The written page is where you first form the character and that is exactly where your search starts.

We let the story inform the characters rather than the other way around. The characters changed and shifted with each draft, and it wasn’t until we felt we had fully discovered them that we started putting out feelers for actors. We wanted to really understand who each character was and how they served the story. – Rachel Noll, Producer of The Storyteller.

With so much riding on the shoulders of the cast, how does a filmmaker even begin to build their team?

Since we are shooting in Indiana, our original plan was to cast all local Indiana actors. We assumed we would have a cast of mostly unknowns and our main priority in thinking about casting was making sure our actors had the skill and talent to bring the roles to life. – Rachel Noll, Producer of The Storyteller.

The casting process is literally a search and the first step is to decide how you want to conduct that search. Do you want to bring a Casting Director on board the project or do you, the filmmaker, want to conduct the search yourself?

Option One: The Casting Director

A Casting Director (also know as a CD) is a person who aides the filmmaker and facilitates the search for actors for each role by contacting agents/managers/actors, scheduling and holding auditions. They specialize in being aware of what the filmmaker and production is looking for while keeping an eye out for that special quality that an actor can bring to the part. A CD is an outside eye – one trained to think and not only look at how an actor performs in the audition, but how they’re capable of performing. They can be champions for the actors, while also guarding the filmmaker’s best interests.

Many of the most famous actors owe as much of their careers to casting directors as they do to, say, directors. Here’s the trailer to a documentary on one of those pioneering CDs, Marion Dougherty. It’s well worth the watch.

Wanna learn more? Check out this round table discussion by some of Hollywood’s hardest working CDs.

Option Two: The Filmmaker as the Casting Director

We decided to not use a casting director. The main reason being that our budget is so tight and I have some experience in casting myself. We felt we had the know-how to do at least a first round of casting calls ourselves, and if we didn’t find who we were looking for, we had talked about reaching out to a CD for the next round to help us find our key roles. In our case, it turned out not to be necessary. I in no way mean to diminish the role of a CD, as they are invaluable to a production and have resources and connections that can really enhance a films casting pool, we were simply lucky in that we got a lot of interest and were connected with bigger actors without the aid of a Casting Director and found our cast before bringing anyone on. – Rachel Noll, Producer of The Storyteller.

Oftentimes low-budget productions do not have the option of bringing in a CD. The filmmakers will instead organize, search and audition the actors themselves. Do not look at this as a disadvantage. This means that you, the filmmaker, get the opportunity to meet and discuss your story directly with every actor and find exactly the best cast for your film – and most likely learn something new about your project in the process. Such is the case with the Cast of The Storyteller.

If you know who will be casting your project, the next step is understanding how.

The first step with casting is to break down the roles. This means that you (or your CD) go through the script, list all the characters that need to be cast and compose descriptions for each role. Descriptions should include an age range for the character, their ethnicity, and a brief overview of the character. This is the first chance actors have to get a sense of your character, so your descriptions need to communicate not only personality, but how that character fits into the story.

Can you guess the character from this breakdown?

MASKED HERO: 16-20, any ethnicity. This high school student was once a normal, science-loving, picture-taking nobody, but that all changes when he comes in contact with a radioactive spider. Endowed with strength, speed and agility, this webhead must battle the world’s greatest villains while trying to keep his identity a secret, get the girl and survive high school.

Once you’ve compiled your list of roles, you’ll then post those roles on a casting website. It’s on those sites that actors can read about your project, the roles you are casting and submit themselves for your review. The most prominent casting sites in the US are Breakdown Services and LA Casting.

The thing that stood out with everyone we called back was a connection to the character. It didn’t seem like they were reading lines, it didn’t feel forced or like they were “acting” – I felt like I was seeing the character come to life through them. They took their time. They listened. They responded honestly. Every person brought something different, but it was immediately apparent who really connected with the lines and made them their own. Some were off book, some weren’t. Some filmed themselves with a professional set up, others on an iPhone. Ultimately none of that mattered. The people who connected with the character and expressed it honestly were the ones who stood out. – Rachel Noll, Producer of The Storyteller.

Once a project has been posted and the actors (or their representatives) have submitted, then comes the – to some people fun, to others terrifying – process of bringing actors in to audition. It’s a daunting process for both parties. You, the filmmaker, want to find the “perfect” actor. You want the actor coming through the door to be “the one!” Similarly, the actor coming through the door wants to do their very best – and be “the one.”

The ultimate key to casting, however, is that there is no “the one.” For the filmmaker: You’re searching for that spark that will bring your story to life. For the actor: It’s not always about whether or not you can act; it’s about whether you are right for that part.

Just as every scene builds on one another, so does each member of the cast. With one role filled, your audition process evolves. Does the auditioning actor have chemistry with the lead? If you’re casting a family, do they look a like?

