Over the last few weeks we have been talking about how the industry has evolved and we’ve been going over all the ways that it has grown to adapt to the changing times.
Now we are going to tie a few of those concepts together and go over a brand new part of the casting process.
Most actors don’t even have a clue that it exists, and that means you would have virtually zero competition.
If you truly want to become a professional, full time actor then this could be the opportunity you have been looking for...
Almost everyone has a big misconception about the way the casting process works. They have an even worse understanding of how everyone fits into it.
If you ask an actor what a Casting Director’s job is, they would tell you that a CD’s job is to find the most talented actor that is suitable for the role.
In reality, that is only part of their job. Their main responsibility is finding an actor who won’t drop the ball on set.
Stick with me for a sec...
Close your eyes and think of your industry friends. How many times have you watched a movie, or a TV show and thought that one of your friends would have been a much better choice to play one of the characters.
It happens all the time!
See, most actors are talented enough to get the job done so a Casting Director has to build an entire profile on the actors they see. They have to look at the big picture and how a particular actor would fit into it.
Everything from cast synergy to the audience’s acceptance of them in a particular role is what they are looking at.
Ed O’neal had a hard time booking good work after his role on Married with Children and he’s often told a story of having been recast in a film because the test audience’s all erupted in laughter at the sight of Al Bundy playing a detective.
The same thing happened to Jenna Fischer. She was cast in a series alongside Matt LeBlanc, but was recast after the pilot episode because the focus groups couldn’t accept Pam (from The Office) as Joey’s wife (from Friends).
Stuff like this happens all the time. In those cases, recasting meant millions of dollars in reshoots.
Even if a casting error only caused a delay in production, the costs to delay (rather than reshooting) are still incredibly high, so there is always a lot at stake for Casting Directors.
That's why, before moving anyone along in the casting process, they want to get to know you a bit. They are making sure that you are someone they want to take a chance on.
If you drop the ball on set and can’t deliver for some reason, that will always come back to bite them.
The industry is still going through a period of incredible fragility. Because of that CDs are also tasked with making sure that the talent they move forward with is not going to feed any controversy.
That’s why your reputation is more important than ever. More on that in a sec...
It’s also why the Zoom follow up has become such an important part of the casting process. In case you haven’t been on one of these calls yet, Zoom is just an app that allows multiple people to hold a group voice or video call.
You should definitely download the app and have it ready to go because the request for a Zoom follow up could come with short notice.
In fact, some actors are being asked for follow ups as part of castings that were put off earlier this year.
In the past, CDs would have you come in for a callback and get to know you a bit. The current environment doesn’t lend itself to that, so the Zoom follow up is another way to accomplish the same thing.
It’s actually even more efficient because multiple decision makers can hop on the call, regardless of where they are. They don’t have to carve out time to make it to the casting office.
So, you have to put your best foot forward, just as you would during a callback.
This means you should be prepared and have a space that is suitable for you to take the call.
A “safe” bet would be to use a blank wall at home, that way there are no distractions.
A better choice, if you can accomplish it, would be to have the call in a place that would play to your character.
For example, if the role you are auditioning for is an academic type, bookshelves would serve as a fitting backdrop and it won’t go unnoticed. It would connect you to the character, in the mind of the decision makers.
A couple other things you should pay attention to are lighting and sound. Be sure that the area is well lit so that unflattering shadows aren’t cast on your face.
You also want to make sure that you can be clearly heard.
Airpods are a terrible choice 99 times out 100. They pick up way too much background noise and the sound quality isn’t great either.
You don’t need to have pristine, studio quality sound over the call but you do want to be clearly understood.
Wired headsets,that bring the mic closer to your mouth, have much better sound quality because they pick up less background noise.
Make sure your cell signal is up to the task. Video takes a lot of bandwidth, so if your signal is weak it’s likely to drop the feed constantly. There’s nothing worse than a laggy call where you only pickup every other word someone is saying.
I know that seems like common sense stuff, but you have no idea how many times I’ve heard about things going wrong because of something simple like the audio quality.
As for how to handle the call, relax and be yourself. The Casting Director and the other decision makers that may be on the call just want to get to know you and find out what you are about.
There’s an interesting shift in interpersonal dynamics on these calls.
Typically, when you go in for an audition, you are a guest in someone else’s space. This immediately puts you at a disadvantage, kind of like the away team in a ball game.
When you are on a call, you’re not a guest. Even if you have been chomping at the bit for days waiting for the call, the person on the other side has no idea. They may have “dialed” you, but you made the decision to take the call, thus putting the interpersonal dynamics on an equal footing.
You just as easily could have passed and blown off the call. So, don’t be afraid to lead the conversation a bit.
Even with a stellar internet connection on both sides, there is still going to be a slight lag so expect that you and the Casting Director may talk over each other at times.
Rather than apologizing everytime, gauge whether it’s best to let them finish their thought or whether you are further along with your input. If you are further along, then it makes sense for you to finish your thought.
Don’t be rude about it, but if you simply keep speaking the other person will yield the conversation to you.
Don’t increase your rate of speech or increase your volume, just keep talking.
If it goes the other way and you find yourself being the one that is talked over repeatedly, that’s ok too.
Act as if nothing is happening. Rather than repeating the same few opening words of your thought over and over, change them up and it will seem like you are on to a completely new thought.
For example, let’s say that the CD asked you about how you relate to the character. You might begin answering, not realizing that she is going into her thoughts on how she sees the character first.
You might get cut off as you start to say “I had a similar experience...” Let the CD finish the thought.
Then, rather than repeating what you started to say, mix it up a bit. You could start with “The character’s journey is such a roller coaster and I had a similar experience...”
If you were to get cut off again, do the same thing. It could be something like “I really feel connected to the character and I actually had a similar experience...”
Those small variations will keep the conversation flowing smoothly and that’s really all that needs to happen.
At this point the Casting Director just wants to get to know you and your goal is to build rapport and put them at ease, so they feel confident moving forward with you.
Doing a follow up this way can even make that easier for you.
Zoom allows you to share links and files right through the app, so you could even send over your IMDb link to the CD. They are going to look it up anyway before moving you forward in the casting process so just be sure that your ranking matches your goals.
Remember, the industry is adapting to the changing times and you have to keep up with it.
Most actors will never think of something like preparing for a Zoom follow up. That can be a huge advantage for you if you seize it.
That’s also why you come to Boost My Star, the go to resource for everything about the industry that you can’t find anywhere else.
If you find yourself prepared for it, this can actually end up making you the only logical choice to be cast.
Why?
Casting builds a file of the actors they are most interested in.
Remember, they are putting themselves on the line with every casting choice so CDs have to do their due diligence on you. If they move you forward in the casting process you will be associated with them (the CD) and also with the production, so don’t want to take any chances.
That’s why I created this to help you build trust with CDs and show them you are a true professional and not someone who is looking to act as a hobby.
If you have any questions about this or anything else, remember I’m always only a comment or an email away. I’m always happy to help, because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
Scott