The Role of the Casting Director?

Begins when approached by producer or director, reading the script, have a meeting,
discuss ideas. How directors see the roles. Budget and understand level of actors that
work within budget. Organising casting session and helping casting session run
smoothly. Comfortable outside and insdie the room. Discuss directing and producer
negiogate fee and special stipulation (travel, accommodation, credit, size type,
position). Re-shoots.

Being a casting director?

Casting director and agent are different. Has to visit the theatre a lot as a casting
director or agent. Have a huge knowledge of actors (tv and theatre). Understand using
software, Mac literate and admin skills and visit theatre a lot and watch telly. Long
office hours. Its their own business. Be flexible. Doesn’t believe adding unnecessary
long hours for assistants.

Getting an Agent?
Difficult to get the attention for casting directors and agents. Ways to maximise
getting attention of casting directors and agents: writing has low success rate.
Headshot in the main body in the email. “guilding the lillith” – trying to hard to hard
to complex the mail, needs to be simple. “considered for any projects your casting”
“I’m an admirer of your work”. Agent – “Have a great taste” “fan of many of your
clients”, make it personalised. Keep brief. Photograph inside the body of the email.
Have the video frame within the body of the e-mail. Showreel spotlight or youtube
vid. Shortfilms (be careful and make sure your compensated adequately). Showreel or
film at home with an actor friend.

What is a good agent?

PMA (Personal managers association) Agent is no agent I better than a bad agent. A
good agent is advantageous. Without an agent, you’ll miss breakdowns and notices
from other companies. No guarantees with any agent or they’ll work for you. Once
you’ve reached a certain level, it’s all about what’s special about you and your work
that has inspired them to work with you. Pick up the phone on your behalf and
persuade me. “The performance that persuaded me” That’s how they promote you to
the industry. Good Agent: Client List, Location, more than 1 phone line. Be careful
outlandish claims on website. If they don’t have list of clients, bit worrying. Clients
have been playing policeman and lorryman, worried they’ve only been playing walk-
on roles. If they have similar actors (e.g. all blonde with green hair) without variety,
that’s worrying.

Applying for role?

Casting directors are very specific of what they want for actors and roles. Need to be
as truthful as you can be for “ am I right for this role”. Very rare casting directors will
send broad details. Look at age range, have accurate view of looks. Most people don’t
have casting and play a wide variety of roles.

Attending Auditions?
Biggest challenge is how to control nerves. The more auditions, work helps settle
nerves. Most helpful things is most cases, the people sitting other side of desk are no
where near as confident as you think they are. Many aren’t quite sure what they want.
Try to remember, they need to see your confidence. Not needing approval but
guidance. Be confident. Don’t say “That was shit” or anything negative. They
decisive if performance was good. “Not happy with that” is better response. Be
proactive and take control. Collaborate and listen but you control your craft. Never
worry on tripping up on words. Move on. Not fully-fleshed performance. Problem is
actor not very good or lacking dialogue believe its all about the words. Its about the
way how someone listens, they responses before they speak. Be present within on the
scene and relax within the character. And don’t be “an actor auditioning”.

Sight Reading?
Many actors hpope they’ll receive to learn lines before scene. But be the best you can
at sight reading. If you have problems with sight reading, make sure you ask the CD
or agent to get the material as fast as possible. Becareful that you walk through the
door and announce it, will make people think u haven’t done the work. most projects
are secretive, or lazy or director decides last minute auditions. They know they
haven’t had enough to work, its fine to read. The page should be an extension of you,
so let it move with you and don’t be fix or have page at weird angles. Don’t flick up
and down. Important moments are making connections. Don’t just say the word, have
the connections. That’s what closeups are all about. Read with passion. Wait to have
question answered. Risk losing your place when sight reading. You’ll be working a
lot, and won’t have time for audition. Unlikely be able to place hard work in all
auditions when busy and have to divide attention for different auditions. May sight
read for some. Prepare for any sight reading in your career.

Preparing to Audition?
Important consideration to prepare as much as possible, research, thought. But don’t
over rehearse. It’s unlikely to be fresh and may restrict you. If director has any other
thoughts, u will unlikely to play with the scene. Don’t have a fully rounded
performance. Have strong choices and decisions about who you are for commercials.
Always look at the context. Give enough thought to what is the message of the
commercial.

Tips for Directors?

Common errors with young directors is they don’t understand value of giving notes
and giving another performer. Very quick to dismiss actors. Some directors are not
understanding of being fluid and needing time as well as guidance to meet a mark.
Have a brief chat with the actor before reading. Have an attempt to break the ice
(exerperience thoughs characters etc). Also a mistake if they have a very fixed idea
about a character. (how to say a line). Directors should explain and understand
complex without saying a line. Give actors enough time to understand and learn. Take
time to focus one at a time whilst taking in actors time for other auditionees. Get the
scripts in good time.

Common Problems?
Biggest complaint is didn’t like a montage of music at the beginning of showreels.
Some casting directors aren’t keen on monologues. Its important to see how actors
react and hear. Prefer and advise duologues. Tight shows, not into crying or
screaming. If you’re not an actor whose not established, what they’ll be looking at is
truthful, economical, comical and simplicity. Less is more. Headshots: Not looking
for the most glamorus and pretty version. Risk of being 2nd best to pretty. They think
of a vast variety of roles. E.g. boy who doesn’t get the girl etc. photographs should
show different aspects of you. Different versions of myself. Sees confidence and
integrity and connection and life in your eyes. Avoid looking blank or hesitancy or
rabbit in headlights. If theres showreel, they’ll pay more attention to showreel than
CV. Who have you worked with and Where. Not about roles. Would rather see played
a soldier directed by Rufus Norris for example. Having credit with establishment or
people put them in. don’t place to many or don’t place every single role as they won’t
be helpful. For Accents, only placed down accents you are confident in. The one you
are asterisk closest to your natural.e.g. Wales. Cambridge. Truro location. Special
skills, (singing dancing, musical instruments (grade and level).

Ways to get noticed?

Most proactive thing to do would be watch a lot of film, theatre and literature. Not a
bad thing to write to a director to say how much the love their work afterwards. Or at
café theatre. Need to be sensitive and not outstay your welcome. Networking is
incredibly important. They’ll want references from shows you watched or people you
know. Any opportunity might develop. Write to people you admire rather than agents
and casting directors. Always build and develop your craft. Don’t be working for
nothing. Various cast breakdown services and get advice about those services.
Important to be on spotlight as they have theatrical/film monopoly.

Final Thoughts?
Hope given more confidence. Explain in particular about the process within the
audition room and has to be a collaboration between directors and actors.