Okay, but Heather – my production isn’t shooting in LA. Won’t that hinder my chances of finding the best cast?

In today’s digital age, not casting in LA won’t slow down your production. Case in point; The Storyteller!

We had actors do a self-tape for the initial audition and then asked some of the actors to come to a round of in-person callbacks. We asked actors to submit only if they could work as an Indiana local hire, and ended up with a list of actors based in Los Angeles and Indiana areas, so we set up callbacks in both cities. Right around the time we started scheduling the callbacks we started getting approached by people offering to connect us with actors with a little more experience, so we started taking meetings and talking with actors outside the initial pool of actors we auditioned as well. - Rachel Noll, Producer of The Storyteller

Even the best and some of the biggest stars will put themselves on tape for a role. Check out this featurette that includes the tape of Rachel McAdams auditioning for a little film called The Notebook.

Filmmakers, remember: Casting is where the relationships between the characters come to life. It’s also where your relationship with the actors begins. Thus, assembling your cast must feed your story, your vision and your production. And keep in mind that you will be working long, hard days with the cast, so be sure to assemble a team that will get along.

We built our cast based around a number of factors. Talent and experience are obvious ones, but beyond that, we really took the time to get to know each actor, to talk with them about the role and the story and make sure they understood what we were doing, and connected with the script and the way we were going about filming it. On such a low-budget production, passion is really the fuel and the glue that will hold the shoot together, so the cast we ultimately assembled is full of people who came at it heart first, just as we have.- Rachel Noll, Producer of The Storyteller

For more information about the practicalities of posting breakdowns and starting your search, Breakdown Services is a great resource. They have staff on call to answer your questions and also provide in-depth explanations throughout the process online.

Join us next time when we’ll be discussing locations: How to secure locations based on budget and story. Until then, here’s a featurette exploring how one of the most famous and beloved 80s movies had a very different actor originally cast in the lead role.

The talented and delightful Brooklyn Rae Silzer joins as the enigmatic 10 year old protagonist Abby. Brooklyn is best known for her recurring role as Emma on General Hospital. She has also appeared on Criminal Minds, CSI Miami and CSI New York.

Constance Towers joins in the role of Rosemary. Constance is a Hollywood veteran who appeared in exceptionally strong ingénue roles in the movie dramas The Horse Soldiers (1959) starring John Wayne, and Sergeant Rutledge (1960) opposite Jeffrey Hunter. Director Samuel Fuller cast her against type in some of his highly offbeat dramas in the early 1960s, in which she played a stripper girlfriend in Shock Corridor (1963) and in The Naked Kiss (1964). Constance is also an acclaimed musical leading lady and has appeared on countless TV shows.

The wonderful spitfire Cassidy Mack will be playing the role of Jen. Cassidy is best known for her roles in Chilly Christmas and Zoey to the Max. Not only will Cassidy be performing on camera, she will also be recording original music for the film. A foster child herself, Cassidy is the founder of “Love Gives Chances” – a non-profit foundation empowering foster children.

Tony Award winner Levi Kreis has signed on for the role of John Griffin. Levi is a broadway actor, as well as an acclaimed musician out of Nashville with songs played on shows like Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless, and Better Half. Levi will be collaborating with us on original music for the film and performing the songs on screen.

Kristina Wagner joins in the role of Doctor Gordon. Kristina is a long-time regular on the shows General Hospital and When Calls the Heart, and also recently co-directed the Emmy nominated documentary Children of Internment with our director (and 20 Questions Film founder) Joe Crump.

Scottie Thompson will be taking on the role of Maggie Stevens. Scottie graduated from Harvard University, where she first discovered her love for acting. Scottie moved to New York after college and has since amassed an incredible body of work. She has worked on enumerable shows in guest and supporting roles including The Blacklist, Grey’s Anatomy, Graceland, Trauma and countless others.

Rounding out an already wonderful cast is Broadway star Eden Espinosa who will be portraying Carol. Eden is known for playing such iconic roles as Elphaba in Wicked and Maureen in Rent. She is also a thriving recording artist and film actress.

But what good is a talented cast, if not in good hands. Introducing the stellar crew of The Storyteller:

At the helm is writer/director Joe Crump. Joe was recently nominated for an Emmy for his documentary Children of Internment – co-directed with his sister Kristina Wagner. Joe also recently founded the production company Dancing Spirit Productions and the very film blog you’re currently reading this on.

As a woman of many talents, she wears many hats: Rachel Noll is the writer and producer. Rachel previously wrote and produced the award winning feature film Don’t Pass Me By and the award winning short Paramnesia. Along with The Storyteller, Rachel has three additional features currently in development.

