How to Navigate the Casting Director Workshop Dilemma

Right now, the idea of Casting Director workshops is a very divisive issue in Los Angeles.  I'm a bit nervous to even bring it up because the passions can be so high on both sides.

Most actors will tell you it is very tough to get into casting offices these days and virtually no offices hold "general meetings" with unknown actors unless you have a very persuasive agent.  What workshops do is give you a way to meet with casting directors without having to be selected for an audition.  For those of us who aren't getting the auditions we want or for those who don't have an agent it seems like a great way to get your foot in the door.

But, there are some downsides.  Workshops are expensive and if you go to multiple workshops in a month, it really adds up.  Also, workshops are not really supposed to be an audition and if you read the fine print on any workshop website you'll see the ubiquitous disclaimer that this is just for educational purposes and there is no guarantee of employment.  Of course we KNOW that, but let's be honest, we go to these workshops because we want the casting director to eventually hire us. 

Plus, we've all heard the stories from friends who have gotten called in or even booked a role from doing a workshop.  If it can happen to them, it can happen to us, right?  Well, I'm here with some bad news - the numbers are not in your favor.  The percentage of actors who actually get called in and book work off of workshops is very small, but there is always that chance.

What I suggest is to attack workshops in a methodical way.  Figure out what TV shows or movies you WOULD be cast in very easily and who casts those.  From there you have a target list of casting offices you should try to see.  Make a budget each month of how much you are willing to spend on workshops and limit yourself to seeing only those offices that are on your list.

Try to see the decision makers in the offices - sometimes it is the head CD who calls people in, but in other offices it might be the associate who generally works on the submissions.  To find out who the decision maker is - speak to your agent or ask friends who have been in that office in the past.

There are a lot of different types of workshops out there.  I know quite a few people who prefer intensives that go for multiple weeks with the same casting director.  Personally, I like workshops that allow you to prepare your scene in advance and provide you with a reader instead of a random partner when you get there.  Feel them out and see what is best for you.

Please tread carefully.  There are a lot of people in Hollywood whose only job it seems is to separate actors from their money.

Lastly, remember workshops are not really considered classes and should not take the place of your regular training.

Pretty-Girl-Syndrome

Last week Samantha Brick made a lot of headlines by complaining about the downsides of being a beautiful woman.  Many people immediately attacked her and disregarded her point entirely claiming she isn't that beautiful.  But, the truth is that whether you thinks she is beautiful or not is besides the point.  She thinks she is beautiful which gives her confidence and confidence will make others see her as beautiful. 

So, back to the point of her argument.  Are there downsides to being a pretty girl?  I know what you're thinking: this is Hollywood, being pretty is all you need to make it.  If you were actually thinking that, let me stop you and say, You are wrong.

Girls come to Hollywood after being the prettiest girl in their high school, small town, or college acting program.  I've noticed these girls often suffer from what I call Pretty-Girl-Syndrome.  No one has ever told them no; they have never had to wait in line for anything; they have never once in their lives been rejected. 

But, now they are in Hollywood, the land of beautiful girls and they are competing for parts with some of the most beautiful women on the planet.  They better learn quickly how take rejection.  Most don't.  These are the girls that after not "making it" in a year go home.  Or maybe they do make it into a movie, but then get panned by the critics or the movie bombs and suddenly they are facing a new thing: rejection.  They are often the ones that collapse and then you never hear from them again.

One of the things that I am grateful to have is the protective shell of thousands of rejections.  I am used to being rejected.  I don't expect anything to work out, so when it does I am pleasantly surprised; but when things don't go my way, I am not shattered.

Now for those of you who are Pretty Girls.  If you aren't finding immediate success, remember rejection is part of the game of Hollywood.  If you are doing well in this crazy town: don't expect things to always be easy.  This is a fickle place.  Enjoy it now, but be prepared to work later and be nice to everyone you meet.

For those of you who aren't pretty girls, don't forget to be proud of being a character actor and take comfort in your protective shell of rejections.

What I Learned in a Year

It's officially been a year since I started writing this blog.  The reason I began was to share some of my experience and pitfalls with my actor friends out there.  I explained Why You Should Listen to Me, which is pretty much that you probably shouldn't since anyone who claims to know anything in Hollywood is probably wrong.

