Lets Move Forward

May 17, 2016 bethmelskyacting, actors, actress, actresses, agents, assistants, auditions, beth melsky, bethmelsky, bethmelskycasting, BMC, callback, career, cast, casting, casting director, casting session, challenges, commercials, communication, director, directors, e-mail, excuses, LA, non-union, NYC, producer, SAG, script, talent, talent agency, talent agent, union4 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.

To A Productive 2016

December 28, 2015 bethmelskyacting, actors, agents, assistants, auditions, beth melsky, bethmelsky, bethmelskycasting, BMC, career, cast, casting, casting director, casting session, challenges, commercials, communication, e-mail, excuses, non-union, SAG, talent, talent agency, talent agent, union3 Comments

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:

Enough work for casting directors, talent agents, and actors. That being said, my next wish…
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.
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.

Casting: Always Something to Learn

September 21, 2015September 21, 2015 bethmelskyacting, actors, actress, actresses, agents, auditions, beth melsky, bethmelsky, bethmelskycasting, BMC, career, cast, casting, casting director, casting session, challenges, commercials, communication, director, directors, excuses, film, legit, New York, NYC, producer, theater1 Comment

As I promised, this week I am going to write about the commercial world overlapping with the legit/theatrical world. I have been lucky for the last two weeks. My top directors have done major work for incredible new break out campaigns. They love and are used to the top of the line, very talented actors that not only do commercials, but do work in episodic and theater as well.

The major challenge in dealing with the amount of episodic being shot in New York right now, is trying to help and understand how the actors are juggling a day on Orange Is the New Black (which doesn’t make as much money as a commercial, but it is a bit closer to why they become an actor) with not wanting to close the door on a great commercial with a great director that can make them great money and give them exposure and a relationship that can move their careers along faster than a day here or there on Jennifer Lopez’s new show.

I have told you before but the list of actors that have booked with these directors and have gone on to huge careers is incredible – Thomas Middleditch, Michael Kelly, Jessie Tyler Ferguson, Amanda Peet, Selma Blair, Chris Gethard, etc. I don’t think you will ever regret the stepping-stone as well as recognizing the fact that commercials help.

Commercial casting directors are able to meet new people and get you seen in quality work. The problem that I am facing with these incredible jobs is that I am at the mercy of those shows and, even though I clear a schedule before I show anything to my director, there is a chance that if there is a schedule change, it could put us in an embarrassing situation. I have to heavily weigh the risk. I work very hard to figure out this level of talents’ legit schedule before I see them. I get it, I really do. But the process to be selected as a first choice on a commercial is huge. Then to present to the client, have them approve the actor, and then have the actor bail and take a legit job is not something that anyone on my side understands.

Actors should value their talent more on situation and understand that they are not easily replaced. We are talking top-level directors with top products that win awards and, like being the lead in anything, there are rarely backups that are as strong as the first choice. The end result for me could be a loss of a client (agency) or even a director because I could not fix things. I will lose the next job.

All I am asking from these actors is that they understand our side. Maybe we’re not called legit, but for us, our work is equally as important. I can only make a decision based on what your agent tells me and they can only tell me what you have told them. Booking out for personal reasons is one thing. Keeping your commercial agent informed of what is going on in your legit/theatrical career allows them full disclosure. When I want to see you, it also allows me to pass on seeing you if I think there are going to be conflicts.

If your legit career is in a place that is moving forward and a lot of opportunities are coming your way, then take yourself out of commercials for a while. You can’t have everything. If you are lucky enough to book both, someone is going to lose and someone else’s career is going to be affected. Full disclosure, please! The worst thing an actor can say or think is, “I’ll wait to see what happens.” It’s just not fair. I am not trying to stop anyone’s career. I would rather tell a director that you are “pinned” then take a chance.

Let’s go back to the word “pinned.” I had to call several agents to ask what this meant. Thirty years and a new word, at least in New York. The answer was that it is stronger than a right of first refusal. It is a booking, but with no exact dates. If they own you, you cannot take another right of first refusal during those dates. Sometimes they change your shoot date. What if you accepted another job? Are you going to tell the commercial, “oops?” These are the things that I am very diligent about. Your agent should know your schedule.

Managers’ first choice will always be legit over commercial and will generally not tell your commercial agent anything until they are called. Sometimes they know and don’t tell. They have their priorities. Please don’t depend on your manager to tell your commercial agents. Commercials are seen as secondary to them and if there is a schedule conflict, they will either pick legit or have your agents fight it out. I think commercial is equally as important, but I cannot speak for managers.

