PRODUCTION CORNER 4

By Tim Ritter

CASTING, EQUIPMENT, AND PREPARING TO SHOOT

With your script complete and your locations found, many people wonder where to get actors and actresses. Although it's sometimes difficult to find good people to work with that don't want much (or any) pay, you can find them.

The first thing you can do is have an open casting call. Simply rent a hotel room or a meeting room somewhere and put the word out in newspapers, magazines, and even the local news, if possible. (Most local news shows have a community bulletin board that they run everyday, letting people know about local activities they can get involved with.)

Set up a video camera in the room where you have auditions, and tape everyone doing a reading from your script. Choose a few of the best scenes that have dialogue for both males and females so you can get a good idea about how the potential actors handle delivery and expressions. Later on, in private, you can closely scrutinize your tapes to make a decision, and also show your filmmaking partners the prospects and get their input.

You may be surprised that a lot of local people, with virtually no acting experience, can do a pretty good job with certain parts. Casting people who are really close to the parts you wrote is another way to tap into "local color." On the other hand, some people may have good intentions but obviously aren't cut out for speaking parts. If you can give them a nonspeaking or background part, that's cool. But never cast someone in a part who obviously can't deliver what you want, even if you know them. It just won't work, and not only will it hurt your project, you might jeopardize a friendship.

Another way to round up actors is to check local playhouses, Shakespeare Festivals, and college drama departments. Talk the people in charge at these places and tell them what you're doing. Make flyers that have information about the project and a way to get in touch with you. You'll be surprised at the amount of people that will come forward and want to help.

A long time ago, Joel Wynkoop and I made up flyers that told all about the movies we were making and the parts that were available. We dropped those flyers off anywhere and everywhere we could think of, even passing them out in shopping malls! We were eventually able to cast our whole movie using this method.

Another route is to take ads out in stage and alternative magazines. Look around your area at the 'freebie' local rags that are available---taking out a small ad in those is very economical. Stage and film magazines may be more expensive, but you'll get some interest from people through those as well.

Recently, I've turned to the Internet to find actors and actresses. Nowadays, many people have their own websites and you can contact them directly. Going to any bigger search engine, you can type in the words ACTOR or ACTRESS and come up with unlimited numbers of model and casting agencies that have people that want to get involved with a creative project. This method has totally amazed me, and it really does work.

You may not want to give out your home phone number when you cast a movie, so there are a couple of alternatives to use when going through this process. Get a second phone line, to be used strictly for business, and set it up with an answering machine. That way, when your project is over, people won't still be bothering you. Another thought is to just use your e-mail address until you're 100% sure that you want to audition someone.

There's a lot of scams and weirdos in this world, and a lot of people will be leery to meet with you for the first time. So I always meet with people for the first time in very public places---crowded fast-food restaurants or mall food courts. That way they can get to know and trust you a bit.

Something to have clear in your mind way in advance when casting is how much you can afford to pay them. Be crystal clear and up front about this from the very beginning. If the roles are all nonpaying, tell them they're working for screen credit and a nice demo reel to further their careers, and that's it. If you have allowed so much for each role, be fair about what you're paying everyone in case they compare notes. If one person finds out they're getting $20 and another is getting $50, well, you're asking for problems if they ever compare notes. If there's a good explanation for this (like someone is driving farther and needs gas money), that's different. Or if an actress is wearing lingerie or something for a scene, maybe she deserves a little extra for doing more things on camera. But generally, try to pay everyone the same. The major exception to this rule is if you hire someone with "name" or "cult" value, someone who is coming in for a few days that has a following. In this case, you'll have to agree upon a price and keep it secret from everyone. It's nobody's business what a celebrity or cult actor makes per film.

When casting a movie, also be sure that the people you use are going to be available on the days you plan to shoot. If it's a weekend warrior type of thing, make sure the individuals can get off their jobs for filming and that they don't have any scheduling conflicts. When doing the final casting of a movie and making these decisions, it's a real good idea to not only have your locations locked in, but also the exact shooting dates. That way, before you tell someone "you've got the part," you can double-check and make sure they can make all the dates.