I have to say I've learned a lot just from writing this blog.  Reminded me that I need to enjoy the journey, not to worry about my competition, and how to face rejection.  I got to share with you guys my success at making a movie in 72 hours, what inspired me at the Playhouse West Film Festival, and how I survived the Los Angeles Actorfest. 

Of course, I'm always learning more and am often reminded that I don't know everything.  Just this last week, I had one of those auditions that was not perfect and I forgot some of my own advice, by not owning my audition and losing my confidence.  But with every failure comes a chance to do it better the next time.  You know, what doesn't kill you ...


As the last blog in February it's time to see how my Career goals are going:

Goal: Attend class unless working an acting gig or sick
Actual: I didn't miss a single class this month :)

Goal: Work on scenes from plays I can put up.
Actual: Working on "Vanities" with a couple ladies from my class.

Goal: Read two plays a month.
Actual: I read "To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday" and "Five Women Wearing the Same Dress"

Goal: Find and attend a good on-camera class to supplement my acting classes.
Actual: Finishing up that commercial class with Chris Game.  I am thinking about starting to get a group of actors together to work on camera once a week.

Goal: Complete editing on both my films before the PWFF early bird deadline.
Actual: Not looking so good, but they will be finished!!!

Goal: Write and produce two more shorts this year.
Actual: Let's finish these other two first.

Goal: Continue to help at the agency once a week.
Actual: I've gone to the agency once a week and have been working on a Pilot Season project to help them be super organized.

Goal: Find three casting offices that I can help out at as a reader.
Actual: This month I continued helping out at the TV office and got to help them on their new Pilot.

Goal: Blog every Monday.
Actual: Blogged every week.  Plus you can check out my other blog: Being Crafty and Cultured in Los Angeles. 

Like Me, Please Like Me!

Edward Norton once said that one of the things he disliked about being an actor is that it's a career that requires other people giving you permission to do it.  Unlike a painter or poet you can't just go to your basement and be an actor.  Sure you could do a monologue for your stuffed animals, but an actor really needs an audience that listens and responds.  You can't act in a vacuum.

Remember Sally Field winning the Oscar and her joy in realizing that they liked her, they really liked her?  It took her winning an Oscar to figure that out?  Wasn't she America's Sweetheart when she was Gidget?  But, that lack of self-confidence is not uncommon in this industry which can have you being rejected on a daily basis.  Even the most talented actors are worried about when the next job will come along or if there will ever even be a next job.

An actor friend came to me recently concerned that she wasn't being cast in the shorts and webseries her other actor friends were filming.  She went into that downward spiral of questioning her talent, thinking she had none, and eventually landing on maybe it was time for her to give up.  On the outside, you can look into this situation and see all kinds of possible reasons she wasn't cast.  Maybe the parts weren't right for her or maybe they wrote parts specifically for someone who could bring in equipment or money.  But, when you are the actor inside looking out, it's hard not to take it as a comment on your own abilities.  We want so much for people to want us to be in their projects.

One reason actors constantly need approval from others is because we are unable to stand back and see our own work.  This is especially true in theater, but even on film it is nearly impossible to judge ourselves.  I remember an interview with Tea Leoni where she was asked if she ever watched herself in movies.  She said no, she hated watching herself because she could never see past her huge front teeth.  I've enjoyed a number of Tea Leoni movies and have never once noticed her front teeth. 

We are terrible judges of ourselves.  I know I am.  I can't tell you how many auditions I was sure I bombed that I then got a callback or cast.  And as far as looking to others for approval, what I've learned is that some people are going to like you no matter what.  Other people will hate you and you won't be able to change their mind, even if you were Meryl Streep.  You can't worry about what others think, eventually you'll find the people who like working with you and those are the ones worth worrying about.

What I Learned at ActorFest

This past Saturday I went to ActorFest, a free event for actors from Backstage.  There were casting director meet and greets, panels (those cost extra), and lots of booths for things that might be of interest to actors, like Scientology and psychotherapists.  It's a lot like ComicCon minus cosplay and Kevin Smith. 

