People who know me have heard me say: "Put 10% of the budget into AUDIO mix, music, sweetening, and it'll make as much as a 40% improvement in the finished video/animation."
There's another way to spend a little, but get a LOT MORE for your money. Disproportional value, in the right direction. I like that.
By CASTING the right talent, you'll not only get a superior performance, you'll make more progress on set, get more accomplished, avoid overtime, and deliver a top-notch product of which you and the client can be proud.
How to do it? It starts as a conversation with your talent agent or casting director:
1. Be clear about the project, the expectations, how it will be used...broadcast, internet, trade show, print, mobile.
2. Precisely describe what you are looking for...gender, age, ethnicity, "look."
3. Is the shoot date firm? Don't look at talent who will not be available to you.
4. Don't low ball...but be realistic. Be honest about budget limitations, but this is an area you DO NOT want to cut corners. (IF you start low ball, and then don't get what you need, you'll end up throwing more money at it, but have less time before the shoot date to commit the best talent. An undesirable trade off for sure.)
5. Communicate, communicate, communicate with your casting director or talent agent. Make sure details of the agreement are in place.
6. Relationships matter. Use a trusted source.
Think about these guidelines, and be ready for "Action!" End result: Happy client!
Thanks to Nanci Washburn at Artist Management in San Diego for providing MMP with great choices for this spokesperson lead, and other actors for our recently-produced scenarios. They made an ambitious production do-able, with uncompromised quality, completed on schedule and on budget.
