-budget productions. Screen tests are a more formalized and personal type of audition. The decision to do tests rests with the producer and director, based on their knowledge of an actor’s abilities. Sometimes screen tests are performed so they can see how a particular actor works with a star. If you want to do tests for one or a number of actors, see the following list of procedures:
Once you have finished casting your show, you can begin rehearsals. The amount of time you devote to rehearsing actors is sometimes based on your budget. Actors in medium- to high-budget films are paid for rehearsals. Actors in low-budget films can be rehearsed without pay. However, if you can afford to pay them, that is okay too. Either way, actors can be rehearsed anywhere from one week to one month, depending on how much the director thinks may be needed. The rehearsals are set up by the production office and run by the 1st AD. Sometimes the director may prefer to work with the actor alone. I once worked a show as an assistant to the director. The director was working on a particularly difficult scene with a well-known actor. The director called me in to read with the actor. The privacy and intimacy of the setting served to increase the quality of the rehearsal. If you plan to do rehearsals, decide based on budget which actors will rehearse and for how long.
The 1st AD will then do the following:
At the rehearsal the 1st AD is responsible for the following:
The reason the 1st AD is so involved with the rehearsal is that the 1st AD will deal with these actors on set, so this is a good time to get to know them. In addition, it is good for the 1st AD to see what the director is going for and how much progress the director makes with an actor, which might mean more rehearsals are needed on set.
Training actors during pre-production is needed in certain cases. If your lead actor plays a sword-fighting hero, then your actor will need training with swords. Perhaps some of your cast members play soldiers. You will need to have those actors trained in military practices. Alternatively, your actor may need to be in certain physical shape. You would then hire a personal trainer. Again, your choice to provide certain training for actors will be based on need and budget. Once the trainer is hired, the 1st AD will coordinate a training schedule and inform the production office, director, and producer of the progress.
Fittings are wardrobe sessions for your cast, during which they try on their costume and the wardrobe personnel make adjustments. If you are shooting a period piece, a few fittings per actor may be needed. Perhaps you are shooting a piece where an actor needs to be in special futuristic armor or some sort of animal suit. Even if you are shooting a contemporary piece, fittings are necessary. Fittings let your wardrobe personnel be sure that, once on set, the actor will be ready. In really low budget your actors may be wearing their own wardrobe. In this case fittings may not be necessary, but wardrobe should still be checked and approved by the director. Following is a checklist for fittings:
If you have actors under the age of eighteen, you are working with minors. If such is the case, you will have to make special considerations. First, if your shoot is union, there are specific rules regarding how long minors can work. Even if your shoot is nonunion, it is never a good idea to overwork minors, especially young children. Children often don’t last long on set, and you won’t end up with good performances if they get overtired. I once worked a nonunion shoot where a small child was needed for night shooting. We had to make sure the child’s nap schedule was adjusted so that he would be alert and energetic during the hours we needed him. Because we discussed and arranged for this in pre-production, the child’s mother appreciated our concern for her son’s welfare and was very cooperative.
If you are shooting during a school year, you will need to hire a teacher for a certain number of hours each day. There are union teachers in Los Angeles who specialize in tutoring minors on set. You can find them at www.studioteachers.com. On their website they publish guidelines for working with minors, called The Blue Book. Their jurisdiction covers California minors, out-of-state minors who work in California, and California minors who are taken out of state. There are different rules for children of different ages. Their guidelines outline how many hours per day a child may work, have rest time, and have mealtime. They also state how many teachers are required for a certain number of students and if the presence of a nurse is required, as in the case of infants up to six months old. One item of importance to remember—studio teachers are not allowed to extend working hours for children. The only way to accomplish that is to send a written request to the labor commissioner.
SAG-AFTRA and the Actors Equity Association (AEA) teamed up to pass a bill called the Child Performers Education and Trust Act of 2003. This bill makes it law that some of a minor’s wages (15 percent) must be set aside in a trust, which they can then draw on when they turn eighteen. This law currently applies to California and New York. The law was inspired by the Coogan Law, which came about when child actor Jackie Coogan turned eighteen and found that he had no money in his trust fund. Apparently his father spent his million-plus earnings. At that time, a child’s earnings were considered property of the parents.
