Directing & Casting Lab

The Directing & Casting Lab is a dynamic, in-person half-day workshop that gives directors, actors, and filmmakers professional tools for casting and performance direction. Participants learn a structured approach to identifying great actors and quickly elevating performance on set—without needing to step into the actor’s internal process. The workshop is fast-paced, interactive, and built around live, unrehearsed scene work. All experience levels are welcome!

Whether you're looking to cast the right talent, stand out in auditions, or better understand what makes performances work, this session offers real-world insight into the collaborative art of bringing characters to life under production pressure for film and theater.

What You’ll Learn

• Three essential qualities an actor must have to land the role
• How to quickly test for those qualities during casting
• Three practical directing techniques that consistently improve performance
• How to self-direct effectively when direction is vague or absent

Schedule

Foundational Lecture - Introduces three must-have actor qualities—plus two toolkits: one for recognizing these traits during casting, and another for directing performances efficiently and effectively. This lecture sets the foundation for everything that follows.

Live Casting Demonstration - An unrehearsed casting session with audience volunteers shows how the casting tools work in practice. (Note: Not all attendees will be brought on stage. Actors who wish to be considered must bring a prepared monologue.)

Live Directing Demonstration - In this segment, selected volunteers participate in unrehearsed scene work that highlights how clear, actionable direction can quickly yield strong, nuanced performances. It also illustrates the distinction between directing and acting coaching—equipping directors to guide outcomes without needing to engage each actor’s internal method.

Who Should Attend

• Directors wanting to get the performances they envision without overstepping the actor’s process
• Actors who want to improve their audition results, self-direct under vague direction, and understand how directors think
• Producers aiming to reduce performance-related risk and support stronger director-actor collaboration
• Writers eager to see their work brought to life and learn more about casting and directing
• Curious Creatives interested in how great performances are cast, shaped, and refined

Program Details

Dates: June 29, 2025

Time: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Location: Dorsey Library

Cost: $35 Early Registration per participant, $45 General Registration (June 24th)

Parking: Street Parking available

Meet Your Instructor

Franco has discretely script-doctored for movies and writers you've heard of. He's directed award-winning music videos and commercials for clients like MySpace and GBX Shoes. He worked as an editor on Ed Harris's Academy Award-winning film "Pollack". He designed and animated one of Universal Television's first hit reality shows "Blind Date". As a writer/producer for FX Channel, he cowrote with 5 time Emmy Award-winning writer Sandy Frank. He enjoys judging film festivals, mentoring emerging filmmakers, and working quietly in the background to help people succeed.

We are excited to create with you!

This event has been brought to you by our generous sponsors including the Miami Dade Cultural Division, Urban Film Festival, 1st Take Film Academy, Florida Film House.

Miami Film Lab

SUBTROPIC FILM FESTIVAL