Casting
Good casting is vital if films are to
resonate with audiences. Ensuring that the most suitable actors are
cast requires exhaustive knowledge of the available talent combined
with the creative ability to imagine how the right actor can bring a
character to life on screen. Directors often work with the same
Casting Director on many films, entrusting their taste, imagination
and ability to deliver the best possible casts.
Depending on the style of the film,
Directors may be prepared to take creative risks by using non
professional actors; this can require months of research and
auditioning by Casting Directors. They also play a crucial role in
contacting A-List stars and negotiating deals. Casting Directors work
tirelessly to help Directors to achieve their ideal cast.
Casting agencies range in size from big
established companies, employing a number of Casting Associates,
Assistants, Runners and Receptionists, to small, one or two person
operations that hire in support staff during their busiest periods.
Casting Associates are highly experienced Casting Assistants who
conduct auditions and help Casting Directors to make their
selections, and negotiate fees for supporting cast. Casting
Assistants' responsibilities include helping to draw up lists of
actors, and checking their availability.
Those involved in casting need a
passion for the craft of acting, combined with excellent
communication, negotiation and organisational skills. Casting
Assistants must work in this role for many years before progressing
to become Casting Associates. Casting Directors need a vast
knowledge of a wide range of actors, and an understanding of their
abilities, as well as a thorough appreciation of changing talent
trends within the film industry. Acquiring a reputation as a
respected Casting Director takes dedication and commitment, a strong
instinct for acting talent, and many years of hard work.
Casting Director
Casting Directors organise and
facilitate the casting of actors for all the roles in a film. This
involves working closely with the Director and Producer to understand
their requirements, and suggesting ideal artists for each role, as
well as arranging and conducting interviews and auditions. Once the
parts are cast, the Casting Director negotiates fees and contracts
for the actors, and acts as a liaison between the Director, the
actors and their agents.
Casting Directors must have an
extensive knowledge of actors and their suitability for a particular
role. On larger productions, Casting Directors may supervise Casting
Assistants, who will support and assist them in this work.
What is the job?
In pre-production, Casting Directors
must liaise with both the Director and the Producer, who rely on the
Casting Director to assist them to assemble the perfect cast for the
film. Consequently, Casting Directors must have in-depth and
up-to-date knowledge of new and existing acting talent. They are
responsible for matching the ideal actor to each role, based on a
number of factors, such as the actor's experience, ability,
reputation, availability and box-office appeal. Casting Directors
also work closely with Production Accountants to prepare the casting
budget.
Casting Directors organise and conduct
interviews and auditions for each part, and are also in charge of
offering each actor an appropriate fee to appear in the film, as well
as drawing up and negotiating the terms and conditions of contracts
with agents, once casting is complete. Casting Directors need a vast
knowledge of a huge range of actors, and an extensive understanding
of their abilities, as well as a thorough appreciation of changing
talent trends within the film industry. This requires a strong
instinct for acting talent, and great dedication and commitment. A
deep passion for the craft of acting is essential. Excellent
communication and interpersonal skills are vital in order to liaise
with a range of people, including other production staff, talent
agents, and the actors themselves.
Negotiation and organisational skills
are also invaluable for agreeing actors' fees, and arranging the
terms and conditions of their contracts. In order to cast the ideal
actor for a key role in a film, Directors and Producers have to be
highly selective, and may be extremely demanding, so it is vital that
Casting Directors are patient, hard-working and diplomatic at all
times.
Essential knowledge and skills
Casting Directors must have a wide
knowledge of cinema and actors. An interest in the theatre and stage
actors is also a prerequisite. A basic understanding of how to
operate a video camera (framing, focus, etc.) is also an advantage.
Casting Directors must be computer literate.
