Question - who picks the actors?

[Norma Jean]

I have a question. If someone writes a script and a film studio picks it up. Who picks the actors to play the characters in the script? Does the screenwriter pick the actors or the director? Also, If the screen writer has a Bachelor's degree in Film production, could the screenwriter be the producer of their own screenplay, instead of them getting some other producer in Hollywood? Just curious.

[scripter1]

hires a Casting Agent who is given a list of ideas for the various characters. Then the Casting Director goes out and pulls in everyone they know would be suitable for that role, and auditions take place.
When they get close then the director meets with the actors and makes the final choice.

With major roles the director may say "I must have Tom Cruise."
Then they try to get him involved. IF he is intrested they may hold production until his schedule allows him to participate.

The screenwriter NEVER has any say in who is cast and SHOULD NEVER suggest it in the script. NOR should they write a character solely for a specific actor.

However, if you have dredged up the money to make the film yourself, and YOU are in charge, then sure, make the casting calls. I doubt you'd get Cruise but you could always try.

[clockwork]

Does the screenwriter pick the actors or the director?

You could try suggesting who you think is right for the role at the production level and that suggestion may be considered but the ultimate decision is down to the director and producers. Writers have pretty much zip in the power department unless they have directed or are the new, hot thing. Paul Haggis may have ideas about who is best for his screenplays and they'll get more consideration than I would but the ultimate decision isn't his I'm afraid.

Also, If the screen writer has a Bachelor's degree in Film production, could the screenwriter be the producer of their own screenplay, instead of them getting some other producer in Hollywood? Just curious.

Depends on who you work with. Not at the studio level and not without prior success. It's a money thing - finance the film yourself and you can be in charge. :)

ETA - what scripter said.

[nielsty]

You haven't proven anything with a bachelor degree - in Denmark you would be lucky to be hired on a film as a production assistant with that level of education if you don't have any experience.

An when you sell your script you also sell all rights to it. You can't even be sure the'll ask you to do a rewrite - they might want to use someone else with a new or more experienced approach.

[Norma Jean]

So if you have a bachelor's degree how do you go about being a film producer if no one will hire you cause you're new?

[clockwork]

Your best bet is to produce a film that is very successful or take an entry-level production job (runner, script supervisor, operator, etc) and work your way up. Studios don't hire producers out of college unfortunately. The business is so high risk that your only real currency is your reputation and track record.

[NikeeGoddess]

what everyone else said...but just to add:

the smaller the production the more power you have as a screenwriter. and i mean small and independent. studios and production companies that work with studios will never give you as a newbie any consideration or say someone else's job.

however, when pitching or taking a meeting with producer they may and probably will ask you who you envision for this role. you should have a couple of people in mind. and if you're smart you do your research and know what actors that producer/production company has worked with successfully in the past. and also pick an actor who is up and coming rather than a-list because that actor will save them millions and that a-list actor is probably not attainable anyhow.

TANGENT ALERT!
also - since i'm babbling now - when pitching you can mention an actor who could play that leading role when you introduce him in your story. this will add to the visuals of a verbal storytelling.

[clockwork]

TANGENT ALERT!
also - since i'm babbling now - when pitching you can mention an actor who could play that leading role when you introduce him in your story. this will add to the visuals of a verbal storytelling.


Agree. Any shortcuts like that which you can exploit are worth their weight in gold. It can be difficult to articulate yourself without them - especially to a producer with a short attention span. "The character is heroic but flawed - he's a tough guy but he can't get his wife to see it," may not be as recognisable as, "He's like Bruce Willis in Die Hard - heroic but flawed."

[Joe Calabrese]

An analogy...

A production is like a family

The producer is the father who brings home the bacon and finances the household.

The director is the mother who nurtures and guides the children, who in this case are the actors and crew.

Who is the screenwriter?

The sperm donor, who is appreciated for giving life, but is not really part of the family or has any say in how the home is raised or run.

Of course the more powerful and in demand the sperm donor is, the more he can get for that gift of life and maybe have a say in certain things, but there are few individuals who have that kind of power .

As for producing it, only if you bring something to the table that they cannot live without, like money or an awesome script that they must have at any cost. But again, very few have that power.

NOTE: EDITED ONCE I GOT HOME.

[clockwork]

An analogy...
a production is like a family
the producer is the father who brings home the bacon and finances the household.
The director is the mother who nurtures and guides the children, who in this case are the actors and crew.

Who is the screenwriter?

The sperm donor, who is appeclated for giving life, but is not really part of the family or has a say in how the home is raised or run.

Of course the more poqerfull and in demand the sperm diner is the more he can get foe that gift of life and maybe have a su in verqin things, but there are few individuals who have that kind of power .

