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Lets Move Forward

bethmelsky, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

The SAG/AFTRA commercial contract was approved overwhelmingly. There is no reason to dwell. We need to move forward. As union members, it is important for you to understand the new rules.

There is a clause about NDA’S that I think everyone should understand. It seems it is automatic on every commercial job that you are under an NDA. You don’t have to sign an NDA for it to be enforced. Casting directors have been putting them out for years on jobs that are new concepts or have celebrity talent in them. We have, many times, not let actors know the name of the product, just the conflict area. Since social media has made it so easy to talk about things and publicize it, I think actors get excited to share things and clients do not want their new ideas shared in that way. They have competitors as well…remember?

I think when actors audition they need to assume every audition and the material are under that rule. Never ever take scripts with you. This has now become a SAG/AFTRA rule and it is not worth taking any chances on. It is so easy to find out where the leak came from and nobody needs trouble. Casting directors even sign them saying that we will not post scripts and, if we do, they will not have certain info on them, like product names or logos.

New York rarely posts scripts. Beth Melsky Casting rarely posts union breakdowns, unless we are looking for something very unusual. We are very old fashion and believe that verbal communication with agents helps them understand the creative and gives us the chance to talk about seasoned actors as well as new actors that they feel have great potential. The less that is posted, the less chance there is for problems. However, that is not why we choose to prep by communicating. We do it the old fashion way because, even though it might take more time, it is more effective in doing a great job.

If we are casting non-union, I think you should follow this rule as well. Our clients expect that from us and we will continue to put out NDA’S when requested on non-union jobs. Social media has changed this industry and you must be careful. If you were a stock broker, would you tell everyone what you did all day? This is a job.

Our casting process allows me to present my client with the pros, as well as working hard to add new and interesting choices. This is a very important balance. Again, Beth Melsky Casting does this across the board. We also respect and set up our casting sessions the same way. Everyone gets a time and we work hard to get actors in and out as fast as possible. For actors that are used to going to non-union auditions and thinking that “anytime works,” that is not the way we work. Please take your appointments seriously, take everything you are told seriously, and the audition process in my office will go very smoothly. Union or non-union, all sessions are important and all casting needs to be presented with quality. Actors are treated with respect and the actors need to respect the casting process. Non-union is not going away…so let’s present it the same and build a greater level of respect. I think, even with union casting, or the lack of, actors are being forced to put it lower on their list of priorities; therefore, union sessions can end up equally as hard to put together. I get both sides and I just ask that everybody (not just actors ) try harder.

I think actors need to assess their careers, decide their priorities, and choose what is best for them. Joining the union if you are able, staying non-union or even going financial core, none of us have a crystal ball so all you can do is decide what is the best path for you right now and how you might earn the most money in your near future. Going fi-core after you have become a union member is a big decision. Just as joining the union, if you have the opportunity, is a big decision. Going fi-core is easy but deciding to be union again is not so easy. While you are fi-core you cannot audition for union work. It’s not as if you can book something union and then pick up the phone and say, “I want to be SAG again.” It is a process that will take way longer then you would ever have in being able to do the job and will cause huge problems for the casting director and the signatory.

If you make a decision to be a member again then you must start the process before you audition for union work. You cannot do both. Actors that have worked non-stop non-union might very well see a big change in the amount of auditions you end up getting. Do your due diligence. You cannot let it figure itself out. Actors that have been union for many years decide to go financial core because being a union member is no longer helping their careers. You cannot use the option of fi-core as a way to toggle back and forth. If you make the choice to join and it does not work out for you, you can file to go fi-core. Just make sure that is what you will be happier with. Everyone’s career is different. I think there are times that actors should join and times they shouldn’t, but it is not up to me to advise you.

With the Internet and social media, advertising is a changed world. I know actors were hoping that this contract would help change the amount of non-union work, but unfortunately advertisers are not seeing enough of a return to increase budgets to cast union. This belief also greatly affects casting directors. We used to have day rates. Now we are being offered flat rates and it is hard for us as well. We work twice as hard for half the money, but I cannot let that affect my quality, staff, or services.

We all have to hope that with time and knowledge things will get better for all of us. Maybe it would have been great if the negotiations (since it seemed they were going well) were extended and took more time. That is easy for me to say. I do not know the process. I do know that things will hopefully continue along because products still have to be advertised and in three years when the commercial contract is up again, we will not only be more knowledgeable, but the future of the way things can and will work will be shown over that time.

