Casting directors are funny creatures aren't they?
I had the delightful pleasure of meeting a couple this week, and a most pleasant experience it was. Warm, welcoming, positive and supportive - they were the kind of people I would like as my favourite aunt and uncle. When I asked if all casting directors were this nice, their reply was 'no, not really'.
I had the delightful pleasure of meeting a couple this week, and a most pleasant experience it was. Warm, welcoming, positive and supportive - they were the kind of people I would like as my favourite aunt and uncle. When I asked if all casting directors were this nice, their reply was 'no, not really'.
Although I received a lot of praise from them and heard reassuring
comments such as 'I'll remember your face', when asked how I could go
about getting a job there was a distinct pause. During this pause my
initial thought was the offer of a two year contract in Coronation Street was about to be placed on the table - it was not.
They went on to explain that I really needed an agent (never would have thought that) and the best thing to do was apply to the local theatres and you know, do a show at say the Royal Exchange or West Yorkshire Playhouse. Now I'm sure these people must know a fair amount about theatre and related casting processes, yet it seemed to me that they considered it as easy as writing a letter to a) waltz into an audition at the Royal Exchange and b) actually get the part.
They then listed off all the other local theatres I should write to as if the idea had never occurred to me! If only it were that easy. I also commented in passing that I was considering specialising in musical theatre, to which the response was along the lines of 'oh well you'll never be out of work if you do musical theatre'. Which I'm quite positive is not the case.
I came away from the meeting feeling quite upbeat and pleased with myself, as I knew I had nailed the read through and done myself justice, which in itself is an achievement for me as I usually come away thinking I could have done better. I was none the wiser to breaking into TV, but that lovely feeling of hope had returned to my veins, which I'm sure is what keeps me going more than anything else.
For now it's back to the student films once more, this week it's a sci fi about computer viruses in food...
They went on to explain that I really needed an agent (never would have thought that) and the best thing to do was apply to the local theatres and you know, do a show at say the Royal Exchange or West Yorkshire Playhouse. Now I'm sure these people must know a fair amount about theatre and related casting processes, yet it seemed to me that they considered it as easy as writing a letter to a) waltz into an audition at the Royal Exchange and b) actually get the part.
They then listed off all the other local theatres I should write to as if the idea had never occurred to me! If only it were that easy. I also commented in passing that I was considering specialising in musical theatre, to which the response was along the lines of 'oh well you'll never be out of work if you do musical theatre'. Which I'm quite positive is not the case.
I came away from the meeting feeling quite upbeat and pleased with myself, as I knew I had nailed the read through and done myself justice, which in itself is an achievement for me as I usually come away thinking I could have done better. I was none the wiser to breaking into TV, but that lovely feeling of hope had returned to my veins, which I'm sure is what keeps me going more than anything else.
For now it's back to the student films once more, this week it's a sci fi about computer viruses in food...
You kinda gotta love the casting directors, as they're the gateways to most productions. The people I've met have also been nice and encouraging. One was even helpful. But like you say the advice was mostly "Get an agent". And also that sometimes they're casting for families, and on look, so it's not that you're not talented, but that you don't "fit" who they've cast already or what they're looking for.
My problem is that most big name cd.s are in London.And I'm in Scotland. And there's only a handful up here, most of whom I've met. And those in London rarely come up to Scotland, I was really lucky to meet one this summer, had a good audition, got great response on the day, then weeks later didn't get the part. And I know that's part of the job, but it was one of so few auditions I had this year and I worked *so* hard to get it. It really was not as easy as writing a letter.
Thing is, they're on the line as well. If they suggest the wrong people, or if the producer's asked for big names and they give him/her a list of unknowns, it's not gonna go down well. It's this big mass of mutual fear, always someone bigger up the pecking order who can fire your ass.
I now understand why all those people said "don't do it", because the more I find out about the acting industry the more difficult, impenetrable and impossible it seems.
A lot of casting directors are younger than the graduates they're seeing and appear to have as little grasp as to the way the business runs as any.
It's not just a question of agents... it a question of WHICH agents. They all have their favorites, and if you don't happen to be with one, the door is pretty much shut I'm afraid.
There's always been a tacit understanding that a lot of 'package deals' go on with the bigger agents - never proven - but pretty much accepted as fact... especially on the big projects and main stream theatres.
Not that it's all the casting directors' fault sometimes. A lot of television casting is no longer in the hands of the casting directors or even the decision of the directors themselves - their knowledge and judgement is completely overridden in a lot of cases by the 12 year old executive producers who have even less knowledge of actors and their backgrounds than anyone in the process, and more often than not just want to see 'current' names.
Sorry to be so negative... but I've been at it 25 years... and I'm afraid it doesn't get any better.
You only have to look at the big agencies to notice when they place a number of their actors on a project to realise that isn't just coincidence.
Big flagship dramas and so forth, with the majority of the leads from one agency. It closes the door for everyone else.
I was also told that there is always someone a casting director can't have. There is *always* a bigger name on the "list" they draw up. Unless you're the biggest star of the moment, almost anyone else comes second.
Getting on that "list" is something I was trying to do, which means getting your face known. But I'd rather it was known for acting work, which is so hard to get, rather than through turning up at events or something.
I find that some casting directors have little regard for you. As the actor, you're the talent who might end up in the show, just because you're not famous doesn't mean you shouldn't be treated with respect.
I've found a BIG problem with that. Rude secretaries, being completely ignored, not even acknowledged or even rejected, just ignored. That's what drives me barmy. I don't care how busy they are, I'm a human being, not some lesser person just because I'm an actor. Thing is, a lot of people make you feel like that. Like you're nothing.
That's why I keep a mental, and even written note. I know whose been good to me, in terms of being respectful, helpful and nice. And I also know whose been rude, unhelpful and disrespectful. You never know where somebody's gonna end up and if it so happens one day those people who were on the "naughty" list ever want me for anything, I'll go to those who were "nice" instead. These people who treat you like rubbish, well, it's gonna come back and bite them eventually.