How to prepare for an audition

Most of an actors time is spent submitting for jobs. When you get an audition do you really do yourself justice? Here are a few friendly tips to help you make a good impression in the audition room.
First off, preparation is key. One of my favorite acting teachers gave me this advice about auditioning: Take is seriously, actors audition for their reputation. The people in the room; casting director, producer, director; they will remember the very good auditions, and the very bad ones. The middle all blend.

1) Prepare. Read the script. this will help you make the best character discussions- informed ones!
Work through the arc of your character, what you say about yourself, what others say about you.
2) Work out the moment before the scene starts, come in with an understanding of this so the scene doesn't stand alone.
3) Try to be as familiar as possible with the lines. You don't have to be off book completely, but the words shouldn't be an issue that takes you and your audience (or casting director, director etc) out of the scene. I guarantee other actors will have learnt their lines.
4) Bring a headshot and resume. It's not necessary for every audition, but theater auditions in particular- the director and creative team will rely heavily on your resume if they don't know your work already.
5) Know when the callbacks will be and be available on that date. If you can't be there, the job may go to someone else.
6) Don't doubt yourself. Go into the room with homework done, and you will have strong choices to work with.
7) Listen to the direction. If the director works with you during the audition, it doesn't mean they didn't like your point of view, they may just want to see you do something different. Sometimes they want to see if you can take direction.
8) Don't judge the audition afterwards. You don't know what the room is looking for, or whether they liked you. So don't worry about it! let it go!

Another Question Answered- How to get into Casting

In the third part of my series of blogs were I answer a question you have sent in, I will address how to get into casting.

Casting is not a job you can go to school for- if you google Casting Schools or Casting Courses, you will find workshops for casting metal and courses for improving your ability to make casts for broken bones. 
Casting is a business that you have to start at the bottom and work your way up, and it's very competitive.
Many people start as interns at a casting directors office. To young professionals who are ambitious and eager to grow, this means long hours and no pay. When I interned at a commercial casting office almost every week I worked more than the two days I was scheduled for, and on busy days with last minute jobs I worked from 9am until the job was done. Sometimes that was 10pm. The office didn't even buy me lunch. Halfway through my second semester they hired me on my first job, and my career as a PAID casting professional began. 

How do you find internships?
The best online resources I have listed below-
www.entertainmentcareers.net
www.mandy.com
Writing to casting office you want to work with an offering to intern is also a good way to reach out.

How long does the commitment usually last?
A few months, or a college term. Many offices offer college credit for the internship.

I am an aspiring actor, will it help me get into the business?
Working at a casting office will give you a lot of valuable insight into the business. You experience the full spectrum of the audition process from how talent is selected and why, to the audition itself, to booking the project. Seeing other actors work, the good and the bad, will benefit an aspiring actor greatly. It differs from casting office to office, but you may also get the opportunity to audition for roles you are suitable for.
Be honest with the casting office. Some offices will not want an intern that is an actor because they want to groom someone that could be employed at the office at the end of the internship. Some casting offices feel uncomfortable taking on interns that are actors, and some offices prefer it. 

How do you choose what internships to apply for?
RESEARCH. There are offices that specialize in different areas of this business, from Film and TV to theater only, to commercial casting, to reality only. You get the idea. Once you start on one track and get experience in that area, it may be difficult to change: every area of casting works very differently.

You get the internship- what next?
The biggest mistake I have seen made in internships is the mindset "I'm not getting paid, it's not a job to me." If you hope to make casting your career, TAKE IT SERIOUSLY! Reputation is everything in this business. Be on time, dress professionally, act professionally, bring ideas to the project. You will have to work late, work extra hours, show extra interest.

A great resource for all things casting is the Casting Society of America. www.castingsociety.com
 

Showcase Season

In previous blogs I have discussed how to pick the right material and how to make a showcase experience as valuable as possible. I am currently mid-way through what is known in the business as 'showcase season'. This is the time of year when every conservatory, MFA, BFA acting and musical theater program bring their graduating classes to New York and invite industry professionals to attend their showcase of the new talent.

If you are currently looking into an acting school or program and trying to decide where to apply, looking at what showcase the school offers it's graduates is a very good place to start. Graduates from respected acting programs may not have any resume to speak of outside their school experience, but industry professionals like talent agents and casting directors will respect your training. If you don't get a showcase, you will graduate without the advantage of industry seeing your work.

