The Hiring Process and Interview
Once you determine the type of actor you want for your virtual gaming simulation, as well as the budget you have to hire an actor, you can start the hiring process. As the project lead, you may also be the director, casting director, and other various roles during the hiring process for the actors. This may be a new role for you and this page could help you through the process.
Finding Actors
There are various resources to locate actors for your virtual gaming simulation. At Centennial College, there is a Theatre Arts and Performance program that has access to student and alumni actors that you can hire. You can search your own institution for similar programs or reach out to other institutions, like Centennial College, for support to find actors.
If your institution has an acting program, you can establish a process to collaborate on filming virtual gaming simulation projects, as well as other in-person simulation opportunities. Collaborating with internal (or external) institution programs can help build an interprofessional approach to developing virtual simulations. This type of approach can support and enhance learning with all programs involved. It can also enrich the overall virtual simulation experience during the development stage, as well as post-production. In addition, it supports the importance of student-educator collaboration in the development of educational resources for students.
To find actors who have lived experience as a client or family member, you can contact healthcare institutions or advocacy groups. For example, St. Louis Children’s Hospital has a program that has trained patients and family members to play the roles in medical scenarios (Crow, 2012).
Social media is another platform you can use to find actors. You may have individuals within your own social circle or know someone who can help you in your search. Posting the character description and casting calls on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube can help you find a diverse range of actors and connect you to the industry. Social media is also a good way to network and find support within the industry, as well as see the actor’s personality and how they are representing themselves in their profession.
You can also find actors through an actor agency. If using a hiring company, it is important to clarify the actor’s role in the virtual simulation, the overall expectations within the project, and answer any questions about the virtual gaming simulation process. Direct communication with the actor can avoid miscommunication and delays in the production phase.
Key Components in an Actor Resume
There are key components that you want to review when you schedule and interview actors. When reviewing the actors’ resumes, look for:
- Past acting experience — theatre, film, voiceover, commercials, web series, podcasts, or other.
- Types of roles they have played — the character, role, emotional aspects, collaborations with others.
- Part of a union or not — impacts wages and documentation.
- Past collaborations.
- Stats — height, weight, physical appearance, languages, special skills, website.
- Head shots.
- Demo reel — samples of acting.
Listen to Matt Newton, acting coach, on key points on an actor’s resume:
The Interview
Once you have selected the actors you want to interview, the next step is to contact the individuals. You want to explain the virtual simulation, the role of the character you will be interviewing them for, and the characters’ backstory. You can send them 1–2 scenes for the actor to perform, record, and send you prior to the in-person interview. This will help you to see how the actor embodies the character, their preparation and ability to memorize lines, and how they use their environment/lighting. You also want to outline the filming dates/time frame, pay rate, location of filming, and what to expect during the in-person interview (e.g., reading scenes, who will attend, time, location).
During the in-person interview, begin with introductions, review the scenario, character backstory, expectations for the role (e.g., exposing body, moulage, dress requirements, who will be on set), what is required when filming a virtual gaming simulation (e.g., flexibility of performance when playing the first-person point of view), availability for filming days, and answer any questions.
The next step is to learn about the actor. You can ask them the following questions to learn more about the person, their acting style, and if they will be a fit for the role:
- Tell us about your acting experience (e.g., film, theatre, commercials, voiceover).
- What do you do to prepare for a role? (e.g., how do you prepare for filming, memorize lines, embody the character/environment, and play off the other actors)?
- How do you take direction, redirection, and feedback from the director (you) and other actors (professional/trained and not professionally trained actors)? Follow-up questions:
- Can you provide an example of how you incorporated the director’s notes/feedback?
- Can you describe a time when you disagreed with the director’s notes/feedback/script?
- How do you perceive your role in providing feedback?
- Have you worked with non-professionally trained actors?
- How do you collaborate with your peers (e.g., feeding off each other, improvisation, close monitoring and matching character and peer cues)?
- Do you have any personal experience with scenario topics? This will initiate a psychological safe environment by explaining the virtual gaming simulation learning outcomes and expectations.
You should also:
- Discuss the days and hours required for filming, the production agenda, pay rate and documentation required.
- Explain how the images and videos will be used (open access, commercially, social media).
- Ask if they have any unanswered questions.