Once you fully cast your movie, always have a couple of group readthroughs with everyone playing major roles. This "round table" session should be very informal, with everyone just reading directly from the scripts. But here, everyone can ask questions about characters and interactions, and you can even change dialogue to fit someone's persona more at this stage. If you have the opportunity to do this, take it! Also, one-on-one sessions with your lead actors are always a good idea too. They want to be able to become the character you wrote and play them to the best of their abilities, so the more questions an actor asks, the better. And the time to do this is BEFORE you actually begin shooting. You don't want to be answering questions about character motivation on location, where you'll be trying to do a million other things, including staying on schedule and getting your scenes shot with many unforeseen obstacles in front of you. The time to work all character quirks out is before shooting begins.

Once you have your cast, be sure to have them sign releases so that you are free to sell the movie when it's complete. Failure to do this may result in litigation down the line or even having to shelf your movie. I've seen this happen before, so it's important to get everyone to sign on the dotted line. Also, be sure to have everyone sign for any money that they receive, and keep track of every penny (including receipts) that is spent on your movie, especially if you are giving out percentages after the budget is hopefully recouped. If your movie catches on, you may end up being required to prove that you spent "X" amount of dollars on it. If you follow these rules from the very beginning, nothing will come back to haunt you later on.

Also, if you're using anyone under eighteen years of age, you must get their parents to sign the release form as well, in any and all cases. If you have anyone taking their clothes off for a scene, it's also a necessity to get a photocopy of their driver's license, proving how old they are. All this may seem like common sense, but if you ignore small clerical things like these, they can boomerang back on you down the line. So don't forget to do them, even if they are tedious.

As always, have an attorney analyze every contract that you have everyone sign if you can. Here's a sample of the GENERAL ACTOR/ACTRESS RELEASE FORM that I use when using talent:

AUTHORIZATION

TO REPRODUCE PHYSICAL LIKENESS

I hereby grant to Producer and its employees, agents, and assigns, the right to photograph

me and use my picture and other video and film reproductions of my physical likeness (as

the same may appear in any still camera photograph/and or video or dvd) in, and in

connection with the exhibition; theatrically, on television, or otherwise of any universal

medium (including the Internet) for the movie currently titled _____________________,

(working title only), which my performance may be used or incorporated, and also

in advertising, exploiting, and/or publicizing of such motion picture and/or video. I

further give the Producer the right to reproduce in any manner whatsoever any

recordings made by his company or its agents of my voice and all instrumental, musical,

or other sound effects produced by me. I hereby give ______________ Productions and

its subdistributors the right to use my image as indicated above. I understand that I will

be paid $______ when the scenes are finished filming. My signature verifies I received

this money. I state that as of this day, and moment, I am at least 18 (eighteen) years of age. I

understand that this is a legally binding contract and all disputes or arbitration must be

made in _____________. *(Your city and state go on this line.) I hereby certify that I am

over eighteen years of age and represent that I have read the foregoing and fully

understand the meaning and intent of thereof, and intending to be legally bound, I do

hereby sign this on the _______________ day of _________, 2002.

_________________________________
_________________________________
TALENT (AND GUARDIAN)
PRODUCER

This is a very basic talent release form, and you may want to add additional clauses depending on what someone might need or want, so again, use this only as a blueprint.

When making a really small budget movie, it's also a great idea to get actors to wear clothes they already own, as long as they aren't required to tear them up during the shoot. This will save you some money and aggravation.

Now we're really on a roll. Your script is done and in fine shape. You've secured your locations in writing and locked in your shooting dates. You've cast all your parts, and the actors have received photocopies of the script so they can memorize their lines. You're doing readthroughs of the script with your principal cast members, and one-on-one character discussions with those that need it or are willing. And, you've worked the wardrobe problem out by having your leads wear clothes that they already own. If it's something that will be destroyed, get their clothes sizes and head to a thrift shop to find what you need.

At this point, as your shooting dates rapidly approach, there are a few other things to zero in on. Props and equipment. Let's tackle the props end of things first.

If your movie has special effects, you'll also be coordinating things with your makeup artist, or doing these things yourself. If it's basic "aftermath" violence that your script requires (stabs, gunshot wounds, etc.), you'll be able to get a lot of these things over the Internet, through websites like Halloween Express, etc. If there's heavy-duty effects, you've got an effects man working on your gags and casting the actor's heads, etc. at this time. I'm not going to go heavy into doing special effects because there are so many good books out there that already cover this area quite well, like Dick Smith's makeup book and two Grande Illusions books by Tom Savini.