Key Skills include:
- excellent communication skills;
- ability to recognise talent;
- a good memory;
- excellent organisational skills;
- Precise attention to detail;
- ability to take and give direction;
- knowledge of the requirements of the relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures
Training and qualifications
Although there are no specific training
or qualifications for this role, Casting Directors are usually
graduates of Arts, English, Film, Theatre, Communications, or Media
Studies, etc., with an active interest in film, theatre and casting.
Practical industry experience is vital. An ideal place to start is at
an entry-level position as an assistant in a talent agency, as
experience of selecting and working with actors is essential. This
allows potential Casting Directors to begin amassing knowledge about
existing and new talent.
Working as an assistant to an
established Casting Director is also an effective way to acquire the
necessary skills and experience. Any experience working with actors
in amateur theatre, or in film production environments, is considered
useful for such entry-level positions.
Casting Assistant
Good casting is crucial to making
characters credible on screen, and is fundamentally important to a
film's success. Casting Assistants perform general running duties
around the Casting office, and assist with specific casting related
jobs. They are employed as freelancers on a film by film basis by
Casting Directors.
Casting agencies vary in size but are
usually quite small, comprising of the Casting Director and Casting
Associate. As work on casting a film usually lasts no longer than ten
weeks, Casting Assistants must be continuously on the look out for
their next job, and should be prepared to work hard in this role for
many years before they are offered the opportunity to become Casting
Associates.
What is the job?
The duties of Casting Assistants vary
according to the scale and budget of each film, and also according to
the willingness of the Casting Director to delegate responsibility.
Casting Assistants are usually hired during development casting;
their first responsibility is to read the script and to help the
Casting Associate and Casting Director to draw up lists of possible
actors for the main roles. Casting Assistants subsequently call the
actors' agents to check availability, and relay this information to
the Casting Director so that the lists are kept up to date with all
relevant information.
Casting Assistants provide general
running duties in the office, including answering phones, sending
faxes and e-mails, liaising with couriers, making teas and coffees,
etc., as well as assisting during casting sessions when actors
perform screen tests on camera. Casting Associates usually operate
the camera during these tests, and Casting Assistants ensure that the
sessions run smoothly, by making tea and coffee for the actors and
providing general support. After each casting session, Casting
Associates make selections, and edit together the best takes. These
must be labelled correctly and sent to the Director, Producer and/or
Financiers by the Casting Assistant. Casting Assistants finish work
on a film when most of the cast have been contracted.
Typical career routes
Although there is no typical career
route for this role, most Casting Assistants are graduates with an
interest in acting and casting, who have managed to enter the film
industry at junior levels as Assistants in Talent Agencies, thereby
gaining experience of selecting and working with actors, or as
Runners for Production companies and/or on feature films. Those
involved in Casting should constantly keep up to date with new and
interesting actors, and must develop the confidence and taste which
are vital for any Casting Director.
Acquiring casting credits on feature
films is important for Casting Directors' career progression, but as
Casting Assistants are not usually credited it is difficult to
develop a good reputation. Many talented, hard working Casting
Assistants work for many years for the same Casting Director, before
they are offered more responsibility, e.g., running a casting session
on a modestly budgeted film, and before they are promoted to Casting
Associates.
Essential knowledge and skills
Casting Assistants must have a wide
knowledge of cinema and actors. An interest in the theatre and stage
actors is also a prerequisite. A basic understanding of how to
operate a video camera (framing, focus, etc.) is also an advantage.
Casting Assistants must be computer literate.
Key Skills include:
- excellent communication skills;
- ability to recognise talent;
- a good memory;
- excellent organisational skills;
- precise attention to detail;
- ability to take direction;
- knowledge of the requirements of the relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures.
Training and qualifications
Although there are no specific training
or qualifications for this role, Casting Assistants are usually
graduates of Arts, English, Film, Theatre, Communications, or Media
Studies, etc., with an active interest in film, theatre and casting.
Casting Part 2: Running a Casting
Prior to the casting auditions, send a
scene, plot synopsis and character profile to the auditionee. The
more knowledge they have of the role(s) they are auditioning for, the
better prepared they’ll be, and you will get more from them in the
session. Also have this information to hand outside the casting room.
