Think about the experience of sitting and watching a movie. What is it about that big, wonderful image that connects with you? If you’re a diehard cineaste the answer might be the film’s cinematography or its use of music, special effects, sound design or something else. But for most audiences, chances are that the primary point of connection is the characters—and probably the actors embodying them.
It’s these performances that we identify with, root against and even lust after. But as much as their agents and managers might care for you to believe otherwise, actors don’t pop up in these roles by accident. Enter the Casting Director.
One of the most important (and unsung) positions on any film crew, the Casting Director is the person responsible for assembling the actors tasked with translating the script’s character description and dialogue into flesh-and-blood.
Below, we’ve collected some of our favorite advice from previous Film Independent “Meet the Casting Director” sessions, held in-person as part of our regular Filmmaker Tuesday events at Fi’s offices in Los Angeles.