After the interviewing questions, act out one to two scenes from the script. It is good to choose one challenging scene from the script to assess the actor’s emotions, tone, and realism within the role. It is important to perform the scenes together with the actor to assess their movements, gestures, emotions, voice and interpretations of the role.
You can ask the actor if they have any suggestions or if they would like to try something different. Each actor’s process may be different. Encourage the actor to share their insight and creativity as this can support their vested interest in the role.
Listen to Erica Arnold, CSA and Anne Chapman, CSA discussion and tips on the casting process:
End of the Interview
After the interview, share with the actor when the team will make a decision and what will be required. For example, expectations of role, non-disclosure documentation, use of film/images/audio (e.g., open access used by nursing students internationally, research), copyright privileges, social media, and confidentiality.
When following up with the actor’s references, ask about their relationship with the actor, about their experience collaborating with the actor (e.g., director, peer, ability to memorize lines, working with others, take directions, communication), reliability, accountability, strengths and areas of improvement.
Educator Tip
It is important to be transparent and clarify with the actor their role, expectations, and to answer any questions about the virtual gaming simulation prior to the production phase.
Here are a few examples to consider when discussing the actor’s role.
- If the actor is required to eat food during a scene, clarify if they have any allergies, food intolerances, and preferences when food will be used during filming. For example, in the Meal Assistance VGS the actor had to eat a large portion of porridge and yogurt.
- If the actor is required to expose their body, you want to make sure they are comfortable and a safe environment is established. For example, in the Pediatric VGS the actor had to expose their abdomen when the nurse assessed their bandage.
- If the actor requires prosthetic/mannequin body parts/props (e.g., breast, buttocks, bloody menstrual pad) or moulage (e.g., lesion, hemorrhoids) this should be discussed with the actor prior to hiring to ensure they agree with the scene/situation. For example, in the Postpartum VGS breasts and abdomen prosthetic, mannequin buttocks with hemorrhoids, and a menstrual pad with fake blood and clots were used.
- If the scene has a sensitive topic and the actor is required to display a variety of emotional responses, it is important to discuss with the actor the scenes and determine if there are personal past experiences that may be triggered. For example, in the Health History VGS, LGBTQ2S+ biases are addressed and the actor’s role required a triggering emotional response.
Addressing the following examples with the actor prior to hiring will allow the actor to make an informed decision whether the role is appropriate for them.
Insights from the Student Team
What Qualities Make the Actor Appear/Feel Authentic in the VGS
“Looking back over the many virtual games I completed in nursing school, the one that stands out as the most authentic was based on a home mental health assessment VGS. I recently replayed it to see if I could better understand what made it stand out as authentic. What I found interesting was how much of the content in the VGS seemed tailor-made for me. The content of the VGS matched my interest in mental health and my goal of working in community health nursing. Even the way it was shot and edited, in a more cinematic style than some others, seemed to connect to my previous experience and career in theatre and film.” ~ David Beazely
The authenticity of any performance is ultimately highly subjective. An old maxim, “the IT factor,” describes some undefinable unique quality that makes a performer stand out and allows them to connect more meaningfully with their audience. There is a long history across many schools of acting that aims to understand this enigmatic attribute, but that is far beyond this project’s scope.
There is, however, a body of work by nursing academics that explores authenticity in nursing simulation-based learning, including the student experience. An interesting discussion in the literature is the distinction between fidelity and authenticity, which are often used interchangeably. Some argue that fidelity refers to the representation of reality as closely as possible (real supplies, equipment, and procedures), while authenticity is determined by the learner based on the dynamic interaction between all the elements of the VGS. A student’s unique experiences, perceptions, and skills all contribute to their evaluation of authenticity within the game.
This takes on authenticity and incorporates the student experience throughout the development process and not simply as part of the end-user experience. When it comes to qualities that make the performance feel authentic, it is not about looking for “the IT factor” but instead, “the FIT factor.” When selecting actors, look for qualities that connect back to the answers to the question posed in Chapter 2 related to conceptualizing the overall simulation.
Reference
Salminen-Tuomaala, M. H., Leppäkangs, E., & Perälä, S. (2020). Towards more authentic simulation-based learning – Nursing students’ experiences. Clinical Nursing Studies, 8(4), 18. https://doi.org/10.5430/cns.v8n4p18
