The size of the project and the budget determines the type and source of talent. Another consideration would be the demands that are to be placed on the talent in terms of acting ability, memorization of lines and other artistic needs. There are about 5 major pools of talent from which to get one from. These are family and friends, members of the organization for which the project is being done, professional in the fields being portrayed, theatre and media students from local schools and theatre groups and professional actors and voice talents.



Friends and family is the cheapest and most convenient option but not necessarily the easiest group to work with. The use of members of the organization for which the project is being produced can be rewarding, successful and easy on the pocket. Extreme care should be taken when selecting the talent as he /she should be one who can accept direction and occasional criticism. Casting real people engaged in the profession supposedly played by the character is always a good option. They can probably provide real characterization to the role instead of training an actor to do the work.

Community theatre groups, high school and college theatre groups are usually willing to work on projects at a lesser cost, a copy of the finished product or even for gas money. A thing to remember about theatre students is that they tend to project their voices and gestures to an audience that is far away. Adjustments may have to be made to adapt to the intimacy of the video screen.

Professional talents are paid to do the work they do. Thus, there is an often an implication that they are more experienced and more talented. However, there are some that actually do not even have the experience of local theatre members but are nevertheless considered professional talents by virtue of their membership to an Actors’ Guild. You can take the time to check their performance credentials just to be sure.

Casting can be a very tedious process especially if you do not go in prepared with an idea of what you want. There are times that you may need to give in to certain compromises if what was originally desired cannot possibly be had under certain circumstances. Hiring a good voice talent is just as important as the on-camera talent. The voices used in the film can make or break your production.

While you’re at it, why not do some camera exercises to help make your work more professional looking. The key lies in practice. Running a camcorder is a tricky balancing act that demands a wide range of skills both physically and mentally. The first thing to practice is how to have the camera rolling in time for the big moment. The next is to simulate a classic trouble situation by running an “obstacle course" just to see how steady your grip remains. Finally, get some practice with manual focusing for advanced variations.