In the meantime, everyone should do what he/she is doing. Pay attention to the flow and future of advertising and do not make rash decisions. Three years in our world is a short amount of time but a lot can been learned.

Like I have said before, knowledge is everything. We are all in the same position…and hope time helps for the next contract.

There are no easy answers. If I could turn the clock back twenty years, I would. Social media and technology are moving faster then we are and I do not see it slowing down. Maybe casting will become an app (haha). I do not think there were any clear winners here but a war is not the answer.

My personal opinion does not matter. I do not have a vote but it all affects my business. Something I very much have to keep going. Let’s work towards a future that can works best for everyone so actors can just think about acting. Beth Melsky Casting is here for everyone.

Lets Move Forward

To A Productive 2016

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It is the end of the year and it has been a tiring one. Casting directors have had some very busy times and some slow times. Believe it or not, the busy times are harder than the slow periods. That brings me to my three biggest wishes for the New Year:

  1. Enough work for casting directors, talent agents, and actors. That being said, my next wish…
  2. For actors to help make the agents’ (then, in turn, the casting directors’) lives much easier by being responsible. Send in your schedules. Do not wait for an appointment to let your agent know about something by saying, “Oh, I was just about to tell you. It just happened.” This is a job and one you need to take seriously. If acting is no longer your “career,” then let your agent or agents know that. If you are responsible with your schedules, they will have the information and work with it.
  3. The commercial contract is up in April. It would be amazing if the union could wipe the slate clean and start again. Times are very different now and it would be great if all actors had the same opportunities. This is not a realistic wish. Union or non-union is tough on everyone but we need to work and union is not always affordable in this new digital age. Everyone should have a chance to work and make money at what they love doing.

I wish everyone a happy and successful New Year and I can’t wait for the newest and funniest excuses.

 

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To A Productive 2016

Goodbye Summer, Back to Work

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This is my last blog of the summer…summer as New Yorkers know it. Summer is my favorite time of the year. I hate the cold weather and I love the long days with so many hours of light. It is also my most frustrating time of the year as a casting director. I love summer, but I do not take off any time. I have never taken a “summer vacation.” You want to know why? Casting is not like school. We do not close or slow up because schools are closed.

We do not usually get slow and, if anything, we hope for it to be very busy. More work is shot in New York because of the weather and clients like to travel to here when it’s warm. Production does not stop because it is summer.

Schedule is not determined by weather. It is determined based on events. We cast for back to school, football, new products, etc. There is no way for us to know the inner workings of advertising agencies and what they need to produce or why.

The ad business never stops. It may slow down at times, but we have no idea when new products are going to be launched. We can only stay open and wait. Actors have decided that August is a month off. My clients are shocked to hear many actors take off long periods of time and it makes it so hard for casting directors to do quality casting sessions.

This summer has been very busy with a large amount of last minute jobs coming up, especially in the voiceover/radio world. I get one day’s notice to put a great session together and this is the time actors should be waiting by their phones. Actors must have gotten a memo that I missed saying, “August is slow so take the month off.”

Give this some thought and ignore the memo next summer. For all the work Beth Melsky Casting has had, prepping quality casting sessions (union, non-union, voiceover, and radio) has been a painful process. This is not Europe. We do not shut down for the month of August.

Come October, actors will be calling their agents asking where all the work is. I hope their answer will be that it was all done in August. The only time actors can feel secure in not missing anything is the four days off for Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Years.

It seems if an actor sits with no auditions for a few days, they assume they can just pick up and leave. Eventually, you’re going to miss something. Short holidays have turned into ridiculous spans. My clients do not think about things like that. They have a job to shoot. They do not put it off because it is the Monday before Thanksgiving. My directors and producers cannot fathom what we go through and what we listen to on a daily basis. They need to cast and shoot. That is all that matters. They do not even care about a casting director’s struggle to provide quality casting.

If they could hear a tenth of the excuses I hear on a daily basis, I do not think they would believe it. They think actors become actors to act, not to take vacations. They are giving me an opportunity and would never believe what casting directors go through. Frankly, they shouldn’t have to care. They want the casting sessions done well, and that’s what matters.

Casting is a part of production. Without actors, it cannot happen, but they have so many other things to deal with to get the production done. Doing things without actors takes the struggle off the table. Don’t think for a minute, it couldn’t go that way. I think actors need to take a look at the business that you have chosen to be in and take time off when it makes sense. Nothing is waiting for you. Commercials are not unimportant. We make careers.

