The Truth About Casting [Not sold out; click on the Eventbrite link below.]

Casting can feel like a closed door. This course is designed to demystify casting from the ground up.

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Led by respected casting director Rhonda Fisekci, this Q&A session will walk filmmakers through the real-world casting process. This includes how casting decisions are made, how filmmakers and casting directors collaborate, and how indie filmmakers can work with union actors.

The format of this event will be a Q&A. A moderator will help guide the conversation and then it will be opened to the people in attendance to ask any specific questions they may have. This will run from 10am to noon with time afterwards to mingle and continue learning.

A key focus of the course is helping new filmmakers understand ACTRA, where the vast majority of professional actors in Canada work. Many emerging directors feel intimidated by unions and are unsure how to approach them. This session puts a human face to the process, breaks down common misconceptions, and shows how working with ACTRA can be both accessible and beneficial. Even on indie productions.

Understanding casting earlier in your filmmaking journey leads to stronger performances, smoother productions, and better films overall. This session will help you see casting as a creative partnership and not an obstacle.

This event is sponsored by the Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers. CSIF was founded in 1978 by a collective of twelve filmmakers who saw the growing need for film resources and film equipment on the traditional Treaty 7 territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, Piikani), the Tsuut’ina, the Iyarhe Nakoda Nations, the Métis Nation (Region 3), also known as Calgary, Alberta. Now over 40 years later we are an integral part of the growing cultural community in Calgary and are excited about new collaborations and opportunities.