The Coogan Law provided that a child’s earnings became community property with the parents and that 15 percent of the earnings had to be set aside in a trust fund for the child until he turned eighteen. The Coogan Law was updated by the SAG Young Performers Committee and government relations department. The new law, called SB 1162, was revised to protect child performers, musicians, and sports figures, which include actors, dancers, musicians, comedians, singers, stunt persons, voice-overs, songwriters, composers, conductors, and designers. In addition, the law covers 100 percent of all minors’ contracts, unlike the previous law, which only covered 5 percent of contracts. In addition, it separates earnings as property of the child, as opposed to community with parents, and requires producers to make timely deposits.
Another aspect to pay attention to is child welfare law. Each state is different. Some states are extremely strict in enforcing these laws, while others are more lenient. Some states require that you fill out a theatrical permit application and submit it to the welfare office. The office will then send back the permit. Be sure to check the time frame for turnaround with this document. You will want the permits in place before you film the minors. Contact the department of labor in the state where you are shooting for their specific guidelines.
Finally, you need to know how to deal with parents if you are using minors. Some parents can be very hands-off if they trust that you are competent and have their children’s health and welfare in mind. Other parents can be very demanding and intrusive. There are no rules here, just diplomacy. You should get a good indication of how easy or difficult a parent will be at the audition. Sometimes it may be worth putting up with a difficult parent because the child is perfect for the role. Sometimes it may not be worth it. The key here is to present yourself as qualified and professional. Make sure the parents are informed of everything the child will be required to do. Make sure they are fully informed as to dates, times, and locations. Second, show concern for the child’s well-being. If parents believe that you are taking good care of their child, they will be much easier to work with.
Working with animals can be a trying experience. However, it can go smoothly if you follow some simple guidelines. First, in medium to high budget you would be able to afford a trainer who works with trained animals. Trained animals perform better on set because they are adept at doing tricks on cue. In low budget you may not be able to afford a professional trainer. Perhaps you are using a friend’s dog for a scene. Be prepared in this case to have patience in getting the animal to perform.
Part of working with animals also means contacting the American Humane Association (AHA). This association is in the business of protecting animals from abuse. If you are nonunion, you are not required to work with the AHA, but it is a good idea. If you are union, you need to abide by the Producer–Screen Actors Guild Codified Basic Agreement of 1998. This agreement states that the producer of a show will notify the AHA if using animals. The AHA then will have the information they need to monitor the situation. If you have treated animals well on your shoot, they will authorize the use of the end-credit disclaimer, which states that no animals were harmed during the making of your project. The AHA cover productions that are shot in the United States, as well as American productions shot overseas, and do not charge for their services. The AHA have specific guidelines regarding the use of animals in the media. You can get more information, including their “Guidelines for the Safe Use of Animals in Filmed Media,” on their website: www.americanhumane.org.
The Taft–Hartley in motion pictures is a process whereby a nonunion actor or extra becomes union eligible. A Taft–Hartley is required only if your shoot is using union actors. It is applicable when an actor who is nonunion has any of the following conditions occur:
Once an actor is Taft–Hartley’d, he becomes SAG-AFTRA-eligible. This means that the actor has thirty days to join SAG-AFTRA.
On any shoot there are different categories of actors. The category differentiation is variable from shoot to shoot; however, some general guidelines do apply.
In high budget, you have stars. These are people who are in a lead role in the film. There are exceptions: perhaps a famous actor does a cameo performance in a minor role. Either way, they are still treated like stars. They are given their own trailers, special food, and special housing accommodations. Protocol on set dictates that stars are left alone, not disturbed by crew or civilians wanting autographs. Also, working with stars requires discretion. I once worked a shoot where the local newspaper published an article stating that Michael Jackson was coming to town to observe the shooting of the miniseries about his family. Even though the article was incorrect, we had to install a security system because we had so many people coming to the production office hoping to get a glimpse of him.