I always honor my word. I always want it to work out for the actor but not at the expense of my career. And yes, being a casting director is a career for me and one I take very seriously. Mistakes happen, things are missed, but I find most times it comes down to priorities. I cast films, as well…some smaller, some bigger. I understand but I would never pull an actor from a commercial to work on one of my films. When I cast a film, I dig deep into my pool of commercial actors and will always work hard to work out a conflict. One thing is never more important. Casting directors and agents will go the extra yard to try and make things work. You can never depend on production. Production cares about their production. That is it.

We need the actors’ help. Every relationship is important. You never know if one day I will cast a commercial for Tony Kaye and the next week it might be a film. Burning bridges is a mistake. Many commercial directors have gone on to do huge films. You do not want conflicts when an opportunity comes up to do a commercial for Bennett Miller and then a film.

People remember effort. They also remember no effort. I have huge respect for Bernie Telsey. He understands all of it. I am going to reach out to him for advice on how to balance this.

Things have again changed. Theater has always been huge in New York, but TV and film has become huge, as well. We must all make an effort to work together again. Commercials can make careers in other ways. They can lead to much bigger things. Do not underestimate them or the casting directors.

It seems, once again, I am asking for honesty and communication. Once I speak to Bernie (he is not only the top in New York, but very well respected), I will let you know what I learn because yes, in the legit area, with all the work in New York, I have things to learn.

What I am asking of everyone is hard but maybe we can come to a solution that will make things easier for all of us. Thank you for listening. I want to give great actors to directors that I know will do films and TV and present it all properly. The communication has to start with the actor.

A request: Do not use the excuse “family emergency” anymore. If you made a mistake with your schedule, own up to it. If you got lazy, do not abuse the one reason I am not comfortable pushing on. Let’s all try.

And one last request: If you confirm an appointment at my office, then make that appointment. Also, please keep the time change requests to a “very” important reason. I prep very exactly. I pair people up that I think will work well together and I divide my days by roles or spots so just needing a time change out of what is easiest for you is exhausting to us and simply not an option.

Again, please…our jobs are hard enough. There is a method to my madness and I work hard to not keep you waiting. I am prepping to do a great job and show respect to actors. I hope you understand that. We produce great quality casting because of this and you need to understand that. Actors are not a “dime a dozen” in my office and you should think of yourself that way.

Goodbye Summer, Back to Work

September 8, 2015September 8, 2015 bethmelskyacting, actors, actress, actresses, agents, auditions, beth melsky, bethmelsky, bethmelskycasting, BMC, callback, career, cast, casting, casting director, casting session, challenges, commercials, communication, director, directors, e-mail, excuses, LA, non-union, NYC, producer1 Comment

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.

Crazy Excuses of the Week

August 17, 2015 bethmelskyacting, actors, actress, actresses, agents, assistants, auditions, beth melsky, bethmelsky, bethmelskycasting, BMC, callback, career, cast, casting, casting director, casting session, challenges, commercials, excuses3 Comments

Just a few crazy excuses from the past week:

Can I be late? I need to go to the post office.
I cannot make my appointment. The weather is so nice that I decided to stay on Fire Island
Oh…I forgot I was getting married.
I can’t leave town, my wife is having a birthday (mind you, this was AFTER getting a callback).
I forgot I had to close on my apartment.
I have to go to the dentist (top ten).
My girlfriend is in Russia and I HAVE to go visit her.

Are you acting as a profession or is it a hobby? Either way, the agent needs to know.

This is how I ended my week:

I booked a little girl on a job shooting out of town. It was a non-union job. Her father brought her to audition, then to the callback, and accepted the booking. She was signed to a great kids agent.

Much to my frustration then anger (and her agent’s), her father, after accepting the booking, decided that he did not want to leave Hilton Head in order for her to do the job…REALLY?!

I cannot blame the little girl, but I can blame her father. This was a little girl’s dream and, because of a selfish parent, she will not get to see come true. The agent, producer, and I have not heard from her father again on this matter. He told us he would think about it and call us back. Still thinking?

Two Talent Agents’ View

July 31, 2015 bethmelskyacting, actors, actress, actresses, agents, assistants, auditions, beth melsky, bethmelsky, bethmelskycasting, callback, career, cast, casting, casting director, casting session, challenges, commercials, communication, director, directors, e-mail, excusesLeave a comment

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.