If computer effects and CGI figure heavily into your project, you either know a lot about this or, again, have met someone that does. A few CGI effects are fine for any project, but unless you really know how to do this kind of thing yourself, I recommend not overdoing it in this category. First of all, it's very difficult to compete in this area with Hollywood and most of the things you can do with "at home" equipment come off as very cheesy, and it'll take away from the overall effect of your movie. (Unless you're deliberately making a silly comedy or something.) Additionally, CGI and computer work are very time consuming. Altering your footage, shooting blue screen, and all this kind of thing can keep your movie in the postproduction (editing) stage for years and years. The idea is to get something completed and get it out into the market as soon as reasonably possible, so try not to get too hung up in this area. But if you're really into it and want to become a microbudget George Lucas, don't let me stop you, give it a shot!

When breaking down your script, you compile many lists to get things done. In addition to the shooting schedule and days that various cast members are required to be there, you'll also make a list of all the "props" that your flick will need. Props are simply anything and everything that is written into your script that a character uses. Most of these are common household items, but it's a good idea to go through and get every item you'll need and put them all together in a big cardboard box. That way you won't be going crazy the night before a shoot, trying to locate or buy something you thought you had...but didn't.

If your screenplay calls for items you don't have or have to make (like laser guns or whatever), head to thrift shops, flea markets, and second-hand dollar stores to find what you need. I've rarely spent over a few hundred bucks on props for ANY movie I've made, using this method. Give yourself plenty of time to do this, and have fun with it. Again, once you attain the items you need and check them off your list, keep them all together!

The next order of business is what you're going to shoot on. For our purposes, I'm going to assume you'll be doing it yourself and know what formats you want to use and why. If you have a tiny budget, under $4,000.00, as we've discussed, you'll want to be shooting on digital video. Both super-8 film (nearly obsolete) and 16mm are far too expensive in terms of raw stock and developing costs alone. You'd run out of money in no time at all using film. Plus they take twice as much time to light and shoot.

The difference between film and video is both economics and look. Film (16mm) is more accepted as professional and give you a more three-dimensional and "full" look. If it's shot right, the colors are better and distributors are much happier to take something shot on 16mm film, because the image can be transferred very easily to any of the new video formats. You can also blow 16mm up to 35mm for a theatrical release and have it look really decent.

With technology working faster than ever, movies shot on Hi-8 video like The Blair Witch Project have achieved great success, so keep that in mind. It is possible to achieve that success again with a video project, although in reality, highly unlikely. Blair Witch was an exception to the rule, and it's going to take excellent word-of-mouth and millions of dollars worth of backing (advertising expenses) for something like it to make that kind of splash again.

It's fine to go with digital video, and you'll probably want buy a camera and some lighting gear as opposed to renting it. Renting things can get expensive, and by owning your equipment, you can experiment with it and learn how to use it without the burden of rental fees adding up.

Another cool thing about digital video is that many film festivals are now accepting the format as legitimate and many video distributors are releasing a variety of digital-lensed movies of dvd that have originated in this format. So you can generate sales and money back using digital video.

There are a variety of cameras out there, so rather than recommend one specifically (since the market is changing so rapidly!), I'd say you should search the Internet for one that fits the criteria you need, and then go to a store (like Best Buy) that sells these products and see how you like them in person.

Here's some tips for digital camcorder shopping: try to get a three chip model (you get more vibrant colors with these models, but they are more expensive. A one chip will work fine, but if you're a quality nut, go with the three chips!), make sure the unit has manual focus capabilities (so that pesky autofocus can be turned off when you line shots up), make sure it has manual white balance capabilities (so you can adjust the colors yourself for each and every shooting circumstance), make sure the camera has a tripod notch at the base (for those steady shots), and make sure there's an external microphone jack. You'll want to buy a good microphone and use it like a boom mike (taping it to a broom stick if you have to!) to get good sound. No matter how good the camcorder microphone is, they usually pick up tape noise and other unwanted sounds being so close to the camera, so it's imperative that you record your audio from an external mike that is attached by wire to the camera.

I can't stress enough that your project will suffer unbelievable hardships if you have bad audio, so nip this in the bud right off the bat. You can make the greatest movie in the world, but if the audio is muffled, bad, and unintelligible, no one will watch it and any sales you might have had will fall through. I have heard distributors and viewers complain about this issue more than anything else in the low budget realm, and nothing gives your "zero budget" away faster than lousy audio. So get yourself a decent mike and someone to monitor the sound and hold the microphone as close to your actors as possible. If you end up having to dub your movie, it will be a long, tedious, annoying, and expensive process.

