Monday Myth Debunkers – Casting Directors Are Not On Your Team.
Well, ok, we’re not on your management team. But we ARE the people who want you to trust us and who want you to book the job. Let’s repeat that again: We actually (desperately even) want you to do well and book the damn job. …
Monday Myth Debunkers – It’s All About Looks.
It’s true! You must be attractive to get auditions and book jobs. *𝘨𝘢𝘴𝘱* But by “attractive” we don’t mean six-packs, veneers and balayage. 𝕎𝕖’𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕢𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕖𝕤, 𝕗𝕠𝕝𝕜𝕤. Attractive actors = ones who work hard, have a can-do attitude, have the ability to be present…
Terminology Tuesday – Loan-Out
A loan-out is a personal company & legal business entity. The individual, YOU, are technically employed by your own loan-out company. Loan-out companies can take many different forms such as an LLC, an S-Corporation, or a C-Corporation. ᴡʜʏ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ɪɴᴄᴏʀᴘᴏʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ? There are a few benefits:…
Terminology Tuesday – Packaging
Packaging is a type of bundling where an agency develops a film or television project using writers, directors and/or actors it represents, before giving other agencies a chance to submit their clients for the project. A packaged project is in between the script stage and the pre-production stage. A…
Monday Myth Debunkers – The Market is too Saturated with my Type.
Acting is an art, no doubt. But it’s also a business. And if there’s one thing successful businessmen and women want you to know; it’s that there’s no such thing as an overly saturated market, especially when the “demand” is so high. And the demand is high. …
Terminology Tuesday – Deal Memo
A deal memo is a less formal employment contract, usually implemented by the studio and drafted by a casting director or associate. Because they are less formal, they generally contain significantly less wording than traditional contracts but are still binding. In a deal memo, you can find all…
Monday Myth Debunkers – IMDB STARmeters Matter.
The STARmeter is IMDB’s ranking system based on searches done by the website’s users. Basically, the more you’re searched for on IMDB, the higher your star meter is. These rankings are updated weekly. We’ve seen actors go through great lengths to get that coveted star meter up. And we…
Terminology Tuesday – Chemistry Read
A chemistry read (or chemistry test) is an opportunity for the producers, director, and studio/network to see what kind of chemistry you have (if any) with other actors being considered for a role opposite yours. Not all projects have chemistry reads—it’s largely dependent on the director or showrunner’s preference. It’s a way…
Monday Myth Debunkers – I Just Need to Book One Co-Star Job.
We hear this a lot: “I just need to book one co-star job and then…” And then…? YES booking your first co-star job is EXCITING, MEMORABLE, and DEFINITELY something to be proud of. YES booking your first co-star job can help you land representation. YES booking your first co-star job can lead…
Terminology Tuesday – Offer Only
Offer only is the term used to describe an actor who will only consider a role if it’s offered outright. That means no auditions, no callbacks, and no tests. Dream come true? With most things in life, there are some caveats. But first, let’s discuss the different…
Monday Myth Debunkers – You Shouldn’t be Holding Your Sides.
While being off-book is supremely helpful in order for you to concentrate more on the direction we give you vs. your lines, holding your sides is A-OK. Here’s why: 1. The frame we’re getting is fairly tight. A standard frame for in-person sessions and self-taping is a medium close-up (about mid-bust)….
Terminology Tuesday – Scale
If you were able to grab a spot in last weekend’s co-star intensive, you’ll know we went over a lot of “scale” numbers. Feel free to “save” this one as a quick reference guide 🗳 Scale refers to the minimum amount of pay that SAG-AFTRA will allow its members to work for…
Monday Myth Debunkers – Casting Directors Don’t Actually Watch Reels.
If there was a prize for the biggest #mythdebunker, it would go to this one. Nothing could be further from the truth. And here’s the why… If you didn’t already know: casting is a LOT of work. Between the speedy expectations of casting, the multiple projects on our plate, we have to…
Terminology Tuesday – Honeywagon
Honeywagons: those lavish, mansion-like trailers that actors use as their private resting room & creative space. Some actually have pools attached and even an entire dining roo— Oh wait. VERY few actors would be able to use to word “lavish” to describe their trailers. The vast majority of actors are at the…
Monday Myth Debunker – It’s Better to Address Conflicts as They Come Vs. Book Out with my Agent.