This is what I learned at ActorFest 2011:

1. There are a lot of companies that seem to exist for the sole purpose of separating actors from their money.
2. Actors will do anything for a chance to talk with a casting director, including standing in line for over 3 hours to have a two-minute chat.
3. However, most actors are not willing to get up before 9am. 
4. I have no idea what to say to a casting  director in a two-minute general meeting.
5. Casting director's also have no idea what to say to actors in a two-minute general and their go-to question is "So, where are you from?"  Better than, do you come here often?  I guess.
6. There are some very sketchy people out there trying to be actors.
7. There are people who look gorgeous at 8am standing outside in the freezing cold.  I assume these people are genetic freaks.
8. If you are going to be standing in line for most of a day, bring snacks.  And if you ask me, peanut butter cups have protein and are therefore good for you.
9. High heels make your butt look pretty and your feet hurt.  If you are going to be spending all day in line, bring flats.
10. Apparently, Irish-American doesn't count as diverse to NBC.

I'm always pro going to free events when you have nothing else going on.  You never know who you are going to meet or what you'll learn.  This weekend I got to meet some cool actors and chatted with a few casting directors.  I'm not sure how much can be learned about someone in two-minutes, but it is more than they knew about me before this weekend.

Yeah, I waited in lines for most of the day, but all in all a fairly productive way to spend a Saturday.  Now time to write the follow-up thank you notes.

How to Help your Agent Help You

I always say how important it is to not sit on your tush waiting for your agent to call.  But, agents are an important part of the business.  There are doors they can open that you can't by yourself.

This is why having a good working relationship with your agent is so important.  I hear so many actors complain about how their agents aren't working for them or how their agents never get them auditions.  But, how many of these actors actually talk to their agents about these problems?

I intern at my agent's office once a week.  It keeps my face in their mind and I get to see what's going on out there.  I know what's casting and if it really is just slow.  But, interning isn't the only way to have a better relationship with your agent.

When was the last time you went to agent's office just to say hi and see how they are doing?  One visit goes a long way, it makes them think of you and want to pitch you.  Bringing baked goods never hurts either.  Plus, you can take this as an opportunity to talk with them about what you need to do to get out more.

Don't hold back from talking to your agent because you're worried about bothering them.  If there is a project casting that you really want to be in, or you know you are right for something, or you know the casting director, you absolutely should email or call your agent and let them know.  If you don't feel comfortable enough to call and email your agent then ask yourself why you're in a relationship with them.

Your agent is your partner, but remember they only make 10% so you should be doing 90% of the work.  Make your own movies, help out at casting offices, research what's currently casting on websites like castingabout.com, go to classes, network, and all that other good stuff proactive actors do.  Make sure your agent has all the tools they'll need to be able to work effectively for you.

How to Tackle those One-Liners.

Ask any actor and they will tell you the most difficult auditions they go on are for one line roles.  You see these on every TV show: the paramedics, nurses, waiters, receptionists with lines like, "Your table is right this way" or "The stab wound is in curtain two."

I went in for the role of "Assistant" on a TV show a few years back and the line was "Your dinner reservation is at 8."  At the audition, I walked into the room and said my line.  The casting director looked up at me and gave this direction: "Great.  Now say it like you're the assistant to a scientist."

What the hell does that mean?!  I mean, how would the assistant to a scientist say anything?

So, I turned around, took a breath, and just said the line again.  Did I say it like the assistant to a scientist?  I have no idea.

The problem with one-liners is that you don't have much to work with and how are you supposed to make yourself stand out with just one line?  A few weeks ago I went to a workshop with a casting associate who spent years casting a procedural drama that required a lot of your typical one-liner roles.  She had some great tips on tackling these roles.  Here are a few of them:

1. Don't over think it.  Generally, these roles are jobs and you do this job everyday.  It doesn't need to be dramatic.  Keep it simple.
2. Don't drag the line out with lots of unnecessary pauses.  I know it's a short line and you want to be seen for as long as possible, but it's more important to be truthful.
3. Give yourself a moment before you start the line.  You can turn or step into it.  This is a good moment for you to relax, but also practical because it gives the casting director time to find your name on her list so she can actually watch your audition.
4. Remember every part and line is important.  If it wasn't it wouldn't be in the script.  Put as much work into as you would any other audition.  And it's just one line, so please have it memorized.

Now that you've booked that one line role, what should you do?  Exactly what this guy did in his video, One Line on the Sopranos.  (I know I've posted this video before, but it's an awesome video and I'll take any excuse to watch it again.)

Can the actors out there please stand up?

When someone asks you, what do you do?  Do you spout off a list of survival jobs before eventually mumbling under your breath that you are an actor, if you even say actor at all? 