Ideally, scenes should be 2 or 3 pages
of dialogue, even if you have to write this specifically for the
task; the obvious exception being more physically based performance,
have a simple scenario for the actor to explore, whether it be
getting up in the morning, writing a letter or playing with a ball,
anything that does not require too much mime and can be done in the
available space. You will need to provide props.
Find a venue with easy access for
public transport with 2 rooms or a hall where auditionees can wait
and prepare for their turn. The room you use for the casting itself
should be as quiet as possible, and not a thoroughfare for other
individuals or groups using the same premises.
You should be aiming to spend at least
15-20 minutes with each auditioning actor.
Too often great casting opportunities
are missed by rushing the actors through, and not really giving them
a chance to get comfortable or giving the director enough time to
evaluate how the actor will respond to their style of directing.
Who should be there?
It’s best to keep those present down
to a minimum. Besides yourself, have someone representing the
business end to discuss fees, expenses and accommodation issues. If
you are a producer/director, it is advisable to delegate all
financial and contractual conversations to someone else, and keep
your relationship with the actor on a creative basis from the offset.
A Camera Operator- to record the
casting – mainly as an aide memoire, not a screen test. It might be
your Director of Photography will do it for you. They will know how
to frame the actor to best capture what they are doing.
A Reader – an actor engaged to give
the auditionee someone to work with in the scene. An essential
element to be able to gauge an actor’s ability is how they react to
another actor’s delivery. The reader must know how to sight read
well and give the auditioning actor room to make choices and respond.
It is better that the director remains free to listen and direct the
actor.
Other collaborators such as the writer
and director of photography will bring a valuable contribution to the
decision making process, however the casting should be held to
establish one important thing – how well you will work together.
What to do
Don’t have everyone sit behind a
table with pen and pads, panel style, its not Pop Idol you are
running here but an opportunity to find the right actors to work with
on your project. Although it is a job interview of sorts, they need
to feel as relaxed as possible to do their best – and that what you
are looking for, actors at their best!
Set up so that you are in a chair about
6-8 feet away from the auditioning actor, with the reader a few feet
to your right or left, so that you are not directly in their eye line
when they start working on the scene, just like on set. Everyone else
should be scattered behind you as far away as possible so they do not
appear like a jury or audience.
Introduce everyone in the room and give
a brief and energising explanation of your vision of the story and
that particular character (ie. What pressures are being exerted on
the character in the scene, what it is you believe they want and how
they might feel about the other characters present). Keep it simple
and actable; wordy intellectual diatribes about the character’s
inner conflicts and metaphor will not help at this stage, if at all.
It is important at this stage you
mention any skill requirements such as driving, swimming or minor
stunts. Also mention any nudity or sex scenes now, or it could end up
with you both wasting your time, if they are not willing to take this
step.
Next explain that you are going to run
through the scene a few times, letting the actor know they will have
more than one chance to impress you and ‘get it right’, Then give
the actor time to read the scene at least twice.
Directing The Audition
Before you begin, ask the actor if they
have any questions, give them a chance to clear up any confusion
about approach or the meanings of certain lines or words. If they
don’t, ask them one or two about what they have got from what they
have read and heard about the character and the scenario.
When you are both ready, say that you
would like to hear the scene once through before trying out a couple
of possibilities. This tells the actor you are willing to listen to
their interpretations as well as direct them.
Also, draw their attention to the
camera and ask them to state their name and the character they are
reading for the records. Its good to bring the camera into the
equation now, as they are auditioning for film.
While the actor is reading or
delivering the scene, don’t make notes, just stay attentive and
listen to their interpretation of the scene, save the note taking
until they are done and left the room.
