Hey so I need some help and insight. I'm running a casting session next week for a commercial I am shooting later this month. Its for a non-speaking role, that contains fairly strong physical comedy. I wrote up a some liners for the person to read just to see if they have any acting skill, and to see if they can take direction. But I'm not sure what to do about the physical comedy thing. The physical comedy IS the commercial, so I need to know if this person can really do it. Does it seem weird to ask them to demonstrate some level of physical comedy? Do i give them a hammer and say swing away? not sure what to do here.
What are your thoughts?
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maybe lay out a bunch of props and ask them to improvise with them. Interact with the objects and then direct them as you need to get them to show the physical comedy. I'd tell them upfront that is what you are looking for. And just make sure the liners are something that would allow the actor to emote physically. Like maybe something like... "Hey sell me one of the items on the table in front of you... but your character is an inept bumbling salesmen" or something...
ReplyDeletethats the first thing that comes to my mind... hope it helps...
or just ask them to do a Charlie Chaplan or Buster Keaton impersonation...lol
ReplyDeleteSweet thanks for the insight John!
ReplyDeleteI agree with John, plus i think that you shouldn't be scared to ask them to do things. Actors are used to doing weird things in front of people, if they were uncomfortable with that then they probably aren't that good of an actor or actress and aren't the type of person you want for your commercial. By the sound of it your looking a really comical person that is no afraid of doing funny stuff in front of people. If someone is scared in the casting then your job just got much easier cause if just you makes them uncomfortable then imagine when you get to set and there's a bunch of people.
ReplyDeleteso in conclusion i say make them do whatever and whoever has the most fun with it, is your guy.
I'll do it
ReplyDeleteRight on, thank you guys so much. Your advice gave me the courage to go with my gut instincts. The casting call went really well, I went with John's advice and did sort of a "bumbling salesman" with a vacuum cleaner. It was exactly like you said mitch, some of them just went for it which was really fun, and other people just kind of clammed up.
ReplyDeleteCarl if you can pull off mid 40's middle class suburbia, you're hired.
that's what you should do....just start putting me in EVERYTHING
ReplyDelete