On Indie Productions, Auditioning is… Different

I had the great fortune recently to audition a few wonderful actors for a role in one of my passion projects.

Every single one of them was professional, courteous, kind, talented, and funny.

As someone who does not consider herself an actress, I’ve never experienced the auditioning process from the other side, and I must say… I cannot imagine what it must be like.

Actors are a special and wonderful kind of gang… they are out there, they keep their emotions in a silk purse, ready to come out… and without them, our work as filmmakers… well… it would be impossible.

I am not a casting director. Nor am I a director. I am first and foremost a writer, with the mantle of producer somehow tacked on. But I have auditioned for 5 of my own projects now - that’s over 100 auditions.

I realize that’s somewhat unorthodox, especially in bigger projects. But I work on a small scale, with tiny budgets, on tiny indie productions - in my world, you wear all the hats you have to wear.

So I wanted to take a moment to address my side of the process when it comes to auditioning.

I Have No Idea What I’m Looking For

Auditioning people for any role is always an exciting and nerve wracking experience. But this is doubly true if it’s a role where you don't really know what you're looking for. As a writer, I may have had some idea about this character, but as the rest of the ensemble is cast, the rest of the roles need to fit in with each other as much as they need to fit the character.

It's rare that I don't have a very clear definition in my mind, but it has happened.

In those cases, I tend to hold open auditions. I put out a casting call into my networks (mainly social media), and wait for the responses to come pouring in. I’d very rarely use agents and would rely on connections that are already established or personal connections that have been made.

My big advantage here is that I live and work in Ireland - a tiny industry. The indie industry is even tinier. Everyone knows everyone. So one post on social media is usually enough advertisement for me to get enough responses to build a healthy auditioning program.

I assemble a pool of actors who - on paper - fit the bill. They have the age range, the gender, the accent. In my scripts, I very rarely describe anyone by their physical attributes (I tend not to even describe costume unless absolutely necessary). This way, I am not locked into a specific type when I look for an actor to portray my character. I approach these auditions with an open mind and an open heart. Whoever comes in the door or onto my zoom screen - I know they have the potential to wow me and excite me.

And then… I talk.

I chat to them, and listen to them. I don’t particularly care about their CV. It’s nice to know that this isn’t their first rodeo, but even if it was - who am I to judge (a few milliseconds ago, it was my first rodeo…). I listen to what they like about acting, what brought them here, and what they are passionate about.

I am not casting for a role. I’m casting for a character. And the only way for me to see if someone fits that character is for me to get to know theirs.

The next point on my agenda is talking about the script. I always send the whole script to the actor so they can have a look at the character, try to find their own ways into the right headspace, and prepare lines if they want to. I’d never expect anyone to be off script, that’s not the point of an audition in my opinion.

This is where a new process really begins. If an actor shows me that they’ve thought about the character, that they’ve invested some emotion into the piece already, that’s what excites me. This now is where I look for the spark. This moment now, is where I look for the thing that I didn’t know I was looking for.

This is now where the audition is almost always over.

If an actor becomes passionate about the character before we’re even going into the reading - that’s a major bonus. If they bring in new ideas or talk about an aspect of the script that I - as the writer - hadn’t even thought about… that’s a WOW. If they highlight certain passages or issues to show me that they love or hate something about the script… yes, this is what I want.

On the other hand, if they have nothing to say, or just give me the standard “Oh, I loved the script, you’re a great writer”... I know what’s up.

Last but not least, I like to just run the lines, so I can get a feeling of the voice, the tone, the rhythm an actor can bring to a piece. And how well they respond to directions, and execute a change in flow or tempo.

If I find a spark in someone who might not “look” the part or have a slightly wrong age, or gender, or accent, I can usually work around it. But if an actor comes along, who might have a perfect score on pretty much everything, but fails to excite me when we’re just “having a little chat”... that’s usually a pass from me.

It doesn’t feel like I’m already auditioning in those moments before we go into the reading. But that’s when I’m at my most alert.

I Know What I Want

Sometimes, the opposite is true. Sometimes I go into the auditioning process with a very clear picture in mind. I am very fortunate in that I am able to write movies I usually am able to see through to fruition. Especially my more local and smaller projects tend to allow me a bigger degree of control. They also tend to be the projects I am most passionate about.

Bigger budget scripts are there to be sold - they are products. But the small, contained, down-to-earth stories I get to work on in my daily life, they tend to be passion projects that I WANT to be in control of.

In these situations, I very rarely hold open auditions. I make phone calls. Or rather… send texts.

The 3 leads in my debut feature were cast in this way. Kathleen Warner Yeates, the female lead, had been an idol of mine for years. I reached out to her timidly, star struck beyond belief. I was expecting a “thanks but no thanks” note from her, if even. I had done a course in her school years prior, and she had loosely kept in touch.

Her answer was not a “I’ll need to have a look”... her answer was a resounding YES, PLEASE! Even though she was way above my paygrade, way out of my league, she came on board. The script was right. My attitude was right. She wanted to work with me.

The exact same thing happened for the male lead, Conor Hackett. He came on board without even reading the script… my involvement was enough.

The third lead, Shane Robinson… well… I coerced him, I think. We were working on another project together, I pulled him aside and said: In February, you are playing a slightly magical barman in a quirky romance. I don’t think he had a choice… But oh well… The role fit him. I had written it for him, after all.

So how can an actor/actress get roles like that? If there isn’t even an auditioning process? How is that fair?

The answer is simple: Be excellent to work with. And get to know people. Kathleen, Conor, Shane, and so so many others will never need to audition for me ever again. They auditioned once, gave me tingles in my spine, and showed me that they are reliable, professional and wonderful actors.

All the dozens of actors I’ve had to turn down, they now live rent-free in my head. If I so happen to need someone, they are now no longer coming through the first channel… they are firmly in the “I know what I want” category. More often than not, it only takes one good audition to never have to audition for this person again.

So my advice for actors would be to keep an open heart when you walk into a room. The people there WANT you to succeed. They are interested in you. And if you don’t get this one, one day you might get pulled into a corner by a slightly manic writer/producer and get told: You’re playing a slightly magic barman in February. Then all you can do is what Shane did… nod and smile and play the part that was written for you.

About Ronika Merl

Stage 32 Community Leader.
Screenwriter. Producer. Author. Co-Founder at Aicearra - Ireland's only Screenwriting Management Company.

I work in Ireland as an independent screenwriter and producer, and actively seek to build a new pathway for Irish talent (both on screen and behind the camera) to be recognized internationally.

Having placed highly in both the Nicholl as well as Austin, I am currently working on 3 features, all of which are slated for release in the next 2-3 years.

Author of "The Hustle - A Comprehensive Guide for Irish Screenwriters"
Author of "I Love You, Dave Taylor"

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