Sunday, October 5, 2014

You could drive a person crazy.

You could drive a person crazy,
You could drive a person mad.
First you make a person hazy
So a person could be had,
Then you leave a person dangling sadly
Outside your door,
Which it only makes a person gladly
Want you even more.*

Do NOT shake hands, unless the C.D. initiates it. In most cases, you have a very short time in the room. Go in and DO YOUR JOB. If a C.D. gets up to shake your hand, fine. But it is rare and NEVER go over to do that to them behind the table.  

 This is a two way street. We think that C.D.s drive us crazy and we, as actors, drive them crazy. So what can we do to make it the beautiful relationship that it can be?

Have you had that moment in the room at one of those meet and greets you have paid for to be seen by a Casting Director and (s)he says (s)he loves you and will call you in?  At the E.P.A. where they tell you you're brilliant (okay, that one never really happens), or the time you get a callback from the same C.D. who gave you a callback 6 months ago and 3 months before that?

 How do you deal with it?  How do you deal with them? Well first of all, let's stop thinking of it as being US and THEM. We are all human beings. Be a REAL person.


I hear SO many actors bitch and complain. If we want them to call us in after a bad audition and not hold it against us, we should do the same for them.  We all have off days. It is a RELATIONSHIP. And how do you make it a good one? So please stop judging and complaining. It does not help. 

 What can YOU do to help YOUR career?

 Casting Directors are the gate keepers and, even with a brilliant agent or manager, the real key is to have a good relationship with casting people.  So many friends I know are trying to get an agent and the first thing a potential agent asks is: "What C.D.s know you?"

 They are the gatekeepers
We need the keys, the passwords

 Knock-knock! Is anybody there?
Knock-knock! It really isn't fair.
Knock-knock! I'm workin' all my charms.
Knock-knock! A zombie's in my arms.*

 How long? Well, that depends!

 Here are a couple of my stories:

  • Met a C.D. at The Network. She seemed to like me. NOTHING. ZIP. Fast forward two years and I was called in for "Louie" for a C.D. I did not know. Turns out I had been recommended by that C.D. from 2 years before.
  • Built a relationship with another C.D. (E.P.A.s, meet and greet) who then called me in for a job I did not submit for because he remembered me and my work.
  • Met a C.D. and kept in touch via postcard and have been called in three times for HBO show.

Trust me, I have the same problems as you. I am investigating and learning.  But I have had made mistakes and had some triumphs so come and learn from someone who is living what you're living.

 As brilliant C.D. Brette Goldstein says, it's like dating. And you have to go with your gut. I have casting directors who hug me now when I go in to audition. That is lovely but not to be expected. Even with my brilliant manager, a major broadway C.D. got in touch with me directly because she had met me and had my email address.  You never know!

KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU:
How to get to know C.D.s and how to get them to know YOU!

​
All that sweet affection!
What is wrong?
Where's the loose connection?
How long, O Lord, how long?

 How long is a very important question. But we might as well ask, how long is a piece of string? A good C.D. remembers good actors. Austin Pendleton had auditioned for Ron Howard for a project he did not book. NINE years later, he was offered "A Beautiful Mind". Sure, we do not want to wait nine years, but trust yourself and trust good casting directors. Do your homework and do your work. 

 Exclusive you!
Elusive you!*

 They may seem exclusive and elusive, but really, they are just like us!

 *You Could Drive a Person Crazy from "Company"
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

 www.theactorsfriend.com
www.pollymckie.com
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)