If you are just graduating from a program and have a showcase coming up- congratulations!
*All industry will sign in at a showcase and receive a packet of information from the school about the students showcasing. Sometimes this includes headshot/resumes and sometimes it does not. All schools include a form to request additional information on students a casting director or agent  wants to call you in for an interview or audition. 

*Have Professional headshots done and organize your resume before the showcase. A great shot and a good resume will help you stand out, and sends the message "I am ready to work TODAY".

*Your email and your phone number should be ones that you will be using for a few years- as a casting director I may not call you until I think of something you would be good in. That could be a year down the line. 

*After a showcase there is often a reception where industry nibbles on some cheese/crackers and beverages. This is meant to help the students and the audience mingle post show. This is not my favorite part. Mostly I want to have a quick bite and go, because I'm not looking to sign anyone. Agents, however, probably want to chat to you, get a handle on your personality- see if you are a fit for their office. Go in with a few conversation ideas, and an exit strategy. Not everyone will want to talk to you. Agents and managers can be strange folk! I get it, it can feel strange to network in a room full of people that just saw you perform- but welcome to your new profession. This is something you have to get used to.

*If you have ever read my blog before I have emphasized that you should ALWAYS follow up with a thank you note. Email is fine, but I personally think a note is better. For Showcase season the most successful thank-yous are the ones that include what school you are from and what scene or song you performed. I see a lot of showcases and a little memory jog goes a long way!

*Do not be offended if you don't hear anything straight away. There are a lot of showcases happening right now. You may not get a phone call from an agent for a while- follow up with agents and managers that attended that you would like to work with. (again, if you have read my blog before I advocate RESEARCH!)

A Simple Guide to where to find Casting notices and how to use them to your advantage!

In the second part of this series, I am addressing another question from the many I received from actors that read my blog or follow my casting Facebook page.

There are so many casting websites. Which do you feel are the most beneficial for an actor to sign up for? There are some like Casting Networks and Cast It Talent that suggest greater exposure to industry.

The simple answer is- it depends on what types of projects.

I don’t think it’s a bad thing to be on all of these sites, if there is a fee, and you a working actor, these sites should be tax deductible. (check with a tax professional to ensure you qualify) 

To fully utilize these sites have full, updated resumes on each of these databases. Often when casting something with a niche skill I will use my advanced search tool and look up actors that list that skill. For example, for a commercial with cheerleaders, I would love up my advanced search option for cheerleading, dancers and/or gymnasts. If you have a reel on your resume, I am likely to look it up to see your work if I am unfamiliar with your resume credits. For casting the musical “Hairspray” I will search for girls age range 18-25, height 5 foot to 5 foot 4, weight 160 lbs+ and look for the musical actors in the bunch. You get the idea- updated, accurate information is important!

I recommend the following websites and have highlighted how I have used them, and how I see the industry using these sites.

Backstage (online and paper): The biggest nationwide site for castings. Theater both union and non-union, independent TV and Film (both union and non-union), cruises, music videos, extras.

Actors Access: a little bit of everything.  It’s the sister website to Breakdown Services, which all casting directors and agents use to release projects to talent agents and managers. Commercial, print, extras, theater, television, web series, new media, music videos. Union and non-union projects.

Casting Networks: mostly commercial, print, music videos and extras castings. Testimonial commercials (i.e. reality style projects) Union and non-union.

Mandy.com: Independent projects of all mediums. Great resource for production team.

nycastings.com: Commercial/print projects, independent film, web, music videos. non-union more likely than union.

Cast It Talent:  A lot of TV and film projects use this medium. Almost exclusively union projects.

Playbill.com: Theater projects both union and non-union, internships and production teams for theater.

How a Theater Actor can adjust for Camera.

Last week I offered to answer some of your questions regarding the audition process. I got some really great questions- so thank you in advance for your input! Here is the first question in this series answered.


What would theater majors do best to avoid/adjust while working on camera? 

In the audition room you can definitely see the difference between an actor who is more comfortable with theater acting and an actor that is more familiar with screen acting. 

Here are a few simple adjustments and pointers for theater actors for auditioning on camera.

1) Know when to be big and when to be small. 
Theater is bigger in nature than camera work. Good acting is naturalistic and connected to your body, and that manifests differently on stage and on camera. On stage you have to be seen and heard, you are aiming to make the experience as compelling for the audience member in the furthest seat as it is in the front row. On camera every detail is going to be caught by the lens- act for an audience of one.

2) Eye contact is different.
 This is a little basic- but I want to cover it anyway. The rules are different on camera to theater. You should never “Spike” the camera (which is look directly into the lens of the camera), unless directed to do so (which is rarely).When delivering lines to another person, you should not look in both of the other actors eyes, just focus on one. If you try to look in both eyes, it will read on camera as though you have shifty eyes.

