Casting is an art and a science, and casting kids is that taken to an extreme. People who are new to casting or have only helped out friends with their projects might not know the nuances of bringing children into the audition room or giving them instructions to self-tape, especially for commercials where client directives are involved or brands that have specific goals. Casting director Melanie Forchetti is here to help. For anyone who needs help with their first production or it’s their first time working with young talent, the film and commercial CD and Backstage expert shares her how-to.
What are the differences in the casting process when you’re casting kids vs. adults?
Generally speaking, I would say that casting kids for any project is more labor intensive than with adults. I’d recommend giving yourself ample time during the entire process, from sourcing to auditioning to booking kids. Finding the best child for your project can save the client (and you) from disasters on set!
You’ll want to see as many kids as possible during the auditions. Not only will the child have to perform well, they will sometimes have to fit into a “family” that you are casting. So even if you have a wonderful child talent, if they don’t look like they’d be a fit with the other members of the family, you probably won’t be able to book them.
How to Become a Casting Director What’s the audition room like when casting kids?
Make the casting session as stress-free as possible for kids. Adults are generally able to handle the stress of auditioning in front of strangers but children usually need a helping hand. Ideally, you want the child to feel at ease during the audition so they can perform at their best. Also, be ready to educate parents with regards to what is expected of their child at the audition as well as on set. Many don’t know a lot about the business so giving them a walk through of how everything works is crucial (like don’t bring your entire family to the audition, or have your child memorize the copy, or stay on set with your child during the entire filming process, etc). I cast kids for a network movie a few weeks ago and some parents didn’t realize they’d have to stick around for the entire day and tried to leave the set early! Trust me, communication ahead of time will save you!
All states are different, but inevitably you will also need to know the rules for hiring minors for entertainment projects wherever you are located. Most of the time, casting will need to file paperwork with the Department of Labor which requires getting approval from schools if they are to miss school, having parents or guardians sign off, and possibly getting paperwork notarized. Definitely educate yourself on the process ahead of time; it will save you from lots of headaches when you are under the gun booking kids for a job. Clients also need advice as well and may not be aware of time constraints with the respective Dept. of Labor when hiring kids. For example, here in Georgia production companies are required to pay and get registered with the state before they hire casting companies to hire kids. You are the expert everyone turns to, so be prepared!
What is different about how auditions and/or self-tapes look when a kid is auditioning?
Auditioning kids is a longer process. I find sourcing great kid talent is ten times more challenging than finding adults. It helps to build time into the casting schedule so you can source kids from talent agencies and management companies as well as school drama departments and acting coaches to find great talent. With adults, I generally would audition about five to seven actors for any given principal role. With kids, I’d estimate seeing anywhere between fifteen and twenty per role. You might want to see even more. For a network show, we saw days of kids for one of the principal roles!
When you are in an audition with a child, be prepared for anything and everything! Bring go-to ice breaker games or props to help relax any scared or shy personalities. It’s a good rule of thumb to give yourself some time during the session to warm them up too. If you are auditioning a very young child, parents can help with lines or direction in the session if they are confused or not doing well under pressure.
In general and especially with kids, I’d always recommend auditioning live instead of through self-tapes if possible. It’s good to keep in mind that the child’s performance on a self-tape might have taken numerous takes over several days to get. You’ll need answers to questions before you want them on set, like do they listen? What is their attention span? Are they terribly shy? So even if you start off casting through self-submissions, it’s always a good idea to meet with the child either in person or online to see how they can handle direction as well as gauge their comfort level in front of the camera and with strangers before you book them.
2021 Casting Trends Content Creators Need to Know I know every casting process is different, but what does your commercial casting process usually look like?
Since the pandemic hit, all of my auditions have been virtual. I’ll post the breakdown for actors and agents to submit. Once I get submissions in, I’ll send the best ones to the client to consider. The client will usually give me their top picks, I’ll add a few of my favorites as well, and then I’ll either have them self-tape copy or invite them to a virtual audition. I do miss the in-person sessions since you can glean so much more info when you meet talent face to face. But since commercials usually have less copy, we’ve been able to manage using a virtual casting process.
What do you do differently when you need to cast a kid in a commercial?
