Step 1: Choose An Audition Time & Place
It is best to choose an audition time before starting the casting process. This way you can post your audition dates and times along with your casting call.
Book a room to hold auditions.
Step 2: Post On Casting Websites
Compensation
Actors will be unpaid, so under compensation write “copy, credit, meals.”
Union
Be sure to designate that your project is non-union. It’s possible that some SAG actors will choose to audition anyway, and it’s up to them if they want to break with union rules. That’s their personal choice, but make sure it’s clear that the project is non-union.
Character Breakdowns
Be specific about the roles you are casting. List each character by name. If you have a character without a name, make one up. Characters called “Woman 1” or “Cop 2” do not sound attractive or interesting to actors.
Describe each actor according to his/her most salient traits, especially age. Be creative. Make sure to describe the character in a way that would be interesting to an actor.
If you are looking for a specific ethnicity, weight, height, build or if you want the actor to have any special skills (e.g., play tennis, sword fight, speak with a southern accent), be sure to clearly indicate this in your post. This will save you time down the line.
Wherever possible, try not to limit yourself to a certain look. Try to cast the most interesting, talented actors you can find, rather than someone who merely “looks the part.”
Step 3: Plan The Audition
Contact the Actors
Email the actors whose head shots and resumes you like. In the email, be sure to include the dates of production. Book each actor for a specific 15-minute audition time slot. Always double book — not everyone will show up.
Provide Sides
The script pages an actor reads at an audition are called “sides.” You must send sides in advance to every actor who is coming in to audition. Expecting actors to come in and do cold readings is bad form, and it won’t help you see who is best for the role.
Stick to the sides in the audition, rather than doing improv. You need to know if the actor can perform the written lines, and improv will not tell you this. However, if the script has little dialogue and is more physical, then using some improv in the audition may be appropriate.
If a character in your script has no lines, consider writing a dialogue scene for that character for audition purposes (be upfront about this, though).
Parking Issues
Actors need instructions about parking. You should email them these instructions when you confirm their audition time.
Give your actors walking instructions from parking to the audition. Be as clear as possible. Don’t leave actors to figure this stuff out on their own — that would make a bad first impression.
In your confirmation email, give them your Producer’s or 2nd AD’s phone number to call on the day of the audition in case they get lost.
Step 4: Hold The Auditions
Post Signs
Post signs on the exterior doors of the building, as well as in the hallways, with your film’s title and arrows leading to your audition room. Don’t forget to take your signs down once your casting session has ended.
Sign-In Sheet
Have a sign-in sheet outside the door of your audition space. Be sure to have them fill in their contact information as well. This gives them something to do while they’re waiting their turn and keeps you organized.
Be sure to set up chairs for waiting. If you want to make an even better first impression, have bottled water available for your actors in the waiting area.
Reader/Assistant
You need someone with you to read the scenes with the actors. This person does not need to be an actor. They just need to be able to read in a normal tone of voice opposite the actor. Gender/age of the reader does not matter.
Your producer should be at the audition too, but ideally the producer would not be the reader, so that he/she can witness the audition with the director. Try to include your 2nd AD in this process as well so that he/she can build a rapport with the actors.
Get To Know The Actor
Chat up each actor before he/she reads the scene for you. This will put them at ease and also give you a sense of the kind of person they are. Generally speaking, good actors are engaging both on and off screen. If an actor doesn’t grab you right away, they may not grab you on screen either. Be attuned to this as you talk with each actor when they first come in the room. Personality counts.
On this same note, be attuned to each actor’s attitude. Are they on time? Are they prepared? Do they seem easy enough to work with?
Lastly, your initial discussion with each actor is a good time to let them ask you if you have any questions they might have about the role they are reading for.
Have The Actor Read The Scene
The actor may ask you for direction before they read, but just tell them to read it however they’d like to. This is your chance to see their instincts as an actor and what they bring to the character.