Creating “Targeted” Character Descriptions
(c) Peter D. Marshall
Before you can start auditioning, you need to first attract the “best qualified” actors to your casting sessions by creating a Casting Breakdown sheet that contains: the film synopsis, a short description of each character, casting dates/times and the casting location. You can also add tentative shoot dates, Union or Non-Union roles, pay rates and any other information about your film that would attract the right actors to your audition. (Shooting out-of-town, winter locations, working nights, must be able to ride a horse etc.)
As you (or your Casting Director or Producer) create the Casting Breakdowns, please think of them as “casting marketing tools” because you want to create a “well-targeted advertisement” to attract the right actors to audition for each role. And one of the most important creative details of your Casting Breakdown is how you write the Character Descriptions for each character in your film.
Most Character Descriptions that I have read describe primarily the external or “outside life” of the character. While there are certain physical features that are essential for most characters, it’s important to understand that outer traits (ethnicity, height, weight, hair color etc.) are not always necessary for every character – especially for your secondary roles.
Here are two simple “external” Character Descriptions:
[JOHN] Caucasian. 45 years old. Dishwasher. Balding & thin. Limps. Lives at home with his parents. Wants to play the violin professionally.
[MARY] African-American. 25 years old. University Student. Pretty & vivacious. Needs to lose some weight. Struggles to accept her female side in a man’s world.
Firstly, you should recognize that most of the character qualities described above are the outer traits of the character and when you are casting it’s very important that you remain open to actors who give you a great reading of the role but do not look exactly like the character you had envisioned.
In fact, a lot of movie roles have been created by actively casting against type. Even the sex of a secondary character could change because of an interesting read during an audition. So a character described as a “55-year-old male Judge” could easily be turned into a “60-year-old female Judge.”
“Internal” Character Descriptions explain the essential physical and background information about the character as well, but they also show a glimpse into the character’s inner life, which adds depth to the character and offers valuable insight into the role for the benefit of your potential actors.
Here are the same two “external” Character Descriptions with some added “internal” traits:
[JOHN] Caucasian. 45 years old. Dishwasher who limps from a car accident when he was 7. He is passionate about classical music and he dreams of playing his violin in an orchestra. He lives at home with his mother and step-father who abused him when he was a child.
[MARY] African-American. 25 years old. Vivacious university student studying Engineering. She grew up with three older brothers who always bullied her. She constantly pushes herself to be the best in a man’s world while struggling to accept her emotional, female side.
In the descriptions above you can immediately see the character you’re describing, but you are not confining that character to specific physical characteristics.
By adding subtext (and inner conflict) into your character descriptions, you can attract more experienced actors to your auditions who will also be better prepared. (Remember all the different reasons why actors want to audition for a film!)
Of course, specific physical qualities may be necessary for certain characters and you need to mention these in your Casting Breakdown. For example, if special skills are required for the role, like the ability to ride a bike or swim, then those skills need to be added. Similarly you’ll want to specify if it’s integral to the story that two characters look physically related like a brother & sister or parents & children.
It’s also important to note if there are any unique physical demands, violence, implied nudity and/or sexuality in the role. In short, know what you absolutely need in a character and remain flexible over what you don’t need in a character to tell the story.
To review: Good Character Descriptions should have two parts to them:
- Text: Describe the “outer life” of the character? (Age, general description, what they do for a living etc.).
- Subtext: Describe some part of the “inner life” of the character (What is really going on inside of them? What conflicts do they have?)
Remember, your Character Descriptions need to be “casting marketing tools” used to attract the most qualified actors in your area. By using subtext to create an “inner emotional conflict” you achieve depth within the character to “target” those potential actors.
Copyright (c) 2020 Peter D. Marshall / All Rights Reserved
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