After the first read through, respond
as positively as you can while remaining genuine, then say you’d
like to throw a suggestion in as to how the character might respond
in the scene – for example, you might ask them to try the scene
seductively, or indignantly, or meekly or with more determination to
get what they want from the other character. In other words, give
them an attitude or a goal to achieve, if you have listened well to
their first attempt you will find an alternative for them to try.
Its important to understand at this
juncture that you do not have to get the performance exactly as you
see it being on the day, right now in the audition. You will get far
more from the sessions by exploring the possibilities you have
discovered in your work on the screenplay. It’s amazing how much
more depth you will discover it you explore alternative approaches to
the character, even if they are only subtly different.
Try this a couple of times, not only to
watch the actors response to the choices you have asked them to play,
but also their response to you.
At the end of the session, thank them
for their time and double check their availability. Explain, if you
know, what your plans are for distribution and timescales for
completion. Leave the producer or acting producer to handle any other
details.
When they have left the room, quickly
dump your immediate thoughts down on paper or Dictaphone or even the
camera you are using for recording the actor – if you need to, have
the briefest of feedback from the other production team present, then
get ready to see the next actor.
Do give yourself breaks as much as
possible so that you stay fresh for each auditioning actor. You will
at some point feel like you got the right actor before you have
finished seeing others for that role. Trust your instincts, but keep
open to the rest of the other actors you still have to see. You will
never know if you are missing a better option, unless you completely
focus on each actor without bias.
Making the decision
At the end of the day, the source of
your final choice is more one of instinct and feeling, rather than
facts or a checklist of attributes. Remember, the actor thus far has
been ‘auditioning’ in other words behaving a in a way that will
hopefully show them in a good light. They have been acting all the
time, just like we all do when faced with a new opportunity of work
or someone we want to be attracted to us. Its very difficult to get a
complete picture of what this person is going to be like under the
rigours of your production, but you should be able to assess how much
you will enjoy working with this person and how well they might
respond to your vision and style of directing.
When you have made your choice, it is
wise to contact your number one choice first and as soon as possible
– life goes on, and before you know they could be off to make a big
budget commercial or a bit part in a Hollywood blockbuster, and
you’ll have to go to number two. If that happens, it’s best they
do not know they are 2 nd choice, so only reject other auditionees
once you have your cast in place. But do contact them, its not great
to be left hanging not knowing whether they should keep their diary
open for you only to discover they are not cast.
10 Tips For Proper Film Casting
Cast your film right and you may have
the next indie blockbuster on your hands. Cast wrong and it will get
stellar reviews from your mom (and no one else). Getting the right
actors to bring your characters to life is absolutely essential. Here
are a few tips to put you on the proper path.
1. Learn to deal with disappointment
from pre-production
Chances are that the best candidate for
your project, your dream actor, will be completely unreachable.
Continue to aim high. Even if you can’t get Helen Mirren for your
film find the best person you possibly can. Maybe the results will be
a pleasant and unexpected surprise.
2. Be creative
Use your own ingenuity to cover a lack
of funds, and never forget that flattery can get you everywhere.
3. See a show
Go see as many plays as possible and
know who is hot in the acting world. This also provides a great
opportunity to see people you might be interested in casting at work.
4. Be a matchmaker
Knowing who’s hot isn’t going to
get you anywhere if you don’t know how to pair an actor with a role
they are suited for.
5. Minimize your casting session
Make it as small as possible, only have
people in the room that are absolutely necessary. Also use video, as
a charming actor in person may not translate to the character you
want on the screen.
6. Hire a non-actor as a reader
The last thing you need is the
distraction of a would-be actor who takes the focus off the person
you are auditioning.
7. Build up a good working
relationship with agents
Go through the agent and befriend them.
Bypass them at your own peril.
8. Say no to thumb twiddling
Don’t ever wait long periods of time
for one actor when you could be chasing after other people. If you
become too focused on having a certain actor for your film it may
never get made.
9. Be thrilled with your cast
And if you’re not, do not proceed
with your film until you are.
And last but not least….