I know you worry how they'll look at you, especially in LA where being an "actor" can have some bad connotations.  I know what it is to dread the next question that'll be coming out of their mouths: Have you been in anything I would've seen?

But, if you can't stand up and proudly say you are an actor then how do you expect anyone else to think of you as an actor.  A couple years back I took a seminar about creating a business plan for actors.  At this seminar we each had to write down our ultimate dream goal in this profession, then we had to put down the paper and say it to the person sitting next to us.  You can't imagine how the words "I want to win an Oscar" get stuck in your throat when you are forced to say it to a complete stranger.  The point was if you can't say this dream of yours out loud to someone then how will you ever be able to reach it.

According to SAG, you are a professional actor when you have headshots, a resume, and are actively seeking acting work.  It has nothing to do with you being paid as an actor or if you have a SAG card, but simply if you are pursuing work as an actor.  So, for all you out there that are going to classes, submitting on Actor's Access and LACasting, or making your own movies: YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL ACTOR! 

Don't shy away from it.  Stand up and be proud for pursuing this crazy career.

And as far as that horrible question "Have you been in anything I would've seen?"  I answer by grabbing my iPhone and pulling up my website, MichelleCoyle.net.  There I have links to all the shorts I've made and my demo reel.  Now they've seen something I've been in.

How many times can you face rejection and still keep going?

Recently, I read an article about how Kathryn Stockett's novel "The Help" was rejected 60 times by publishers before finally being bought by Amy Einhorn Books.  She never gave up, even at rejection 59 she kept pushing. 

Not to take anything away from her amazing resilience and perseverance, but most of us actors face this amount of rejection or more in any given year.

Mark Ruffalo went on 800 auditions before someone finally said yes to him.  That's right he had over 800 rejections and still kept on trying.  Finally, his persistence paid off and now he is not only one of the most talented actors out there but also very successful.

When I first moved to Los Angeles, I had friends who thought I would try this for a bit and when it didn't work out just go back home and get a regular job.  Some still ask, "when are you coming home?"  The answer is: I'm not.

After Melissa Leo was let go from her breakthrough role on "Homicide: Life on the Streets" she didn't book another part for a few years.  If she had taken that as a sign that she needed to give up and go home she wouldn't have an Oscar today.

Actors have multiple opportunities for rejection every day from your agent's submission on a breakdown to the preread to the call back to the studio test.  For every actor you see on an episode of CSI think of how many actors were rejected for that part. 

Why do we keep putting ourselves through so much rejection?

Because someone has to get the part and there will be that moment where you are the right person at the right place at the right time and the part will be yours.

On the days you feel like you can't face another rejection those are the days you have to push the hardest.  So, keep on pushing guys!

Being Okay with Being Ugly (or how to rock a gorilla suit)

Currently, I am performing in a play at Playhouse West called A Mixed Tape.   I spend almost the entirety of the play in a full Gorilla suit.  You may be thinking that's too bad for me that the audience doesn't get to see my face.  But the truth is that being in the costume gives me so much freedom that I have a ton of fun doing this play.  Plus, I don't have to worry about my hair and make-up before the show, so I'm not sitting with the other ladies fighting over plugs for flat irons.

I've always loved character work, when I get in a costume and develop traits that are different from my own, I am truly happy.  Now, even when I am doing a role that doesn't specifically call for a lot of character work, I still create character traits to give my performance that extra layer.  Creating a character always makes me feel more relaxed and free on stage.

What I don't understand are actors who are not willing to make themselves ugly when a role calls for it.  It's like they are scared we have such short memories that we'll forget they are actually beautiful.  Look, if you are supposed to be in the 1800's Old West, you have to accept that showers were not common and flat irons were not invented yet, so if you look perfectly made up and clean then it's kinda hard for the audience to buy that you are actually in the Old West.

Charlize Theron would never have won an Oscar if she worried about what she looked like playing Aileen in "Monster."  If you want to be really truthful in whatever part you are playing, you cannot be afraid to get a little dirty.  Sometimes a role calls for you to put away the curling iron and rock your frizzy natural hair, think how different Cameron Diaz would have been in "Being John Malkovich" without her frizziness.

As actors I know we all fret about what we look like.  We obsess over diets and exercise.  We bleach our teeth and our hair.  We are constantly trying to look like the perfect people we think Hollywood wants us to be, but when you do get an acting job don't forget why you are in this crazy business: to live truthfully under imaginary circumstances.