In low-budget, nonunion land, there are no rules here. A supporting role could be loosely defined as a role where the part is minor to the lead role. In medium- to high-budget projects, these kinds of roles can also be given to what are called “name” actors, meaning they have reached some celebrity. They may also be actors who are not well known but have a significant role in the story.
Extras, also known as atmosphere, are actors in the background. They could be an audience in a theater or a crowd at a festival. Alternatively, an extra could be anyone walking down the street. One rule in defining extras is that they have no dialogue. You can have a crowd cheer and make noise, but they will still be extras.
A silent bit or special ability extra is an actor with a particular skill or physical attribute. Perhaps your script calls for a juggler at a circus. You obviously could not hire just any extra; you need someone with that particular skill. People who work as silent bits usually are paid a little more than a regular extra.
A stand-in is a person who is hired to stand in for an actor during lighting setups. This person needs to have similar skin and hair color to the actor. This is because the gaffer and lighting team need to see how the lighting looks on the actor’s specific hair and skin color. When on set, stand-ins stand by to step in at any time. The 1st AD will call, “2nd team,” which is the stand-in’s cue that he is needed on set. (If the AD calls for “1st team,” she is referring to the actors.) Once called, the stand-in takes the position where the actor will be and waits until he is dismissed. Stand-ins on SAG-AFTRA shows are union.
The classification of actors as day players or weekly players is found only on medium- to higher-budget shoots and is based on how they are paid. This has nothing to do with their status of having a lead or supporting role. Day players are actors who work for five or fewer days (on a six-day week) and are paid a daily rate. If an actor works for six or more days, she is paid on a weekly rate. The actor’s shooting schedule determines these categories. In low budget, if the actors are paid at all, they are often paid one flat fee.
Because stunt people appear on camera, they are included in this chapter. To prepare for stunts, you need to determine exactly how many stunts are in your script. A stunt is any action that may result in an actor getting hurt or that requires an actor to perform a dangerous maneuver such as a car crash or a fall off a building.
On a union shoot, all stunt people are SAG-AFTRA. They fly first class and are subject to all SAG-AFTRA rules, benefits, and penalties. They also go on the call sheet along with the other actors. The head of the stunt department is the stunt coordinator.
The stunt coordinator is usually a person who has spent years as a stunt person. If you have a large number of stunts, the stunt coordinator is employed for run of show. If there are only a few stunts, you may need to hire one only for a short period of time. If you have scheduled all of your stunts together, you can bring in the stunt crew for that period of time, rather than flying them in and out throughout production. This may not be possible, depending on the availability of your locations. The stunt coordinator is responsible for the stunt budget. He hires stunt people for different stunts, usually working with the same stunt people. The stunt coordinator’s main responsibility on set is for the safe execution of the stunt. The following is a list of his duties and responsibilities.
In low-budget or nonunion situations it is wise to make sure your stunt people have experience. I once worked a show where a car was to drive off a ramp, flip, and land. The stunt personnel claimed they had done this before. The stunt went bad, as the car never flipped and instead ran into a civilian’s parked car. As it turned out, the stunt person had never performed this stunt before. The production had to incur the cost of fixing the civilian’s car. Thankfully, no one was hurt. One indication that a stunt person has experience and training is membership in the Stuntmen’s Association, Stuntwomen’s Association, or the International Stunt Association.
Another kind of stunt person is the stunt double. This is a person who specifically doubles on stunts for one particular actor, usually a lead role. There are also utility stunt people and ND stunt people. These are stunt people who may be needed in the background of a scene. For instance, you have a scene where a car is supposed to drive through a crowded market; you could not have regular extras jumping out of the way. The difference between utility and ND is how their contracts are written. Utility stunt people operate under weekly contracts, and ND stunt people operate under daily contracts.
Following is a general description of how a stunt could work. This example is not meant to be an exhaustive list of how to perform this stunt. Again, stunts can be dangerous and should be left to experienced professionals.