That brings me back to the same old problem. E-mail to update your agent or agents on your availability. That is what I am asking. I am sure you check your e-mails 50 times a day, but you won’t take 2 minutes to notify your agent about your schedule – personal or business. If you are not going to be available, you need to tell them. Again, even if you haven’t heard from them in three weeks doesn’t mean an audition couldn’t come up any second. They need to know. They want to know your schedule before they submit you to me. They look at an actor’s schedule and if it’s clear, they’ll submit the actor. The agent calls with the appointment only to finally get an e-mail response from the actor that they forgot to book out because they’re getting married that weekend, have to move out of their apartment, or forgot they’re going to California, or even having surgery. I could go on and on.

It does not matter why you are booking out. Hopefully, sometimes it is because you have an acting job. But you MUST book out. I get mad and your agent gets mad. I cannot do my job well and your agent cannot make money. You are actors. You should be of the mindset that every audition you get matters. Think about how many actors are not getting auditions and would die to be in your position.

I just thought I would point out the excuse I got the most in the month of August – “family emergency.” Now I am sure some are really family emergencies. I am also sure everyone’s idea of a family emergency is different but when someone tells me they have a family emergency and their emergency was going to Florida because it was their father’s birthday. Is that what an “emergency” is? Be careful how you want to cry wolf.

I had over 100 family emergency excuses last month and I’m sorry if I am a bit skeptical but it seems to be the safest excuse to go with. What agent would want to pry and ask what the “family emergency” is? At some point, I am going to notice actors using that excuse more than once. I also do not think it’s right to use the “family emergency” excuse because you have a hangover and want a later time.

I am also always surprised when actors know exactly when their family emergency will be over. Maybe it should be called a family issue instead. That is enough ranting about my busy and different August.

Next post I am going to teach non-union actors how to be responsible about their careers, especially when they have multiple agents. There are just as many rules that have to be followed. If you are going to say yes to everything, you are going to end up in a bad situation. There is a correct way to do it. Too many mistakes could end your career.

Goodbye Summer, Back to Work

Two Talent Agents’ View

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This week, I do not want my blog to be me ranting about the state of the business. I will tell you from a director’s side about how hard it is to deal with the talent agents and listening to their ridiculous excuses on behalf of actors not being professional. There has been a change in responsibility of actors dealing with their chosen profession in a very lay manner.

There are three sides to every story. My company is not overreacting. We are reacting and trying to teach and get things back on track. I think it is important for actors, assistants, casting directors, and other agents to hear some major pet peeves from two top commercial agents that are amazing at their jobs that love and long for the way the business used to be. At the end, we are all saying the same thing, just from a different perspective.

We are all working together to make things better and to be able to call ourselves professionals. Professional seems to be the thing that young actors have not learned, season actors have given up on, and agents’ assistants are not understanding the importance of following through and teaching the actors. I am not sure the assistants get that if they don’t help get actors to auditions, then their agencies cannot book and eventually cannot pay their salaries.

I hope actors and assistants will read and take what these agents are saying and approach things with a different mindset. It is not just about Beth Melsky Casting. This is another attempt at trying to fix a very broken process. What these agents are saying is as correct as what I say. If you take their advice, maybe it will eliminate some of the frustrations of casting. Read and think, please.

Here are some pet peeves from Doug Kesten, talent agent at Paradigm Agency:

  • When actors/actresses don’t provide detailed responses when they decline an audition…an e-mail or voice message saying, “thank you, but I can’t make it” is frustratingly not sufficient. We need to know specifics in case there’s a chance the opportunity can be re-scheduled or if that talent needs to be taken off the active roster for a certain time frame.
  • And similarly, when we call with an audition only to be told, “I was going to let you know…I’m leaving town for a tour…or a play…or a wedding…or a vacation.” Since everyone can e-mail any hour of the day there’s no reason why agents & our assistants should only be hearing about these developments when we call with business.
  • Calling a freelance performer with an audition only to find out he/she has signed elsewhere. Not appreciated or smart…if the exclusive arrangement doesn’t work out, I wouldn’t be inclined to resume providing audition opportunities for that individual…l would with someone who had the courtesy to alert me of his/her decision to stop freelancing as soon as it was made.

