The animator at work

Do you need an actor to film a video?

We look at cases when you can use a non-actor in your video

It would seem that any advertising shooting implies the presence of an actor. But this is not always the case - I share a story that will show that an actor is not always needed.

Last summer, we filmed a project for Vivo smartphones. We needed to make a lifestyle video with the integration of a smartphone into the life of a hero. One of the videos was about the life and hobby of a supboarder. When we were casting, the question arose before us - whether to invite an actor or use a real supboarder.

It would be super lucky if the actor was a professional supboarder. But alas, there were none. We decided to invite a real supboarder to the shooting. Here are some casting tips:
1. In a live video where you don’t need to act out different emotions, you can use a non-actor
2. In scenes with life situations of the hero, where there are no dialogues, a non-actor is also possible
3. Not an actor will definitely be useful in in complex scenes using sports equipment or technical equipment. On the other hand, an actor under the supervision of a professional can also perfectly wean and perform all the necessary movements.
4. In the shooting timing, you need to include more time for preparation of a non-actor: explaining the essence of the scene and his task. It is important to talk to a non-actor about the shooting timing in advance, as it's not always obvious that a minute video can shoot 5 or 7 hours :)


Conclusion: you can use a non-actor in a like-style video where there is no game of emotions and dialogues.

Do you need an actor to film a video?

If I'm not shooting or promoting videos today, it means the end of the world has come