There have been many terrible accidents on film sets, and many stunts that have gone wrong. If you have stunts happening on set, especially in low budget, you should rent an ambulance to stand by in case of any emergencies.
The cast read-through, also known as a table read, happens right before filming begins. The cast will sit around a table with their scripts, along with the director, producer, and sometimes the 1st AD. Typically, an assistant will read the slug lines and description, and then the cast reads their lines. This is done so that the director can hear how the lines might play and everyone gets a sense of how the scenes will play. Different directors will conduct this session differently. Some directors like to have as many cast there as possible, so it is done closer to filming after most of the cast has flown to the location. Some directors like to do this with only the top roles, so it may be done as soon as they arrive at the location. The POC and APOC will also prepare the room and provide drinks and snacks, as this read-through typically takes at least two to three hours.
When making a movie you have two choices when casting actors: union and nonunion. If you go union, you will deal with the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). In order to hire SAG-AFTRA actors, you need to become signatory to the guild. This means you “sign on” with the guild and agree to hire union actors. In doing so, you also agree to abide by SAG-AFTRA rules. The process is not hard, but requires attention to detail and organizational skills to keep all of their paperwork straight. Also keep in mind SAG-AFTRA requires the first document, the Information Sheet, be turned in at least fifteen days before the actor(s) are needed. Make sure you document how and when you send this in.
The main resource for becoming signatory is on SAG-AFTRA’s website: www.sagaftra.org. There you will find agreements listed according to production type. They are:
Each of the agreements have different rates for actors that are paid by the day, the week, on overnight locations, and for all types of actors including choreographers, dancers, swimmers, skaters, voice-overs, singers (solo or duo), and background actors. Once you determine your production type, download that signatory package from the SAG-AFTRA website and start reading. There is a lot to pay attention to. SAG-AFTRA has rules for each production that cover items such as consecutive employment, meal periods, favored nations, overtime, rest periods, transportation, and location expenses, just to name a few. This package has sample forms only. You won’t get fully executable files until you contact SAG-AFTRA and send in the Information Sheet.
SAG-AFTRA divides the documents in the package into two categories, signatory documents and production documents. The signatory documents are what you use to become signatory to the guild for the duration of your project. This is what you should look at first. The production documents are what you use during and after the production to keep track of actor hours.
The Information Sheet is in the signatory documents. Once they review it, they will contact you and send you a zip file with the rest of the package (the same thing you downloaded), but these forms will be executable. This document asks all the basic information such as production dates, information on your company, how many speaking roles are in your show, if there are any stunts, and so forth.
Now you turn in even more signatory documents (found in your packet):
Next you will turn in the following production documents, which include:
After this, SAG-AFTRA wants to make sure that the project is actually funded so they can be sure their actors are getting paid, so they will ask for:
At this point in the process, if all your paperwork checks out you could be deemed “cleared” and are now a signatory (assuming all contracts are signed by you and SAG-AFTRA representatives) and your cast may begin filming.
Once you start shooting, there are more documents you need to take care of throughout the course of the project. They are:
When shooting has completed, you need to send SAG-AFTRA the following:
This may seem like a lot of paperwork, and it is. It’s a good idea to assign one of the production staff, such as the POC or a good APOC, to manage all the paperwork throughout the course of the show.
The casting department casts the show according to the director’s vision and producer’s approval. While the casting director will hire distant cast, a local casting director may hire all day players. The casting department sets up and coordinates the auditions until all roles are cast. Cast issues include working with minors, which on a union shoot has special requirements, and working with animals, which has its own challenges. Stunt people also work in front of the camera and are in the same union as actors, SAG-AFTRA.
“Producer’s Guide to Working with SAG-AFTRA on a Low Budget Theatrical Motion Picture,” SAG-AFTRA, accessed June 30, 2016, http://www.sagaftra.org/files/producers_guide_low_budget_9_32.pdf.
“Production Center/Theatrical/Documents,” SAG-AFTRA, accessed June 30, 2106, http://www.sagaftra.org/production-center/theatrical/documents#quickset-pc_theatrical_sig_doc_qt3.
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