I’ve talked about an A-List before. Our A-Lists are rarely about name actors or celebs. Instead, an A-List is about identifying the “good ones” out there. We all have our favorite agencies, our favorite managers, those folks we love to hear from when we’re casting a new project. I’ve been asked how an A-List is developed. To answer that, I’m going to reference a discussion I had with Dede Binder-Goldsmith of Defining Artists at an Industry for Charity event last week, for the Life Through Art Foundation.

Dede and I had lunch together a few weeks back and we talked about how we thought actors could really benefit from hearing the two of us (or any casting director and any agent or manager, really) chatting about how we do our jobs, how we interact with one another, how we make each other’s jobs easier, and how actors can work with us to do the same. Donating a night to demystify the process of how we interact and discussing our relationship seemed to be a good idea, as actors who better understand these things can hopefully benefit and have a better relationship with us, going forward. And that’s win-win for us and for the actors who get it!

So, we offered our talk and a few fine folks gathered with us last week to hear us chat, and to ask questions. It was a lot of fun. A lot. Dede and I have a blastola, that’s for sure. 😉

One of the themes of the night, without us having talked about it ahead of time, was how we build our relationships over time — just like actors should be doing with us and with one another and with producers and directors — and we trust our relationships are going to stretch for decades ahead. We rely on what we learn about one another and what we experience, after having put our faith in one another, to develop our A-Lists.

For example, I know when Dede calls me to pitch an actor for a role in a project I’m casting that the actor will be worth meeting. Dede will already have filtered that the actor is right for the role, type-wise and ability-wise, and she won’t fling her whole roster at me (like those “spaghetti slinging agents” love to do), expecting me to do the filtering. Also, because Dede is selective about not only the actors she’s excited about but on which roles in which projects she really wants to push, it’s not like she’s constantly saying, “Trust me, this kid is great,” using the same phrase for all of her clients, on all roles, on all projects. No. It’s a selective pitching that goes on, and that’s something I value.

Because I’ve trusted Dede in the past when she has pitched actors like this, I’ve brought the actors in, and I’ve seen them be awesome (certainly not a waste of my time, and often getting down to final callbacks and producer sessions), our relationship is further cemented. I now know, when she recommends someone, to trust her. She’s on my A-List.

There are agents who pick up the phone on every project and pitch too many actors on every role. Worse — when I do take them up on seeing someone — sometimes an actor comes in and is the wrong look, wrong type, wrong level of ability for the role, and basically a waste of my time. Well, these agents and I are building our relationships too. I’m learning I can’t believe an agent’s word when he or she says, “This actor is great,” or that maybe we just have very different definitions of what is “great” acting. So, we’re not on an A-List basis.

I actually ran into an agent who is on my A-List at a holiday party this weekend. We had never met in person and it was wonderful to get to do so, at the home of our mutual friend (a fellow casting director). A couple of weeks ago, I had mentioned this agent to an actor who was seeking representation. I thought they might be a good fit. Sure enough, that actor’s current agent (in a minor market) reached out to this agent with an email that included my name in the subject line. And, because I’m on this agent’s A-List, he agreed to meet with this actor. We had a long talk about all of this, this weekend. It was a great way to cement exactly the point of the talk Dede and I had done earlier in the week.

We’re all in this for a long time. Agents don’t want to send their best actors to casting directors who aren’t going to make good deals for the clients, if offers should end up coming through. Casting directors don’t want to see actors who are repped by agents or managers whose taste might be questionable, after a few bad experiences.

Whenever I hear actors talking about getting an agent or a manager as if that’s the most important thing in the world, and it doesn’t matter who the person is, repping them, I cringe. Guys, let me tell you, it is actually better for you to fly solo a little longer ’til you can get with the right agent for you (one who is on the A-List of the casting directors of projects that you are actively targeting).

Trust that we’re all in this for a long time and that we’ll have many years ahead in which to intersect on all sorts of delicious projects. And because you should want an agent who not only picks up the phone and pitches you with passion, but one whose passionate opinion is trusted by the casting director on the other end of the phone line, be willing to give that some time. The evolution of relationships takes time. Just think about who is on your A-List. Great people, right? And not a ton of them, compared to all the folks out there, vying for a spot.

Let’s all surround ourselves with the best people on the planet. Say so long to the chronic complainers and sad sacks whose chosen worldview is painful. Build work with fellow artists who love creating and enjoy working with A-Listers like you. Keep those good people around and keep building relationships with one another’s A-Listers, to expand your community in the best way possible. Have fun! And when our A-Lists intersect, trust that we’ll enjoy working together for decades to come!

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/001119.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.