10. Hire a casting director (if you
can afford one)
Not only are they an experienced set of
eyes, they have many talent pools that they can tap into that you may
not have otherwise had access to.
How to run auditions for casting
your film
By Chris on June 6, 2013
How do you go about casting your
film?
The first thing to understand is that
there are two very distinct and separate parts when working with
actors.
The first is all business, it’s when
you advertise jobs, approach agents, interview actors and invite them
to be part of your film, then negotiate contracts and conditions etc.
The second part is the craft and art
and involves the actor doing what they were hired to do – to bring
heart, soul and a physical body to what was once merely words on a
page.
Cut the script early
When you penned your screenplay, you
will undoubtedly have written without major consideration of the
budget.
Upon completion of your shooting
script, a draft that you will be happy to present to actors, ask
yourself a simple question – ‘can I cut down the amount of
characters in the film?’
Actors cost money, servicing the actors
costs money, dealing with actors eats up valuable emotional and
intellectual energy. In short, you want as few actors as possible.
You might resist this notion,
believing that all your characters are individual, unique and
necessary. But because of budget and schedule restrictions, you will
probably end up merging characters to reduce the number of actors
needed. Leave this too late and you will do it just before the shoot,
under pressure and with minimal creativity. So why not do it now when
you can think clearly and are not under pressure? Do it early.
Typically, some secondary characters
serve similar purposes in the story. More often than not your
screenplay will be improved by merging these secondary characters.
Another simple cut would be if your
lead character is attacked and beaten up by four men. Ask yourself,
can this be three men or even two? Budget saved!
If you are not working with a casting
director, you will most likely put a call out on sites like
CastingCallPro.com etc. And you will then get inundated with
responses, especially if your project looks good and pitches well.
The reality is that there are too few
good jobs for actors, especially at the entry level.
Running Auditions
Audition as many actors as you can.
Think of this as speed dating.
Think of this as finding the right
relationship.
DON’T think of this as choosing the
right props.
Actors are sensitive humans, and it’s
their vulnerable, playful nature that makes us powerfully connect and
empathise when they inhabit our characters and emote our stories with
authenticity.
So create the right space for a
relationship to develop that is two way. This begins with how you
treat actors at the audition.
To run an audition you will need a
venue – a small room will do, ideally quiet, tranquil and bright,
with another room or waiting area adjacent. Draw up a list of times,
starting at 9am with breaks every twenty minutes. Start filling these
twenty-minute segments with actors until your day (or days) are full.
Have a pile of business cards ready and
a video camera with a good mic.
Have a list of links to online CV’s
so you can check people before they come in (you may also print but I
would save paper / ink / toner / the planet).
At 9am your first actor should turn up.
Invite them in, tell them about the film, ask them if they have any
questions, then ask them to read for you. After one or two readings,
you may want to film their performance. If you do, ask them to say
their name, phone number, agent (if they have one) and agent’s
number at the start of their taping. If you don’t, you’ll forget
who they are (you will be astonished how actors rarely look like
their photos) as everyone quickly merges into a sea of faces.
Don’t be afraid to direct – it’s
your job!
Actors respond very positively to
direction and it’s a good chance for you to practice and build that
relationship.
Look for interesting actors, people who
have something before they open their mouths, and avoid casting
people who look similar as this can cause confusion for the viewer in
the final film.
During this audition, your 9.20
interviewee may turn up. In an ideal world, you’ll have somebody
outside offering tea and generally keeping people happy as it’s
inevitable that you will fall behind schedule. Don’t audition too
late into the evening as the process is extraordinarily draining.
After a couple of days of this you
might lose your voice and certainly will have a sore throat from all
the talking.
Keep the production line of your
auditions rolling and avoid letting the actors interview you! You
don’t have time.
Most actors just won’t be right, but
a few will feel like they are ‘getting it’. If you are lucky,
some will nail it. Then it’s time for a recall, and if you choose
them, negotiations with either the actor (if unrepresented) or the
agent.
