Movies

A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film and/or in a particular role.

What generally happens is that the performer is given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a camera to see if they are suitable. The developed film is later played back for the relevant production personnel for evaluation.

Screen tests can also be used to judge the suitability of costume, make-up and other details. But these are generally called costume tests, et cetera.

Different types of actors can have different tasks for each individual test. For example, a lead for a musical could be requested to sing and dance to demonstrate their skill. International actors like Bruce Lee are given screen tests to demonstrate that they are sufficiently articulate in the relevant language. In Lee's case, he was asked to converse about Chinese culture in English to judge his grasp of the language, then to demonstrate some martial art moves to show off his physical skills.