Advice From A Casting Director

First round “in room” auditions

Are a thing of the past. 

We are never going back. 

The reason might surprise you… 

It’s not just because self-tapes allow casting

To see far more people than they once could– 

Although that is true. 

Casting directors now watch tapes 

From dawn till dusk. 

But one of the other major reasons, 

Is that self-tapes separate the wheat from the chaff instantly. 

Because at home,

With no guidance outside the character description

No director outside what your reader might suggest,

And perhaps a script if you’re lucky (but it’s rare…)

It’s on you to deliver your take on the character

In a bland mid-shot. 

As boring… and yet, as pure as acting gets. 

So, what’s the advice?

In a nutshell

Two things:

Get really good. 

&

Learn to fish. 

***

I recently sat in on a conversation

With Aussie casting diector

Kirsty McGregor. 

One of the best in the biz. 

She is responsible for casting such TV and film as:

Lion

Animal Kingdom

Mr In Between,

Colin From Accounts 

and

The Twelve.

And what a breath of fresh air it was 

To hear her talk about the industry.

How encouraging to hear how deeply she cares about the work. 

The most encouraging thing about hearing her speak

Was the reminder that she’s on our team.

Not just a colleague. 

She’s your number 1 supporter…

And when she clicks on your tape–

God damn it, she wants you to be great!

And as I listened to her I was reminded of this idea that

Auditioning these days is all about learning to fish.

What I mean by that is:

 You must learn to be self-sufficient. 

Because in the past

When Kirsty had worked with actors in a room,

Decent actors, 

Actors that can follow direction

In the moment–

Actors that booked the role…

But then turn up on set,

And don’t know what to do. 

Because they no longer had a Kirsty in their corner

Helping them.

No casting director telling them what to do. 

Directors would often turn around to Kirsty and say:

“What happened”?

Kirsty realised that casting from a self-tape

Allowed her to see what an actor would 

Bring to a role on their own.

Their own interpretation. 

Their own vision for character. 

And according to her,

As long as it’s believable…

You’re in with a shot. 

On that note: 

Here is how I interpreted the advice

From Kirsty McGregor. 

1) Learn To Fish

Become self-sufficient at self-taping.

How?

Have an idea. 

Make a choice. 

She repeated many times.

She said:

Don’t try to give casting what they want.

People are so busy trying to give us what we want 

They all end up doing the same thing…

Doesn’t matter what casting want… 

It’s your offering… it’s what you want. 

So, what do you want? 

How do you see the character? 

How can you make that character make sense for you? 

If it doesn’t make sense, make it make sense…

Her point is:

 There isn’t a right or wrong…

 It’s how can you make it make sense for you and 

Do what you need to in order to give the work you want to. 

2) The Big Print

(Or scene descriptions and directions from off the page.) 

The stuff that says:

“She breaks down into uncontrollable tears”

Or

“He SLAMS his fist on the table”

Kirsty’s advice… you can ignore this.

It’s not really for you anyway.

Mostly, the big print is there for a reader of the film. 

Often producers and financiers.

Non-creatives 

Who need to understand exactly 

What emotion the writer was trying to convey

And how much it will cost production.

 It’s not really for the actor.

You’re job is far more fun.

 It’s up to you how you interpret

The text, draw from it what you need

And deliver your offering. 

3) Help Yourself

Treat a self-tape like you’ve got the job.

Ask:

What would I be doing on set? 

And then, 

How can I make that work for me in this environment?

 How can I help myself to make it believable for me? 

What she’s not saying is: 

“Go out and shoot a short film and spend heaps of money” 

But what she is saying is

Ring lights and blues screens… You don’t need them. 

Casting couldn’t give a shit. 

Can she see you?

Great.

Can she hear you? 

Great. 

All that matters is the work. 

But if you’re scene is in a kitchen

And you happen to have a kitchen,

Why not shoot in the kitchen?