Here are some pet peeves from Carole Ingber, talent agent at Ingber and Associates:

  • If an actor is sag eligible, they should check with the union to see if they are an ok 30 or a must join. If they are a must join and do not have the money to pay the initial $1,000 and the remainder over time, they should tell the agent not to send them out until they have the money. It is not the agent’s job to pay for actor’s initiation fees (or their dues).
  • Scheduling: When we first meet potential clients, we tell them to always let us know when their schedules, even if it is 2 months in advance…work schedules, vacation schedules, bookings that aren’t ours. We need to know. If we submit on a job and the actor is not available for the shoot or the callback, we may lose a time for another client who could potentially book it. If the actor has a server job, bartending, etc. and works from 3:00 on, we can mark on the submissions to the casting director what their time problems are so they can either be scheduled or not.
  • If the actor is running late, they need to call their agent, not just show up. We should all be working as a team.
  • We love our clients to check in at least once every 3-4 weeks to say hello so we know they are around and available. Sometimes out of sight is out of mind!
  • When not to call: Do not call everyday to check in or ask about money. Do not call to check in before 10am or after 4:30pm, unless of course it is a confirm.
  • When confirming a callback and first refusal, do not assume the agent knows you are in a show. You need to let the agent know when you need a release in the city. For example, Tuesday show performance is at 7pm so a 6pm release is needed, 8pm show, 7pm release is needed, etc.
Two Talent Agents’ View

To All Graduating Actors That Need Help Starting Out

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A lot of young actors are graduating in May and have to try and navigate their lives and concerns through a business that has more actors entering the biz than job opportunities right now. Truly, “pound the pavement.” If you wait around hoping for someone to just show up at a showcase and find you, you may end up very disappointed. Anyone you know, any connection or advantage you may have, jump on it. That’s just how it is right now. You must be talented, but that’s not enough. Managers and agents need a bit more to go on. Lots and lots of showcases with actors graduating from undergraduate or graduate schools need a little something more to make them stand out. It is important to use a name connection, maybe a casting director or even an actor friend who already has an agent that can put in a good word for you. Don’t be afraid to use that, but never in a bragging way. Always stay humble in whatever you do and be grateful for whatever you get.

The next important thing is making yourself available. What that means is if you don’t have a trust fund or rich parents to support you through this process, get a night job, so you can be available for auditions. Set realistic goals. You will know if you should keep going or make acting a hobby. Graduating is just the beginning. Never have an attitude over material, unless you do not feel you can do justice to the part.

Leave your schedule open to not only auditions, even if they’re last minute, but also available to do the job if you book it. If it’s a commercial audition, make damn sure you ask when the callback is and when it shoots before you come in to audition. We understand if an acting job comes up after you come in to audition, but no other excuse is going to work and you could ruin your chances of ever being called in by that casting director again. Even though you are actors, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t handle your career professionally.

If you want to do theater, even showcases, do it. Those are opportunities to help your craft along. Don’t sit at home and wait for the big famous bus to hit you. Try and do a “fringe” show. Agents and managers go to them and respect them.

If you need to make money, then take a weekend job, or a flexible restaurant job, or even a sales job that allows you to set your own schedule. Even seasoned actors that have been able to earn a good living as actors for years are finding it harder and have to figure out ways to supplement incomes. The biggest problem with that for their agents and casting directors is that the actors are trying to do multiple professions. They don’t want to tell their agents that they have a job because they don’t want to stop being submitted for acting jobs. Then they pick and choose what auditions might be worth their time to take off from work for. We need actors that want to audition and book.

Agents not knowing their clients’ schedule leads me to prep a job multiple times. If you’ve made acting a hobby, then your agent should know that and will submit you accordingly. Acting in this environment should not be a hobby, but I also get people’s need to pay rent.

As an actor starting out, your priority must be getting seen, keeping your skills up, continuing to learn, and figuring out a way to pay your bills. To me, any theater job, paid or not, is experience (unless of course it’s just a terrible project). Any commercial booking is worth doing.

New actors are not generally SAG yet. Take advantage of that and go out on non-union auditions as much as possible. Once you’re union, your opportunities will change and you can no longer do non-union. Your choice of agents will change and SAG projects might be better and pay better, but these opportunities right now are fewer than non-union opportunities.

Years and years ago, people would say to me, “I’d like to do commercials to make money,” as if it was an easy acting gig to get while pursing the “real stuff.” My answer to that now is that commercials are a career choice, not an easy fix. Commercials don’t ruin your chances of moving up, doing episodic, sitcom, or even film. Commercials are not looked down upon. They are not just an easy default to pay your bills. I can give you a list of very well known actors and actresses that started out in commercials or were even seen in a commercial and were requested by a producer or director. Good commercials are a great stepping-stone for your career.

