Casting

 I don’t really have any dialogue written for my opening. I did this intentionally with the goal of having my main character convey their thoughts/emotions through their expressions and actions. According to an article by StageMilk, “The goal of casting is to find the right people to tell a story” the article then goes on to explain the casting process and the role of a casting director. 

After reading the article, I decided I had to play the casting director with my group of friends. Following advice from my research I was looking for three things:

1. Acting skill.

2. Physical resemblance of the character. 

3. Availability. 

Acting Skill

As I mentioned before, I chose not to incorporate much dialogue into the opening. Since I am forcing myself to be so reliant on the actor to tell my story, I need someone who can clearly convey emotions with their body language and facial expressions.  

In this clip of I, Tonya, actress Margo Robbie is able to convey her character’s emotions of frustration without ever having to say a word. From her facial expressions and actions alone, we know what she is feeling and that she is attempting but failing to cover it up. In some ways, I think my character is similar to Margo Robbie’s in this particular scene so I really would like someone who I think could be as clear and expressive as she was here. 

Physical resemblance of the character. 

I feel that so often when I see shows or movies depicting high-school students the actors themselves are adults. This is troublesome considering that a major pillar of the coming-of-age genre is relatability. I need to cast an actual teen as my character because my target audience (teens) need to actually be able to see themselves in her. 

Therefore, the person I need to cast is a teen girl. 

Availability 

From my research, I also found that the goal of a casting director is to find actors who fit the part but also help the filming go smoother. As such, I decided that I need to find someone who I can rely on to be available for filming. I don’t want to be pressured to rush my filming because of scheduling difficulties with the actor. 

Taking all of these casting tips/requirements into account, I have decided I want my friend Sophia to be the main character of my movie opening.

1. TEEN GIRL

2. Member of drama club/Very expressive. 

3. Does not have a job so no conflict with work schedule. 

4. Has access to her own car. 

5. Agreed to be in the opening. 

   
   

   Sources:

   Team, Written by StageMilk, et al. “What Is Casting?: What Does Casting Actually Mean.” StageMilk, 4 Aug. 2017, https://www.stagemilk.com/what-is-casting/. 

   “What Do Casting Directors Look for in Auditions? (Its 6 Things!).” Method Acting for Me, 3 Sept. 2021, https://methodactingforme.com/what-do-casting-directors-look-for-in-auditions-its-6-things/.