John Walker Gray

Well, I'll try to give you some insight on how one get's onto the silver screen...

First off you are asked by your agent to audition for the part. This can take the form of a “self tape”, where you learn the lines and videotape yourself performing the piece. Sometimes the casting agent / director will want to see you in person for an audition, so then you'll have to do the same thing in from of them. So you'll have to have learned the lines and this time you perform in front of the casting agent / director or even writer..

Having gone through that process you have to go back for a recall...doing the same scene or maybe another scene and then the fun starts...

When you get selected for the part, you get sent your script for the part you will be performing for and you learn your lines and you'll  have to learn how to perform them (this is my process).

It all takes time...sometimes you get plenty of time and then there are times you get a couple of days to prepare...depends on the production...

On the day of the shoot you are picked up and taken to the set ( larger productions). On the smaller ones, you may need to get there yourself....then it's into costume, get some makeup, and you go to your dressing area (normally a trailer)...

Then you sit and wait....and wait....and wait.......you get the idea...until the director or production assistant comes over and calls you to be ready for your take(s).

Just prior to you arriving on set, you may get "miked up", which means they may put a wireless microphone on you in a hidden place. On other mostly larger productions, there will be a special sound team that often works with microphones on long fishing-pole like units.

After that's done, you do a run through (rehearsal) , when that's approved and okay, you do a rehearsal on camera... and when that's all tested and done - often has to be done several times - then you shoot a “Take”  ...Take One and....ACTION...

After the rehearsels and first takes, you have a master shot, single shots, close ups, tighter shots... and when you hear the director yell “Cut/Reset” you have to do it all over again ...and again....and again...until the director is happy with the take... When it's all done it's a " Wrap" 

Basically you can be there for ages....

For example :

1 page of script = 1 minute of film (roughly)
1 min on screen can take 1 hour to shoot (roughly)

...a wee example is that while shooting the film WWZ I was on set for 12 DAYS and the time on screen was about 4 mins long....

The short film “HUNTERS”, which is around 16 mins long, took 5 days to shoot... So it's mainly the script and the director who's vision needs to be created and that determines the length of time on set.