| Meet a CD - Page 3 |
| Visits to this page: |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
| More insights from the folks who you'll meet - sooner or later |
| A Casting Director's Pet Peeves By Stuart Stone Courtesy of : http://www.holdonlog.com/pages/AN-SS-0707.html |
| Thanks to our friends at Holdonlog |
 |
 |
 |
| STUART STONE has been casting for over 12 years and has cast hundreds of television commercials and booked thousands of actors. Stuart casts union and non-union commercials as well as Voice-Overs, Film, Print and Television. Stuart began teaching when he realized the information he had would be useful to help actors audition so that they would get callbacks and book more jobs. His classes rose to recognition when those who took his workshop found top agents and were signed by them. Stuart's techniques were what helped his students gain more auditions, callbacks and then Bookings on the jobs they were auditioning for. While Stuart continues to work as one of today's top casting directors he is aware of what actors need to know and that is what gives him the edge to teach what the advertising agencies and directors are looking for from the actor in today's market. Stuart has created many opportunities for actors to forward their career which you will find in the workshop section on his Web site - https://www.commercialacting.info/site.htm He is commited to providing the best training and assisting the actor who is either new to the business or a Veteran so that they may have a rewarding career as a working actor. Click here to sign-up for his FREE news blast The Acting Insider -- http://visitor.constantcontact.com/optin.jsp?m=1101348636097&ea= |
| #1 - "CAN I JUMP AHEAD OF EVERYONE ELSE?"
This one irks me! Coming late to your call then saying: "I have another audition to get to ... can I jump ahead of everyone else?" As you are already well aware, there are a plethora of actors in today’s market and out of the thousand we see submitted per role we may only be able to bring in 30-60 performers to audition. Yes, if you are going to be late you should let your agent know so we know you will be coming…but to expect to be able to jump ahead of “everyone else” who has been waiting?! WRONG! “Everyone else” may also have things they need to do. I consider this rude and I often suggest the actor go to their other appointment if that is more important than being at my audition. I will find an actor that WANTS to be in on my audition. I certainly do NOT need the performer who acts like they are special and above “everyone else” who's doing their job. In closing, understand that there may be a slight delay to audition, and if there is, be willing to wait your turn. #2 - "NOT BEING PREPARED BECAUSE YOU WERE TALKING ON YOUR CELL PHONE OR TO OTHER ACTORS IN THE WAITING ROOM" Before the audition even happens, you have most likely posted photos online with the guidance of your agent. Then you were submitted for the audition, the casting director spent time going through the hundreds, possibly thousands of submissions and put out a call to your agent regarding your availability, who then contacted you and maybe you needed to call back your agent and then the agent had to let the casting director know you would be in for the audition. Ok so there’s been some time invested with at least three people. You settle in on your wardrobe for the audition, maybe prepare some sides, and show up giving yourself time to sign in. With all this collaborative effort, don’t blow the audition… Give your self enough time before the audition to settle in and get the information you need to ace the audition! Don’t show up five minutes before the given time and assume that that’s enough to be prepared. Always allot your self enough time to review the sides, as well as the story board or posted notes so when you walk in to audition, you’ll know what is expected. If you were not around when the spot was explained because you were busy doing something else, then this will make you look unprofessional. It’s wise to keep the chit-chat on your cell phone or with other actors in the waiting room to a minimum…or better yet, save it for after the audition. It would be wise to say to the other actor, “Hey, I’ve got something I want to ask you, can you talk outside after the audition for a few minutes?” This way casting and the clients are not distracted by what you are talking about and you can walk in to the studio focused and ready to do your job so you can stack the odds of booking this role in your favor! #3 - "PEOPLE WHO DO NOT LOOK LIKE THEIR PICTURES" If you color, cut or lose your hair, if you gain 20 pounds or lose 20 pounds this calls for new headshots! It’s a big problem if performers have photos that do not look like them when they walk in the door. Performers have been sent home because they did not look like their picture. Likewise if your photos are too glamorous, you’ve removed a facial mole or you’ve had your wrinkles airbrushed out of the pictures this too is a big problem. Make sure your headshots represent the real you! If your hair is thinning or you put on a few pounds and your pictures honestly represent you, remember this might actually make you a perfect fit for a character description. Saves us all time, embrace how you look and be sure your headshots show the real you! #4 - "WEARING PERFUME OR COLOGNE" While you want to represent the best you at the audition, it’s important that your scent isn’t overbearing and that it doesn’t linger on after you’ve left the audition space.Many people are allergic to perfumes, body oils, colognes and other toiletry scents so be considerate of your fellow performer, the casting director, client and others in the room and leave anything with a scent at home, for your personal time, not when you are essentially interviewing for a job. It’s a rule of thumb that if you can smell what you have on, that the scent is just too much. Overpowering scents can actually be a disadvantage as all we can think about is how to get you in and out of the audition. #5 - "NOT WEARING THE CORRECT WARDROBE" Read your character breakdown and follow any specific wardrobe instructions that your agent or the casting director has provided you with. If you are asked to wear shorts or a skirt and you wear jeans then we cannot see your legs and the commercial may require that. It is also helpful if your character is a specific type and your wardrobe suggests this. For example if you are going in as a stock broker, consider wearing a business suit, if you are going in as a medical professional consider softer colors rather than bright bold ones, if you are going in as a sports coach dress more casual. The more you pay attention to the character description by looking or closely resembling the part, the better it is for you, and the casting director won’t have to request that you come back with the correct wardrobe, cancel your audition, or become frustrated with you and note that in their files. |
 |
