When you ever have a casting appointment with Jennifer Ricchiazzi, you may need to think about a couple of additional minutes on both facet. Not simply since you may need to attend, but in addition as a result of she very properly might find yourself spending loads of time with you. Like loads of different casting administrators, she’s a former actor herself and thus is hard in a room, but it surely’s as a result of she works exhausting to get one of the best out of you. She additionally expects you to know extra than simply the character you’re enjoying, so be ready for a problem.
On the similar time, you’ll virtually actually stroll out of that room a greater actor than you had been while you walked in. It’s a part of the rationale why Ricchiazzi eschews large studio movies for indie fare, however then, to say extra would take away from a fairly improbable dialog.
Her newest film is the biopic Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid as America’s fortieth President. She chatted with us from her dwelling in LA, and we had been joined by Cleo, one in every of her 9 cats. Sure, 9.
How did you get into casting?
I used to be an appearing main at USC within the conservatory program that you must audition to get into. All of your common ed is waived, which is without doubt one of the advantages of that BFA program, in my view, however midway via my freshman yr, I spotted I didn’t love appearing sufficient to do appearing itself. I discovered myself in my courses drawn to everyone else, what roles they had been choosing for themselves and typically disagreeing. One in all my professors stated, “Hey, have you ever ever considered casting?” Again then I used to be like, “I don’t even know what casting is.” He bought me an internship and it went from there.
I’ve talked to a number of dozen casting administrators during the last yr as a part of this collection, and it continues to stun me what number of of you began as actors.
One in all my favourite courses was script evaluation, simply breaking down the script and discovering all these moments and beats and asking why this character does that and does it make sense.
The one factor that advantages a casting director coming from the appearing facet is after we’re breaking down a script, we’re breaking down each single character in that script. After we pull scenes from that script, there’s a purpose why these scenes are pulled. I take pleasure in breaking down this different character that I’m enjoying reverse of you, so I can provide you perception into why this individual is making an attempt to get one thing out of you on this scene.
I all the time inform actors that your job is to interrupt down one half, however take a few minutes to interrupt down the opposite character within the scene as a result of while you do this, it would open up loads of issues to your character.
Typically the actors simply have the tunnel imaginative and prescient of my half, my half, my half. Sure, however your half is responding to everyone else within the script. Why are you doing this? As a result of that individual wants one thing from you. It’s essential know what that individual wants from you, so you might want to spend somewhat little bit of time breaking down the characters apart from your individual to combat with to agree with or to maneuver your character in a sure path. It can allow you to along with your character.
Would you be stunned to listen to that in all the interviews I’ve carried out, you’re the primary casting director who stated this to me?
Critically? I believe it’s very important. That’s the craft of appearing. You possibly can’t put your character collectively in the event you don’t know what the opposite characters are attempting to do.
It makes excellent sense, I’m simply saying that I can’t consider that no one else has advised this.
Nicely, give it some thought this fashion. I bear in mind appearing 101. You put together your scene and also you’re performing and the trainer says, “Okay, swap.” Swap? I haven’t spent two seconds caring about what the opposite individual is doing. That’s not my character. Nevertheless, I’ll play my character higher as soon as I do know what that different individual wants. How exhausting will I resist it? How exhausting will I agree with it? I imply, it solely advantages your technique of placing your character collectively.
I keep in mind that very vividly. Swap. It was scary, it was intimidating, but it surely pressured me to acknowledge their goal within the scene.
How do you manifest that with individuals within the room?
Fairly truthfully, I’m infamous for working late as a result of I do spend a lot time with actors. The very first thing I say once they stroll within the door is, “Did you learn the script?”
I take pleasure in working in unbiased movie. I ship the script to everyone. If an actor has not learn the script, I ship them away. You can not throw away that chance to audition for one thing. When you haven’t any concept the place your character got here from and the place your character was going and also you’re this tiny little scene and pretending your method via it, it’s unacceptable.
There’s method an excessive amount of competitors on the market for you to not take this severely, and I’m spending my time breaking down the script to attempt to assist an actor get an element. If I’ve carried out extra work than the actor coming within the door to audition, that’s an enormous downside.
I’m exhausting on actors, however I believe that’s as a result of I used to be an appearing main and I do know what it takes. Depart all of it within the room.
I additionally inform actors by no means to proceed via a mistake, particularly with simply the casting director. Cease your audition in the event you began on the unsuitable foot. Nearly each single time, it opens up so that you can get a very fast observe to start out the scene once more. That’s your time within the room, and it’s not simple to get time within the room. I do know that. Take your time, personal your time, and use it properly.
You talked about how a lot you’re employed in unbiased movie. What’s the attraction for you?
I really feel like unbiased movie is just a bit bit extra natural. Placing it collectively, I really feel like I’m a lot extra of a workforce participant than simply the one who is doing amount versus high quality. I really feel like my voice is possibly somewhat bit extra heard in unbiased movies.
What’s totally different about Reagan?
Reagan is an unbiased movie, too, it’s only a beast of 1. I’ve been engaged on that film for most likely six years. And I’m strict in terms of authenticity for characters.
For instance, Margaret Thatcher. I used to be like, “There’s no method in hell I’m not casting a British actress to play Margaret Thatcher. One of the vital iconic British ladies in the complete world needs to be a British actress. We have already got Dennis, we have already got Jon Voight, and we have already got Penelope Ann Miller, let’s begin filling it in with these nice character actors that make sense in these components.”
I needed to place individuals on display that had been very respectful to the actual individuals, and thank God I had a workforce who had been like, “Yep, okay, that’s excellent.” It was a dream to work with them. Reagan being that unbiased movie, though it’s a beast, I nonetheless approached it the identical method.
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Written by Neil Turitz