4) Perspective

She offered this up for people afraid of being “type cast”: 

A different way to think about it.

You’re reading the script through your lens. 

Everyone’s lens is different depending on who they are. 

Typically, more optimistic people see 

More optimistic choices or options for the character.

 More cynical people see more opportunities for cynicism”. 

So rather than considering that you are placed into a box by a look,

 Perhaps consider the lens through which 

You see the world.

 Are you looking at the character through a very narrow lens? 

Can you broaden your perspective?

You can be authentic in both - it’s still you.

But by being aware of and curious about your own perspective

You can start to make new choices

 That drastically influence your performance. 

5) Make A Big Choice

“Be bold. Make a big choice”.

Kirsty addressed this…

Big doesn’t mean loud or explosive

Or emotional or un-motivated. 

What she would call a “big” choice,

She means detailed. 

Where someone has really considered the 

World that they occupy. 

“Big” choices = think micro. 

Think about the world

And your human behaiour in the world. 

What are the micro truths of existing in that world? 

So big choice = think small. 

6) How To Approach Casting? 

Do work that you are proud of

And then put that work down on all the casting sites. 

Showcast, Casting Networks etc. 

Then email casting with a link. (respectfully)

Go sees aren’t useful anymore…

 Nice to get to know you as a person, but it’s all about the work. 

How do you show up on screen?

They want to see your work.

 1st priority, professional,

Then short films, links to YouTubet, then tapes, etc. 

Invite the to premiers to theatre to what ever you’re in.  

Doesn’t matter if they come or not. 

Keep working. Keep improving. 

As long as you are respectful, generous and grateful… you’re fine. 

7) Instagram 

She doesn’t care about your Instagram page.

…Unless it has good work on it.

8) Recalls

If you do get that recall…

Be prepared. 

Prepare to be spontaneous.

On other words;

Prepare so well that you appear as if you are making it up on the spot.

9) What’s Holding You Back?

The only thing holding you back 

Is if you can’t act. 

Which to her means you have zero skills.

Which to her, she said, is very rare but does occur.

And is a bit a plumber  with zero experience or skills

Applying for a job he’s totally not qualified for. 

He won’t get it. 

So. 

Comprehension.

Vulnerability. 

Technique.

Skill up. 

10) Be kind

There isn’t room for arseholes anymore.

 The world is moving past the need to cast the older actors who are dicks…

Which is a wonderful thing for everyone.

 She’d rather cast someone who will lift an entire production. 

So make yourself valuable by being kind. 

It goes aong way. 

11) Timeline

There isn’t one. 

There was an actor she met who was in her 20’s.

 They loved her… but couldn’t place her … 

She made amazing detailed choices.

 So wonderful.

 But was never the right piece of the jigsaw. 

Finally got her first television series  lead in her 40s. 

If the long game isn’t for you, then maybe acting is not for you.

12) Get Good

The prevailing message that I received

From listening to Kirsty speak

Was that she cares about one thing

When watching a tape:

Do I believe you?

She said this many many times. 

“Do I believe you”?

That’s all that matters. 

Because if the acting isn’t believable, 

Everything else is all for naught. 

Other than that… 

She can and will see past anything. 

Which is great news. 

Because it takes the pressure off feeling like 

You need to have an awesome set up, 

Or needing to be anything other than who you are… 

You’re only job is to be believable in the role. 

The problem is… 

How the hell do I make her believe me?

Short answer. 

You can’t. 

You can’t make anyone believe you…

What is believable or convincing is subjective. 

So instead of trying focus on making yourself “believable…”

Focus on the quality of your work

And a system for improvement. 

A system to allows you to be you 

 In front of the lens or on stage. 

Work on your comprehension.

Work on your vulnerability, 

Work on your technique 

Until they’re so second nature to you

That turning up and being “believable” 

Is not the question… 

The only question that will remain is simply, 

Are you the piece of the jigsaw puzzle

That production needs?

Have fun out there. 

Dx