Executive producer is Nancy Crump. Nancy was born in Maine and grew up in Los Angeles. She worked for years as a legal secretary and paralegal in a mid-size Los Angeles law firm specializing in civil litigation, criminal and entertainment law, the latter of which was Nancy’s focus. Nancy then took the position of assistant to the VP of Business Affairs at Empire Entertainment. While at Empire, she developed skills as a story consultant and worked with friends and colleagues in the industry to improve and polish their scripts and stories.

Shari Lynn Himes is on board as Unit Production Manager. An Indiana native, Shari has amassed years of experience on big Hollywood productions including the hit show Prison Break. Shari has extensive experience as a UPM and Production Coordinator, and has also produced and directed narrative content in Indiana.

Capturing it all on film (proverbially, at least) is the talented Dan Clarke – as cinematographer, of course. His talent and experience speaks for itself.

Sienna Beckman has signed on as 1st AD. Sienna is an experienced AD, producer, line producer and UPM, currently the content producer for a popular YouTube channel with a huge following. Along with her production work, Sienna is on the board of iWe, a group focusing on gender balance in the industry.

Sound Mixing will be handled by Bud Osborne. Bud has worked in the industry for years as a DP, Sound Mixer, Camera Operator, Gaffer and many other positions. His experience will be a tremendous asset.

Cara Indiano joins as Costume Designer. Her creativity and passion for bringing characters to life through her creations can be viewed in her online portfolio. In addition to her film work, Cara is involved in supporting handcrafted, artisanal fashion design, organic textiles and enjoys teaching pattern making and advanced sewing techniques.

5-time Emmy winning composing team TLA 18 will be providing the music. They will be working with production on the original music that is sung by the actors, as well as the film’s score.

Linda Rondinella joins the crew as key Makeup/Hair artist. Linda has a long resume of credits, including work on General Hospital with some of our leading cast.

You can follow the progress on The Storyteller‘s Facebook page – or here on the 20 Questions Film site where we’re writing articles related to every aspect of the filmmaking process, using The Storyteller as a case study.

The producers are looking for actors who can work as LOCAL INDIANA HIRES ONLY. This means you either live in Indiana, or are willing to fly yourself out and put yourself up for the shoot. Production will not be able to pay for travel/accommodation of any actors coming from out of state. Please indicate in your submission that you are able to work as an INDIANA LOCAL HIRE or they will not be able to consider your submission. Please also include the name of the character you are submitting for, as well as a direct link to your demo reel – any submissions without a demo reel will not be considered.

These are the characters that are currently being cast:

MAGGIE – Female, 40 LEAD. Maggie is Jen’s adopted mother, and takes Abby in as a foster kid. Jen and Maggie have a challenging relationship. A frustrated writer, and an English teacher. Maggie had an affair with John right before her husband Michael died, and was planning to leave Michael to be with him. But his death caused her such tremendous guilt that she pushed John away even though she still loves him. SAG or NON-UNION may submit.

ABBY – Female, 9-11 years old LEAD. Abby is the film’s protagonist. She is enigmatic, intelligent, and disarming with a maturity that outstrips her years. Abby has darkness in her past, and a secret that she only shares with a select few. SAG or NON-UNION may submit. Must be Indiana local hire and comfortable with a lot of dialogue and VO.  PLEASE SPECIFY IN THE NOTES SECTION THAT YOU CAN WORK INDIANA LOCAL HIRE OR WE WILL NOT LOOK AT YOUR SUBMISSION.

JOHN – Male, 40-45 LEAD. John is a washed up rock musician who now teaches music at the local high school. He had an affair with Maggie while she was married, and she was going to leave her husband for him. When her husband died, she pulled away, and they haven’t been in relationship for some years. John has not been able to let go of his feelings for her, and has become bitter and angry as a result. When Maggie asks him to teach the girls over the summer, they are brought back into relationship. MUST play Guitar at a very high level and SING. Please indicate level of experience with guitar and vocal range. Include any vocal or music samples with submission. SAG or NON-UNION. PLEASE SPECIFY IN THE NOTES SECTION THAT YOU CAN WORK INDIANA LOCAL HIRE OR WE WILL NOT LOOK AT YOUR SUBMISSION.

ROSEMARY – Female, 80s-90 years old LEAD. Rosemary is Maggie’s grandmother, and raised Maggie as her own. She lives in a nursing home and suffers from Lewy Bodies Dimentia. She lost her sister Abigail when she was a child, and believes Abby to be this lost sister. She is 89 years old, and about to celebrate her 90th birthday. She is a strong, independent and self-reliant woman who reverts into a childlike state at times. SAG or NON-UNION. Must be an Indiana local hire.  PLEASE SPECIFY IN THE NOTES SECTION THAT YOU CAN WORK INDIANA LOCAL HIRE OR WE WILL NOT LOOK AT YOUR SUBMISSION.