As far as video cameras go, I've had excellent results from both Sony and JVC, so I highly recommend you choose your equipment with those name brands on them. I have used other brands that just didn't deliver the goods, so stick with the name brands if you can. Canon also makes excellent digital video cameras that have interchangeable lenses, so you might check those out as well.

You'll need a decent tripod (Bogen is preferred here!), some extra batteries, tape stock, and lighting. Don't skimp on the lighting, I've seen a lot of potentially really good films that shoot all their chances of success by using "existing light only." This rarely works (unless your movie is all outdoors) and it kills your chances of being taken seriously.

You don't have to buy an expensive lighting kit from a camera shop, like I once did back in the '90's. The economical solution is to go to Home Depo or Lowe's and find halogen "work shop" lights, which are also used to light videos. These lights are 500 watts each and can be purchased for $12 a piece or on their own tripod stands (two lights!) for under $40 bucks! I'd recommend a couple of tripod stand lights, especially if you'll be lighting any expansive areas (like warehouses) or outdoor scenes. For under the phenomenally low price of $150.00, you can 2,500 watts worth of excellent lighting gear! For indoor scenes, you'll only need about two of these lights, but always light your indoor scenes, even if you're trying to set a mood. If you don't use enough light, your picture will turn muddy and smear when you begin editing, so I can't stress the need enough actually light every scene.

When shooting on video, always have a small color monitor with you that you can connect to the camera to check your white balance and shadows with. Most camcorders some with little color LCD screens, but those just aren't good enough. You need to check everything with a color monitor if you can, especially indoor scenes.

If you get into the habit of doing these things from the beginning, they will become second nature to you and it will add that much more professionalism to everything you make.

Before you shoot your movie, give yourself a couple of weeks (or months!) to get used to the camera. Experiment with lighting and sound, making notes of what works and what doesn't. There's nothing worse than getting actors to a set and not knowing how to use the equipment you have. You will look and feel like a fool.

I've always said, to make a movie, you must become a movie. That means you have to know how to light a scene, record the sound right, tell your actors what to do, and run your video camera quick and efficiently. You don't have to go to school to learn how to do all this, especially in this day and age. Read books on how all this is done, there's some great ones out there on camera placement, technique, and lighting. They're at your library, or at the local bookstore. So read everything you can.

And do. Get out there with the equipment of your choice and start shooting tests. Videotape is not expensive, so there's no excuse NOT to be prepared by knowing your equipment, inside and out.

Slowly, over a period of months, weeks, and days...everything comes together for your project. All the elements are put into place by you and your partners. As the first shooting day looms closer and closer, it's only natural that you feel self-doubt and possible depression. You begin to question whether you can really handle what you've set up, if indeed you should even be attempting to make a movie. Then you think about all the money you're spending, whether it's cash you've saved or are charging up on plastic, and you begin to feel downright sick.

This has happened to me on virtually every movie, and all I can tell you is, you'll get through it. Self-doubt is just part of the process, at least for me. Hopefully you've aligned yourself with a good backup team and can get through this tumultuous time. Sometimes it's good to back off from the project for a day or two and just watch some movies that inspire you. That way you can get the passion and your self-confidence back. Relax, listen to your favorite music, and realize that you can accomplish your dream. Some of the best moviemakers of all times started out simply as fans.

It's important to have self-confidence on the set, because if you, the initiator of the project, show uncertainty and indecisiveness with your actors and crew, they will pick up on that attitude and you may doom your project from the get-go. No matter what happens, remain positive in front of others. If someone has a question, have an answer. If something bad or unexpected happens, move around it. Improvise and adapt. As the person who wrote the script and the person who's directing the project, you are ultimately the captain of the ship, so plow through those choppy seas no matter what happens. There's no room for pretenders when you're directing a movie, you aim high and do the best you can. Even if things aren't working at all on a given day, it doesn't matter. Stand tall and keep shooting, even if you know the entire scene will have to be redone.

If there are issues and concerns, talk to those working closest to you privately. You can't ever show skepticism in front of those who are giving you their time and energy for nothing more than a bologna sandwich and the chance to become a movie star...

With that clearly in mind, it's soon time to step up to the plate and direct your movie. The time is coming...it's time to take your written words and make them a reality!