If you are a strong improv/comedic actor and people see you in a really funny commercial, it could easily help you get an audition for a sitcom/pilot. It really has happened. People know that the people we cast in the commercials that run during the Super Bowl are not only directed by the top directors in the world, but we do tons of casting with well trained actors that have studied at the top level, UCB, The Pit, The Magnet, etc.

We are a great resource for up and comers that are talented and well trained in improv and that belong to improv groups. Commercials can be used as a great platform for actors to be seen and advance their career. A comedy commercial that is directed by a top comedy director is something that comedy/improv actors can really use to get seen.

You are going to “them.” “They” are not coming to you. Again, many of these actors have gone on to do big things. Even in some cases, they end up doing so well that by the time they are being asked to do a commercial, it is because people know them, love them, and they are doing commercials at a celebrity level with great offers. If you think hard, you can come up with a bunch of those actors on your own.

The last thing for now is don’t be afraid to put your comedy training on your resume. If you don’t want to present yourself in that way in your legit career, then you should have two resumes and two headshots. Have your agent submit the one that is right for the project. A lot of actors can do both, but I find most often that when starting, you have your preference and your strong points.

Quite often, lately when I ask for resumes for a comedy spot, I get them with no comedy training. I will call the agent and ask why they submitted them when they only have theater on their resume. The answer is the resume is for “legit” and legit wants to see theater training. I do not agree. I think your resume should reflect everything that you do “for real.”

Even when I cast film, I want a truthful resume. Your agent or manager makes that decision, whether they think you should have one or two resumes. I believe that great training of any kind is important. I believe any work of quality should be on there. I think young actors starting out might be stronger at one thing than another but give the casting director options. Not everyone can do comedy/improv. If you can’t and you don’t enjoy it, then don’t put it on your resume. From a commercial point, I’m looking for comedy more often than heavy theater, so make sure that you’re noting everything on your resume. It can cost you an audition. Good luck to all those graduating! As always, thanks for reading.

To All Graduating Actors That Need Help Starting Out

An Actor’s Perspective

bethmelsky, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

This week I asked actor Mark Gessner, who works a ton and is one of the best in the business, to contribute to my blog. I did not edit this. I allowed him to tell us things that I talk about every week, but from an actors’ perspective versus a casting director’s. I think it’s important that all sides are heard. I hope opening it up helps everyone reading to understand the big picture.

Remember like six months ago when people were constantly writing “open letters” all the time? It was just after the time goats were a big deal and a bit before things being “on fleek” started? That’s kind of what I’m doing here, but not annoying hopefully. I want to talk about the business of acting and our responsibilities as actors in said business.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Beth Melsky asked me if I would write something from an actor’s perspective. Also I should note that, while she is intimidating and tough as hell and frequently used to scare the ever-living shit out of me, I happen to like her very much. So when she asked me, I said sure. I did not write this because I feel like I have some sort of deep wisdom you’d all be lucky to have. Frankly, I owe her. For her part, Beth just asked me to write it and said she’ll present it as is. So here goes.

Usually when we hear the phrase “personal responsibility”, it’s Mitt Romney or Ted Cruz saying it, or it’s Thanksgiving and your “guns should have more rights than women” uncle is saying it. But it does apply to us as actors and to the careers we are trying to build. And I speak for myself here, but I feel comfortable generalizing in some ways. We all want to audition one million times per week and we all want to be on a show or in movies or on Broadway and not have to work at a bar or restaurant where we have to answer questions like “Um excuse me, what part of the cow does the sea bass come from?” We’re over that. And if we work hard and get a little lucky, we can pay our bills a different way. We can do it just acting.

For me, that was always the dream. I wouldn’t mind being rich as hell and still have plenty of plans for when I am, but in the mean time I will be more than happy with acting simply being how I pay my way in the world and how I feed my kids. And it’s tempting to feel “past” things. For example, one of the biggest challenges in my career was finding a good agent. It took yeeeeeears. But I have found where I belong now. And that hurdle having been cleared makes it seem like in some ways your work is done. I would submit to you that your work begins now. You can actually focus on your career and skills and craft in a different way because you’re not obsessed with finding an agent. It is my firm belief that we are the captains of our own team/brand/career/reputation. And as such we have the responsibility to empower those around us who are tasked with helping us to achieve our dreams and goals. Earning a career in this business requires a large amount of self-focus. We have to know ourselves very well, we have to work hard to find parts that are in our wheelhouse, etc. But it is not a good look when self-focus becomes self-involvement. Everyone hates that like they hate gum in their hair. Don’t be that dude(tte).

