Reading through the script: The table read
The table read is an informal get-together for the cast and director (and other
prime production people) in which they sit down and read the script from
beginning to end. This is the first time you’ll hear the script come to life —
kind of like a radio drama without the sound effects and music — and it’s an
important stage during which the actors are heard together in one sitting.
Have the actors read through the script several times and study their characters before coming to the table read.
The whole cast should be at the table read. This is the one rare occasion when
the entire cast and the director are in the same room together. Because most
films are shot out of context, it also may be the only time the actors hear the
story from beginning to end, giving them, and you, a sense of the story’s continuity. This helps the actors make choices and understand the story better
when on the set and shooting a scene out of context. The actors can refer to
the table read and know what came before and what follows after.
During the table read, you hear what works and what doesn’t. If it’s a
comedy, does everyone find it funny? This is also the opportune time to
answer questions from the cast as they read through the script together