I was having dinner with an actor friend of mine I’ve known for four years. He and I have been buddies much longer than I’ve been in casting. He mentioned seeing a couple of breakdowns I’d put out on Actors Access and made the declaration: “Bonnie, I will never submit my headshot to you.”
I had a feeling why he was saying this, but just to be sure, I raised an eyebrow and asked, “Oh yeah? Why not?”
“Because you know I’m an actor. You know my work. You know where to find me. I don’t ever want to be a noodge.”
Excuse me if I’m not spelling that correctly. According to this website on slang, the noun (also written as “nudzh” and “nudge”) means one who persistently pesters, annoys, or complains.
While I respect his concern for my personal boundaries — and I imagine it is tough to know when/if to cross the lines of friendship when your friends are CDs, producers, directors, and such — I’ve never felt as if someone who submits a headshot to me is being a noodge. Of course, I probably block out most of the submissions that really do irritate me.
Such as?
Well, a couple of months ago, I put out a breakdown for the recasting of three roles on a film I cast months ago. I specifically asked for hard copy submissions only, as the photos would be going directly to the director and producer at the production office, rather than to me first for sorting. There was no time for that, on this project, and the producer had hired folks who could sort through the mail at the production office. There was no need for submissions to come to me on that particular project, as I was simultaneously casting another film and setting up a staged reading for another feature.
Unfortunately, the breakdown went out without blocking electronic submissions (because I always accept electronic submissions, and this setting is the default on my account) and in less than an hour, I had 580 submissions when I logged in to my Breakdowns account. Within moments, further submissions were blocked and a notice went out expressing that anyone who had submitted electronically would still need to send a hard copy to the production office, if they wanted their submission to be considered.
It is what happened after that memo went out that surprised me. Actors who were unable to submit electronically went to the trouble of finding any email address for me, composing an email requesting to be considered electronically anyway, and — get this — attaching files that took nearly 90 minutes to download to my account (or accounts; as some actors submitted to every address they could find on me — and that’s a bunch of addresses). Wow. Now that’s the kind of thing that gets me steaming. It’s not the submission by mail when hard copy submissions are requested. (That’s expected!) It’s not the Actors Access self-submission when electronic submissions are requested. (That’s expected!) It’s not the agent or manager pitch call when my phone number is listed in the breakdown. (That’s expected!) And all of those things are a part of the career path I’ve chosen to follow. I don’t mind any of that! It’s the complete disregard for the information available about the type of submission requested coupled with an attachment the size of my car that gets my proverbial goat. Actors who emailed asking whether they could submit electronically after reading HARD COPY ONLY got a form letter reply stating that they would, in fact, need to submit HARD COPY ONLY to the production office mailing address provided in the breakdown. Since I almost always accept electronic submissions, an email verifying that I’m changing my modus operandi today doesn’t bug me nearly as much as the assumption that, since electronic submissions are being blocked at the site itself, a huge attachment will be appropriate to email on over.
This experience helps me understand why it is that some of my friends in casting make themselves very inaccessible to others. I’ve always wondered why it is that a CD would have an unlisted phone number, never give out an email address, use a post office box exclusively, or otherwise live a recluse’s life. I’m such a fan of being easy to contact that these privacy tactics always looked excessive to me. I can only imagine what sort of temptation actors face if they’re hoping to get in front of a mega-hit, huge-budget, blockbuster CD. Still, I believe it’s better to be accessible in order to get my job done as efficiently as possible.
Here’s the bottom line on the noodge factor. If you are concerned that you may be crossing a line by submitting a headshot and resumé to a casting director, you probably never really will cross a line. You, by being concerned, are already the type of person who is going to err on the side of making sure you aren’t crossing a line, in your mode of submissions.
Now, back to my dinner conversation. You should never assume that just because someone knows you are an actor that your headshot and resumé is not worth submitting. When I’m at a meeting with a director for an indie feature film and I have been asked to compile a stack of headshots for his review, based on my experience with actors, please remember that there is value to having that physical tool. Imagine me, flipping through headshots and giving my pitch for each actor to the director. Then I get to the end of the stack and say, “Oh, and I have another three actors I want to tell you about.” I can go on and on about how wonderful your work is and I can describe your type, but without that physical item to support my raves about you, my pitch is going to fall short to that director who has never seen you or your work.
The same thing happens with electronic headshots as well. There are two feature films I have been working on for most of 2004 that still have not had breakdowns go out. We are very early on in the development stage for these SAG films and — as is common with indie filmmakers — we are working together on some issues at the foundation of their projects that must be fleshed out prior to casting. However, quite frequently, I am asked to provide electronic image files and online profiles of actors I see as the right “fit” for certain roles, while we are in these early stages. If I don’t know that you exist, I am less likely to include you — even if you’re perfect for the part — in my list for the filmmaker. Of course, I can do a search of the database at Actors Access and find some wonderful actors I hadn’t been aware of that way, but it’s not the only system you should rely on, if you’re hoping to be on CDs’ radar screens.
Introduce yourself. Do a mailing to say you’re new in town and looking to do the type of projects you see certain CDs casting (this is where doing your homework to be sure you’re submitting to people who actually cast projects you’d like to be a part of or for which you’d have a shot comes into play). Invite CDs to shows you’re in. Respect our requests (like mine, for no emailed attachments, or the very common theatrical CD request of no drop-offs) and show us that you are, in fact, a professional with the ability to read people and situations to know what is appropriate. That will help get you in the door. And once you’ve come through that door, do good work. That’s enough to get you asked back again and again. If we become your fan, you will never have to be a noodge. We’ll automatically think of you, any time “your role” comes up in something we cast. That’s our job.
Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!
Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/000110.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.