One of the most consistent responses to the “How We Can Make Your Job Easier” question has been, “Give us more information!” As a graduate of the school of, “the more information, the better,” I’m with you on this one. And I’m constantly campaigning my fellow casting directors to provide more information to actors. I find myself begging agents and managers to pass along the copious notes I share before auditions to their clients, as well as reminding actors to provide their own contact information so that I can get the details to them directly. So, even though you’re preaching to the choir on this topic, I’ll do my best to try to help us all understand why it is, sometimes, that information simply isn’t forthcoming.

Merged from several emails (I got quite a few of this nature):

Provide basic info on a project in a breakdown. Actors at all levels have to make difficult decisions on how to invest their time. “Opportunity cost” for investing in a project — meaning both shoot time and audition time — costs actors. I’ve computed that it costs me at least $100 to attend an audition (more actually). We’re being asked to invest our time to audition. And it is valuable time, even if there are a zillion actors willing to do it. If producers want the best actors at any level, basic info on the project should be communicated. That way a producer will increase the chance that they ultimately end up with the right partners!

Frankly, good CDs and producers usually offer this info. For those who don’t offer it… Why not?!?

Brilliant suggestions, all of them. And I have told all of my friends who work in casting about the paperwork I post at every audition. (Remember that list of how many actors submitted, auditioned, were called back, and ultimately were cast?) Several CD friends have said, “Hey, that’s a great idea! I’m going to start printing that out and posting it too!” So, I’m doing my part, there. Also, I’ve learned from several of the CDs I interviewed back in my Back Stage West days that the more information you provide actors, the more likely the CD will become frustrated when an actor shows up without having made use of the available information.

Ain’t that the truth! If I’ve gone out of my way to provide information such as the above-listed, very valid, very essential information to actors before the audition and am then met with actors declining due to conflicts that were disclosed weeks before or with actors asking questions that have been answered in great detail already, I’m not a happy camper. It really can make CDs feel as if providing the information is “optional,” when the information is often disregarded. So, I’d say that’s the answer to the, “Why not?!?” question, above.

As for the other bullet points, above, let’s look at where you can get information on your own, if it isn’t provided in advance by the casting director.

Storyline/synopsis: Ask for it. Absolutely, if that information is not in the character breakdown, you can ask for that information, when the audition call goes out.

Intention of project: Do a little background check on the principal participants in the project (producers, director, writer, even the casting director or already-attached actors). Where do the films they’ve worked on previously tend to end up? IMDb-Pro is your friend!

Style of project: This one’s a little tougher. Downloading every page of the sides (even the ones for other characters) can help with this bit of research.

Schedule issues: Well, if we’re talking about film work, there will always be changes. Always. So, even if you’re given very specific details about scheduling, expect changes. It’s just the nature of film production. Episodic television and commercials will stay a little closer to on-schedule than feature films, generally, but even so, it’s going to be tough to pin down exact dates and times too far in advance. Nature of the beast.

Location: Absolutely, that should be disclosed. At least in some general sense. Another one you can ask about, during the audition-scheduling stage.

Budget: Check the SAG contract, if it’s a union project. Each of the low budget agreements has a specific dollar amount for “scale” actor payments. Check SAGIndie.org for details (and attend a free contract workshop, if you plan to work in indie films on any sort of regular basis). Obviously, nonunion projects won’t have any set dollar amount associated, but you still have every right to know what you’ll earn, should you sign up to be a part of the project. Ask. Negotiate. Take care of your needs.

What it’s being shot on: Well, this one is a little less important than some of the other factors, simply because technology is constantly evolving, allowing for digital projects to have as much commercial viability on the festival circuit as those shot “old school” on film. So, sure, you can get the questions answered, but don’t assume you’re being led astray, should the equipment not be as high-end as you’d like.

Audition environment: Certainly, we should disclose who will be in the room, what material you’ll be delivering, whether or not you’ll be going on camera, and (once you’ve arrived) what the frame of the shot will be. But sometimes things change. Being flexible will serve you well. Asking questions will too!

Director’s experience: Again, check that IMDb listing before you invest your time and energy into an audition. You should know, before you submit on a project, whether you’d accept the job (if offered). So, check out the director’s track record (and take a look beyond IMDb to check on short film festival appearances, film school awards, and other evidence of up-and-coming status) to be sure you’d like to be on any particular director’s team.

