How Not to Respond to Casting Calls

I wrote a short silent film that I am starring in and producing. We finish principal photography tomorrow, and we're having a blast.

Tomorrow's scene takes place at a costume party, so I require other actors. I am doing the casting for this project myself (add Casting Director to the hats I'm wearing). I went through the rigamarole of getting it SAG-AFTRA approved, so that I can use union or non-union performers. (I'm SAG-AFTRA, so I needed the union's approval in order to cast myself!) I put a Casting Call on Back Stage, and I got way more responses than I thought I would for my little passion project film.

And as a result, I now have a bunch of helpful hints about what not to do when submitting for roles... (Many of which you hopefully already know.)

Here is my do not list, from the perspective of a first-time casting director...

(continued after the jump)

- Don't send me a blank email with just a headshot and résumé attached. It comes off as rude, as though you weren't willing to put in any more time than the absolute minimum to be considered for my project.

- Don't send me an obvious generic form email (the "To Whom It May Concern" or "Dear Sir Or Madam" type). I literally received four emails with exactly the same wording (which I assume people found on some sort of "how to write a cover letter" website). I am so much less likely to consider you than a person who said the name of my project, mentioned my name or the name of my production company, and said what role they would like to be considered for. Even just that little touch of personalization goes a long way.

- Don't wait to be chosen, then ask, "Will there be monetary compensation on this project," and then drop out when the answer is no. The subject of money is on my original casting call, and you have just wasted your time (and mine) by not reading it.

- Don't write in your email that you are, "looking for pay," even though my project is non-paying/deferred payment. I would be thrilled if I could make this project for the low, low price of a dollar (which isn't going to happen), and I'm not going to go dig around for money to pay you, when I have so many other people to choose from.

- Don't submit for something that you are wildly wrong for. If I'm looking for people in their 20s and you are 60, you could better spend your time submitting for projects that are looking for people like you.

- Do not send me a modeling comp card in lieu of a headshot. This makes me think that you are a model, not an actor. (I, personally, would actually prefer having candid shots of you instead of a comp card, because I think it's a better representation of what you actually look like. Headshots are the best, as they show that you are professional and take acting seriously. I don't know if other casting directors would feel the same way.)

- Do not send me a professional résumé in lieu of an acting résumé. (Your food service experience and typing speed do not matter to me if they have nothing to do with my project. Your GPA also doesn't matter, even if it's for a Theatre/Acting school.)

- Do not include that you have a degree (or have attended "some college") in a field that is unrelated to theatre. (Unless it is related to the role, i.e. the role is a nurse and you have a B.S. in Nursing.)

- Do not put your tech credits on a résumé. (Knowing that you have directing experience actually works against you, because it makes me concerned that you're going to try to direct. And knowing that you've done lights or sound or costumes has nothing to do with your experience as an actor.)

- Don't include super old pictures of yourself. I know you think that showing me a picture when you had long blonde hair shows me a different look than your current short black hair, but what it really does is confuse me as to what you look like now. And if I don't have the budget to wig you (which I don't), then the only thing that matters to me is what you look like right now.

- Don't send me a résumé that has no acting credits of any sort, and then says "Modeling credits available upon request" or "Commercial conflicts available upon request". If you literally have NO acting credits, then at least throw your commercials or modeling on there so that I can see something that you've done without having to request it. (The requesting process takes more time that I'm willing to put in to one specific person when I have way more responses than I need.)

- Don't include your background, stand-in, and photo double work in the email or on your résumé. They really don't tell me what I want to know about you as a performer.

- If the posting says the performer must own their own costume, do not write a message that says, "Do not have a costume," or "Need costume." This is not helpful. (Also, do not send an email in which you do not verify that you have a costume or neglect to state what the costume looks like.)

- Don't wait until the last minute to submit.* I am still getting submissions now, and I finalized my cast a while ago. The people who waited (or who didn't check the Casting Calls diligently) missed the boat (which is too bad, because some of them had great submissions).

