What Casting Directors Aren't Telling You

Secrets, secrets, secrets!!

Ok, so I dedicated this summer to attending alot of Casting Director workshops. It was important to me to build great relationships with key industry players this year so that by the time Pilot Season rolls around, I am an actor they are familiar with.

I've learned a lot things that have blown my mind about what goes on in the casting room and what goes on inside the head of a casting director. 

I'm excited to be sharing these simply because I am relatively new to the TV/Film world (went to school in NY, have done theatre since high school) and I figured that if I didn't know about alot of these *secrets*, than many people perhaps didn't. 

Ok, here goes!

- Don't ever give casting directors a reason to say no to you. If you give them any doubt or show them you're needy, they will not call you back. This includes:

a) Talking too much. The quicker you can start working, the better. 

b) Asking too many questions. If you have a question about a relationship  between 2 characters, go ahead and ask. But you should have all the information you need in those sides. And you know those areas that are crossed off? Read those too!

c) Taking too long to "center" yourself. To the actor who asks, "Can I just take a moment to center myself?" - you're already in hot water! Again, the quicker you can start working, the better.

- Common sense: Don't touch anyone. Don't shake their hand unless they extend it to you. It's an issue of germs really. And please don't touch them in the scene. Again, common sense.

- Anything that can help you get the job, do it! Reading the entire script is crucial, as it tells you what the tone of the show is. Call the casting office and ask if you can come down and read it. If they have access to the script, most times they'll let you come in and read it.

- Every choice is valid. It might not be the right choice, but it is a valid one. A bold choice is much more appreciated than no choice at all.

- No need to memorize your sides, that's what they're there for. However, if there is a part of the script that you are consistently tripping up on, memorize those lines!

- However, if you've been asked to come in fully memorized, try memorizing without the sides in your hand. Since you will not have them inside the audition, it's important to keep your hands free while you memorize.

- For a pre-read, you will get a choice of scenes to read. Choose the scene that shows what you do best and gives you range.

- Common sense: Couches zap your energy. Waiting around for a long time sucks, but don't stay seated the whole time. You will regret it come audition time.

- If your audition is being taped and you flub a line early on, it's okay to ask if you can do it again. Now, if you are almost done with the sides and you flub a line, you should not ask to do it again. But a few lines in? Go ahead. 

- Putting a directors name on a resume helps to establish trust.

- Lastly, paper this town. Have your face be seen. Don't be afraid to send your headshot and resume in, and to follow up, and to send postcards. Eventually, they will start to recognize your face. 

Hope this helps, it sure was enlightening to me!

-- Dominique Toney | @domtoney

Photo by Christopher Ford

Comments

[Ja'Quan Floyd]

Thank you SO Much for letting me know this very valuable info. Please if you have any advice on helping me make it in the industry e-mail me please. Also check out my url.

[Billy DaMota CSA]

Dominique;

These are not secrets!

You are kind to share what you've learned...but PLEASE tell me that you didn't pay too much for this info!

While this may be generally useful info for some newbie actors, almost every actor I know understands these fundamentals as standard operating procedure. Most tips you've listed are pretty much no-brainers.

The #1 rule in approaching different casting offices is to remember that every casting office operates differently. What works for one CD may alienate another. And as much as I personally appreciate the kind of initiative you display, much of the info actors learn in workshops is often unqualified, coming from the casting assistant workbook of things to say to actors when taking their money in a workshop. It's hit and miss at best, and as you know, there are many instances when a casting person says "thanks very much" and goes home. Additionally, much of this info can be found in books for less than $20.

Rather than paying thousands of dollars (many actors do) to gain questionable access to casting offices, and gain often dangerous advice from casting clerks, actors could spend much less to get the real dope from genuine networking venues like The Actors Network and others.

And how many generals have you gotten since in LA? Get into offices where you don't have to pay for access, and the info and interest will be the real deal.

The bottom line is this: information is power. Understanding how the business works is a good thing. I'm just not sure that paying all that dough in workshops - to casting assistants who are making their car payment with your rent money - is the most effective way to invest your actor dollars.

Fyi, you can (and should) always shake my hand, and absolutely use me in a scene if it makes your work better - which is the ultimate goal.

Hope we meet soon. No charge.