Don't shortchange your character or the audience by not being truthful with how your character looks.

Are you your worst enemy?

Each of us find ways to sabotage our own careers.  The trick is to figure out what it you are doing to hurt your career and then work everyday to fight that.

Personally, I often question my abilities and especially my looks.  I will say to myself I am not pretty enough for that part or I don't have enough credits so they will never call me in.  This prevents me from going after roles I really want and then I will never be given a chance in the first place.

Have you ever been called in for something and then thought, this character doesn't look like me or I'm not the type of person they would cast in this role?  What do you do then?  Do you go to the audition and tell the casting director you aren't right for this or even worse do you not go to the audition at all? 

Both of these are the absolutely wrong choice.  Don't do the casting director's job for them.  You can't know what they are looking for, so go in, don't make excuses, and do the best work you can do.  Let them decide that your ears are too big, or your nose is crooked, or that your credits aren't enough.

Woody Allen famously said, "Eighty percent of success is just showing up."  Talking yourself out of trying for things that may seem difficult or out of your reach can be a self-protecting device to prevent you from being rejected.  But, I guarantee someone else will get 100% of the jobs you don't show up for.

Where is your Craft at?

I am amazed how many people in Hollywood say they are following their dreams but don't find the time to go to classes or even read about the craft of what they are trying to do.  If you can't find the time for your dream then how can expect anyone to give your dream time. 

Why do so many people choose to not work on their craft?  I see three main reasons: they get too busy, they get too lazy, or they think they know everything already.

Today I want to talk about the latter reason because I think it is the most detrimental.  I know some people who think they are going to change all the rules of filmmaking, photography, writing, or whatever it is they want to do without ever even learning what the rules are in the first place.  They want to change the world, but discount everybody who came before them.  If you truly love to do something then you should want to learn as much as you about it as you can. 

If you love acting then you should be reading plays and books by the masters all the time.  If you love photography you should be studying photos by the greats and reading about the techniques they used.  If you love filmmaking then you should watch the classics and learn about the intricacies of telling stories through moving pictures.  This goes for anything that you want pursue on a professional level. 

Would you go to a doctor who hadn't studied?  Would you want to fly on a plane with a pilot who had never learned in a simulator first?  Would you want to be represented by a lawyer who didn't study the precedents in your case?

If you want to be a professional why would expect anything less from yourself?

Are You Doing Enough?

Last weekend at the Playhouse West Film Festival, Scott Caan did a Q&A about his career.  One thing he said really struck me: he always feels like he should be doing more for his acting and for his career.  Here is a guy who is a regular on two television shows, writes and directs his own films, and is starting his own production company and he doesn't feel like he is doing enough.

If this guy doesn't feel like he is doing enough, how can any actor feel like they are doing enough?  Well, maybe James Franco does, but I assume he has Hermione's Time-Turner in order to do everything.

At the acting school I attend, I've seen some newbie-super-gung-ho actors come through who want to do everything right away.  They'll audit every class they can and want to constantly rehearse.  It is commendable, but what often happens with these actors is that they burn out quickly and end up leaving LA.

The trick is finding the right balance.  Of course you should work on your acting and your career, but there are more ways to do that than just going to class.  For me, I help out at my agency once a week, read at casting offices, go to class, write, and produce my own stuff.  But, don't forget that there is more to life than just your career, so don't beat yourself up when you are tending to your personal life as well.

As actors we chose a career that is more like a vocation or calling.  We don't have office hours, so our work is constantly with us.  When we aren't in the middle of working on something it is easy to feel bad about ourselves.  The hard thing is that this chosen career tends to have more downtime than working time. 

Here Michael Ian Black on SadSadConversation talks about the panic he feels when he is not working on something (around the 50 second mark):

Oscar winner, Michael Caine says he would always say yes to any role offered to him because he never knew if it would be the last role he was offered.  That's why he agreed to do Jaws: The Revenge.  He wanted to work and was afraid that could be his last chance.

Is the lesson here that no matter how many Oscars you've won, how many shows you've been a regular on, or how long you've been in the business you'll always feel that you aren't doing enough? 

No, it's more about acceptance. 

If you know you are doing as much as you can: if you are going to class, rehearsing, writing, reading, actively making new contacts, then accept yourself and don't beat yourself up every time you are without an acting job.