[*NOTE: I am not saying that it is not worth submitting down the line. If I get a last-minute cancellation, I still might call up one of the later submitters. I'm just saying that your odds of getting chosen for an audition or a role increase if you are one of the first submissions instead of one of the last ones.]

- Do not submit if you are not available on the project dates. And definitely do not send an email saying that you are available on other dates and imply that I should change my production schedule around you. (Spoiler Alert: I won't.)

- Do not include your marital status.

- Do not include that you have children.

- Do not include your sexual orientation.

- Do not have a confidentiality clause at the bottom of your email, asking me not to send your headshot and résumé to other people. I understand that you want to be careful with your information, but if a casting director is going to forward your information to other industry contacts, isn't that a good thing? I might forward your information to my director, but I'm not going to do it at the risk of being sued.

 

And some things to do:

- Check the Casting Calls frequently and submit to projects as soon as they are posted.

- Personalize your email/cover letter. Say things like "Hi [casting director]. I saw your Casting Call for [film title] on Back Stage, and I would love to be considered for the role of [awesome character]. This project sounds great, and I really connected with [thing that was mentioned about the script in the Casting Call]. I would be great for this role because of my experience with [something awesome I did in my past]." (But don't copy this exactly, as that would break that generic form email "don't" from the list above.)

- If there is something about my project that interests or intrigues you, mention it. It's flattering for me to think that we can connect over this project that means so very much to me. (Someone wrote to me that she'd always wanted to do a silent film like mine. Guess who got called in?)

- If you genuninely think a project sounds amazing, but there isn't a role for you, you can send an email saying something like, "[Your project] sounds great. I especially like [this part of it]. Your work seems right in line with what I like to do, and I'd love for you to keep me in mind for your future projects." Or, "If you end up needing [my type] for this project, I am available and I would love to work with you."

- Be positive! It's totally great to read things like, "I can't wait to hear from you," "I'm looking forward to meeting you," and "I would be honored to be a part of this terrific project." Even something like, "Call or write me any time," makes me want to do just that.

- Put your personality into it. One guy who responded to my post made me laugh with his cover email, and I thought, "I bet he'd be fun to have on set." So I'm giving him a shot, all because he had an unconventional email that stood out and made me smile.

- If the posting asks for a picture of your costume/wardrobe options, then try to send a picture! You get lots of points if it is a picture of you wearing the costume, but you even get points if it is a picture of costume pieces laid out on the floor (sometimes it's hard to take a picture of yourself, and sending a pic of just the costume is better than nothing). If you do not have a way to take a picture, then describe the costume in your email to the best of your ability, and say that you can borrow a camera from a friend if they would like to see a picture. (I don't know about other casting directors, but if your costume sounds like it has potential, then I'm willing to wait to see a picture.)

- BONUS POINTS: Use both of the accent marks in the word résumé. It shows that you know the difference between the noun "résumé" and the verb "resume", which makes you look well-educated. (Many people may not notice it, but I give little mental bonus points to the people who write it correctly. And if you have the chance to get bonus points, don't you want to take it?)

 

Now go forth and submit wisely!

 

Do you have any tips about what makes a good submission? Leave them in the comments!

--Angela Sauer

Comments

[Anonymous]

Literally one of the dumbest articles I've ever read. Any extra in NYC has seen this girl say a ton of crazy shit on set that makes no sense. She went to a bad acting school in the midwest and makes a living doing union extra work. First off, it's a silent film that isn't paying. Why can't a model be in it? Honestly a print model would probably be better in a silent film than a bad theater actor like the writer. Also, if it's a small indie project someone with tech experience would be perfect to have on hand. Yes, of course, some stupid people respond to casting calls with resumes that are inappropriate, but you don't need to waste the time of people who actually read backstage with tips like " Do not send me a professional résumé in lieu of an acting résumé. (Your food service experience and typing speed do not matter to me if they have nothing to do with my project."

This girl is not a professional casting director. She is a "professional" background actress with stupid commentary no one wants to hear, even when they are being paid to be on set with her.