As for producing it, only if you bring spmttiong to the table that they cannot live without, like money or an awesome script that they must have at any cost.

Ezcusw thw typos as i am on my iphone.

Pfft!

I thought you were drunk for a second there, Joe. :ROFL:

Good analogy though.

[Plot Device]

If you go to Hollywood, I am told there are TONS of jobs. Just very few that really pay anything. You can become an intern on any film or TV set (for zero pay) in a heartbeat. And after you prove yourself as an intern, then someone will probably hire you as an assistant. And the pay as an assistant is pretty low, but it's a step up from zero. And then from there you can become a production assistant, and then MAYBE become a producer. And this whole process can take years.

And when it comes to being an intern, they don't care if you have a film degree. They just want you to have a pulse and your own car. And then they want you to do absolutely EVERYTHING they tell you to do, and do it VERY VERY well. That includes running to the corner store and buying a round of coffees for everyone. That includes spicking up somenoe's dry cleaning. That includes dropping off someone's poodles at the dog groomer. Just do whatever they tell you, do it with a smile, do it VERY VERY well, and then if you impress someone enough, then that person might consider hiring you as an assistant. And when you land that huge promotion of an assistantship, you will STILL be dropping off poodles and picking up dry cleaning, only now you'll be getting paid for it. AND you wil be reading lots of scripts for your new boss, and talking phone messages for your boss from lots of Hollywood people, and (here's the important part) you will be doing your very best to impress the socks off of every last oneof those Hollywood people you take phone messages from -- one of them might be so imressed with you that he/she might steal you away from your current boss with a higher salary.


As for naming actors by name, I am told it's perfectly acceptable to name an actor as a sort of a "shorthand" while pitching a script. You can say "this character is kinda like Kevin Spacey from The Usual Suspects," and that is a very quick and easy and ecconomical and easilly grasped way to convey in mere seconds a lot of nuance to a particular character during the pitch.

[Plot Device]

sperm diner


:roll:

[Boo_Radley]

Of course, if you have a specific actor in mind you could contact his/her agent to see if they'd be interested in reading your script. If they do and like it and say they'll do it, you've got a better shot of it getting made.

I don't see the harm in writing a part for a specific actor. I did that in a script with two specific actresses in mind, contacted each of them, they read the script and agreed to play the parts I wrote for them. Of course, the fact that I've yet to shop the script around with them attached belies the paragraph above, but that's my fault.

[Hillgate]

I have a question. If someone writes a script and a film studio picks it up. Who picks the actors to play the characters in the script? Does the screenwriter pick the actors or the director? Also, If the screen writer has a Bachelor's degree in Film production, could the screenwriter be the producer of their own screenplay, instead of them getting some other producer in Hollywood? Just curious.

Once a studio gets involved, unless they're crazy enough to let you direct, you will be removed from the project as quickly as they can, unless they NEED you for rewrites. Watch your contract for credits, other writers rewriting your work etc and also watch your payment timings. You will not be asked to do anything other than cash your cheque, if you're lucky!!

You could produce it, but I think only if you're bringing the studio a full package ie you have already attached a suitable and experienced director, cast, DoP, editor etc. I don't think they'll give a stuff about a BA in filmprod to be frank with you. They'd prefer it if you had experience at producing a film or another similar multimillion dollar project.

Good luck! :)

[scripter1]

this industry is all about those who have actually done
verses those who have just read.

[nmstevens]

I have a question. If someone writes a script and a film studio picks it up. Who picks the actors to play the characters in the script? Does the screenwriter pick the actors or the director? Also, If the screen writer has a Bachelor's degree in Film production, could the screenwriter be the producer of their own screenplay, instead of them getting some other producer in Hollywood? Just curious.

This depends on how a project originates.

Almost always, in some sense, it originates with a produces acquiring some material. It may be a book, a "real life" story, or an original screenplay. In the latter case, the screenwriter might assert that the project has "originated" with him -- but really, until a producer has acquired it, it's just something in a drawer somewhere, of which there are countless thousands.

Once a producer acquires it -- options it, buys it -- then it's a movie in development.

Now, depending upon who the producer is, a studio may be involved in that development process from the beginning or may not be involved until later. Likewise, the producer may also be a a director or they may not bring a director on until quite late in the process (at which point, very frequently, all of the work that they've done writing and re-writing the script will be thrown out and the script will be completely re-done, often with some other writer, to bring the project in line with the director's "vision").

It is only when everybody -- producer, director, studio -- is more or less happy with the script that it will "go out" to cast.

But what's really happening here is not "casting." What they are looking for is the star or stars that will get the project a "green light" -- that is, the go ahead to make the movie.

