Mira Nair is a film director and producer, her best-known films include: “Salaam Bombay”, “Monsoon Wedding”, “Mississippi Masala”, “Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love”. Her recent films include: “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” and “Queen of Katwe”.
1. Make sure actors feel comfortable and relaxed during the casting process. If actors feel pressured or judged, they will be less likely to take risks.
2. During the casting process as a director, you should create an affectionate and warm atmosphere that will allow actors to breathe easier, and as a result, relax better.
3. Encourage all performances to bring something fresh and unexpected to the table.
4. Establishing trust between you, as a director, and your actors are the key to successful collaboration.
5. Find moments in your script, which best shows the essence of each character. Find those scenes and use them during the audition.
6. Make the audition room a safe space for the actors.
7. Start your casting with small talk.
8. Ask the actors if they have any questions for you before the audition begins. They may need some clarification but are too shy to ask.
9. Mira suggests to look for the following qualities while auditioning:
– How believable the actor’s performance is?
– How vulnerable is the actor?
– Is the actor easy to collaborate with?
– How authentic the actor’s performance is/was?
10. At the end of the audition, inform all the actors what the next step is, how fast they will know if they made to the callback. Before they leave, ask them once again, if they have any questions for you.
11. Thank every actor for their time and effort.