Moving Images, Understanding Media

Chapter 8 The Production Process 295

Once the screenplay gets the go-ahead for production, then formal pre-

production is initiated. Pre-production generally lasts at least a month, and

the usual period is between two to four months, although major projects can

necessitate a year of preparations.

The Casting Process

During the pre-production phase, the casting director will typically work

with the director of the project to complete the cast of actors who will play

the speaking roles of a movie. Readings with the actors can be recorded or

casting can be done in live auditions (usually for smaller roles). Director

George Cukor—famous for his track record as the fi rst director to cast

such actors as Katherine Hepburn, Shelley Winters, and Jack Lemmon—

commented, “... there is no theory; there’s just an instinct and a hunch...

Maybe this seems rather touch-and-go but not really, because I think there’s

a deep instinct for it.”

A common observation made by fi lmmakers is that the most important

decisions by a director are made during casting, as when Ron Howard

recalled Bette Davis’s quip that “Once you’ve done [casting], stay... out of

the way and... get the movie shot.” Director Robert Altman said, “Actors

are, without a doubt, the most important element, because they’re the ones

who are performing. And if it really came down to it, where we didn’t have

a set, we didn’t have any lights, and we were sitting on a beach with a camera

and four actors, we still could do something.”

One of the most revealing ways to refl ect on the impact of selection of

actors is to look at historical examples of casting changes during development

Figure 8-6 Director Mike

Chase (in red) and actors

prepare a scene for the

digital feature The Roper.

When casting a movie,

the production team must

look for the strengths that

individual actors can bring

to their roles as well as the

potential group chemistry of

the performers. (Courtesy

Mike Chase)

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