A Crazy Casting Story

July 2, 2015 bethmelskyacting, actors, actress, actresses, agents, assistants, auditions, bet melsky casting, beth melsky, bethmelsky, bethmelskycasting, callback, career, cast, casting, casting director, casting session, commercials, communication, directors, excuses, LA, LGBTQ, love wins, non-union, NYC, producer, SAG, union2 Comments

Let me start by saying that I am not sure that all actors know what being a true devoted actor means. It means taking roles, even ones that may be out of your comfort zone, and applying all your acting skills to do a great job. An actor that passes on a part because of a kissing scene, whether you are portraying straight or gay, has nothing to do with your own sexuality. That is why it’s called acting.

I did a job this week. It was SAG, traveling to a foreign country, fully paid, first class travel, as well as multiple web videos that paid approximately $2,500 per video. That is without travel days, overtime, etc. These web videos were each like little movies, so a great opportunity to use acting skills and have something of quality that could be used for your acting reel. The character I was casting was a young African American male, the adopted child of a couple from the Midwest, going on an incredible trip. The videos show more than commercial sightseeing.

When I put the breakdown out, I was asking for an actor with a great comedy background. I also needed them to have a valid passport, which every actor should have. One of the scenes takes place in a nightclub and the actor was going to have to a kiss a guy. When we put the breakdown out, we could not have been clearer about this. If the actor wanted to audition, he had to be comfortable with it. In this day and age, it should not have been an issue. Movies like Brokeback Mountain are a great example of this. Philip Seymour Hoffman did it many times. It is part of being an actor. That’s what acting means. You are playing a part and everyone should get that. Many actors have done Queer as Folk and were straight.

Anyway, this actor auditioned, knew the rules, then got a callback, reconfirmed that he was totally okay with the kissing and confirmed his appointment. The best part was I only had two actors for the callback – two guys, a 50/50 chance. The callback time came and went. The agent and manager were frantically calling him to find out why he was late, no response. At first our instinct was to worry, but when hours went by and still no response, it was not because of an accident or emergency.

After an hour passed by with no word, I guessed that he had probably changed his mind about kissing a guy. That in itself is insane because of how many times it was discussed and he said yes every single time. The thing that really pisses me off is that he was a coward. If you wake up with a panic attack or an epiphany, call your manager or agent right away. Do not disappear for the whole day. I was put in a horrible situation with my client. I had to recast for free. There is no “sorry” that will work for me. Maybe he would have stood a bit of a chance with his agent and I if he had contacted his manager or agent about this situation. That’s how “professionals” would handle themselves.

I didn’t ask his sexual orientation nor did I care. Again, this type of thing as an actor is becoming very normal in the film and TV world. This actor had a legit agent. Do you know how many 22 year olds would die to have legit representation? His agents had no idea that they signed an actor who might limit their jobs because of the things he’s not comfortable doing. You, as a young and up and coming actor, with an agent that has taken the time to put their faith in you, should have no limitations. I can’t say it enough: that is what acting is. It is not your real life. Everyone watching knows that. He was not being asked to hurt anyone or do anything illegal (or porn, for that matter). He did the audition knowing all the details and had no problem with it. He got a callback, confirmed, reconfirmed the details, and then just disappeared. He left all the people that had worked so hard for him in a very embarrassing situation.

Okay, so for some crazy reason, he woke up that morning and decided he could not do this. I guess he had issues that made him turn down a job of a lifetime and one that would have paid his rent for a year. But not communicating, leaving me hanging and looking like a fool to my client is totally unacceptable and there is no apology that will ever be acceptable to his agent or me.

Maybe this situation opened up some big issues in his personal life but you fulfill your word and then put acting on hold until your figure it out. If, and maybe if, he had handled this in a professional manner and called someone instead of disappearing, we would have tried to understand the breakdown he had over doing this.

Like I said, I do not know his issues, but I know that he is not ready to be a professional actor. As an up and comer, you are not in a position to do what he did and go against his manager’s and agent’s advice. But more importantly, he disappeared and did terrible damage to his career. He lost trust. Things happen that are out of your control but this whole situation was not only in his control, but he was so selfish that he never once thought about the people working so hard for him and that the casting director (me) was put in a position of losing a client.

He has made it so far in his early career and did not have any of the tools to handle this right. He knew there were only two callback appointments. He panicked and ran. Things happen, people are human, and sometimes you need to be talked off the ledge. Maybe there is more to what was going on with him that we will never know, but there are some lessons to be learned here.

