Pre-Production Casting: 4 Tips for Finding the Right Talent

Even the simplest of film projects often require pre-production casting to make all the working pieces fit together for a perfect project. When talent casting in pre-production, it’s important to pay careful attention to the individuals and potential roles that are being cast. Follow these tips for finding the right talent when casting actors for your production.

1. Stay Open Minded

One of the best things you can do when casting actors for your production is to remain open minded throughout the process. Perhaps you aren’t thinking that a slender, male, Caucasian with brown hair is fit for the role of your lead male part.

Maybe you envisioned this a heavier set male with blonde hair/ Perhaps you envisioned something entirely different. While looks may matter to some degree, you need to pay close attention to the talents that the actor has.

Do they fit the bill for your project? Can you see this actor potentially working on your stage? 

Instead of being closed in on a particular talent for a role, keeping an open mind will help you to make potential head talent feel better during their casting call and ensures that you find talent that is truly set for the job at hand.

2. Specify Qualifications as Needed

Just as it is important to remain open minded when casting talent it is also important to specify any qualifications or features that an actor may need in order to be considered for your film before the casting call is made.

You don’t want a bunch of unqualified cast members showing up to battle for a spot on your film. As you cast talent, maker sure you provide descriptions of any non-negotiable qualifications or character descriptions that you are actively seeking for the roles in your film. 

This is especially important when a particular role calls for a specific build or body style for the film. While it is okay to give off the appearance that you are open minded and not seeking any particular on-screen element, now is not the time to waste anyone’s precious time and effort.

 3. Cast Adaptable Talent

As you’re talent casting in pre-production it is important to take special care not to cast talent that cannot adapt to the situations around and in front of them. 

Even if your character isn’t the most adaptable individual on. the film set, it’s still okay and actually preferred to have adaptable talent casted for your film production.

4. Consider Personality

The actual personality that your casted  talent has will come into play at various points throughout your production.

Actors that are expected to be upbeat, fast learners, that aren’t afraid to get in there and do whatever it takes to capture the best footage with the cameraman and other working crew members and show their talent on camera.

As you’re casting talent for your production, consider the role each character’s personality will play in the set. Could you see yourself working with this casted talent? For particularly a long time such as 10 hours or more per day?

Consider the personality of the talent before your make any final hiring decisions.