Preparing for Callbacks

Callbacks are a necessary evil in low budget film making.  First of all, you want to be able to get a feel for the chemistry actors have when placed side by side.  Especially, if they're supposed to be the lovers or best friends.  We had a lot of good talent come out to the auditions, and being short auditions, we need to have a chance to spend more time with the actors before making any decisions.  Another reason for callbacks is to weed out the not-so-commited.  The people who show up for the callbacks are generally the ones you can count on to commit to the show.  I am hoping to make these callbacks as fun as possible.  Since this is a show that contains a little bit of fake sword fighting, we will be having simple choreographed fights.  The reason being, I want to see how good the actors look while fighting.  I need to believe Gwen has been throwing kicks her whole life.  Gwen needs to be part vicious warrior and that is what I'll be looking for during the fighting.  Chances are the callbacks will be held outside.  So, I will be bringing water for everyone.  This Texas heat is killer.  Well, we'll see how the callbacks go.  We are probably looking at callbacks around July 10th.  And shooting starts July 21st.  That is not a lot of time.  But it's that excitement and pressure that makes film making that much more rewarding when you have a finished product.