All good luck,

Billy DaMota CSA

[Lonni]

Nothing to do with your post, but I'm curious. How did you style your natural in your old headshot? Flexi rods? Roller set? Sorry to be off topic. Haha!

[Dominique Toney]

Hi Billy,

I appreciate your comment, however I am surprised at the tone of your response, considering you are a casting director yourself.

I do think it's fair for someone like you to belittle any kind of information, whether you think it's common or not.

As I mentioned in my blog post, alot of the information was new for me, so in a sense it is like a secret. I did mention that I am fairly new to the TV and Film world. I am not an actor who has been auditioning for television for 10 years, so forgive me if the information is deemed as "trite." It's not.

And lastly, the workshops I'm attending are with actual casting directors, not casting associates. I will not name names here obviously. Can I ask where you are located? Most of the workshops held in the greater los angeles area with the actual CD's, or at least the workshops I attend. The information I've received and shared is from people who actually care about actors, not from assistants who are trying to pay their school loans off.

[Dominique Toney]

Hi Lonni! I am happy to answer your hair question lol. I used rod curlers. Not the ones that are flexible, but the hard ones.

[Billy DaMota CSA]

Sorry, not trying to belittle, promise. Just making a point that much of the info in workshops is subjective and specific to particular offices. "Don't wear perfume, don't shake their hand, don't use their stapler or move their furniture."

Most advice that I know about - in my opinion - is generally basic and/or unqualified, and MOST guests at MOST workshops are assistants and associates. Not sure which workshops you attend, but I can tell you for a fact that if most of the guests at the one you attend are CDs and not associates, then THAT is the secret! :)

I'm a casting director in Los Angeles (link to my IMDb above), and am quite familiar with who appears at what workshops and what goes on. I'm of the mind however that if the casting people you meet really "care about actors" then you wouldn't have to pay them to learn their "secrets"!

Billy DaMota CSA

[Caitlin]

Information any actor would want to know!

[Allie]

Check out my blog. It really helps you learn how to get your foot in the door, especially if you're just starting out. From someone who has learned and wants to spread the knowledge!

[Dominique Toney]

Thank you Caitlin! I do believe it's beneficial information for any newcomer, and a nice reminder for folks who've been doing it for awhile!

[Shelli F.]

To Billy, I would like to say KUDOS and thank you for telling it like it is! Dominique, I understand and appreciate the words of wisdom but since, as you say, you are new to the film business, it might be wise to take the advice of a seasoned casting director, as Mr. DaMota is. Out of respect for him, I won't share my general opinion of casting directors. The fact is that all auditions suck, speaking as an actor myself. I also have not been auditioning for 10 years but I am familiar with the most popular casting directors names and Billy DaMota is one of them. He is trying to say, as nicely as possible, that no two casting directors are alike so no matter how many workshops you attend, your money is probably better spent honing your craft and driving to auditions than attending the workshops of people that are most likely never going to remember you. The points you made are good ones...the things every new actor has to learn about the business but there is more to it than that. The way to get a casting director to notice you is not by paying them your hard earned money but by attending their auditions and showing them how passionate you are about your craft. Another one of the REAL secrets about the business is that it is an incredibly small universe we all move about in and you never know who knows who so you need to be kind to everyone...and if you can't be kind, at least try not to make any enemies.

[how to become famous actor]

Amazing & informative post! Yeah I do agree with you that don't get be indecisive to raise a question because it relay to your performance, if you don't have all the obligatory information about character then you could not alive the character on screen. Apart from that very nice post, will surely bookmark this page for my future reference. Thanks for sharing!

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[jay]

it seems dominique that you over thinking and analyzing when it comes to auditions.If you have been practicing and working on acting .Which should be every waking minute if your serious about it .Then auditions should come easy.I find over the course of my life when ever faced in situations.Like auditions just use affirmations and let it go .Understand theres very little you can control in this world.Go in do what you been training/trained to do and leave.

[Eric]

Good tips. Thanks for sharing. I agree 100% on the valid choices. Way too many people who want to act are afraid to make the wrong choice.

I don't see the touching thing the same as you; but I understand where you're coming from.

[Justin Duncan]

Hello, I am an actor in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area soon moving to Austin to pursue film. I have a couple of works that I've done and have made a film reel on this. What should I change/Where can I find auditions for film in Austin?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-nC8zpWMe4