Some Film Festival Inspiration

I spent a very inspiring weekend at the Playhouse West Film Festival.  Three days of films, mostly shorts and every film involved Playhouse West students.  I have worked at this festival for the past 6 years and I am particularly proud of this year's film selections.  We had so many well made films with tight writing and good acting. 

I am a little disappointed in myself for not having a film in the festival this year.  I helped out on a few projects as a PA and such, but nothing more.

So, I want to take this opportunity to make a promise to myself and to all of you that I WILL HAVE A FILM IN THE FESTIVAL NEXT YEAR!!!

Congratulations to all the filmmakers who got off their tush this year and produced such wonderful work.  Throughout the festival, the advice most of the filmmakers give is to just go out there and do it.  That's exactly what I plan on doing as soon as I take a nap since working the festival is not just very inspiring but also extremely exhausting.

So, you want to be Rich and Famous?

If you chose to become an actor because you want to be rich and famous, I should tell you there are easier ways with a much better return to achieve both of those goals.  Your average work-a-day actor may never be able to quit the day job.

I spend many weekends working one of my survival jobs, sampling stuff at Costco.  It's not a bad job: short day, good money, and sometimes I get to take samples home.  This weekend a couple aisles down from my moisturizer demo, a guy had a fancy demo of those super cool blenders that can blend anything.  I call it fancy because they gave him a microphone and he was standing on a small stage with lots of equipment, all I had a small table with a black tablecloth.

The most interesting thing about the blender demo is that the guy running it is a well-known character actor.  He has a large recurring role on a series that has already gotten picked up for the fall.  This actor has a career that spans two decades and has included other large recurring roles, guest stars, movies, and a long running commercial campaign.  By all accounts a very successful career and one most of us actors are striving for.

And here I am working basically the same survival job as him.  Now, I am not pretending to know him or why he was there.  Maybe he has large gambling debts or he was doing it as a favor to a friend, but I suspect he was doing it because if you aren't working an acting job, doing promotions is a respectable way to get some extra income.

This is why you have to truly have a passion for acting, because if it's money you want there are more tried and true ways to get it like going to med school or becoming a stripper.


And if it's fame you're after, well I had an acting teacher once tell me that if I wanted to be a famous I chose my parents poorly.  Navigating Hollywood certainly would be easier with a name like Coppola or Arquette.

But, if you really want to be famous may I suggest reality television.

Who the heck booked Pilots this year?

Now that the upfronts are pretty much over and we know which pilots got picked up and which ones didn't, there are those of us actors who didn't even get to go out for pilots much less book one.  So, of the pilots that got produced who did get those jobs? 

James J. Jones owner of The Premier Talent Group did the math for those of us not good with numbers:

“2011 PILOT SEASON stratification by the numbers
Of the 529 Series Regular Roles (assuming that named
doing recurring roles):

112 or 21.2% Went to NAMED ACTORS
262 or 49.5% -­ Went to KNOWN ACTORS
374 or 70.7% -­ Went to NAMED AND KNOWN ACTORS

*Of the additional 27.3% of the bookings, almost all of them had significant credits
as series recurring actors or series regulars in shows that did not last long. Only 7
bookings (2.0%) would be considered truly developmental received series regular
roles, and many of these went to the under 18 category.

In short,

21.2% of series roles went to bonafide star names (ie Ethan Hawke and Christina Ricci).
49.5% of series regulars went to former series regulars of major shows.
27.3% of series regular roles went to heavy working actors with numerous.
series recurring roles and/or series regular roles of shows that did not last.
2.0% of series regular roles went to true developmental actors."

I spent a number of days helping out at my agent's office during "pilot season" and can tell you that no matter how much he pitched it was hard to even get an audition for any talent who did not already have significant credits.  One of my agents was pitching me for a co-star role and they told her it had gone to an offer.

On top of all the roles going to offers many of the Pilots were filmed outside of LA.

