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It is tempting to dismiss the person you meet first in a casting experience, the casting assistant.  That is the hard working person who keeps the office running and can be responsible for answering your questions about a role you are auditioning for, as well as rescheduling an appointment if you call in and are running late.  The casting assistant is the back bone of the casting office as well as your direct link to the casting director or casting executive.

Also keep in mind that the casting assistant will likely be the casting director next year, so get to know them by name, be polite and appreciative, and don’t blow future auditions by miscalculating the value of the assistant and their access to the casting director on your behalf.  If you mistreat them, make no mistake, that information will get to the casting director, and no matter how well you auditioned, that will be considered in hiring you or calling you in for future roles. Read the rest of this entry »

What is the first actual meeting you will have as a new actor in the Los Angeles film and television community? It is likely to be a general audition with a casting director. This is a meeting that will not be for a role in a current casting project such as a movie or television show, but will be a chance for the casting director to get to know you as a person. They will be judging whether they can use you for something in the future so don’t treat a general audition lightly. Dress professionally, present yourself well, and use the opportunity as a preliminary to a casting call. The casting director will be looking at how well you can chit chat about yourself and your special talents, skills, and abilities. They will be looking for confidence, professionalism, and they will be watching how you present yourself, to see how you will fit in on a working set. They may ask for your marketing material, a picture and resume and perhaps biography if you are not represented by an agent and they don’t have access to that information from your representation. They may need a demo reel, so you should be prepared to have that ready. This is a valuable first step that you should take seriously and not waste! You never get a second chance at a first impression. If you are late or rattled or badly dressed or unprofessional, you will not likely have access to that casting director in the future.

When I moved to Los Angeles from Arizona almost 30 years ago, I was not connected in show business, I had very little money, I had no job and no relatives here, and it was pretty much on a wing and a prayer.  I would not recommend it.  I waited tables, worked as a receptionist, did plays at night, sang in nightclubs, and wore my feet to a nub chasing my dreams.

The best thing I ever did was take a temporary job in a casting office.  I learned quickly what matters.  I learned the basics of contracts, what people (casting people) expect from an actor at a casting call, how things unfold with the wardrobe and production departments once you are hired.  I learned the technical things, but that is not what matters. Read the rest of this entry »