Respect
One last thought. It’s REALLY tough
being an actor. And I get why so often we don’t call to say ‘sorry,
you didn’t get the part…’ (we are overwhelmed by making the
film, we don’t like to close doors ‘just in case’, we don’t
like to deliver bad news).
But if you can, at least compliment
them and thank them for their time in their audition, that will go
some way.
Acknowledging hard work, courage and
creativity, no matter how good or bad, will always make them feel
good, and you will feel good too.You may also make a connection with
an actor that leads to another role in another film later in your
career. You may also be able to suggest an actor that you didn’t
cast but thought was great, to friends who are making their own film.
This may be a ‘love-in’ approach,
but it’s often forgotten, we are all in the same boat and a few
kind words can often pay dividends many years later.
Here are the First Five Things
Filmmakers Who Have Never Cast a Film Before Must Do
As the saying goes, 95% of directing is
casting. Speaking from personal experience, I can confirm that a
well-chosen actor not only brings a character to life, but can also
make your shoot more enjoyable and relaxed. A hastily-chosen actor,
on the other hand, can turn it into a nightmare.
Still, casting is an under-discussed
aspect of the filmmaking process, and I think new directors could
benefit from some advice on what to expect, what to look for, and how
to behave. These tips are drawn from my own adventures in casting two
features.
If you’ve never cast a film before,
here’s the skinny on what you need to do:
1. Hire a Casting Director.
If you’re hoping to cast name talent,
you’ll need a professional casting director who has established
relationships within the top agencies. Can’t afford that, or not
interested in names? You should still designate someone as your
casting director. There’s lots of scheduling and phone calls
involved in this process, and you can’t do it all. Also, a Casting
Director makes your production look legit to talent and their
representatives. The good news is that the only real prerequisites
for the job are good organizational and people skills, and a feel for
what you the director are looking for in your cast. If you know
someone who’s keen to take on this position, prior casting
experience isn’t crucial, though it obviously helps.
2. Set up production-only contact
info.
Let’s face it: a lot of dodgy people
want to get into the movies. It goes without saying that you don’t
want them contacting you personally. As you prepare for the onslaught
of headshots and resumes, make sure you’ve set up a phone number,
mailing address (or P.O. box), and email address that are associated
only with the production.
3. Break down your characters and
send out a casting notice.
Here’s where you and your casting
director take every single character in your screenplay and write a
little bio about them. Be as specific as you want to about age, race,
and gender, along with any technical requirements for special skills,
dialects, travel, nudity, etc. This breakdown is what you send out to
the world, along with brief scenes from the screenplay for each
character. These scenes are called “sides” and are what the
actors will read from during auditions.
Breakdown Services
(breakdownservices.com) has long been the dominant player in this
field. They will send your stuff to agents (though rarely at the top
agencies) and managers, and you may receive some headshots of actors
you’ve actually heard of, though probably not A-listers.
Posting the notice to actors directly
is now fairly common, though the professionalism of the talent you
will reach will be, uh, variable. The better-known sites for casting
calls include backstage.com, nowcasting.com, casting360.com,
mandy.com, productionhub.com, exploretalent.com, and actorsaccess.com
(which is owned by Breakdown Services). I’d advise against using
Craigslist, but that’s just me.
4. Find a professional venue for
your auditions.
This should also go without saying: Do
not do any casting in a private home. It’s creepy. Rent an office
space, or if you’re broke, see if you can score some free space at
a local live theatre (some will allow this, provided you audition
members of their company).
5. Book a decent amount of time for
this.
You want to see a lot of actors for
each role, so that you’ll have a large and varied pool to choose
from. Don’t skimp. Give yourself a full week after the casting call
to cull through the headshots and select the actors you want to bring
in. Then give your Casting Director a week after that to call the
actors’ reps (or in some cases the actors themselves) and schedule
the auditions.
