Regarding your question [in The Long Shortlist] about how much we would like to know when it comes to our place in the casting process, I for one feel that this knowledge is a great help. When you start tracking this kind of information, an actor can get a stronger idea of the types of roles in which you are most castable.

For instance, in my commercial audition life, I have a sheet that lists the date of the audition, the CD, what the product was, what kind of role it was, and then if I was called back, put on avail, or booked. So in a quick glance, I can see which offices are bringing me in regularly and what kinds of roles will generally get me called back. Then I can target my marketing to those offices that I haven’t seen in a while, and I can adjust wardrobe or my work in the room if I’m not getting results from the calls for which I’m well suited. On this one sheet, I can spot trends easily, and get a quick sense of what I’ve been doing in that arena for the last several months.

The same thing has applied so far in my theatrical work. The pace of auditioning isn’t quite as speedy there, but the information helps just as much. And the insights I’ve gotten along the way from CDs and directors willing to share parts of their casting process has helped tremendously. The more we actors learn about how we’re seen by those in casting, the more we can focus on molding that image to our best advantage. Knowing that I was the second or third option for a particular role means that when I see that kind of character again, I can feel confident in the audition that I am completely right for it. The final decision might come down to intangibles like chemistry with the director, schedule conflicts, or whether you look like the producer’s ex, but at least I know I don’t have to be concerned with it being an issue of the wrong look.