When casting kids for a commercial, as I mentioned before, I’ll usually have a few days of auditions bringing in a high ratio of kids for each role. During the session, if the client isn’t kid-friendly, as a casting director, be prepared to step in. I had one client whose entire spot was full of kids but they froze in the audition and I had to jump in and improvise the entire session. Preparation is your best friend. Be prepared to jumpstart the conversation with small talk or a few good jokes. Also having props (or ask kids to bring one) for a scene can save you in a pinch. Commercials generally look for natural, fun-loving kids, and you have to find a way to make their personalities shine. So making them comfortable is my number one objective.
I find that even the best kid actor can have a bad day, so it’s good to have back-ups. For babies, I’ll always have one or two on hold once we book the job, so that when the day comes for the shoot and our lead baby is not cooperating, we have one ready to go.
When you have to cast a project with voiceover, what does that process look like?
Just like with adult voiceover jobs, my clients will ask for self-submissions from kids using sample copy. My casting process initially is the same, however, I’ll reach out to agents, managers, and actors, and also request an audio self-submission of copy. Some will want to send in demos, which can be good when initially sorting through submissions, but ultimately the client will want to hear their own copy delivered by the talent. Self-submitting audio files using a smartphone is the easiest route for auditioning purposes, no need for a professional recording set-up at home. What’s most important, though, for kids (and parents) is to include the direction for the copy and what specifically the client is looking for (style or tone or emotion). Otherwise with just general notes you may spend a significant amount of time going back and forth with the parents with retakes. And, as you know, time is usually not a luxury when it comes to casting.
What do you do differently when you need to cast a kid for a voice role?
For cases when a child has to record VO along with on-camera performances, being able to get the same energy, emotion, and tone can be challenging since they are usually recorded at different times. I’d recommend keeping detailed notes about what the child was asked to do on set so when post-production rolls around, you can deliver the same direction. Always having the parents on the same page will help as well. They are your partners throughout each stage of the project so make sure you keep them informed. Many times parents will take the lead with small children and can be a crucial part of the child’s performance.
What recommendations would you give someone who is new to casting kids in these types of projects?
Be specific (but not too specific) about what you (or your client) is looking for! If the client is set on a specific look, type, or voice, it’s always good to bring them what they want but also remember you need someone who can deliver. You want to make sure you bring in true kid professionals who are reliable, want to be there, and can commit to giving a great performance no matter how long it takes. I’ve found many times that the client may not really know what they want!
This Is What Really Happens After You Leave the Audition Room What might surprise people who are casting for the first time?
I think a casting director is really someone who excels at putting out fires. Although the fun part is envisioning great actors to fill out the cast and helping the creative team find the perfect talent for their project, when you hit the ground running, your main job is to solve problems. I have spent countless nights trying to source talent to fill in for someone who cancels at the last minute or finding talent to fit some strange physical description for newly added characters that shoot the next day. From Holocaust survivors to snorklers to thugs to zombies, you have to be ready to roll up your sleeves and find anyone and everyone, usually at the last minute. There are a million emergencies that go along with production so being prepared and having a can-do attitude is imperative. Bottom line is to remember everyone—seriously. Being able to keep a running database at your fingertips (or in your mind) with any and all talent really helps and can save you when you are in a pinch!
Also, unfortunately, some actors will flake out on you. Learn how to read people and get a sense from them to know if they are committed or not. I’ve had those 5 a.m. calls from the ADs on set on big jobs asking why talent hasn’t shown up for their call time. It sucks. And you will have to either find them and get them there immediately or replace them with someone who looks just like them to be there in half an hour. This exact scenario happened to me when I cast talent on a SAG-AFTRA feature film shooting in a remote beach town that was hours away from everything. Somehow, I was able to replace the talent. Somehow, just know that it will work out. Of course, having a great budget helps to minimize the risk of talent disappointing you. It’s the low-budget projects that will be the ones you work hardest on. And on those projects, in particular, be prepared for someone to not show up to set. Always, always have a plan of action for when this happens so you are prepared. And remember, these are the moments where you can shine.
Nowadays, you also have to factor in COVID-19 compliance and make sure that not only your talent is perfect for the job but that they are tested and comply with all of the safety regulations. Casting is a demanding 24/7 job that requires a person who thrives under pressure and enjoys the impossible!
What else should a casting director know?
Have an open mind about who might be a good fit for your project! See a few actors for every role that may not look like the storyboards, per se. You might be surprised at what you find. After all, the most important thing is that your message be delivered by someone who can connect with and ultimately move your audience, no matter what they look like.
Browse the Backstage talent database!