Do you like lists? Tough shit if you don’t because I have kids and so I don’t sleep anymore and I need lists or I can’t function. Here’s a short list of things we can actually control that will make us less of a pain in the ass:

  1. TELL YOUR AGENT WHEN YOU’RE UNAVAILABLE. It’s not a crime to take some time away from NYC or to take a few days off here and there. You might need to do that just to remember why you love this crazy ass place. Or this crazy ass business, frankly. You are allowed to do this. You are a grown adult. But the city and the business bustle along briskly without you and people still work on projects. These same people may even want YOU to be in their project. You will cause a disproportionately large problem if you don’t book out and your agent tells a casting director you’re available. It seems so simple and it seems like so not a big deal. It seems like so not a big deal because it’s not YOUR time getting wasted and it’s not YOU getting cursed out because multiple schedules are effed up because a two-line email re: your schedule wasn’t sent. That is a bad reputation to get. If you’re unavailable, cool. TELL SOMEONE!
  2. SHOW UP AND WORK AND DON’T BE A TOOL. Show up on time because Read the copy. Don’t write on it. It’s not yours. But read it and know it. Don’t annoy other people with long bro-ey phone conversations and fake “no YOU’RE so pretty” conversations in the waiting room.
  3. LISTEN TO THE PERSON WHOSE JOB IT IS TO HELP YOU BOOK THE FREAKIN’ COMMERCIAL. We are overwhelmingly treated to excellent casting pros in our city. This is a tough city in which to succeed. That goes for casting directors too. So if you are dealing with a casting house here that has been around for a while, chances are they know what the hell they’re doing. So please listen. And do what they say. They don’t follow you around all day shouting advice and telling you to take things again. They help you for maybe 4 minutes. Focus and listen and do what they say because, apart from being generally good people who love actors, they have a vested interest in you succeeding. Also, realize that they are seeing literally hundreds of men and women all damn day. Value their time. They keep things moving and reasonably on schedule and that alone is a miracle.
  4. REALIZE AND BE OKAY WITH HOW LITTLE CONTROL WE HAVE. As actors, we have control over precisely two (2) things. Two. We have control over how well we prepare for the opportunities we receive and whether or not we quit acting. That’s literally it. We’re not in casting, we’re not studio execs, we’re not producers, we’re not directors. We’re actors. I write all that with the full and proud knowledge that many of my colleagues and friends brilliantly do most of those things, but during the moments when we’re auditioning, we’re “just” actors. We don’t get to make big, fancy decisions. We are workers. Until we’re A-Listers, we get where we get by working and working and working. We show up sick, sad, injured, hungover. We show up no matter what. Or at least we better. Your control begins and ends with your work in the room. So crush it in the goddamn room. Crush it. Leave no doubt.
  5. BE KIND TO EACH OTHER. Please? Can we? This business is brutal sometimes. And it’s not usually because of our fellow actors. We should lean on each other and be worthy of being leaned on. Be nice. FFS, it’s so much easier than being mean.

Thanks for reading! If you see me around, say hello! Keep following this blog and if you have questions about casting, ask Beth. She actually answers!

Next post will include an interview with a talent agent. There’s always at least three sides to every story. Thanks for reading. Makes me feel like people are learning and maybe some change will happen to help the process, which, in turn, will help the business.

An Actor’s Perspective

How to Get a Casting or Acting Job

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I am receiving quite a few resumes from students graduating college and looking for a full-time starting position in casting. My advice to you is:

  • Do not address your letter as “To Whom it May Concern.” Take the time to find out the name of a person you can send your resume to. Even if it is sent to the owner, I’m sure it will get to the right person.
  • We are not a “casting agency.” There is no such thing as a “casting agency.” I have said it before; there are “casting companies” with “casting directors” and there are “talent agencies” with “talent agents.” Applying for a job in casting and calling us casting agents makes us feel like you didn’t learn properly at the internships you completed. This misunderstanding of terminology is a huge pet peeve of mine.

The next big issue of the week is Easter break. It seems a large number of actors take the whole week off to go on vacation with their families. The problem with this is that your agent does not know that you’re out of town until I call them with an appointment for you. The amount of losses due to this is unbelievable. My first thought is that everyone has plenty of money to go to the Caribbean or there are a lot of trust fund actors out there. Either way, PLEASE book out with your agent. Stop making Beth Melsky Casting the reason they find out you’re on vacation. It is exhausting to prep and re-prep. Everyone sends crazy amounts of e-mails out everyday; add your agent(s) to the list. How hard could this be? Doing the right thing and notifying your agent(s) leaves a much better impression than finding out that you’re out of town by scheduling you. I’m begging AGAIN.

