Casting Revealed

Hester Schell is a recovering academic, award-winning director, master acting teacher and author. Hester has been either in front of the camera or part of a crew, on stage or directing for over 45 years. The first feature she acted in, shot in Portland, Oregon, won an Oscar™. Hester took a side-trip into academia, graduating highest honors with a Master of Fine Arts in directing and landing a tenured position teaching theatre and film at a California college. She has a column at SCRIPTMAG.com and her articles have appeared in CineSource, Movie Maker Magazine and Coastviews Magazine. Schell is a contributing writer to Sherry Ellis and Laurie Lamson’s NOW WRITE: Writing Exercises from Top Writers and Teachers, 2010, Tarcher/Penguin, and HOW TO BE A WORKING ACTOR, 5th Edition, 2010, Watson/Guptill Publication. She’s a member of the Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Harvard Square Screen Writers. Speaking engagements include London’s British Film Institute, Burbank’s The Writer’s Store, Drama Books in New York, Connecticut Screenwriters Association, and the San Francisco Black-American Film Festival. For more information, find Hester Schell at IMDb.com, the Internet Movie Database, or hesterschellcreative.com. Hester is available for workshops and seminars on a variety of topics, and is interested in hearing from producers and writers with comedies. She is finishing a novel and working on several scripts with roles for middle aged and senior women.

• CHAPTER ONE: SAVE MONEY — DO IT YOURSELF: DIY INDEPENDENT FILM AND MARKET SHAREHOW THIS BOOK WILL SAVE YOU MONEY Do It Yourself Collaborate Or DieAnyone Can Make A Movie Yes, But Is It Worth Watching? Why So Many Films Don’t Make The Film FestivalsRaise Your StandardsAll About EditingInexperience Costs More Money The Best Actors Are The Right Actors TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGES EVERYTHING Prescreening FootageThe Headshot Submission Process Has Gone Green SAVING MONEY RECAPCHAPTER TWO: YOUR DIRECTING CAREER BETTER CASTING IMPACTS YOUR LONG-RANGE CAREERGOALSShorts Are Your Stepping StoneWHERE TO CONNECT WITH ACTORS BREAKINGBARRIERS: HOW TO TALK TO ACTORS Blame the Media CHAPTER THREE: AN OVERVIEW OF THE CASTING PROCESSWHY DIY: Do It YourselfCASTING DEFINEDPrincipalBackgroundWHAT ARE YOU CASTINGProfessional LanguagePreliminary ConsiderationsFamilies And LoversCASTING IS Principal, Background CastingTYPES OF AUDITIONSOpen Calls Appointments: Script Readings, Cold Readings And Improvisation CallbacksCASTING STANDARDSKeeping It Professional And ConfidentialNever SettleActor Are Looking For You As WellAgents Are Looking For Projects For Their ClientsLos Angeles And New York: United States Casting Centers CASTING IS NOTA PartyAbout Your Ego: Get Over Yourself TO UNION OR NOT Thoroughly Evaluate Your DecisionOne Member Makes A Union ShootExperience Gets More Done The Less Experience The Longer Your DayQuestions For DiscussionWHEN TO START What Do Actors Look For When They Read Your Audition AnnouncementPlan Ahead To Stay Ahead WHAT YOU NEED TO STARTYou Need A ScriptYou Need "Sides"Know The Window Of Time You Plan To ShootYou’re Going To Need A Place To Hold Your Auditions You Need Your SAG Paperwork Done Reality Check CHAPTER FOUR: INDUSTRY STANDARDS ACTOR MARKETING MATERIALS Cover LetterHeadshotsWhat Makes A Good Headshot? Headshot SamplesResumesReels Video SubmissionsWarning Signs Of The Less ExperiencedWHY LOOK FOR THESE STANDARDS?CHAPTER FIVE: ACTING — WHAT IS IT? Acting DefinedThe Actor’s ToolboxApproaches To CraftSCRIPT ANALYSIS: If It Ain’t On The Page, It Ain’t On The StageGiven CircumstancesThe Moment BeforeWhat’s My Motivation? GO FURTHER: Who do you like? GO FURTHER: Character typesGO FURTHER: Character type attributes ACTING 101 FOR DIRECTORSHow You Feel Is A Result Of What You Do The Magic VerbUnderstanding The Craft: Where To Go For Help CHAPTER SIX: TIMELINES — WHEN TO START AND WHAT TO DO BEFORE JUMPING IN ANNOUNCEMENTS, AUDITIONS, CALLBACKS AND CONTRACTSWHERE TO HOLD AUDITIONSKeeping it Professional: 1st Impressions CountTHE CASTING TIMELINE EXPLAINED – SCHEDULES: WORKING BACKWARDSTwo Weeks From First Shoot Date: RehearsalsOne Month From First Shoot Date: ContractsSix Weeks From First Shoot Date: CallbacksTwo Months From First Shoot Date: AuditionsTen Weeks From First Shoot Date: Distributing Audition Information. Three Months From First Shoot Date: Preproduction Breakdown The Producer Is There To Help YouUnion Preparation RecapCHAPTER SEVEN: THE CASTING BREAKDOWN — SPREADING THE WORDBREAKDOWN ELEMENTS SAMPLE BREAKDOWNS BREAKDOWN DISTRIBUTION National Local Or Regional Social Networking Flyers: Other Places To Put Your BreakdownPress ReleasesPhysical GeographyInternational And Regional Web Site DistributionCONTACTING AGENTSWho Represents WhomCHAPTER EIGHT: STAYING ORGANIZED WORKFLOW Who Follows Instructions Turn On Your "Flake Radar"MANAGING FILESConfirming AuditionsSample Initial Contact 1: SET APPOINTMENTSample Initial Contact 2: SELF (VIDEO) SUBMISSIONHANDLING REJECTIONSOTHER FILESCreating Script Sides From Your ScreenplaySign-In Sheets MASTER SPREADSHEET CHAPTER NINE:THE FIRST ROUND — WHAT YOU NEED AND WHERE YOU NEED ITPREPARATIONSANDPROCEDURES Provide Scripts In Advance Make A Schedule Setting Up Allow Enough Time For Each ActorInformation FormKeep SecretsHOW MANYACTORS DO I SEE FOR EACH ROLE? WHO DO I CAST FIRST? Cast Your Leading Actors FirstSupporting ActorsBackground ExtrasINSIDE THE SESSION Controlling The RoomCasting Sessions Are Job InterviewsCasting Sessions Are PrivateMemorized SidesUsing A Reader Recording The Casting Session Adjustments And Direction When You Have Something To Say MORE BASIC DO’S AND DON’TSDo Expect Actors To Be Prepared And On Time Do Expect Actors To Arrive With A Headshot And ResumeNudity, Scars And TattoosDon’t Ask Actors To Sign A Release Form For Audition FootageKeep TrackKeep An Open Mind To All Potential And Opportunity Ending The Session Sorting The Session: Do You Need More Options?CHAPTER TEN: THE SECOND ROUND — CALLBACKSCONFIRMING YOUR CHOICESCALL BACK FOR SURE CALL BACK MAYBENOT GETTING A CALLBACK CALL BACK PROCEDURES Set Call Back AppointmentsTest Your Communication And Directing ApproachPut On Your "Poker Face." Sleep On Your Decisions CHAPTER ELEVEN: OFFERS AND CONTRACTSTHE OFFER AND THE ART OF NEGOTIATIONUNPAID PROJECTSPAID PROJECTS (Union or Not)CONTRACT: Get it in WritingUNION CONTRACTSLOCAL HIRES ONLYSTATE PRODUCTION INCENTIVESA Word from the SAG-AFTRA OfficeCHAPTER TWELVE: DON’T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT — FRIENDS CHIME INFAST, CHEAP, GOOD—PICK TWO. A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS Actors Do A Shout Out Directors Do A Shout Out CHAPTER THIRTEEN: CASTING DIRECTORS — DO YOU NEED ONE?The Job Defined: Potential Meets OpportunityTypes Of Casting DirectorsThe Interview And Checking Credentials. Job Tasks And Responsibilities: What Will They Do For You? When In Doubt: Hire A ProfessionalWhat’s It Going To Cost? Other Resources CHAPTER FOURTEEN: SO YOU WANT TO BE A CASTING DIRECTOR LOVING ACTORS OUTREACH AND MARKETING Industry Connections Getting Started INTERVIEWSMichael Druck, Austin, TexasKen Lazer, New York City, New YorkSarah Kliban, San Francisco, CaliforniaGLOSSARY OF COMMON FILM TERMS THE PARTS OF SPEECH: Just For Fun VERBS NOUNS COMPOUNDWORDS FINANCIAL TERMS COMMON PHRASES WEB RESOURCESNOTES, BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCESRECOMMENDED READINGSAMPLE COURSE OUTLINE / SYLLABUSINDEXABOUT THE AUTHORFAN MAIL