"As of April 18th, Variety was reporting that confirmed Pilot Shoots will occur in:

United States
48 Los Angeles
11 New York (Unt. Susannah Grant, Over & Under, Unt. Redlich/Belluchi, Prime
Suspects, Smash, Weekend at Bellevue, Georgetown, Persons of Interest,
Ringer, Rookies and Pan Am)
4 Florida (Bad Mom, Magic City, The Finder, Angels)
4 Illinois (Cooper and Stone;; Boss, Playboy)
2 Georgia (Hail Mary, Partners)
2 New Mexico (Reconstruction, Longmire)
2 North Carolina (Revenge;; Hart of Dixie)
1 Oregon (Grimm)
1 Louisiana (Wild Card)
1 Texas (Good Christian Bitches)
1 Pennsylvania (Locke and Key)

Outside of the United States
5 Vancouver, Canada (17th Precinct, Secret Circle, Alcatraz, Heavenly and Once
Upon a Time)
2 Toronto, Canada (Awakening, Poe)
1 Prague/Rome/Vienna (Missing)
1 Puerto Rico (The River)
1 Montreal, Canada (Identity)"*

That tells me it is time to either marry a Canadian so I can legally work up there or make some magic happen with the local hire casting offices outside of LA. 

Now you can either take all this information and chose to be discouraged, but I don't think that is the right response.  I think it is even more evidence that you can't rely on other people to give you opportunities to do your art.  Create your own films!

Need some inspiration? See what your colleagues are creating by joining us at the Playhouse West Film Festival to be educated and inspired.


*See the complete 2011 PILOT REPORT from The Premier Talent Group

Just Waiting for Someone to Wake Me Up

Over the last couple months, I’ve been working as a reader at a feature film casting office.  What was interesting about this particular experience was that we were working on only one role for 6 weeks.  I read with over 200 hundred actors all doing the exact same 5 page scene.  Trust me, at this point I know every line in that scene inside and out.   I can do the scene in my sleep and I hate to admit it but there were times when I was pretty much asleep during the session.

If good acting is listening and reacting, then I fully admit during these auditions I was not always a good actor.  But every once in awhile, an actor would come in and really draw me out; these few would force me to pay attention.

It reminds of something a casting director once told me: in auditions he was usually just waiting for an actor to wake him up.

I started trying to figure out the difference between the boring actors that have now all run together in my head and the few that forced me to notice them.  Honestly, the ones that really woke me up were the ones that I could tell were truly paying attention to me.  In the scene they weren’t just talking at me but were listening to me and making sure that I understood them.

The ones that were good were more concerned about me than how they looked or if they were acting “right.”  It made them live truthfully in the situation, which is something actors are wonderful at on stage or on set, but for some reason find nearly impossible in the audition room.

When you go into an audition, take the pressure off yourself and put all the attention on the other person.  It will help you relax and one thing a casting director always likes to see is a relaxed, confident actor.  Those actors make the casting directors job so much easier.

Are We There Yet? (or why I need to learn to enjoy the journey)

There are days I get so frustrated with Hollywood that I want to leave.  Pack my Ikea furniture, Forever 21 wardrobe, and boxes of unused headshots into my 10-year-old Civic and drive the 3,000 miles back to my parent’s house, which always has plenty of food in the cupboard.

I know if I did go home and got a regular job in Atlanta - did some community theater on the side - my life would be so much easier.  But, easier does not mean better and the harder it is to reach something the sweeter it will be when you do.  So, I convince myself to stay in LA and fight for the hard dream.

The problem with choosing acting as a profession is that there is no given way to success.  If you’ve lived in LA for more than a year then you probably know a few people that have reached enough success that they were able to quit their day job.  (Ah, that would be a dream!)  Maybe they’ve had a few nationals or even got a series regular role.  But, the longer you live here the more you realize that this success happens to the most random people and that some of the best actors you know can’t even get an agent.

It’s an ugly truth about Hollywood, but some of the best actors in the world are stuck doing 99-seat theater in North Hollywood and they never manage to move beyond it.  This is because acting is not just about talent and hard work, there is a modicum of timing and luck that goes alongside with success.  Being in the right place at the right time can be the difference being someone “making it” and someone not.

What is your definition of success in your career?  And the really tough question is: what if you don’t reach that level of success?

Find the things you enjoy in the journey that leads to your success and it will be easier to stick it out.   

BESIDES THE OTHER WAY TO FIND SUCCESS IS TO SIMPLY OUTLAST YOUR COMPETITION.

I'm a Green Dot, or why you need to know your type

When I first moved to LA, a friend convinced me to go with her to an audition for a reality show.  It’s at a studio and when we finally get to the front of the line a woman quickly looks me up and down.  She takes a green dot from her pack of multi-colored stickers and places it on my paperwork.  My friend gets a blue dot. 

