Key Takeaways

• Being mindful of diversity when selecting actors helps to create authentic relationships within your VGS that reflect real-world practice.
• Working with professional actors has advantages but leveraging the (sometimes hidden) talents of student actors, learners and educator partners can also yield excellent results.
• When selecting actors, approach the interview or casting process with an idea of what you have in mind, but stay open and curious about what the actor brings to the role.
• Creative work is inherently vulnerable. A safe, collaborative environment helps foster psychological safety.
• Rehearsals provide an opportunity to prepare for filming day but also serve as a great time to continue exploring. Have a plan but stay open and curious.
• Filming day can feel overwhelming. Creating and communicating a plan for the day, and closing the day with a debrief, can provide a counterbalance to the chaos of creativity.

Final Thoughts

Actors, quite literally, breathe life into the world of your virtual gaming simulation.