CAROL – Female 40-50 SUPPORTING. Carol works for social services. She takes on Abby’s case and discovers Abby’s true origins. SAG or NON-UNION.

DOCTOR GORDON – Female 50-60s SUPPORTING. Doctor Gordon is a family psychologist who works with Social Services. She has a session with Abby to determine Abby’s mental state. SAG or NON-UNION.

STORY LINE: A young girl claiming to be immortal is placed in a foster home, uniting an unlikely family as she explores a world teeming with magic to escape the traumas of a dark past.

To submit, please email character name, headshot, resume and demo reel link to STORYTELLERSMOVIE@GMAIL.COM – do not send video files. Links only.

My name is Rachel Noll, and I’m the producer and co-writer of the film, as well as one of the lead actresses. I look forward to sharing our ongoing journey with you as we move into pre-production and production on the film. With this online production diary, which will likely be passed between key crew and cast members to add their perspectives throughout, we hope to give you all a window into the process of producing an independent film from start to finish. Along the way, we encourage you to ask questions in the comments section below. We’ll happily answer.

The Storyteller began as an abstract idea that Joe Crump, the director and co-writer, brought to me. “What if” he said, “we explored the story of a young girl who is immortal? What would it be like to live for hundreds of years? How lonely would that be? How would the world change?”

The goals of this film were threefold:

1. Create a feature-film we could shoot for under $100K in Indiana, where Joe resides.
2. Create a story that contained elements of magic and the fantastical.
3. Bring in a musical element that would help tie the story together and unite the characters, as in movies like Once and Begin Again.

Joe and I have often discussed how creating a script is like putting a puzzle together… You have a table full of pieces, and it’s our job as writers to figure out how they all fit together into one compelling picture.

I would sit down and write 20 pages to send along to Joe, and those 20 pages would inspire us to completely rethink a character or a key element of the script. And back to page 1 we would go. By the time we had a completed first draft, it hardly resembled the original concept we had outlined. It had become something else entirely – a rich, complex and multi-dimensional story about people finding their way back to themselves, with a clear message about creating the life we want on our terms. It felt like the story had taken us by the hand and lead us where it wanted to go, guiding us gently scene by scene.

The writing process often feels like this, in my experience. We come to each draft with our own ideas and notions of where it should go, but more often than not, the characters and the story dictate to us where they want to go next, not the other way around. There have been times when Joe and I have sat with a scene and had no idea what was coming next… and then an inspiration would strike one of us, and all of a sudden the world would open up again.

Writing a script is truly a process of trust, openness, patience, collaboration, and a willingness to try things. Like improv – sometimes it’s just saying yes to the inspiration, wherever it comes from and however it shows up.

In the end, what was born was a story about Abby, a young girl believing herself to be immortal who helps to heal a dysfunctional family as she explores a world teeming with magic to escape the traumas of a dark past.

Now that we have a shoot-ready script, we are moving rapidly into the pre-production phase. There are two elements that we felt we needed to nail down early on; one being the main cast members, and the second being the musicians we will be collaborating with on the music for the film.

Currently, the script is out to a handful of talented indie musicians. We want to find the right fit – someone to help us write the music, collaborate with the actors who will be singing and playing on screen, and create a soundtrack that we can promote and sell along with the film itself. There are two original songs in the film that need to be written, and a cover of the old spiritual Wayfaring Stranger that needs a unique update. The musicians are working away on songs as we speak.

Simultaneously, I put out the film’s first casting call on Breakdown Services, and received submissions for the main four roles from actors all over the country. Technology is amazing; it allows us to see and experience the talents of actors we might not otherwise be able to see. Due to our budget constraints, we are only able to consider actors who can work as Indiana local hires. The number of talented actors who live and work there blew me away!

We wanted to start the casting process early because the roles we need to cast are rigorous and require specific talents. Our lead actress, Abby, is a 12 year old girl with wisdom and maturity well beyond her years. She has to carry the film on her back, and we know that finding the right fit for this role is make or break for the movie. Two of the other lead characters have to sing and play instruments with skill in a specific style. This also requires a very particular kind of actor and collaborative attitude to make it work.

We have seen and narrowed down our list of actors and are holding callbacks in the next couple of months to find our cast. Once we have our cast, and have settled on musicians and songwriters to collaborate with, we will be able to lock in our shoot dates for 2016, begin working on the music with the actors and the musicians, and start preliminary character rehearsals.

In our upcoming blogs, I will be taking off my writing hat and putting on my producer hat to talk you through the pre-production checklist in real time, so you can get a feel for what happens when, and how to make sure your checklist is complete before you go into production. Until next time!

Got any questions about the writing or casting process? Post them below!