Here’s a word from David, a casting director at BMC:

I’ve been a casting director for ten years with Beth Melsky and I’ve worked for several years before that in casting/production in Los Angeles. Beth runs the busiest casting company in NYC and that means for her business to be successful, it has to run efficiently and we need your help as actors. Keep in mind that when we call you in, we want you to do a good job. We believe, based on the spec given to us, that you have the right talent and look for the job and you will, in turn, make us look good as a casting company, once you get booked and perform successfully on the shoot.

Once you get into the studio, there are a number of things you can do to make us happy, like knowing what job you’re auditioning for, dressing in proper wardrobe, showing up at your scheduled time, signing in on the computer, studying the copy, and entering the studio prepared to perform without having to read directly from the prompter.

Here are a few things you should avoid doing once you’re in the studio. This is basic stuff but you all would be surprised at how often we see it happen:

  • Turn off your cell phone. Your agent/boyfriend/wife/mistress can wait.
  • Don’t bring the copy in. This is why we have a prompter, so you can refer to it. If all the copy is in my studio, actors in the waiting room have nothing to read. Also, I see so many actors rolling the copy up and putting it in their pocket/purse. These are not your personal scripts. Once you’re finished with the audition, please return the copy back to the basket above the sign-in area.
  • Don’t come in and sit on the couch. We are not hanging out and having wine together. Go directly to the mark opposite camera and wait to be slated.
  • Try not to criticize yourself in the studio. So many times I’ve seen an actor ruin a perfectly good take by making some hypercritical, disparaging comment about their performance before I have a chance to cut. Keep it to yourself. Often times, you’ve done better than you think.
  • When we do personality interviews, do not believe this is a moment to trumpet long impressive stories about your acting career. We’ve seen your resumes and most often, in this type of audition, directors and agencies are more interested in what you do outside of the acting business.
  • This is a big one and failure to do this can have real consequences. Always tell your agent/manager about any changes in your schedule in a detailed, clear, and timely manner. If anything happens that will affect your availability for a callback or booking, we need to know about it right away and beforehand, which means your agent/manager needs to be up to date on what your work/travel/family obligations are in real time. We cannot show a director/ad agency someone they might love and want to book, only to tell them after the callback that this actor has suddenly become unavailable for some unknown reason. This puts us in a very awkward position in front of our clients and few things make Beth more frustrated than having to explain this situation to a director who is under the gun to cast the job and start shooting.
  • Lastly, I think Ashley touch on this last week; do not lie about your “special skills.” If you can’t play the guitar, don’t list it on your resume. One day, you will be asked to demonstrate this skill in front of a lot of people and you will be embarrassed and you will make all of us trying to cast you look like we don’t know what we’re doing. I am fluent in Spanish and run most of the Spanish sessions at BMC. Same idea here. If you are fluent, that means you can read wall-to-wall Spanish copy with a confident, natural rhythm in a neutral Spanish accent. If you are not capable of doing this but have some competency in Spanish, you could list your skill as “conversational.” Know the difference because it makes a big difference to us.

I could probably list about ten more of these but this is a good start…

Thanks for listening.

How to Get a Casting or Acting Job

A Casting Direction Part II

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This is not meant for all agents, assistants, but across the board, problems are greater than fewer, so I started writing this blog because every job I was casting was becoming more and more frustrating. I have been doing this for over 30 years and have been very lucky in staying relevant in a field that seems to have gotten very watered down.

I learned my craft very well; I hire people that care about doing the job 100% while staying updated. The only thing I haven’t changed and won’t change is putting out a casting breakdown using an online system. I don’t want somebody else or someone I don’t even know on the other end working on my jobs. There’s nothing rewarding about casting if we just hope to get lucky. We still use paper and pencil and we still talk directly to the agents, union or non-union, to explain what my client is looking for. We are not fans of wasting hundreds of actors’ time in hopes of finding it through quantity. Don’t get me wrong, there are times that I am asked for things that are out of the scope of what I get from our top agents (circus performers, musicians, etc.).

