If you’ve been reading this blog
consistently, you know two things: we love to give you advice, and we have a
[weird?] obsession with superheroes.
Today all of that changes. We’re giving you an exclusive look
into the vicious world of auditioning through the eyes of two Casting
Directors.
Though theatrical
and commercial acting may seem like two totally different playing
fields, the principles of casting behind them remain the same. At the end of the day, everything boils down
to one, simple thing: talent. If you
have it, you’ll get out there. If not, well…
Welcome to The Other Side of the
Table.
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| Kara Sullivan |
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| Danielle Eskinazi |
This week we’ll be spotlighting
two Casting Directors whom we had the pleasure of speaking with. Kara Sullivan began working as a full CD in
2003, founding her company Kara Sullivan Casting. She has worked on a number of feature films
and webisodes, including That’s Revolting
and A Lesson of Love.
Danielle Eskinazi is an award-winning
commercial CD who has worked on campaigns for every product from Absolut Vodka
to Yahoo!, and has worked with high-profile actors such as David Bowie, Woody
Harrelson and Milla Jovovich. In the
world of commercials, Ms. Eskinazi is it.
Now how about some timeless words
of wisdom?
Headshots Get You
Ahead
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| Mr. Bateman never gets called in to audition...I wonder why? |
The headshot is your first line
of offense. It’s what gets you noticed
and in through the door, and yet so many actors skimp on them. Both Mss. Sullivan and Eskinazi personally
look and analyze the submitted headshots they receive. They make the decision on whether or not you
get the thumbs up or thumbs down.
Your headshot should represent
who you are as an actor. The image
should be able to translate your skills and style. Are you a comedy actor, or is drama more your
thing? Show that range in your headshot.
And one more thing: never forget
that your headshot is the single best representation of who you are, and it should always reflect your current look. If you have a
big freaking mustache in your headshot but don’t in real life (or vice versa),
guess what? You’re about to meet one
very disappointed CD.
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| I'd cast Dr. Banner. |
It’s All in the Eyes
I asked Ms. Eskinazi directly
what is it about a headshot that really stands out to her, and she immediately
told me “the eyes.” Your eyes are your moneymakers. They’re the most inviting, soulful part of
your body. Eyes translate emotion, and
in the words of Henry David Thoreau, “The eye is the jewel of the body.”
So forget about the sunglasses,
kids. Let’s see those baby blues!
The 3 P’s:
Punctuality, Positivity, Proactivity
You got the message: audition
time! Now what? If there’s one thing these CD’s appreciate,
it’s for you to be prepared in every way.
To help you out, here are three important guidelines (all conveniently
beginning with the letter “p”) to live your acting life by.
1. Punctuality
Do you remember that time in
third grade when you forgot to hand your homework in on time and your teacher
was really disappointed in you, and then you had to go home and ask your mom to
sign a piece of paper letting her know just how disappointing you were? Dealing with CD’s is the exact same thing. If they
give you an audition time, STICK TO IT. That
2:15PM call time ain’t a suggestion…it’s a formal demand.
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| Punctuality is very, very important. |
The first sign of professionalism
is being able to honor your commitments, and that’s what the CD’s are looking
for. Asking for a time change every now
and then is fine. They understand;
everybody has things going on in life, and sometimes it’s tough to drop
everything on short notice. But needing
to change times – or not even bother to show up – every time? That is, as Ms.
Eskinazi says, a one-way ticket to her “shit list.”
So please, do your agent, the CD
and your career a favor: be punctual.
2. Positivity
Nobody likes a Negative
Nancy. They’re always all down with this
“woe is me” attitude. Turn that frown
upside down, because the last thing a CD wants to see is some miserable actor
walk through the doors. You’re trying to
live the dream of being a professional actor! Have some excitement!
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| Don't worry, the 3 P's are easy to master! |
According to Ms. Sullivan, the
most important thing for an actor to have (other than talent) is optimism. If an actor auditions in front of her and has
this Debbie Downer attitude, guess what?
A callback probably isn’t in his or her future. Acting is a passion job: you have to really want it, and you need to be willing to
do whatever you can to make your dreams a reality.
3. Proactivity
Okay, so “proactivity” is a bit
of a vague one. How exactly do you stay
proactive in terms of dealing with CD’s?
Here’s a start: confirmations.
When you get an audition notification, let your agent know if you can or
can’t make it. The last thing a CD wants
is to be left hanging with an open time slot…in fact, they hate it (SIDENOTE:
Ms. Eskinazi went on a five-minute rant on the subject, but I’ll spare the
gruesome details). Take charge of your
life and get on top of things!
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| Listen to the Biebs: that's proactive with an "e." |
You Are Essential
Movies don’t work without actors. That’s a fact of science, folks. At the end of the day, you – the actor – are
an essential part of the filmmaking process, and guess what? The CDs know that, too. They genuinely root for you to succeed and
knock their socks clean off. Every CD in
town wants to find the next big superstar.
What’s to stop that from being you?
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| Keep at it and they'll really like you, too. |
Always keep in mind that your
life is not always your to control, and that goes double for actors. The entertainment industry is built around
the concept of people making decisions for other people. All you can do is maintain a positive outlook
and keep trucking. Never give up. Never forget who you are as an actor, an artist
and a person. If you don’t have your
integrity, you have nothing.
For more information on Kara Sullivan, please visit her website: http://www.karasullivancasting.com/
For more information on Danielle Eskinazi, please visit her website: http://www.daniellecasting.com/
You can also visit Ms. Eskinazi's Casting Director blog for more exclusive advice: http://www.actvice.com/
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By Alex Tafet
Awesome article.
ReplyDelete