No conflicts are better than any conflicts, right? Well, technically, sure. But there’s a worse situation to be in. It’s the scenario that CDs, reps & actors alike all dread. That moment when your agent calls to pin you and — 😳😳😳 You have plans. Like, BIG unchangeable plans… right during that…
Terminology Tuesday – Residuals
Residuals: the gifts that keep on giving. Residuals are those fun little paychecks (aka royalties) that are paid to actors in cases of reruns, syndication, DVD release, or online streaming release. Getting residuals in the mail can be quite the pleasant surprise. Sometimes it’s a nice payment for DVD…
Monday Myth Debunker – You Should be Constantly Updating Casting.
If you missed our @TheCastingDirectorsCut webinar on Friday, we’re going to go ahead and start with a now-infamous quote by the incomparable @somethinglikemike. “Treat us like you’d treat your gym. How often do you want to hear from your gym? If it’s an amazing 50% membership deal, GREAT! Other than…
Terminology Tuesday – Co-star
Co-stars are the smaller speaking roles in a TV show that support one or more scenes. Sometimes co-stars can be in multiple scenes with anywhere from zero to 10+ lines. Co-stars are determined by: 1. The size of the role 2. The importance of the role to the story 3. Amount of…
Monday Myth Debunker – I’ve Had Enough Training
You’ve taken all the classes, done all the workshops, seen all the lectures, tried all the coaches. So you’re ready to move on, right? *cue Wheel of Fortune fail buzzer* Here’s a little secret about being great at what you do: 𝕌𝕟𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕣𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕠 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘…
Terminology Tuesday – Table Read
Also known as a read-through, a table read is an organized reading of the screenplay or script by actors in a production. In addition to the cast, table reads are usually attended by studio/network executives, producers, heads of department, writers, directors, among others. It’s the first time everyone will be able to…
Monday Myth Debunker – Any Agent is Better than no Agent.
Have you ever had this thought? Or at heard another actor utter this phrase? We get it. Getting representation can feel like dating in LA. It can be hard & a little frustrating (ok a LOT frustrating). That’s why actors sometimes think they have to sign with someone the moment they hear…
Terminology Tuesday – Material
Your materials consist of your 3 main actor tools: your headshot, your resume & your reel. So when someone asks you for your materials, that’s what they mean. We’ve talked a lot about headshots and reels already, so let’s dive more specifically into resumes today. The purpose of your resume is to…
Monday Myth Debunker – Workshops are Pay-to-Play Auditions
Workshops are just pay-to-play auditions. Ready to sing it? 🎶 Nopity nope nope 🎶 Before we dive more into today’s myth, let’s first properly define a casting director workshop: A casting director workshop is a class taught by a casting professional (casting associate & above) with the intent to teach and inform…
Terminology Tuesday – Loop Group
Also known as “walla” and, most correctly, as group ADR: Automated Dialogue Replacement. It’s also considered one of the cushiest jobs in the biz. More on that in a bit. In TV and film, only the principal actors are mic’d; the background actors are not. This is so…
Monday Myth Debunker – I Need to have a Plan B
In the famous words of @prattprattpratt, “I didn’t have a plan B.” This might be scary to hear, but you don’t need a “back up plan.” It doesn’t have to be THIS or THAT. You can still pour your heart, soul & energy into your acting and…
Terminology Tuesday – Day out of Days
Also known as a board or schedule, a DOOD is a chart used by a film or TV production to tally the number of paid days for each cast member. A lot of factors go into making these schedules. Predominantly: locations and contracted actor availabilities. Casting offices use DOODs for a variety…
Monday Myth Debunker – You Need to be Sending out Mailers
*sigh* mailers. What are mailers? Mailers are anything that actors mail to us or drop off in person (RIP to drop-off days though, at least for now). They come in forms of postcards, letters, flyers, cards, headshots, stacks of headshots, USB thumb drives, Blu-Rays, QR codes, hand sanitizers, headshots within a retro…
Terminology Tuesday – Local Hire
We thought this would be a good term to follow yesterday’s #MondayMythDebunker. What exactly does it mean to be a local hire? A local hire means that you are able able to work in the shooting location without the need for travel expenses. If you consider yourself to be a local…
Monday Myth Debunker – You need to live in LA/NY to be a working actor.
We’ll just jump right in with a big, fat NOPE! Let’s start with this fun fact: In 2016, Georgia overtook California as the state location with the most feature films produced 🤯 Productions have been venturing out of LA/NY for years and it’s mostly due to the tax rebates and lower…
Monday Myth Debunkers – It’s Who You Know.
