Ironically enough, I was unable to make it to Tovah Small’s Casting Workshop due to having to run casting auditions for my own film that day. However, I was able to attend the make-up class the next day and get a good grasp on the director’s role in casting and learn several techniques that I can integrate into my own future as a director.
A director’s role in casting is to know what to look for, while also remaining open-minded, especially towards subconscious biases. It is important for the director to really take a step back and understand the character. Being specific and asking yourself: when you think of the character, what other images come to mind? The director is the gatekeeper of the story, and must understand the story and characters to such a detailed extent, when in the casting process, the director understands what to look for in the character and the actor – to not only see that the character presented by the actor fits, but to also be aware of the actor’s skills and abilities to listen, take redirection, develop and collaborate. A director in casting is just as important of a process as directing during production, and this importance is something I will carry with me into my future.
One technique that I will integrate into my career is creating good character breakdowns. In order to know what to look for during the casting process, you need to break down the characters to find out. In the breakdown, asking strong critical-thinking questions such as: What are the important physical characteristics? What is the character’s greatest motivation? What are the character’s goals in the story? These sorts of questions can really get the director closer to their characters, allowing them to understand what to look for in terms of physicality, sociality, mentally and emotionally. This was effective in helping my understanding of a director’s role, I know that directors must know characters to such extent because such details are what brings characters to life. I have created a list of critical-thinking character breakdown questions to help me format my character breakdowns for every single film I direct/work on from now on. In the future, I will recognize the importance of character breakdowns, and I will know what to look for during the casting process.
Another technique I will integrate into my future is learning how to analyze auditions in the moment. While watching an actor audition, it is important to use the skill of active thinking and analyzing. Some great questions to ask yourself as the director while watching an audition can be: What did you like? What didn’t you like? What worked? What didn’t work? Was it convincing, why or why not? What would you change? This helps a director decipher the performance of the actor and the character they are trying to portray. This further adds to the skillset of knowing what to look for during the casting process. I think active and critical thinking during an audition is very important for a director to do in order to find the best fit for the character. I plan to incorporate this into my life by putting it into practice, watching monologue auditions (which can be easily and readily found available online) weekly and asking myself these questions and answering them. This practice will really help develop my critical and active thinking skills, which are vital during casting.
The last technique I will integrate into my future directing career is understanding the importance of focusing on the moment: allowing the actor to first show what they can do, then add redirection. Often, I have made the mistake or seen others make the mistake of directing right away during auditions. I believe it’s important to allow the actor to first showcase their approach to the character and story. It’s important for the director to be open minded and patient with this as you’ll never know if they might show you something that’s different but good, maybe even better. It’s also important to allow the actor to go first as it shows you trust them and are willing to collaborate with them and their ideas, which helps gain trust between actor and director. Allowing the actor to go first, then give redirection, benefits both actor and director, making way for opportunity to collaborate and improve the character and/or story. I will incorporate this into my future by ensuring every audition I attend, I will ensure that the actor goes first, and to be open-minded and patient with it. Then, using active listening/viewing skills, I can give redirection after. I believe this will overall enhance the casting experience and lead to better opportunities.
The casting workshop class was immensely helpful, providing me with wonderful techniques that I can practice and apply to myself, as well as giving me a better understanding of a director’s role in the casting process. I look forward to applying this new knowledge onto myself and working towards my own goals as a director!