"I wish I had Hester’s book when I first started in Hollywood. It would have saved me a lot of heartache because it spells-out in clear and concise language the necessary tools for successful casting every filmmaker needs to know. Reading this book reminded me of how much the Academy needs to award an Oscar® for casting directors. Because casting is an art form, and Hester’s book is the best I’ve read on demystifying the process." —Jon James Miller, producer, Pooka Productions/Gravity-Squared Entertainment"While nothing can replace the benefits of hiring an experienced casting director, this book has some great insights for beginning filmmakers."—Lana Veenker CSA & Eryn Goodman CSA, Cast Iron Studios: Wild, NBC/Grimm, Twilight"Hester, I have to compliment you on taking on this mystery of a job and making it so enjoyably clear as to what we do as a process and how we take young people who are interested in filmmaking - who don’t understand the first thing about how the casting process is done - making it enjoyable to read and very informative of how this works and how they can use their time and their effort and money to the best of their ability… to get good talent."—Carolyn Pickman, CP Casting, Boston: Mystic Pizza, Black Mass, Straight Outta Compton, Gone Baby Gone"Expect an informative lesson on the rules of the game, with strict outlines from every phase of production. Whip out your pens and highlighters and start jotting down notes, because this will surely be on the desks of up-and-coming writers, actors and directors for years to come."—Kyle Rupprecht, MovieMaker Magazine, on the first edition of Casting Revealed