You take an audition, go to it; you live by your word.
If you are having doubts, do not accept the callback and you can discuss it with your agent.
Do not ever put a casting director in this position.

Everyone has someone to answer to, including me. You jeopardized my livelihood and that was just selfish. If actors cannot understand the big picture, they should not be doing this. There is no room in this business for dishonesty. With more supply than demand, there are no second chances. Sorry to all the actors that would have been thrilled for this job.

On a lighter note, congratulations to the LGBTQ community. Love wins!

Summer Auditions

May 28, 2015 bethmelskyacting, actors, actress, actresses, agents, auditions, bethmelsky, bethmelskycasting, BMC, callback, career, cast, casting, casting director, casting session, college, commercials, directors, excuses, graduating actors, LA, non-union, NYC, producer, ROFR, SAG, summer, talent, talent agency, talent agent, union3 Comments

I call this my summer blog post. I’ve been giving actors time to graduate, take vacations, and to decide if they really want to be doing this. SAG established actors have to help by being available. Summer is hopefully our busiest time. Weather is great and more production is done in New York. If there were ever a time that you should re-evaluate your commitment and love for acting, now would be the time. Summer is the “worst” time to take vacations. People want to shoot in New York when the weather is nice. When it is cold, agencies and production companies are happy to get away; summer is when they want to stay in New York. This is a big window of time – June 1^st to the end of September. This is the time to be an available actor. Take your vacations in the winter. The more quality actors available will help casting directors do a good job and prove that New York is a great place to cast and shoot. If there was ever a time, summer is it. I know everyone likes time off in the summer but in all my years of casting, I work 5-6 days a week during the summer. We don’t take Fridays off. We even make ourselves available to cast on Saturdays.

Friday is a workday. The actors that make themselves available are the ones that will work. My clients do not want to hear that actors take Fridays off in the summer; something they never have to with in LA. They are offering opportunity and we all need to take advantage. Supply demand, demand supply…be there for it.

Give this a chance to work. Acting is not based on a school year. Make yourself very available. Union or non-union, the hope is that there is enough work for everyone to get a job. Nothing in New York shuts down because it’s summer.

I am just pleading to all actors to use summer the right way. Come February you “asked” where are all the auditions. Let’s commit and work hard to get and keep production in New York. Stop jumping on a plane every other week. You can have one day’s notice for an audition or one hour (that happens a lot). Wake up everyday believing you will get an audition. Let’s just start with this summer and see where it goes. I’m asking for actors’ support. Give it this summer; we’ll all do our part. You know that saying, “the early bird catches the worm.” Be the early bird.

Let’s start with this very important advice and as the weeks go on, I will continue to give advice on how to make the most of your time while making yourself available. Availability is the key.

Also, a few of my favorite excuses from the last two weeks of casting:

I scheduled an actor that I have known for a long time. Called his agent, agent called him, and he told the agent he retired. Signed client. You would have thought he would have notified his agent that he had retired.
Actor does an audition and then a callback. Accepted a ROFR (hold) for shoot day. We called to book him and he said that he thought his callback sucked so he didn’t think he would get the job. He took a waiter job for shoot day. When I called him, he was going to turn down the booking. I asked if he wanted to be an actor or a waiter. His agent could not convince him to take my booking. I gave him five minutes to change his mind if wanted to be an actor. He took the acting job. His agent thanked me for getting him to do the job. Huge lesson here: just because you think you didn’t do well at the callback, doesn’t mean anything.
An actor that I scheduled for a network audition, big payday, turned the audition down because he had to chaperone his kid on a school field trip. Acting: a hobby or job? Really trying to figure this out and so are the agents. I can keep going on but I think this is a good example of how messed up things are.

To All Graduating Actors That Need Help Starting Out

May 15, 2015 bethmelskyacting, actors, actors perspective, actress, actresses, agents, auditions, BA, bethmelsky, bethmelskycasting, BFA, BMC, callback, career, casting, casting director, casting session, college, commercials, directors, e-mail, excuses, graduating actors, headshots, LA, non-union, NYC, producer, SAG, script, talent, talent agency, talent agent, unionLeave a comment

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.

How to Get a Casting or Acting Job

April 11, 2015 bethmelskyacting, actors, agents, assistants, auditions, bethmelsky, bethmelskycasting, BMC, callback, career, casting, casting director, casting session, commercials, communication, directors, e-mail, excuses, headshots, LA, NYC, producer, talent, talent agency, talent agent1 Comment

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.