Casting and Directing Actors

Nov. 15 · Hyatt Place (SEC Room) · 10:00 a.m.

How does one cast a movie? What do directors look for in an actor? How does a director craft a great performance? There are no simple answers to these questions because there are so many ways to think about screen performance.

This panel brings together five directors with a range of experiences and approaches to casting and directing actors (and non-professional actors). Panelists: Alejandro Hendricks (Airport BLVD), Paula Kay Hornick (My Mayfly), Darius Mackenzie (And Then I Knew ‘Twas Wind), Thomas Southerland (2026 FFK juror and winner of 2025 FFK Best Director prize for Other Houses), and Sophia Takal (Act One).