I have been so lucky in being able to continue to work with top directors in the field. I think this is because I still talk to them about each job I get from them. I try not to waste their time with wrong choices and I do my best to make their lives’ easier by following the spec, thinking outside the box a bit, and making sure every session is directed the way they want to see it. It makes it easier to pick callbacks. I have no problem continuing to prep my jobs this way. I think it is the most effective way and agents and actors understand that auditions at Beth Melsky Casting are meaningful.

I recently had a client tell me it was so nice getting a casting tape of quality. It showed we knew how to do our job. This is, once again, where technology and less work have affected the process that I have worked so hard to continue. I want people to understand from first call to last call, I am involved and everything matters. I give an actor an audition and I will always know if they can’t make it, don’t make it, or can’t follow through on it. My staff tells me everything and I want to know everything. What I continue to struggle with is the lack of understanding by agents and their assistants. Not every loss is easily replaceable. I am the one who selects the actors for auditions. They are not a dime a dozen and should respect each audition they get.

I find that actors love to e-mail their responses about an audition. If they can’t make it, need a time change, or have a problem with their availability on e-mail creates of chain of five e-mails. Do you realize how much faster things would get done if you just picked up the phone? This is how I believe the process should be handled:

  1. I schedule an actor.
  2. My office picks up the phone and calls the agent or agent’s assistant and gives the appointment along with the callback and shoot information.
  3. We give enough information to the agent that we have to ask why the actor is unavailable if it’s not just a confirmed appointment. Many a time, the answer is, “I don’t know, they didn’t say why in the e-mail.” Next, the agent or agent’s assistant has to call the actor to find out what the issue is. Sometimes, by the time they get them on the phone, it’s too late. If the agent or agent’s assistant simply had a conversation with the actor, they would have been able to receive the information immediately without waiting for an e-mail response. If more agents did this, instead of e-mail, I would be able to evaluate my losses, run a smoother and better casting session, and, ultimately, do my job more efficiently.

I could go on forever with situations about how e-mail has delayed the process of prepping casting sessions. You would be surprised by how much faster things would get done if simple conversations like this could be handled via phone.

Ten years ago, there were way more auditions for actors and getting a session confirmed up was so much easier because the agents’ assistants communicated verbally with the actors. Now, an agent receives an e-mail with very little information and the assistants leave it as okay and lose the appointment. Agents need to book actors in order to make money and so little effort is made to get actors to auditions. Half the time, the actor doesn’t even know the name of the assistant they are talking to or hearing from and; therefore, see no need in explaining why they are unavailable.

Quite a few times, I get on the phone with the agent (who knows nothing about the situation) and, with my begging, they call the actor and, in many cases, can work it out.

My office and our work techniques are not broken but we are struggling with what is happening on the other end of the phone. We follow up on every e-mail from an agent or assistant. If I had my way, it would all be a phone call first, then it can be followed up with e-mail confirmations.

How can you possibly form relationships over e-mail? The assistants had no introduction to the actors (or casting directors for that matter) that they are trying to get to an audition. The actors have no idea who they are talking to and the assistants don’t have much of an idea who they are talking to either. As an assistant, if I didn’t know the actor, I would feel awkward in insisting on them making an audition. Agents should check on every appointment for each casting director or company. They should know how many people they lost, why, and pick up the phone themselves.

I really feel that if we could get the casting session process back on track then actors would understand that, even though the volume of auditions is not what it used to be, every audition matters. It’s like anything else – when you’re treated as a number and not a person it affects an actor’s actions and behavior. My top agents should be able to have more information on the actors they have taken the time to represent and make them feel as though they matter.

Maybe every agent’s assistant should spend a day at BMC’s office to see how it works from out side and how important a great casting session is. If they could see the whole picture, maybe they would understand things that they can’t really understand now from their end. This is an offer. My casting assistants would love it so that way when we’re busy, we wouldn’t all want to be ripping the hair out of our heads by noon. Respect earns respect. It’s very hard to do a great job when you don’t really understand the job.

If the agents and their assistants knew how to deal with actors then maybe the actors would understand why it is so important to be accountable for every audition. When I set up a session, I take a step back and say, “yeah this is going to be a great session if I can get half of these actors to show.” BMC takes casting very seriously. We do not want to cast for five days on one character. Yeah, I make more money on five days of casting but I’d rather nail it in one day, show how much we care, and get repeat business.

I truly feel this is the answer to straightening out a very frustrated casting company. It doesn’t start with the actors; it starts with the agents, then to their well-trained assistants, then to the actors. Think about it.

A Casting Direction Part II