Most scripts never reach this point. They go out to get a star attached.

Now, certain movies you can have a "star" director or it's a genre piece made for under a certain amount of money and the calculation is that the concept will sell the movie (it's a "Wes Craven Movie" -- or a "Stephen King" movie) given a cast of a certain level -- they're not stars but more or less recognizable names.

But for any movie, you've got to have names of a certain level -- and they've got lists of those names that "mean something" -- they mean something in foreign, they "mean something" on DVD, they mean something on cable. Certain names equal the ability to get distribution in certain markets.

So they need those names. Can't get the names -- they won't make the movie.

And one of the fundamental rules is -- no screenwriter's name means anything to anybody in terms of the ability to get a movie made.

So it really isn't a matter of the "director" going out and picking who he wants to be in his movie.

This is very much a market-driven decision. For every movie of a certain budget, going into production at a certain time, with certain lead roles, you end up creating a list of names of actors that are, first -- *names* -- that is, stars whose attachment to your project will get the movie made and, second, you can afford, and third, available when you're shooting and fourth, hopefully, appropriate for the part.

But first -- you must get the names. No names -- no greenlight.

Regarding someone "letting you" be the producer.

There isn't anyone out there who is in a position either to let or to prevent you from being a producer. You seem to have a sense that the old regimented studio system is still in place. It isn't. It's dead. Studios primarily deal with semi-independent "development companies" -- many of whom actually have their companies on the studio lot, but are actually separate. These companies, consist of their own producer/owners are in the business of finding material and developing it. Some of them have on-going studio deals. Some of them make deals with studios on a project-to-project basis. Some of them have independent financing and only go to the studios for distribution deals.

If you watch the opening credits of most movies, you'll see a whole bunch of different companies -- Warner Brothers presents an XYZ entertainment production of a ATV pictures / sds films movie in association with Better Off Films etc., etc.,

Well, all of those names can be various development companies that the project has made its way through on its way to the screen. One might be the Producer's development company, another the director's development company. Another the Star's development company. They all get a piece of the pie. They all have their own development people. They all get to write notes on the screenplay.

Now of those "producers" got to be producers because anybody "let them."

They got to be producers by either acquiring material that somebody else wanted badly enough to pay them for it -- in which case, welcome -- now you're in the business of buying and selling creative material and that makes you a producer of sorts.

Or -- you did what some producers do. You went out and raised money and made a movie which got released.

That's very hard to do.

Well, let me put it this way. It's easy to raise a small amount of money and make and ultra-low budget amateur movie that never sees the light of day beyond putting some clips on youtube.

To make a movie that way that gets a theatrical release, or even goes direct to video and makes a decent return on your investor's investment and is respectable -- that's much harder.

Nobody ever said that it was easy to be a producer -- or a writer -- or a director.

But just as there's nobody out there who can "let you" do it, on the other hand, there's nobody out there who can really stop you from doing it, if you are truly resolved to give it a shot -- and it is truly what you want.

But I know guys who are producers and it is incredibly hard, and while creative in its own way, it is not all creative in the way that writing is creative. It is extremely demanding technical work, dealing with schedules and permits and release forms and taxes and people and equipment and egos and if you think screenwriting is a thankless job -- that kind of producing is truly a thankless job, plus the hours are much worse.

People have a way of focusing on the end result. It's not that they want to write so much as to have written, not to direct so much as to have directed. Not to produce so much as to have produced -- that is, to have had the control over a project that producing gives them.

But that kind of control requires the kind of work that a director or a producer puts in.

And unless you really want to do that work -- unless you want to *be* in the midst of doing it -- don't do it.

NMS

[zeprosnepsid]

As a rule of thumb the screenwriter has nothing to do with picking the actors. People above have given you some exceptions, but in general I wouldn't get your hopes up on that.

So if you have a bachelor's degree how do you go about being a film producer if no one will hire you cause you're new?

If Producers have a degree at all it's usually a business degree. You don't need a degree to be successful in the film business, you just need a track record. You become a Producer by just doing it.

The point of film school is to learn technical aspects if you want to become a director, editor, sound mixer, cinematographer or even a screenwriter. It's generally not a lot of use for a Producer.

That includes spicking up somenoe's dry cleaning.

I've picked up dry cleaning =) But I'm a Producer now (of Documentaries). Hopefully soon I'll be successful enough to have someone pick up my dry cleaning (or successful enough to buy clothes that require dry cleaning).

[Daydreamer]

Thanks, NMS

This was one of the most informative posts in the screenwriting forum.

[cynicallad]

Did you hear about the blonde actress?

She came to Hollywood and #$#@'d the writer.