3) Listen to Meryl Streep. 
One of my favorite Meryl Streep quotes- “Do your best work on other peoples takes”.
What does she mean by that? Just because the camera is not on you, does not mean you don’t have to be as focused on the work as you would be on "your take". You should approach off-camera work with a sense of generosity for your other actors, give them something to really work off. Hopefully they will do the same for you.

4) The camera catches everything. 
 Play things subtly. Reacting and listening is a very important part of on camera work- the camera can “read thoughts”.   A lot of work in film and television is reactionary without dialogue. Be aware of your noise levels- Sound booms can pick up fidgeting with props, like cutlery during restaurant scenes, rustling papers etc.

5) Continuity. 
Make the editors job easier.Try to remember your movements and what props you use and how you use them. Take after Take you just be trying to do the same thing.

Send me you questions!

This week I want to hear your questions about the business!
Write your questions on my facebook page wall- www.facebook.com/cmckennacasting, or email me at cmckennacasting@gmail.com.
Try to keep the questions general, i.e. so that the answer would interest and benefit other actors out there. NOT- look at my headshot/resume/reel- are they good? The question would be- what do casting directors look for in headhots/resumes/reels?
I will take a selection of questions and post the answers in a new blog.
Looking forward to hearing from you guys!

The Audition Room Part 1

This week I had the pleasure of helping find talent for a Shakespeare classic, OTHELLO.
We cast in a studio in New York, and this audition was on Thursday. I was convinced the audition was going to be a disaster schedule wise; as there was blizzard-like weather outside. I was pleasantly surprised when only 3 out of my 30 appointments were cancelled due to weather related issues. On top of that, the caliber of auditions were very high, and the overall professional gloss this left over the day made the terrible weather and all commuting woes feel more than worth it.

Here are a few audition room pointers.

1) You have an appointment, turn up.
When Auditions are by appointment only (as it tends to be for union theaters), the appointments are very carefully put together. You were submitted by your agent, or you sent in a submission via mail or email, and you were selected out of more than a hundred people (conservatively) to be in the room. A lot of people would love your opportunity, so turn up, regardless of the weather. If it's bad weather outside think of it as a plus- a less professional actor would not turn up. Also apply this logic- if I could make it to my survival job, I can definitely make it to this audition.

2) Do the homework*
Read the play. Try to get off book. Make choices. If you don't, another actor will. The more familiar you are with the work the more at ease you will feel, your choices can be grounded, the work will be more connected.

3) *Then, let the homework go!
The director will have done his or her homework too. They will know the character, and sometimes their idea will not match yours. Don't be afraid to let go of your idea and play with another!

4) Don't try to judge the director or producers reaction.
Trust me, this will drive you insane. You do not know what the director is thinking. A great example of this is this weeks auditions- the wonderful director in the room stopped almost very actor during their audition, and asked them to do it another way. Furthermore, after he gave the new direction, he often stopped the scene halfway anyway. Sometimes he got the actor to read all the sides available, sometimes he just wanted to see one. If there was any pattern to it, being stopped throughout, being given direction and only doing one side actually meant he REALLY enjoyed the work, and genuinely didn't feel he needed to see more.

5) Be polite to the other people auditioning, to the reader in the room, and the assistant "running the room".
The truth is, a lot of casting professionals start of as interns, because Casting is not a skill they teach at school. I started as an intern working the doors of auditions at commercial appointments. Sometimes actors were rude to me about the waits to be seen, who was going next, if they could skip the actors signed in before them. I always remembered the polite talent, and I never forgot the rude actors. Guess who I call in now. Assistants make appointments, pencil you into schedules, pre-screen self-submits for the casting director. Sometimes, they become Casting Directors!!! A good rule of thumb- you don't know if you will meet these people again. What impression do you want them to have of you?

6) Dress appropriately.
Dressing AS the character- creepy. Dressing appropriately so that to give a suggestion of the character is smart. Using this week as an example- the character Desdemona, she is beautiful, elegant, lady-like. High Status in her society. She would wear makeup, her hair would be done, she would wear heals, she would wear something floaty and classy, probably a dress. She wouldn't wear combat boots or jeans, we wouldn't we able to see her tattoos. You get the idea.

Hard Copy Submissions v Electronic Submissions

When should you use a hard copy submission and when should you go with electronic? Should you do both? This weeks blog is focused on submission formats.

