Casting Brief

Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you are born to stand out? - Ian, What a Girl Wants (2003)


What goes on when a director brief's the casting director?
What are the questions that could get asked?

Here is a clue to what happens at the briefing session, directors (starting off), Assistant directors (D.A's or A.D's involved), to casting directors read on to find out what you should prepare for at the Casting Brief and actors as well should also know so that they are not wasting time doing auditions that are not suited to them. In the meanwhile actor's looking for work do check out Facebook links to pages that have Posted on Casting / Modeling Jobs.

The briefing to the casting director would happen only after all parties have read the script, screenplay, or storyboard. Everyone should know what they are getting into before this meeting or call. Notes should be made and breakdown lists have to be kept ready before this meeting. This prep before this meeting could be as short as a few minutes like in the case of advertising, to a no of days like in the case of feature films.

Once the prep is done the meeting is called for, both parties should have done their back work or there will be more of these meetings. These are some of the questions that should get asked at this meeting, these are not in any particular order

Question 1: Casting of how many characters are to be done?

Question 2: Age of each of the characters?

Question 3: Sex of the character? - Male or female or...

Question 4: Dates for the shoot and shortlist?

Question 5: Is there a budget individually or totally? 

Question 6: Who will take care of the requirements of the audition?

Question 7: Is there a contract to be made?

Question 8: Which competitive brands worked on by the actor are to be kept in mind?

Question 9: Individual character brief?

Question 10: Anything in the role, to be done, that might require a warning?

Question 11: Any reference to any character/actor?

Question 12: Any specific scene that the director wants to audition the characters on?

Question 13: Any specific props required for the audition?

Question 14: Any specific costume/look required for the audition?

Question 15: Will there be a call back for actors?

There could be more questions asked basis on the answers that you get, but these questions should cover call the basics that need to be asked at the first briefing. 

Each of these questions has an explanation to them which will be posted in the following blogs, when posted these questions will get converted to links to each.

Auggieism:- What do you say when auggie is staring at a beauty? 

Ans:- Oggieling... 

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