Great casting - why is it so important?
Casting is one of the most important aspects of a video production. The right cast makes all the difference, helping to bring the story to life and truly engages your audience.
There are a number of important factors to consider when casting for video, including:
The audience. Who are you making this series for? What are their interests and needs? When casting, it's important to consider the demographic of your target audience and choose actors who will appeal to them.
The script. The script is the foundation, so it's important to cast actors who can bring the characters to life. When auditioning actors, be sure to choose the best broad selections of script - this gives the actors as much to work with as possible as they interpret the characters and their motivations.
The chemistry. The cast of a video series is potentially going to spend a lot of time together, so it's important to cast actors who have good chemistry and will be able to work well as a team. During auditions, pay particular attention to how the actors interact with each other and see if they seem like they would be able to create a believable on-screen relationship. Often the right casting is not necessarily down to the individual talent, but the combination of actors.
The talent. Of course, the most important factor in casting is talent. The actors you choose should also be charismatic (or not as the case may be), engaging, and believable for the role. They should be able to bring your characters to life and make the audience care about them (or dislike them, if that’s the intention!)
Let’s break some of this down into a bit more detail:
Considering the Audience
When casting for video, it's important to consider the audience you're trying to reach. What are their interests and needs? What kind of people would they be interested in seeing on screen? Should there be a peer or aspirational connection? Once you have a good understanding of your audience, you can start to narrow down your casting choices.
What parts of the script to audition?
When it comes to auditions, you want to give the actors a chance to show off their acting skills, but you also want to make sure that the material is relevant to the overall series you're making. Yes, it’s great to have the big breakup or fight scene in there, where everyone shouts/cries/screams/emotes, but you also need to include a range to see each character at their extreme - how do the actors perform on the calmer and straighter sections, for example?
It's also important to give actors enough time to prepare for their audition. Don’t send them new scripts, or change the parts on the day of the audition if you can avoid it. This will help them to relax and give their best performance, and most importantly - give you the content you need to make the right decision about who to cast.
Ensuring the Cast and Crew Get Along
It's important to cast actors who will get along well with each other, especially on a small set or on a series. The cast of a video series is going to spend a lot of time together, so it's necessary to create a positive and supportive environment for the benefit of the entire team. If the actors don't get along, it can create tension and make it difficult to get the best performances out of them, and in our experience a fun and happy set absolutely makes for a better final cut.
Of course the casting is only a part of this, and it’s vital to create a fantastic working environment on set. This means being respectful of everyone's time and talents, and making sure that everyone feels comfortable speaking up if they have any concerns with a clear and considered pathway of communication.
Hopefully these guidelines will be of help to you the next time you cast for a project!