For a feature film, give the audition
process itself no less than two weeks – and three weeks or more, if
you can afford it. I suggest you see at least 20 actors for each of
the major roles, and at least 10 actors for each of the minor (“day
player”) roles. With each audition ideally taking 15 minutes, that
means if you’re casting 5 major roles and 10 minor ones, you’ll
be seeing 200 actors, so you’ll need 50 hours minimum (and add at
least 10 hours to that, because nothing goes like clockwork during
casting). Mix it up so you don’t, say, see all 20 actors for the
same role in a row. Otherwise you will hear the same lines all day
and you will go insane.
Finally, don’t forget to include at
least 3 days for callbacks, which is when you, well, call back the
talent you liked the most, and give them other scenes to perform
and/or a chance to read with each other to see if there’s
chemistry.
Directores de casting:
elegir los actores
J.L.P Mi primera pregunta es casi obligada ¿qué formación es necesaria para ser Directora de Casting?
Irene Roqué: No existe una titulación específica. Hay varias vías para llegar a dedicarse a este oficio, una es llegar siendo actor y otra, la mía, desde el mundo académico, estudié Comunicación Audiovisual, al principio quería dedicarme a la dirección, pero me dieron la oportunidad de conocer el mundo del Casting desde dentro y pronto me di cuenta de que para mí, era mucho más creativo. Además, la interpretación siempre me ha fascinado y merecido mucho respeto.
J.L.P ¿Crees que sería interesante crear estudios o alguna especialidad de Dirección de Casting?
I.R. Creo que la formación específica siempre es buena, podría ser en forma de master o especialización, bien sea desde centros como el Institut del Teatre o en Escuelas de Cine.
J.L.P ¿Cómo definirías tu trabajo?
I.R. Fundamentalmente se trata de trabajar en sintonía con el Director y ayudarle a que encuentre al actor o actriz más adecuado para cada personaje. Hay que ponerse en la mente del Director, y saber lo que está buscando, para dar con el mapa visual de actores de un proyecto audiovisual. Mi trabajo es intuitivo y subjetivo, ya que un actor o actriz puede gustar a unas personas y a otras no. Hay que buscar el equilibrio. En ocasiones, también, hay una batalla con los productores por temas económicos.
J.L.P ¿Crees que los cachés de los actores en España son altos?
I.R. Pienso que están un poco descompensados. Los protagonistas suelen tener cachés muy altos, pero los secundarios cobran poco y las colaboraciones en muchos casos se hacen por amistad ya que los sueldos son muy bajos en estos casos.
J.L.P ¿Cómo te iniciaste en el mundo del Casting?
I.R. Formo parte de la cantera de Pep Armengol, trabajé dos años con él, como ayudante de Casting. Después me especialicé en Figuración de Calle, así hice 3 películas, la primera fue Volverás, de Antonio Chavarrías. Es un trabajo interesantísimo, pero que me creó un conflicto ético, ya que, en uno de los casos, por ejemplo, debía contratar a una prostituta real, para que hiciera su propio personaje, para dar mayor verosimilitud a la escena, y pagarle 50 € por ello. Había muchas horas de espera, siendo los más olvidados del rodaje y pagando a la gente muy poco. Decidí que no quería dedicarme a eso, entonces tuve la suerte de que Joel Joan me ofreciera ser Directora de Casting en la serie de TV 3 Porca Miseria que para mí, fue maravilloso, aprendí muchísimo.
J.L.P Tu primer largometraje fue Tapas.
I.R. Si, me lo ofreció Josep Amorós, el Director de Producción. Leí el guión y me encantó, había verdad. No conocía a Corbacho, ni a Juan Cruz y la verdad, son gente maravillosa, con la que pronto encontré sintonía, son humildes y saben muy bien lo que quieren. Hubo algo que me preocupó al principio, donde íbamos a encontrar un chino que pudiera hacer todo lo que ponía en el guión. Luego tuvimos suerte ya que Alberto Jo Lee fue el primero que encontramos en las audiciones.
