We just finished the first round of casting on the second season of Bite Me for Machinima. I freakin’ love this series and I am so grateful to have been brought back for the second feeding. I mean season. 😉

One of the many conversations the director — the amazingly badass Jarrett Conaway — and I had during the deliberations was about favors. You know. We all know actors. I do. My intern does. My session runner does. My reader does. The associate producer does. Every producer does. The EP does. The showrunner does. The reps from the production companies and studio do too. And so does the director. Do we each get to call in some actors from the list of amazing people we know, on this?

Yes and no.

Because sometimes, it’s not a favor to get called in on a favor.

Hear me out.

I’m sure you’d love to think that every single time someone who knows you and thinks you’re talented is working on a new project, you’re going to get invited into the room.

But what if the role isn’t yours? What if it’s a stretch and every other actor we’re seeing is a better fit, type-wise, and we know even before you come in that there’s no way you’re going to book this part, but you’re a “favor read,” so you get the appointment?

Is that really a favor?

I say no. Sure, maybe you got in front of some people who didn’t know you existed before. But if you got in front of them doing off-brand work against your type — even if you’re a magnificent actor — all we’re thinking is, “Not right. That was a waste of our time and his. We could’ve brought in someone else who was a better fit and saved this actor for another role at another time.”

So please, lovely actors, when you don’t get invited in — especially when you know there’s someone pulling for you on that team — consider that it may be because there’s a better opportunity for you to come in down the line (on this project or another), and no one wants to smudge up your scorecard in front of these folks who don’t know how spectacular you can be.

For those who do get called in, then re-read the breakdown and think, “Huh? This isn’t my role,” consider mentioning that to the friend on the inside who is doing you the favor. You may learn they’re actually broadening the scope from where they started when they first put out the breakdown. But you may find, instead, your friend exhaling a sigh of relief, because you made her aware of what she knew, in her gut, about this not being a good fit. And you showed that you’re a professional who respects the process, first and foremost.

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/001405.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.