Double-tap if you’ve been told this at least once in your career. Is there any validity to it? Well, maybe. But let’s sprinkle some truth in there too. Nepotism might appear to be your biggest Hollywood enemy. And while it’s not necessarily encouraged, there are definitely times when “knowing someone”…
Terminology Tuesday – Buyout
Since commercials seem to be among the few survivors of production during Covid, we felt talking about buyouts could be helpful. A buyout is a flat fee/lump sum that is paid to talent in lieu of receiving residuals (residuals are those fun checks you get in the mail every time your commercial…
Monday Myth Debunkers – Your Audition Starts the Moment you Walk Through the Door.
Or at least, for the foreseeable future, the “virtual” door. Today’s #MondayMythDebunkers is more of a yes/no answer. Let’s break it down: YES: How you react, handle yourself, listen & communicate in the room are all things we mentally take note of. And YES, it is helpful to be…
Terminology Tuesday – Billing
Although it sounds like billing might be referring to how much money you’re going to make, it’s not. Rather, “billing” refers to Hollywood’s other form of currency – credits. An actor’s billing refers to where & how an actor’s name gets credited in a film or TV episode. Agents, managers (and lawyers!)…
Monday Myth Debunker – Diversity Cost me the Job
Today’s #MondayMythDebunker felt appropriate. This statement is an excuse. Using the push for diversity is an “easy” way for actors to feel like they have a sense of control and explanation as to why a career in acting is hard. Acting is hard because the job itself is……
Monday Myth Debunker – I Need to Show Tears in Order to Nail the Scene
Have you ever left an audition feeling like you didn’t do your best because the person leaving before you was wiping away tears and you weren’t? The point of this post is to remind actors that extra congestion & smudged mascara is not a requirement to nailing a scene. Remember: tears and…
Terminology Tuesday – Hip-Pocket
To piggyback off yesterday’s post about agents, we wanted to talk about hip-pocketing. Hip-pocketing is the term that describes a relationship between an agent and an actor in which the agent agrees to send the actor out for opportunities without signing a formal contract. First, let’s disclose that “hip-pocketing” is going to…
Monday Myth Debunker – I Need to be with a Top Agency to get Noticed
Have you ever had this thought? Chances are if you haven’t, you’ve heard someone else say it (or at least a version of it). Let’s go ahead and squash this myth once and for all. It’s very very RARE that a casting office will limit or cater their breakdowns to only certain…
Terminology Tuesday – Approval
AKA “waiting on approval” or “getting approval” The beloved approval process ⌛️ It can sometimes be quick. It can sometimes be painstakingly slow. Either way, it’s going to be around for a while… so let’s break it down: Approval is something that is needed from the studio & network in…
Monday Myth Debunkers – I Need a Headshot that POPS!
What does that even mean? Headshots are not supposed to pop. They are photos. Of your face. All joking aside, we hear this… a lot. Sometime’s it’s another version, like, “what stands out to you in a headshot?” First, let’s take a moment to remind ourselves the purpose…
Terminology Tuesday – Button
A “button” is a tool actors sometimes use in their (mostly comedic) auditions to help close out a scene in a unique way. It’s created by the actor and is usually in the form of an ending line or action. Sometimes they’re funny. Sometimes they’re awkward. Sometimes they aren’t appropriate. And they…
Monday Myth Debunkers – I Need to Market my Brand
NEWSFLASH: You are not an Apple product. If you cringe thinking about marketing yourself as anything other than “actor,” read on… We’ve heard this a lot. Things like, “I need to figure out my brand”, “What would you say is ‘my type?’”. Yes, there are going to be…
Terminology Tuesday – General Meeting
This has been a common term used lately and we’ve noticed some confusion floating around. So let’s break it down. What EXACTLY is a general meeting and what are they used for? ⤵ A general meeting is a very CASUAL “meet & greet” between new talent and someone in the industry….