It all depends on what you are submitting for.

Commercial/print/music videos work like this- a job comes into a casting director, they release the breakdown and it's cast in 2-4 days. All Cast. As in auditions, callbacks, and cast.
Theatre- jobs tend to be in a casting directors calendar for months, as theaters plan their entire season in advance.
TV/Film- casting can last from weeks to months, especially for pilot season, when they try to work out the jigsaw puzzle of ensemble casts.

As a consequence, to be considered, commercials/print should be electronic submissions.
Use websites like castingnetworks.com, actorsaccess.com, nycastings.com, backstage.com.

Theatre and film/TV are a mix of electronic and hard copy submissions.
Here is what I recommend:
- Check audition dates. All breakdowns should have the casting dates included. Is it still relevant to apply?
- Do NOT send unsolicited submissions via Fed Ex, Express Mail or any other way but the mail. It breaks my heart when an actor spends $20 on a sending a single submission, it doesn't make the submission any stronger.
-Include a cover letter that mentions what role you would like to be considered for. If your resume speaks for itself you can keep the note brief, i.e you have training, you have roles that are relevant to the role you are submitting for (i.e. Shakespeare credits help with a Shakespeare job).  If your resume is a little light, write a letter. Outline your experience to date, your teachers (if you have any), your passion.

Most union jobs (both SAG-AFTRA and AEA) are released privately to agents on Breakdown Express, the sister website to Actors Access. You can not access them unless you are an industry professional, i.e a talent agent, manager or casting director. Union theatre breakdowns will be released on playbill.com and in BackStage (in accordance to union regulations) but TV and Film casting is rarely released to the public at all.

General Submission note-
I repeat this all the time, and will do until everyone has the message!
Do not cold call a casting office! We are busy people and bottom line, it's very not professional!!!

The Art of Self-Taping your Audition

This week I was asked by an agent if it was really worth putting their talent on tape for a theatre audition. At first, I was slightly annoyed by this question- Why would I waste the agent and the talents time if I didn't think it was worth self-taping?
 On second thought, it's only really the past few years that taping has become so accessible to everyone (who doesn't have a video enabled phone) and due to the better quality, and the inevitable tide of change, theaters are taking this submission method seriously.

Here are the ways to make your self-tape stand out.

1) Get the tape in ASAP.
 Simply put- IF they find it in the room, they will not look at the videos. IF they get the tape before the audition, they will definitely consider it.  Don't sacrifice the quality of the submission, but the early submissions will be sent and viewed and discussed before the audition. Get it into the office on the audition date, or after, and the likelihood of it being viewed and taken seriously diminishes.

2) Prepare like it's a real audition.
Do as much homework and preparation as you normally would if you had an actual audition. The Director, producer and the casting team will see this!

3) Get ready for your close up.
Pick a background that is as plain as possible. No distractions!
Get a good reader that works off you well.
Check the lighting- can I see your face? If you are doing great work but your face isn't visible, it isn't worth it.
How's the sound? can I hear you?
The beauty of taping is that you can have a number of takes! Experiment with a few different viewpoints and choices, watch them back and send the most interesting one. Take this opportunity to flex your acting muscle.

4) Make it easily accessible.
Ask the casting director their preferred method of submission. My office prefers YouTube or Vimeo, or in Dropbox  format where you can click on the link and immediately watch it. Downloading is time consuming and inconvenient.  Also- don't make you video private, if it means I can't see it, or can't send it to people to view. I promise, if it's public, your audition is not going to be the next viral sensation- we are looking at it professionally.

5)  Be presumptuous.
 If you have access to it, tape the callback. If they want to see it, they probably won't give you a lot of notice- so to have as much preparation time as possible, tape it in advance.

Showcase Etiquette part 2

Years ago, When I first graduated from acting school I paid to be in an acting showcase.
I was fresh from conservatory and a director I had worked with was the organizer, so I assumed it was good.  Part of the package was working on the scene with the director for a certain amount of hours and 3 performances. It was not cheap to be in it!! Overall I enjoyed the experience, and got some good feedback from the scene I had selected, but ultimately I didn't get what I wanted from it- auditions or work! This was not the showcase nor was it the director I worked with; I just had different expectations from the showcase than what it would really be able to deliver.

When do Casting Directors and Talent Agents attend showcases?
Agents and Casting Directors get A LOT of showcase invitations. Our time is precious and as a consequence, the showcases that we are likely to attend are the school programs. 
Showcase season for the MFA and conservatory programs start around February/March time every year. If there course has more than one showcase, i.e. work throughout the year that is open to the public, Casting Directors are likely to attend just one showcase from the school per year. Basically, we want to see the talent, get the package with your headshot/resumes, take notes on you, and keep you in mind for projects.