From another email:

I was called in for a Levi’s commercial. You’ve seen it: the one where the women are trying on jeans. I was told to wear swimsuit bottoms. They threw me into a room with piles of jeans and told me to find my size. Nothing fit perfectly and the CD got quite upset that I took too long to dress when the jeans were not in any type of size order, just a huge jumble on the floor. I got in and he gave me no direction. He finally said, “Okay, undress.” I stared and him and he said, “Please, take the jeans off and put them on again.” I know I’m not supposed to be asked to undressed! And no one explained that the commercial was about getting undressed and dressed. By the time I figured it out, the CD was extremely exasperated with me and I left feeling quite upset. The other actors were all models, all from modeling agencies, etc., and they seemed to know what was expected.

That’s such a tough scenario. Certainly, the assistant signing actors (and models) in should’ve prepped you for what to expect in the room. That’s definitely not a “typical” audition (although commercial auditions tend to be a little unpredictable), but just the same, there are pieces of information about the environment inside the room that can be delivered to you before you head inside. I’ve always wished that actors leaving the room would prep those about to enter the room on what to expect. Of course, actors get a little territorial about that whole thing. No one wants the actor after him to have an advantage, by knowing what’s going on in the room. Okay, I get that. But there’s someone who has no stake in who wins the role: the assistant. Ask what to expect, if you didn’t get that question answered by your agent, manager, or the CD herself. It can’t hurt! And if you’re met with attitude upon asking the question, let that go. Get the answer and move on. The assistant’s attitude should have nothing to do with how your session goes!

From another few emails:

Some CDs don’t even introduce themselves when they meet you for the first time. But they expect actors to know them. And if you don’t know them they get upset at you. Basically, they behave like they are on a “high horse.”

There should be a site (possibly a link on the CSA website) where every CD must register and enter a brief profile. The profile can include their likes and dislikes (in the audition process or life in general), so actors can refer to it before an audition to get a feel for the CD and hopefully be less nervous and deliver a better performance. Right now, I know there’s a site called “Enough Said,” where this person logs his experiences with CDs that he’s attended workshops with. I visit the site on occasion. Also, The Actor’s Network (TAN) has a “squib book,” where actors share their thoughts on “industry players” and the Industry in general.

Certainly, it’s common courtesy to introduce oneself upon an initial meeting. However, casting sessions move fast and sometimes that means there’s a sense of urgency to the process, and introductions become an easy “throw-away” in order to stay on schedule. Please don’t take offense, when you’re not told who is in the room. A good tactic is asking the assistant who it is you’ll be encountering, once you enter the room. That way, even if there is no time in the room for hand-shaking and hellos, you’ll at least have an idea of who you’re going to meet.

Now, as for the “every CD must register” idea, I have to say that I know it’s nearly impossible to get every actor to register a FREE profile with ActorsAccess.com! So, if I can’t demand that every actor be “searchable” when I’m trying to find specific types (and these are folks who should want to be searchable, in order to get cast), I’m pretty sure it’s going to be really tough to get casting directors to register profiles. Casting directors are pretty private people, generally, since we’re sought out by such a large community.

That said, I did a little homework on the “Enough Said” blog you mentioned, and found that I was able to email my own comments on casting directors that I had met, back in my acting days, and see those comments added to the posts about particular casting directors. A warning I got from a fellow casting director, when I mentioned this resource, was that, “You can’t know if some anonymous source has a vendetta against a particular casting director. There is no way to police such a blog.” True. But it seems, so far, to be pretty balanced information. Hopefully, actors will take advantage of the resource and build upon it, with information on CDs’ various pet peeves, which CDs run sessions on time, which CDs prefer improv, etc.

I believe actors should regularly clip interviews with casting directors, watch DVD extras (which often include casting directors’ chats about the process), and even TiVo the word “casting” in order to obtain footage of insider-process material. In fact, I’ve recently spotted a local TV show called Rough Cut LA, which includes occasional interviews with casting directors. Take advantage of resources that are available to you. Get to know your primary audience. That’d be the CDs who lead you to the gigs!

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/000336.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.