The Casting Toddcast

The Casting Toddcast:

After working in the industry for a number of years, I know what actors want to know. This Casting Director will tell you.

First, I recently received an email with a question about headshots which pops up often. So, I’m sharing this short Q&A:

Question: “I’ve rewritten my resume and am interviewing with several photographers for headshots. However, what do you think I could be marketed as? That may sound like a broad question, but I liked and understood your comments about my old head shots, so when looking for new ones I think I need an idea of what I could be marketed as. I would obviously prefer mature roles over child roles. I have been told by a manager, that I have an “indie” look. Is there a market for me to play dark, dramatic, “indie” roles? Or is it better to show my teenage side? If you have a moment, let me know what your thoughts are on this.

My response: I hope this response isn’t too ‘esoteric’ but here it goes: as far as doing a great photo session, I don’t think it’s necessary (at all!) for you to be concerning yourself with the question of marketing. How you look right now and, more importantly, how you ‘feel’ right now is ALL you should concern yourself with. It is a triumph if you come away with a really simple, truthful, honest, (and most importantly, unselfconscious!) representation of your ‘essence’ captured in a photo. It’s simple really. My favorite shots are ones that seem effortless…with zero concern about how you WANT us to perceive you…rather, in a kind of (I like to say) state of ‘repose’ (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repose) at rest. Waiting. Perhaps THINKING about a reaction. But, it’s the moment BEFORE that reaction. (And by ‘reaction,’ I mean anything the photographer might say to evoke some expression from you. I like the shutter to capture the moment before the reaction INSTEAD of it. Think NOT about anything else. Hope that’s helpful!

I always say ‘Process’ not ‘results’. You’ve got to think of auditions more
as rehearsals or workshops rather than ‘opening nights’! Auditions are
much easier to wrap your head around, if the headspace you’re in is
‘workshop’ instead of ‘performance.’

Another thing to consider is room tone. I had my class in a small, windowless, airless studio today and had a “eureka” moment while auditioning (working): A room exponentially changes the ‘algebra’! Even the shortest, briefest silence sucks every drop of air out of the room. Warning: in this environment, best to pick up those cues Tighten gaps.

As for becoming memorable, by any means necessary… check out one of my followers: Lillian Mara. I really liked her reel! The only thing I would suggest is, change the whole ‘hire me,’ pick me, love me thing…Obviously, you want us to hire you. We get that. Don’t beat us over the head with it. Choose instead to say something interesting about yourself. Unique to you. Something that we couldn’t possibly associate with anyone else. Think about it. (more about this later).

As for auditions… Audition, audition, audition. Auditioning really cannot be taught. Acting can sort of be taught (more on that later), but no one can teach you what it’s like to audition. You just have to DO it (like NIKE)! Over and over and over and over (are you getting it?) again. And I mean for everything you might be remotely right for. And if you can’t find anything you might be remotely right for, then, audition for stuff you’re wrong for just for the experience of auditioning. The more you do it, the less intimidating it becomes. Scour the trades for open calls for student films, for plays, for anything and everything.

I hope this helps. Keep at it.

On a closing note, some wisdom from the wise:

“Tell the truth. It’s the easiest thing to remember”
David Mamet True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor

“In short: there are no rules. And here they are.
Scott Mc Cloud, Making Comics.

“…people don’t behave against their true nature. That’s what I look for in my work: when a writer can deftly describe the human experience in a
way that you didn’t think could even be put into words. That doesn’t
happen often, but it gives me something to play inside. Too much time
our culture fears subtlety. They really want to make sure you ‘get it.’
And when subtlety is lost I get upset.”
Philip Seymour Hoffman

“One of the most important keys to acting is curiosity. I am curious to the point of being nosy. What that means is you want to devour lives. You’re eager to put on their shoes and wear their clothes and have them become a part of you. All people contain mystery, and when you act you want to plumb that mystery until everything is known to you.”
Meryl Streep Lynne Hirschberg NY Times Magazine article on Philip Seymour Hoffman

Make art… “breathe, and rise above it”
Paul Dallaghan, Yogaman

“Casting has been defined as the process by which a producer decides which of two faces the public is least tired of.”
Rambling reporter Robert Osborn Hollywood Reporter c. 1988

“Beyond myself somewhere, I wait for my arrival.”
Octavio Paz…brilliant!