You mentioned that every actor should take the opportunity to intern in a casting director’s office at some point. However, when I went to EntertaimentCareers.net, I noticed that many of the available internships specifically say NO ACTORS PLEASE. I can understand this because they wouldn’t want someone to use the internship as an opportunity to get acting work. Would you suggest applying for these internships and simply leaving out the fact that I’m an actor?

Great question! It’s such a conundrum to know when to “out” yourself as an actor sometimes. On the one hand, you want to work in an office where they know you’re an actor and support your need to run out for quick auditions (or, better yet, where they’ll think of you when they need your type), but on the other hand, you know you’re not likely to get to work in that office if they know, going in, that you are an actor! What do you do? Lie? Not really.

Here’s the thing: you live and work in a town where everyone is an actor, right? So, even if you weren’t an actor, if you were given an amazing opportunity to work as an actor, you would probably take it. Most LA-based employers (whether they are in the entertainment industry or not) are aware of the seductive lure “Hollywood” (and all that the word means) can have on even non-pros. Therefore, I believe that most people looking for hired help (or volunteers, in the case of an internship) know what we’re all dealing with, here.

That said, let’s take a look at the main reason casting directors, agents, and managers may say they do not want actors to apply for internships in their offices. There are people in this business (heck, in this world, not just in this business) who somehow cannot tell when they are crossing a line. Because eager actors tend to be especially eager and tenacious, industry professionals would frequently prefer to not have to face an uncomfortable situation in their own workplace every day. The way to avoid that is to simply state that actors need not apply.

So, let’s say you prepare your non-actor resumé (the one that highlights your office skills) and get an interview. When they ask, “So, are you an actor?” you have an opportunity to show them that you know where to draw the line between what you’re currently hoping to do (learn from the experience of interning) and what your ultimate career goal is (to work as an actor). By saying, “Yes. I am an actor, but I will guarantee that, during this internship I will NEVER cross that line here,” you may get a shot at proving that fact! And, you haven’t closed the door to them being able to ever see you as an actor, in their minds.

Once you’ve gained this position in a casting office, begun to feel comfortable in the environment, and generally like (and are liked by) these people; what happens when your office puts out a breakdown for which you’d be perfect? Do you speak up? Well, if you do, you risk not only your internship but also your ability to ever get back in that casting office as an actor in the future, for having crossed the line you promised not to cross, whether you stated that promise up front or simply submitted a non-actor resumé on a gig that stipulated NO ACTORS.

Better — much better in fact — to simply do an amazing job as an intern and (if they didn’t already know you were an actor), when they ask you whether you act (since you’re just such a great reader, for example), say, “Why, yes! In fact I have done a little acting.” And leave it at that! Either way, let them show you when they’d like to have you cross that invisible line. That creates an environment where you don’t have to feel as though you are always looking for an opportunity, they don’t feel as though you may start bugging them for opportunities, and you haven’t violated that agreement to be a “non-actor” while on their time.

After the internship is over, when your headshot crosses their desk, they will remember you with fondness; not only for your work as an intern but for your professionalism as an actor who knows when to push the issue and when not to do so.

Remember, when you are looking to intern in a casting office, you are hoping to learn as much as you can about what goes on in the casting world that most actors never see. You are not there as an actor, essentially, but as a student of a process you’re being allowed to observe. If you go into a casting internship with the hopes of being cast as an actor, you will not only not likely accomplish that but also potentially piss some people off for having tried to “sneak in” when the front door is just fine!

Good luck with your search for the right match! Hope this helps. Keep me posted on what you end up doing!

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/000208.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.