Dear Unscripted,

Please hire people with some actual acting or casting experience to write articles for you.

[jane doe]

I know some people dislike noting the degree if it's unrelated to theater/the role specifically, and I can see that bc it can potentially show a divergence to acting. But on the positive note I also think it shows if someone is intelligent...which is obviously worth something here as you note in the bottom something so particular as the accent on the word "resume." To me that just seems pretentious as someone who points out to pronounce the world "culinary" correctly. Just comes across as an anal and ironic note that contradicts what's listed above.

[Joann]

Yeah ... especially if the project is unpaid, I think it's absurd to judge actors upon their use of an accent aigu. The producer of such a project should count their blessings that anyone would volunteer for it.

[Patricia]

Seriously? I would give the author of this article some credit if she wasn't so self-indulgent and arrogant. All producers and casting directors operate differently. Some prefer submissions to be short and sweet - a headshot, resume, and request for what role the actor wants to audition for is usually enough. If you want a long winded submission from actors explaining why they want to work with you, then put that in the casting call. However, sending the RIGHT resume is crucial. I would be astounded too if I put out a casting call for acting only to receive resumes regarding technical or set skills.

I was also really put off by the "do/do not send ME" at the beginning of every point. It seems as if the person who wrote this thinks she's the only casting director who exists. It's completely unnecessary to be snobbish to the people you're going to potentially work with - especially if you don't plan on paying them.

[Kim]

I think it's kind of a bummer that you'd assume people with directing experience would somehow want to overpower you. I took directing in college and have directed several shows in my career thus far. I think I'm a better actor because of it.

[Tim B.]

Wow...gotta love how petty and immature people can be in the comments section. Especially those who hide under the anonymous tag. Was there anything in here new to me? No. However, there may have been some great points for the new kid on the block, and I found the article well written as well as humorous.

So she does background work. So what?!? People have to eat, and it provides a paycheck. As for her acting school, people study constantly. One school does not make or break someone. Not to mention, it's more about what you as an individual can take from a school/class. So, even if it does have a bad reputation, if she was able to gain something from it, then better on her.

What made me laugh though, was when you said a print model could probably do a better job on a silent film than ANY actor. For one, I would LOVE to see YOUR resume posted up here for us to judge your massive talent, before you try and attack hers. Somehow though, I know you won't have the guts for that Mr. or Ms. Anonymous.

Seems to me, this "bad theatre actress", as you so eloquently put it, is doing more than you. She has put together a small film, and is trying to make something happen. Maybe if you spent less time attacking others, and more time working on your craft, you could have a chance in this industry.

As for Jane Doe...I think her point there with the comment on résumé vs. resume, was simply to pay attention to detail. Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and the likes all play into how one perceives you. So, it makes sense to take the time to make sure you present yourself in the best light possible. Don't you agree?

Lastly, to Joann...there are thousands of actors out there that are trying to build their résumé, and start a name for themselves. So I assure you, there are plenty of people who would be willing to work on these projects. Let it be noted also, she did not say she was judging people on that. It was simply stated that it showed insight into either your knowledge of vocabulary, or your effort in presenting yourself in the best possible way, which would earn a notation. People do this every day. As a matter of fact, I am willing to bet you yourself do it. Maybe not over that, but in some other aspect of life. You judge and base things off of perception. Casting directors are human beings. People, just like you and I. They see thousands of submissions a day, and have to weed people out to get to the best possible few who they want to bring in. Do you really think for a second that something like that isn't possibly a deterrent? Just something to think about.

Anyhow, my kudos to Ms. Sauer for stepping up and writing this article. Best of luck to you in the future, and perhaps one day we will work on a project together. To everyone else out there...Break a leg!

