Directors & Actors: Casting!
To become ‘an actor’s director’ requires mindful communication and listening skills, and the ability to demonstrate trust with an actor. To become a ‘director’s actor’ and be top of mind for casting calls requires an understanding of the nuance of casting and decision-making processes. The interaction between director and actor to achieve great performance is arguably the most important but least articulated or understood aspect of filmmaking for these two professionals, and rarely studied together. Casting is the first meeting moment for directors and actors to start on the right footing and potentially begin their collaborative journey.
In this course you will analyze a variety of audition techniques; differentiate the components of building trust in auditions; examine and test communication and interpersonal strategies; learn a method to write inclusive character descriptions to attract quality actors; and discern the six stages of casting and accompanying decision-making processes. Directors in the course will plan, organize and execute an online audition, while actors in the course will plan, organize and execute their own audition self tape. Both sides will do so with an enhanced understanding of the requirements of the ‘other’ side of the table.
This online, interactive course is designed by industry professionals and mentors. You will learn about casting and audition processes through video media, audio podcasts and a variety of current industry source readings. Importantly, this course is interactive and students are expected to actively participate in discussion topics, electively engage with peers on some assignments, and test methods in real world application. You will engage with both course instructor and industry facilitators throughout your course who are available daily (asynchronous) and in three scheduled (synchronous) live sessions. In this course you will gain access to abroad community of peers to collaborate and practice with, while you can complete the modules at your own pace.