We are then split up into lines based on our colored dots.  I am sent to the green dot line along the wall and my friend is sent to the much shorter line with the other color dots.  I look at her line and everyone is tall, beautiful, and seems to have a fan constantly blowing through their perfect hair.   

They look like a Vanity Fair cover.

Then I look down my line and I realize they are not very attractive; I’m talking people with hunchbacks, missing limbs, patches over an eye, and definitely not hot. Then it occurs to me: 

I’m in the ugly people line!  

It came as a bit of a shock, I mean I know I’m not Angelina Jolie, but I had thought I was at least a Jennifer Aniston.  I chose at that moment to accept the fate of being categorized as a character actor, took the green dot off my paperwork and put it on the middle of my forehead for my audition.  Owning it.  I AM A GREEN DOT!

Now I know who I am.  I’m not the one who gets the Prince at the end of the fairy tale: I’m her snarky best friend or the Prince’s secretary.  I’m the diner waitress or a school teacher.  That is my brand.

The point is that you need to know who you are.  Not everyone is the leading man - someone has to be Steve Buscemi.  Once you find what roles you are going to play then let that be your brand.  Your photos, your reel, all your marketing tools need to be aimed at that brand.

Actors are always afraid of being “typecast.”  I always say the most important part of that word is “cast.”  Be the go-to person when casting directors need your type.  That is the way to get jobs in this town.  Once you are Ryan Gosling or Natalie Portman you can branch outside your brand.

YOU NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH WHO YOU ARE AND SELL IT!

Be Confident Even If You Aren't

First of all, if a casting director called you into an audition that means they want to cast you.  Seriously they do, because if you come in and are perfect for the part then their job is done and they won’t have to sit through another 100 actors who look just like you.  Trust me they want to like you, they really, really do.

But, we are actors and think everyone is judging us constantly and we need validation.  This makes us seem needy and lacking confidence.  Which is a problem, because over and over again the actors that get callbacks and book parts are the ones that exude confidence the moment they walk into the office.

For those of us that lack that natural who-gives-a-hoot-what-anyone-thinks-air, here are a couple basic traps many actors fall into:

Don’t Walk into an Audition Apologizing

I helped at a casting session that involved singing.  The first thing a bunch of the actors said the moment they walked in the door was, “I’m so sorry, but I’m not a very good singer.”

Now everyone in the room is thinking, great this is going to be a waste of our time and then we are going to be stuck in the uncomfortable position of having to coddle you after your audition and tell you that you weren’t as bad as you thought.  Since, you told us that you were going to be bad, I am going to go over my grocery list in my head while you are singing.

And truth be told, most of these actors weren’t that bad and if they hadn’t made everyone biased against them the moment they walked in they may have had a chance.

Don’t Come in with Excuses

I can’t tell you how many actors have walked in and the first thing they said was an excuse as to why they were late, or don’t have their headshots, or why they don’t know their lines.

Here is the answer to all your excuses:

1. Yes, you live in LA; traffic sucks.

2. No, your agent didn’t send over headshots for you.  Here’s a hint: They never do.

3. There are other actors up for the same part who had the material the same amount of time that do know their lines.  Guess who looks better on camera. 

How can you seem more confident? 

1. Be pleasant and greet the casting director, but don’t start rambling on.  When they ask how’s your day going they are just being polite and don’t need to hear about how your cat threw up on your bathroom carpet (true story). 
2. When they ask if you have any questions, they are doing two things: offering to answer any intelligent questions you have about the scene and they are letting you know that it’s time to start.  Don’t ask a question just to ask a question and don’t ask something that you should have had answered before you came in.  What should you have found out before you stepped into the room?  Things like: is this a comedy or drama and how are these characters related.
3. If you feel like things are going supremely terrible it is okay to stop and ask to do the scene again, but only do this if you are going to do the scene differently and you are sure it will be better.  Also, know that even if you think you are doing terrible usually you are doing fine.
4. Once the scene is done say thank you and leave.  I have seen more than one actor talk themselves out of a role after they did an amazing scene by going on and on once they were finished.  The need to fill dead air with talking shows a lack of confidence in yourself.

There are those that are born with confidence.  For the rest of us who weren’t, may I suggest faking it and eventually you might find some of that confidence inside you.  Not that I have, but it could happen.