*Oh...and though it's not my main email, feel free to shoot me a message. I'm not crazy enough to put that one up here, but will gladly field comments to my post from here if you would like.*

[Kat]

Actually, I ALWAYS put a confidentiality disclaimer on the bottom of my emails and here's why: I am a 20-something female emailing complete strangers with personal contact information and photos. Hopefully most people are legit, but there is never any guarantee. Should any of my photos or my contact information end up anywhere without my consent (such as some creepy website, for example, because one "casting director" was actually a pervert with a plan), then I have a record (I archive all submission emails) and can have my lawyer get involved. If someone legitimate is truly concerned about getting sued if they forward my information to another legitimate industry person, all it takes is a quick email back for permission. I get that this is too much trouble for some, and so be it. However, I have never personally experienced any backlash because I take extra steps to protect my image, my information and myself.

Also, the "resume" vs "résumé" bit is completely asinine. If I'm sending a submission from a mobile device in order to get it in as timely as possible, I'm not going to accent it properly. Sorry. I understand the difference between the two words, but honestly if someone is going to be that neurotically nit-picky, maybe I don't want to work for them, for free.

[anonymous]

Dear "Tim",

My opinions of this girl are based on spending a day with her when crazy stories kept popping out of her mouth. Everyone on set was annoyed by her and we all kept laughing over what she was saying if she ever walked away. She did part of a monologue at one point and it was awful. I did not make a claim that I was either a professional actress (although I do have more credits than what I see on her website) or a professional casting director, I simply don't see how she can call herself either. Because I've worked with her once I fear I may have to in the future and therefore I will not paste my reel, resume, or website. I must point out that I leave myself open to criticism daily with casting directors and friends who can easily see my website.

What she is doing should not be allowed. She is giving new actors bad advice based on her random thoughts. People reading this blog assume that these people are working actors, not random background workers with a pet project and apparently no background in casting.

[Anonymous]

I have been in the business on both sides of the table for many years. Backstage should be embarrassed to have this kind of ridiculous "advice" on their site. Who is this person?

[Jill W]

She went to FSU! They have a great MFA program.

I may not agree with all of her suggestions, but many of them are spot-on, and if someone is new to acting, they'll be helpful. (And she wouldn't have included some of those tips if she hadn't seen them!

Please don't badmouth someone and attack their on-set behavior online like this! That's just mean. Do we really need even *more* negativity in this business?

[Angela Sauer]

Hello Readers,

I am Angela Sauer, the blogger who authored this post.

The production team (aka the director and the PA) and I were blessed to have a lovely shoot on Monday. The actors who were involved were all kind, professional, and delightful. I felt honored that they were all excited to take part in this little project, and moreover, that they honestly wanted to help make it great. Two of the actors told me that they have also recently made short film projects of their own, and were happy to be able to help with mine. Another one of the actors documented the whole shoot with his camera, and vowed to send everyone photos of the process. We truly could not have asked for a better group of people to work with.

In the end, we literally had hundreds of submissions from actors who wished to be cast. In fact, we’re still getting submissions now, two days after the shoot date. I was shocked and humbled by how many people wanted to work on this short, especially in light of the fact that we could not afford to pay them. And I am grateful to everyone who submitted, for showing interest in this small little film.

I read every submission, looked at every headshot, and examined every résumé. Because as an actor, I hope that when I submit, I will be considered. I wanted to show that respect to every actor who was willing to take a chance on this little project. I chose actors for the short based on whom I thought would be great to work with (gauging from the small amount of communication that I’d received from them) and everything worked out splendidly.

I was surprised by some of the things I saw in submissions, which is why I decided to write this blog post. In the above post, I never claimed to be anything other than I am: a first-time casting director working on a non-paying passion project, looking at submissions for the very first time. I never claimed that I could speak for other casting directors; rather, I used the word “me” in my phrasing, to make it clear that these are my opinions.

I am grateful to the commenters on this post for sharing their own insights, which is exactly what I always hope will happen when I write posts. I shared my opinions on confidentiality disclaimers, and told you what they look like to me, a first-time casting director who has never used them as an actor; I got a great response in the comments showing a different perspective of why an actor might want to use one, which I found to be helpful and educational. Thank you so much for sharing your own thoughts!

