Reader Question: Does a writer have any control over casting decisions?

A question via email from Z.D.:

First I would like to tell you that I am enormously grateful for your blog and your advice, which is really priceless, especially for an aspiring screenwriter. You really are a true mentor and a fantastic person for doing that. I could not imagine a better teacher.

I would like to ask you a question, if I may.

Is there any way to convince the producers to cast a certain actor in the movie made out of my script?

Let’s say, they liked the pitch, they are interested in the story and there is a chance they are green lighting the project.

However, to me, there is only a certain person, a certain actor I would like to play the lead. I do not care about the money as much as I care about the story itself, the right casting included, and let’s say I had a certain person in my mind while writing my Protagonist, and I would suffer to see anyone else in this role.

Is there any chance I have anything to say in this, or do I just need to accept the truth — that the producers decide, who is cast, especially if I am a newbie and do not have any connections or know that actor personally.

I would be really grateful for an answer, because in my method of work, I cast certain actors in certain roles in my mind a lot and then get attached to characters who have their faces and their voices and behave in a certain way.

Thank you very much in advance!

Z.D., when you “cast certain actors in certain roles” in your mind, this is a practice pretty common among screenwriters. It’s often referred to as “star casting” and I’ve interviewed pro writers who do the same thing. It’s a way of “seeing” a character, ‘hearing’ a character, getting a fix on them to facilitate the writing process.

That’s all to the good and I can certainly understand how and why a writer such as yourself, Z.D., can “get attached to characters who have their faces and their voices” reflecting a particular actor.

Here’s the deal: You have little to no control over these matters. Let’s say you sell a spec script. In meetings with producers, execs, and the director, you can certainly let them know your desires. Nothing wrong with that. It’s just that at the end of the day, it’s the director who is going to head off and make the movie. A casting director will be hired. They will put up dozens of names for key roles, perhaps including your actors, perhaps not. Offers will be made. Some actors will accept. Others won’t. Some may drop out to schedule issues. Casting a movie can be a highly fluid situation.

And there’s this: The actors you have in mind may simply not be available to do your movie. They may not even respond to the material. You have no control over that.

Besides your focus, especially as someone just breaking into the business, should be on getting the movie made. You want that credit in your resume. That’s how you can start to build a career.

So my suggestion is prepare yourself for the likelihood that your movie will not land your “star cast” actors. However while making that suggestion, let me offer up another thought: What if the actors they do cast knock the ball out of the park? What if they do an even better job than you could have imagined with your ‘star cast’ actors? It’s quite possible they can. So while steeling yourself to shut the door on your fantasy cast, open another door to the chance the real cast can take your story and do wonders with it.

Meanwhile, if “star casting” works for you as a tool to help you write great characters, keep at it. Just don’t get too attached to them. Once you set up your script, it becomes the blueprint to make a movie, a process in which the writer’s role gets smaller as the production moves forward. Therefore you would be wise to shift your fixation on your cast of actors to getting the movie produced.

If anyone has another question about the craft or business of screenwriting, please head to comments. For hundreds of other reader questions and answers, go here.

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