October 10th & 11th, 18:00 - 21:00 (two part workshop)

“More than ninety percent of directing a picture is the right casting.”
-Martin Scorsese

// About
Casting a project is a collaboration. The casting director is hired by a producer and creative team, and tasked with the job of filtering through hundreds of actors in order to find several who can bring the story to life in a way that aligns with the vision of the writer and director. In this workshop, we will deconstruct the casting process – paying particular attention to the role of the filmmaker (director) and actor while we cast a project from beginning to end.

Filmmakers will have an opportunity to gain insight into the casting process, learning how to communicate with a casting director, how to make choices based on his/her vision of the story, what to look for during auditions, and how to direct actors in a casting session. Actors will go through the process of auditioning, from the initial audition through the callback. We will also explore several common post-callback scenarios. We will look at each actor headshot, discuss the work presented in the room, shine light on common auditioning mistakes, and navigate any questions that come up during the process. We will briefly touch on the ways that writers can help the casting process while working on a script.

The goal for this workshop is for each participant to leave with a clear sense of the casting process, and an understanding of how he/she fits into this process. This knowledge will ultimately impact the final product: the final film should shine with a specific visual world, dynamic performances, and easiness throughout the filmmaking process that lends everyone to doing their best work, both individually and collectively.

This workshop will wrap with a discussion and industry Q&A.

www.devinshacketoncamera.com
www.thenewyorkdramacenter.com