Talent Agents want to sign the best talent, first. So, for the most respected schools and courses (think Julliard, Yale School of Drama etc) they will send their assistants or attend themselves to try to spot the talent with the most potential and sign them first. They will attend shows for schools multiple times in the year. 

I'm not at school, what can i do?
A great way to meet agents and casting directors is to take their classes and seminars. I know why you might be cautious about that, and you should be, but take classes at the reputable places like The Network, One on One Studios or Actors Connection to name a few.

Court relationships with agents and casting directors that you would actually want to work with. Trust me- just because they are talent agents does not mean you should sign with them, and not all casting directors will respond to your brand. For example, I work primarily in Theater casting right now, I am not interested in meeting models.





How should I try to attract Casting Directors and talent agents to attend my showcase?
Establishing a relationship with an agent or casting director and cultivating it is key. Do you have a director or producer that you have both worked for? Would they be a reference for you?

What are they expecting?
Professionalism. Simple as that. You to feel and look like a professional ready to be hired. That you can carry their play or film of tv series. Be Smart. Invite professionals to professional work only.


I know Casting Directors and Talent Agents attended- What should I do next?
 Keep in touch! Send a thank you note! A smart way to build a relationship with casting director that doesn't know your work is to offer to be a reader.


 

Showcase Etiquette part 1

Years ago, When I first graduated from acting school I paid to be in an acting showcase.
I was fresh from conservatory and a director I had worked with was the organizer, so I assumed it was good.  Part of the package was working on the scene with the director for a certain amount of hours and 3 performances. It was not cheap to be in it!! Overall I enjoyed the experience, and got some good feedback from the scene I had selected, but ultimately I didn't get what I wanted from it- auditions or work! This was not the showcase nor was it the director I worked with; I just had different expectations from the showcase than what it would really be able to deliver.

In this two part column I will discuss the mistakes I made, and how to avoid them, and how to make the most out of any showcase you are in.

First off, learn from my mistakes! I made them, so you don't have to!

Mistake 1) This showcase did not guarantee an audience. 

This would not be a mistake if you have director friends or agent contacts that have been interested in seeing your work. A showcase could be a great platform to show them your talent. However, if the showcase does not offer an audience of professionals, and you are new to the business or just out of school, it may not be worth it. 
Lastly, If the showcase names the agents or casting directors that attend, do your research! How do you want to meet/impress, and why?

Mistake 2) The scene was good, but I've been prouder of other monologues or scenes. Thinking honestly, I read too old for the character I was playing.

If you are in a showcase you want to do the best scene or monologue possible for you. Pick a scene that is suitable for your age and type. I hear you- how boring! I can play any character, I am a talented actor, who will work to get the scene right! That might be so, but directors and casting directors want to see you play something they can realistically see you being cast as.

Mistake 3) I didn't follow up with the contacts that came. 

I should have written a thank you note to everyone who attended. I should have followed up later in the year when I was working on a show and invited them to see it. Networking is key in this business and contacts are important. You have to stay in Contact!

Next week I will further discuss showcase etiquette. When do casting directors and agents attend showcases? Which ones attract agents/directors and why? How to get an industry professional interested in your showcase and what they are expecting.

Don't audition for a job if you aren't interested in taking the role if you get it!

I just finished working on a low pay non-union theater gig, and I had a number of drop-outs after we cast. One person was union and didn't want to get a waiver, one person couldn't commit to the rehearsal dates and another was already booked on a gig.
Low to no paying gigs are still professional undertakings, because you are a professional actor, right?
Let's use the theater gig I mentioned above-
It is a professional showcase festival for emerging MFA playwrights; a low paying with 2-3 weeks rehearsal commitment.
The pay isn't going to be what you do this project for.
What makes this project something to take seriously is the networking opportunities: The upcoming playwrights, the established directors, the professors (with their resume and contacts), even making contact with me, the Casting Director. Make a good impression with any and all of the above will create working relationships that could lead to more work. Work begets work in this business. Keep this in mind-  Just because a casting director or director is currently working on a small project when you meet them, does not mean they don't work for bigger theaters or projects.
But if you drop out, flake out on rehearsal, or generally don't respect the project; a bad impression is a hard thing to undo.
Bottom line- Don't audition for a job you don't want to take, commit to and do your best in.