Recently, as there seems to be almost every week, another conglomerate gets into the game of monetizing or investing in the ability and future reality of content creation. So now Amazon, not so long ago, dumped a bunch of money into the commitment of 6 Comedy Pilot orders. And while this is GREAT news in so many ways it is also causing quite a bit Continue reading
Yes, phobia, that weird thing that we have in our language that is listed as such: pho·bi·a (pho·bi·as), strong fear or dislike; an irrational or very powerful fear and dislike of something such as spiders or confined spaces (a phobia about traveling in elevators). Since the day I FOUNDED what became, The Actors’ Network, it was and always has Continue reading
Hello everybody! I am breaking from my normal blog style and content to recommend a specific show. Continue reading
I have touched on this topic before, but just the other day in a casting I heard all the excuses and apologies I have heard in the past. So, just to recap because it is a new year…
I know it is polite to apologize, that is the right thing to do when you may have offended or harmed someone, but apologies are NEVER appropriate in an audition. LET ME REPEAT – Continue reading
Opening night of my one-woman show, “Jonna’s Body, Please Hold.” The first act went great. I was glowing as I headed backstage for intermission, so happy. Until I looked down and realized my fly had been open the entire first act. Continue reading
I was thinking about a lot of misconceptions that other actors have about session runners who also act and that they have a perceived “unfair advantage” when it comes to booking jobs over other actors. Here are a few of the myths about working in casting as an actor.
Myth #1 – The session runner can just put him or herself on camera for the job they are working.
FACT #1 – Not all casting directors will let you audition for the job that you are working and if they do, they usually have you be one of the first ones to audition so you don’t have the advantage of watching people audition all day.
Myth #2 – Session runners can just “book the job” by getting on tape.
FACT #2 – As explained above, even when the session runner gets to audition, there is no guarantee that he/she will get a call back or have a better chance at booking the job.
Myth #3 – even if the session runner never auditioned for the job, by just working the call back they could book the job.
FACT #3 – Yes, this could happen, but it is more the exception than the rule. Out of the 10 years I have run casting sessions and callbacks, I have never booked a job, just because I was in the room. I do know of 1 person who booked the job because he ran the callback.
Myth #4 – When you audition with a session runner at a callback (and he/she is not running camera and just auditioning) and you walk in the room, for a group explanation, or are paired with him/her and the director knows them and talks only to him/her, they will probably book the job.
FACT #4 – When a director talks to an actor who happens to run casting sessions or even talks to an actor he or she knows and no other actor in the room, all it means is the director is talking to them. It does not mean they have a better chance of booking the job than you do, the director is just being friendly. That is it, nothing more.
In part II I will continue with more myth vs. fact …
In my previous post, I was talking about how to get better at auditioning, even if you don’t have a lot of auditions… sounds impossible, but it’s not. So, you finally have an audition and you feel a bit rusty. Aside from doing your prep in the lobby, listening to what the session runner tells you, what else can you do? Continue reading
In yesterday’s blog, I laid out a typical commercial scenario and let’s assume you have a similar audition experience once a week. So, how are you supposed to improve if you only get a few appointments a month?
Remedy #1: I don’t care what level you are, if you have booked 50 commercials in the past and are not getting callbacks or avails or you have only been auditioning for a year, Continue reading
I didn’t coin the expression that I titled this post with, but I’ve heard it said lots during my lifetime. There are times when you’ve been cast in a project and you need to follow as the director brings your performance to a fine pitch. I know, sometimes you’re not blessed with that kind of director, but you still do the best you can. Now, when you’re not in the midst of a project being shot, then you’re leading the charge to get those jobs aren’t you? Continue reading
As I said, doing a one-person show is a lot of fun, and it’s available to everyone. Why do it? What can you expect to get out of it? Based on my experiences from years of performing mine, here are some benefits and results you can expect from doing a one-person show (and in my subsequent blog, I’ve list some results you ought not to count on): Continue reading