At Back Stage: Unscripted, the bloggers are not stars who have been working for 50 years and have decades of experience to draw upon. We are all actors who are in various stages of our journeys, and learning all the time. I am finding out things now that I didn’t know when I started writing for Back Stage three years ago, as an MFA student in Florida. I didn’t even know what online submissions were when I lived in Chicago five years ago. I know that there are readers out there who may be further along in their journeys than I am, and who may already know about some of the things that are new discoveries to me. But I also know that there are readers who may benefit from my newfound knowledge.

It is always my hope that my writing is going to help or inspire others. I had hoped that this post would be beneficial to actors who are just beginning to submit online for roles and auditions, as I was this time last year. I chose not to share specific examples of the things I had seen, but rather to give general pointers of what I thought might make submissions more successful. It was never my intention to offend anyone with my writing, and I apologize if anything I wrote was upsetting. The above post, as with all my posts, is comprised of my opinions, based off of my experiences. I am not an expert; I am an actor who hopes to help make the pavement a little smoother for other actors following on the road behind me.

All good things,

Angela Sauer

[Anne]

I find the attacks here pretty bizarre. We've all seen bad advice from people who are spouting off out of their league. But this author couldn't have been clearer that she was experiencing "first impressions" from the other side of the casting table, and that the pool she plays in is made up of relatively low-budget projects.

This advice would not make sense if you were submitting for The Good Wife. But then, when we're talking about bringing your own wardrobe to the set...we're not talking about The Good Wife. There are apparently people sending in resumes (I do have to say "whatever" on accenting) with fast food and retail experience on them. That's kookoo, someone should tell them (and just did). Why is she in trouble again?

If you're trapped in low-budget land, then guess what, everyone else is there trapped with you. The director, the CD, the producers, the PAs...everyone thinks they deserve better. Just like you, they want to do more and certainly get paid more. This is the best audition your agent could get you, or that you could get on your own...so get over yourself.

Don't turn your nose up at your peers, the people who would be happy to have you (vs. The Industry, which can make anyone feel small whenever it feels like it). It seems to me the main advice in this is: treat your CD like a human being with problems to solve, no time for gamesmanship. They can't schedule around you because the location is a favor and has already been secured for whatever day. The equipment rental orders are in place. Backing out after you've been cast is a sign of disrespect no matter who you think you are -- if you're not actually available for a project, don't waste your colleague's time clogging up their inbox and then auditioning only to decide you're too good for it.

This is obviously one person's opinion, especially when it comes to the details, but it's worth at least thinking about making thoughtful submissions that are appropriate to this particular casting scene. Sometimes artists get comfortable when they're working for free, or for very little. They think they don't have to be professional, considerate or disciplined -- but with attitudes like I'm reading, it seems like they could use the practice.

Remember, "the readiness is all."

[BEV]

Angela I am an actress starting out and I found your post to be helpful so thank you. :-)

[The Reel Room]

This is a great article for people starting out, and I agree with your tips. One thing you don't mention is acting showreels - if an actor has one, I would wholeheartedly agree with putting a link to it in their cover email. After all, what better way to get an idea of what somebody is like than by actually SEEING them act?

[Emily]

I'm not an actor, but in my line of work it would be considered really unprofessional to make fun of a co-worker behind their back, and even more so to go out of one's way to publicly ridicule them after one day's experience with them. I would never hire someone whom I knew to be engaging in that type of behavior, as it shows a distinct lack of class, character, and maturity.

If you have to say something anonymously because you fear having to own the mean things you're saying about someone on their posting the next time you meet them, perhaps you shouldn't say those things at all.

[Amy]

Having had some experience as a Casting Director myself, I would say that much of Angela's observations are spot on. The critical comments posted here seem to be based in defensiveness and pettiness. Glean what you can, add it to your toolbox and move on. We're none of us too experienced to learn something new.

[famous theater actors]

I have read out your whole blog & I found so many informative ideas that I should definitely kept in mind. Thanks for sharing!