You have strong feelings about this phrase: “That was great, thanks.” Some of you love it. Some of you hate it. Almost all of you simply don’t understand it. So let me do some translating, and some explaining, and some defending. Now, as for that last item, I really don’t want to come across as defensive in any of my responses to your “How We Can Make Your Job Easier” emails, so let’s say I’m going to do some “demystifying” and hope it doesn’t appear defensive (even if it sometimes is).
When I hear this seemingly nice, but evil line, I cringe because it means no callback and no explanation. I wish that when I finished a read, the casting director was truthful and said, “Great read, but you’re too young, old, ugly, pretty…” whatever it is. Just give me a hint! The evasive politeness isn’t necessary. We’re actors. We get rejected everyday. We have really tough skin. We can take constructive criticism (and for any actor that can’t take the criticism, find a new career).
First, let’s look at the various things that, “That was great, thanks,” can mean.
Sometimes it means: “Thank you for your audition. I have no idea whether you’re getting a callback yet, since I have another few dozen actors to see for this role today and then have to get the list of producer selects before making the final list. Still, I appreciate that you came in and did good work, so I’m going to thank you for being great (since I really don’t know precisely how great (read: callback-worthy) your work was until after I’ve seen everyone and spoken with my boss about his choices).”
Other times it means: “Wow. You suck. You should give up acting or take about a thousand hours of classes before you get in front of me again. Still, I appreciate that you came in and showed me your take on the role. You will know that you need to do better work when you realize you’re not getting called into my office again on future projects. That’s a sign that it’s not a problem of you not matching up to this project at this time, but that I believe you need to improve as an actor before I invest more time into you for another casting. While I certainly could tell you that you need to improve as an actor, that’s not what we’re here to do today. We’re holding auditions today. If you want feedback — and I do mean honest feedback — have your agent call for it; or if you call for it, be ready to hear it (and not use it as a chance to bargain your way back in for another shot at it). Oh, and if I don’t have time to provide feedback, please understand that it’s really not a part of my job to make you a better actor. That’s your acting coach’s job. Feedback from a casting director is a bonus, not a given.”
Often times it means: “You are a rockstar and I love everything you do! I cannot wait to cast you so that you’ll thank me when you win your Oscar, which you’ll certainly earn because you’re such an amazing actor. I have another bunch of people to see, so I won’t spend more time than absolutely necessary saying my hellos and good-byes, but believe me when I say that you have a fan in me. Thank you.”
Most of the time it means: “The audition is over. Please leave the room now (and without much chitchat). Don’t forget your bag and bottled water. Thanks.”
Remove “that was great” from your vocabulary unless you mean it. If we suck, just say “thank you” and maybe eventually we’ll get the idea that we need better training. We will both be better off.
Yeah, I’d like to believe that, but I’ve tried the much more direct approach and found that actors misread a simple “thank you” as cold and impersonal. I think “that was great” has become as common to the audition lingo as: “Do you have any questions?” One of these phrases signals the audition has begun, the other signals the end of the experience. It’s just that simple, most of the time.
I hate it when a CD gushes over the performance. I know that things come up and it is out of their control sometimes as to who gets a callback, and sometimes they are just trying to be polite or make the actors feel good. But if we go to an audition and get a good response from the CD, we start waiting for the phone to ring. It is very disappointing and confusing when it doesn’t.
As for me, I sometimes gush because I want people to know, without question, that I think they rock. Of course, they should know I love their work when they have evidence: If actors keep getting called in to read for me, that should be enough to indicate how much I want to see them cast in one of my projects. But sometimes it’s too hard to contain my enthusiasm for how awesome a particular actor is. Heck, I would want to know if someone were such a fan of my work! Even when I’m not hired as a casting director on a particular project, I enjoy having a meeting in which the director or producer says, “You have a great eye for talent. I like your work. You know some really fantastic actors.” So, I guess I could try to hold my cards a little closer to the vest sometimes, but that’s just not my style. I suspect there are other casting directors who are enthusiastic about seeing great talent too. Eh, I guess the best advice on this particular issue is: Learn which CDs emote freely and which ones prove they enjoy the work by continuing to call you in.
Do not tell us, “Oh, you will definitely be getting a callback,” when there’s a chance that might not happen. While I understand that things change or the CD meant it when he/she said it, it comes across as a lie — especially when we’re dealing with child actors and trying to explain what might have happened. Just say, “Good read, thanks.” Then we can walk out of the room and forget about it.
I totally agree with this one. In fact, I had a producer in the room on a preread for a film not too long ago in which he assured an actor a callback was on the way. Hours later, when we were making the final callback list, the producer said, “Oh no. Don’t call that actor back after all. We have better actors now.” My response? “Nope. You already told the actor about the callback. You used up a slot. That actor is coming back.”
Can you assume that CDs will always be so bold (and, quite possibly obnoxious) to defend your right to the callback you were assured you had earned? No way. And I probably wouldn’t do that every time, either. But my point is that being told you have a callback when you actually end up not having a callback does happen and it isn’t fair. I guess it’s most like having a great first date and then waiting by the phone for the other person to call. You simply learn to develop strategies for dealing with such things. You assume the call will never come and just go on with your life. Then when the call comes, you unemotionally shrug and continue on, detached. It’s the best way to cope with one of the biggest up-and-down elements of the casting process, since the “will they call or won’t they call” issue is totally out of your control, once you’ve left the room after having done your best work.
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/000324.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.