J.L.P Luego hiciste Fuerte Apache.
I.R. Si, el guión era muy bueno, pero hubo muchos problemas en el rodaje. Fue una pena porque creo que el Casting de niños y adolescentes del centro tutelar funcionaba muy bien. Después hice “Lo mejor de mí”, la directora Roser Aguilar y yo, tuvimos que batallar mucho para que la prota fuera Marian Álvarez, que creo que es uno de los hallazgos de ese film.
J.L.P Luego encadenaste Ficción, de Cesc Gay y 2 trabajos con Ventura Pons, o lo que es lo mismo, para su productora “Los films de la Rambla”
I.R. Si, con Ventura hicimos La vida abismal y Barcelona, un mapa.
J.L.P Luego tuviste un parón ya que hiciste aumentar la tasa de natalidad.
I.R. Si, he tenido dos hijos, por eso no pude hacer “Cobardes”, la segunda película de Juan Cruz y José Corbacho, aunque he podido resarcirme haciendo con ellos “Pelotas”, la serie de TVE.
J.L.P ¿De qué proyectos estás más contenta?
I.R. De las 2 series que he hecho para TV, Porca miseria y Pelotas. Han sido 2 proyectos muy extensos, muy corales y el resultado final a todos los niveles ha sido muy bueno.
J.L.P Supongo que tienes un equipo detrás de ti.
I.R. Como Directora de Casting siempre he trabajado con ayudantes, ahora mismo tengo a María José Vallejo. Tienes razón este es un trabajo de equipo. El cine es un trabajo de equipo.
J.L.P ¿Cómo te ves dentro de cinco años?
I.R. Espero que trabajando como Directora de Casting, he encontrado mi verdadera vocación.
J.L.P ¿Sueles acudir a los rodajes?
I.R. Si tengo tiempo sí, pero de visita. Me gusta tener feed back del equipo con los actores.
J.L.P ¿Cómo ves el actual panorama del cine español?
I.R. Ambiguo. Por un lado, creo que estamos en uno de los mejores momentos a nivel creativo, se hacen películas de todos los géneros, hay mucho talento, no tenemos nada que envidiar a otras cinematografías. Por otro lado, por las circunstancias económicas, la cosa está complicada. Nunca me habían llamado tantos managers de actores, para que tenga en cuenta a sus representados. Además, antes había actores que solo hacían cine, ahora todos hacen cine o televisión. Tengo 3 proyectos en marcha, pendientes de aprobación.
J.L.P ¿En qué proyectos estás trabajando ahora?
I.R. Acabo de cerrar la última película de Ventura Pons Mil cretins, basada en 15 cuentos de Quim Monzó y estoy pendiente de estos 3 proyectos que te he comentado. El único que parece estar aprobado es la próxima película de Joel Joan.
J.L.P ¿Qué películas españolas te han gustado últimamente?
I.R. Supongo que voy a repetirme, pero si tengo que destacar una película del último año ésta es Tres días con la família. Me parece un ejercicio de buen cine, mesurado y sin pretensiones, un ejemplo para el cine español.
J.L.P Para terminar cuéntanos alguna anécdota divertida que hayas vivido en algún casting
I.R. A veces en los casting pedimos que los actores imaginen el lugar y contexto donde sucede la escena. Están en una sala vacía y deben imaginar que están en un palacio del s.XI, o en un acantilado junto al mar… En uno de los últimos proyectos en que he trabajado, ERMESSENDA, de Lluís Maria Güell, no sólo situábamos a los actores en la Edad Media sinó que además hicimos varios castings a actrices que debía montar a caballo en una situación de urgencia y realizar ahí toda la escena. Pusimos una mesa y una silla encima para simular el animal… por suerte nadie se hizo daño pero tengo, eso sí, ¡la mesa agujereada de tanto trote!
¡Muchas gracias, Irene!
José López Pérez
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