Tell Me about Yourself / Photo Credit: Amy Joberman
CONTACTING A CASTING AGENT (In the Entertainment industry. Contacting a Casting Agent in the Motion Picture Industry?)
Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you. Photo Credit: Amy Joberman
Contacting a Casting Agent?
The first thing I am going to say here is that you are not always going to get a response from casting directors when you reach out to contact them. In fact, more often than not- you won’t hear back. Why? Because they receive hundreds of e-mails and letters a day and just don’t have time.
The best first step for actors wishing to connect with an agent is to send a headshot, résumé, and cover letter. Keep the résumé "as short and succinct as possible," he advises, saying there's no need for a page-long list of credits if you're just out of college or not yet a union member. Include your height and weight, he adds, and be truthful about it: "I might call you in if I knew you were a little overweight, because that's something that's needed. To call in somebody and then have them show up and be totally different, it's like, 'Wow, how can I [send] you out if you can't even be honest about yourself?' "
You’re in the wrong place. Writing to casting directors is not a quick and easy way to suddenly be inundated by offers of roles. It’s just one part of an effective marketing strategy that takes time, patience and persistence.
If you choose to include special skills on your résumé, just be sure they're truly special. If you're a lifeguard or an EMT or if you lettered in a sport, by all means point that out. But don't bury those useful skills in a list filled with trivialities, such as a talent for wiggling your ears.
The photograph you send to an agent can be fairly casual. A causal photo is as good as any. Sending a reel with clips, however, is a waste of time. Many agents looking for fresh talent, and most actors new to the business have only self-produced clips—what he calls "made-up stuff."
If you are ready to get on the radar of the gatekeepers of the roles that you know you were born for and are willing to do what it takes, read on and take action.
The fact is, casting directors will call in who they know, and one way to become someone they know is by writing to them. I’m not suggesting that you bombard them with e-mails (don’t do that!) but an e-mail even now and again, especially when you have something interesting to share is going to help you get noticed.
How… when they don’t read them?
Some casting directors read them, but don’t respond, then file them and will look through them if there’s a particular character type they are looking for:
- Some will respond to say thank you for getting in touch and will file them…
- Some will read them and delete…
- Some will just go in the bin without being read…
- But you know what? Even if they don’t read them- they are likely to still see your name and if you’ve written to them a few times, your name will become familiar to them, making them more likely to pay attention when they see a role you are submitted for…
It’s well known in the marketing world that it takes 7-9 times of you contacting someone directly with your message for them to pay attention… This is no different! And WHAT IF… They happened to be casting something that day that you fit perfectly and they do call you in? What if you hadn’t bothered reaching out?
But it’s not as simple as just sending a boring, generic e-mail out to all the casting directors you can find. In fact, I would strongly advise AGAINST doing that.
So, how do you contact them?
Research.
Agents and managers are, after all, as diverse as the actors they represent. Some are decidedly hands-on; others are more remote. Some are highly selective, representing only a few clients; others maintain a much deeper roster. Fortunately, actors these days can enlighten themselves, at least partially, by doing a little basic online research.
To grab somebody’s attention, you need to know what they want and what they need. Then you need to be the solution to their problems.
This means you need to research them first and work out why you would be the perfect fit for them and the projects they are casting.
Answer this question- why are you contacting them in particular?
And yes, this means it’s going to take a hell of a lot longer than just copying and pasting a generic e-mail and sending it to the inbox of every casting director, but this is what you need to do for your campaign to be effective.
Introduce yourself. Who are you and what is it about you that would pique their interest? Stick to FACTS such as your latest credits or awards and NOT because you are ‘the next big star’ or ‘the next Angelina Jolie’. If you do email a casting director (on a weekday!), please make sure you spell her name correctly, and also check for spelling errors in the body of an email. It is so apparent when an actor is sending out a form letter to many casting directors. And additionally, any correspondence that’s riddled with errors doesn’t get taken seriously.
Decide exactly what you are writing to them about. Choose one thing, one thing only and be clear, concise and straight to the point. No fluffy talk- it’s not about you and how you always dreamed of becoming an actor, it’s about you being able to give them what they want and need.
Types of things you could write to them about include introductions, invitations to premieres/plays, you could be thanking them for some advice they gave you, you could have seen something they are casting for and would like to request an audition or it could be something else entirely- use your imagination.
When you encounter a casting director in a social situation, or outside of an audition situation, don’t begin or end the conversation with, or put this sentence anywhere in the middle: “You didn’t call me back for the last project I saw you on.”
Warmth and friendliness are always welcome, but if you hardly know the casting director, don’t embrace her or kiss her, however innocently. However well-meaning or non-sexual the gesture is on your part, it’s not appropriate. An actor I hardly know recently kissed me on the lips when we met in the street, and I was rather uncomfortable, to say the least. If in doubt, just extend your hand.
In a conversation with a casting director, don’t just talk about you, your career, your problems with your agent, and your last or current job. A conversation is a like a good tennis game: an enjoyable, lively give and take. Taking the time to listen and be interested in another person is invaluable, and it shows that one has excellent manners, too.
Ask them for ONE action (unless it’s a thank you- in which case I’d keep it as just that). What do you want them to do? Don’t give them a million options. Do you want them to call you in for a casting? Do you want them to e-mail you back to let you know if they are coming to your premiere? Do you want them to file your CV?
Think up a catchy subject line that reflects the reason you are getting in touch. Don’t use a subject line that sounds desperate or is misleading. I would recommend tracking your numbers and testing different ones to see what you get the best response from.
What materials are you going to send? I would recommend always including your headshot, Spotlight link or CV and website. Make sure that your contact details are clear and easy to find, and include your agent’s (if you have one) as well as your own. All materials need to be top quality for you and constantly updated to stand out- do not skimp on your marketing materials. I cannot stress that enough.
Everyone is busy, pressed for time, and usually, in our business, working under tight deadlines. Be mindful and respectful of that; be friendly, but not overly forward, or impervious to the fact that casting directors and other professionals need some time of their own to rest and regroup.
Before you send:
- Check your spelling and grammar…
- Take out any parts where you waffle, sound desperate or is not needed to get your point across (be ruthless)…
- Ask yourself if you come across as professional…
- Ask yourself if you are showing your personality and are being authentic…
- Check all web links and make sure your materials are up to date…
Finally: its action time- schedule regular time into every week that is purely for writing to casting directors. And do it. No excuses. Persistence is power!
Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media, Huffington Post, Backstage, Your Young Actor, Cast it Talent, Scambusters, New York Castings, Brock Kelly, SAG-AFTRA, Sokanu, The Balance Careers, Sag Indie, Northern Star, Ilene Starger, Amy Joberman, https://amyjoberman.com/4-words-that-cause-spontaneous-verbal-diarrhea-in-auditions-and-the-cure
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Tell Me about Yourself / Photo Credit: Amy Joberman
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