Monday Myth Debunker – I had an Off Day, so I Won’t be Called into that Office Again
Guess what? You’re human! We’re human! Humans have off-days. And if you’ve somehow beat the odds of not having one already, know that you’re going to have an off-day in the future. and THAT’S OK. It wouldn’t be normal for every day to be perfect and to go exactly as you had…
Terminology Tuesday – Pay or Play
When a deal is “pay or play”, it’s an agreement in which an actor gets paid whether or not the project is made. For example, if you were guaranteed a certain number of episodes and your character has been cut from one of those episodes, you’re still going to get paid with…
Monday Myth Debunker – My Reel Should be no More than 2 Minutes in Length
Many people swear that 2 minutes is the “industry norm” but there is no actual right answer here. There is no world in which we’d be able to watch the entirety of someone’s reel when going through thousands of submissions. But most casting folks do skip forward and watch a few seconds…
Terminology Tuesday – Pinned
What exactly does it mean to be “pinned”? Sometimes being pinned is also referred to as “on avail” or a “watch and advise”. All of them essentially mean the same thing: you’re “in the mix”. As for why exactly you’re pinned? There could be a few possibilities… ⭐️ Maybe you are exactly…
Monday Myth Debunkers – I’ll Never Book a Guest Star Role Without Any Guest Star Credits
This is just not true. And if you’ve ever had this thought, please, keep reading… It’s true that having a healthy resume is helpful, but if you 1) have a solid reel that shows what you are capable of 2) you’re physically right for the role and 3) your reps are submitting…
Terminology Tuesday – 10/13 Series Regular
A 10/13 series regular is a term that is used to describe a specific type of SR role. Although a 10/13 role is still considered a series regular, they are only guaranteed to be in 10 (out of 13) episodes. 10/13s typically get paid less than an “all shows produced” (ASP) series…
Monday Myth Debunker – A Reel Should Have High Production Value
This is such a common question & concern. And it’s not quite a black & white answer. Let’s break it down and first start with what matters most in your reel: What matters most in your reel is by far, the quality… of your ACTING. After all, that’s the overriding purpose of…
Terminology Tuesday – First Position
Actors booking more than one project at the same time is not uncommon. The term ‘first position’ refers to whichever project is your number one obligation. Obligations are typically determined by a first-come-first-serve basis. For example, if you first close a deal to work as a guest star, and then book a…
Monday Myth Debunker – I’ll be Taken More Seriously if I’m SAG vs SAG-E
This is a common thought… here’s the scoop: There is no viable difference to us if you are SAG-E or SAG… AS LONG AS you are 100% willing to join the minute you become a “must-join”. The only time union status is a tough-call is if you are non-union. The reason being,…
Terminology Tuesday – Backdoor Pilot
A backdoor pilot is a type of pilot (yes, there are different types) that is filmed as a standalone episode so that it can still be aired on television even if it isn’t picked up. If well-received, it can then be developed into a series or miniseries. It’s essentially a “test episode”…
Monday Myth Debunker – Your Social Media is Going to Make or Break Your Career
Your social media is NOT going make or break your career. For the most part, no one is going to have time to even CHECK your social media, let alone track how many followers or engagement you have. Think about (in a normal world) the amount of time we have to cast…
Terminology Tuesday – CSA
Ever wondered what those “CSA” letters mean after a casting director’s name? 👉🏼 CSA stands for the “Casting Society of America”. Originally founded in 1982, CSA is a professional society of close to 1,000 casting directors and associates from all over the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Africa. CSA was established…
Monday Myth Debunker – My Agent Doesn’t Submit Me
If you’ve legitimately signed paperwork with your agent and they are franchised; meaning they are licensed by the state in which they operate and have been officially approved by SAG-AFTRA, then chances are, they are submitting you. It’s easy to blame your agent; they are the ones who are “supposed” to be…
Terminology Tuesday – DPU
Known as a Drop Pick-Up, this is a term that casting professionals and producers use when a production wants to work a day player, drop them for a certain amount of time, and then work them again later without paying for intervening work days. Certain rules must be in place for this….
Monday Myth Debunkers – The Casting Director Didn’t Ask You for Another Take, so it’s all Over
FALSE! Think about the amount of actors/roles we need to see in a day. Generally, we have the mentally of “if aint broke, don’t fix it!” If we thought the take was great, don’t question it. After all, we’re the ones who know what the producers and directors are looking for. It’s…
Terminology Tuesday – Fi-Core
Fi-Core stands for ‘financial core’. This status is an option within (SAG-AFTRA) which allows actors to work both union and non-union jobs. There are some disadvantages to being Fi-Core. Most notably, you become a “non-member” in SAG-AFTRA’s estimation. Technically, they categorize you as a Fee Paying Non-Member (FPNM), but since you still…
Monday Myth Debunkers – Self Tapes are Replacing In-Person Auditions
So many different “rules”, opinions & ideas are thrown out there, it’s sometimes hard to know what the right answer is. Self tapes are not replacing live auditions. Self tapes are a great way to still audition for a role when you physically can’t be in the room. Despite this, you still…
Terminology Tuesday – Top of Show
Top of Show refers to a set amount of money that is budgeted in a show for its guest star roles. For example, a role might say that the show “does not break top of show,” which means that no matter who the actor is, the show will not pay that person…