Casting

We just got back from Colorado where we went fishing and in one magical place, we got a rainbow trout with every cast we made.

But that's not the kind of casting I'm going to write about. One of the more frequent questions I get from filmmakers is how I cast, especially getting Hollywood actors to be in small, independent films.

The first step for new filmmakers is to hire a good LA or NYC Casting Director. This person will come ready-made with connections to agents and managers. There is a directory of casting directors in the HCDOnline. You will need a great script and your funding mostly in place.

After you get your casting director, they will send out a breakdown of the characters and agents and managers will start making submissions of their clients. But you'll also work on a list with your CD to start making offers to. These are for the name actors. Then, you'll approve the offer and the CD will send it out to the agent/manager.

One of the large hurdles filmmakers face is the Catch-22 of "I need an actor to raise the money and I need the money to get the actor attached." That is a hard one and in a future post, maybe I'll address that question. :)

For now, it's been a great vacation, now back to work-- Casting sessions in NYC.