By: Jess Canty
A lot of our job, I feel like, is to raise the curtain a bit on what it is like for agents, managers and casting. So check out something that a casting director added in a CMAIL this week:
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For some of you this is the FIRST TIME you are receiving this EcoCast. For others it may be the SECOND TIME. Why is that? I have found some additional people that I want to see so I have added them to the invite.
STAY AWARE OF THE SHUT OFF DATE AND TIME for THIS NOTICE. JUNE 25th 10AM.
1. IF YOU HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED FOR THIS REQUESTED CHARACTER, I DO NOT NEED YOU TO SUBMIT AGAIN. Please this is common sense and I don't need two of the same.
2. IF YOU SENT ME A TAPE OF YOUR DEMO OR SOME OTHER AUDITION AND NOT THE SIDES I REQUESTED, I WILL DELETE IT.
3. DO NOT EMAIL ME, TEXT ME, FACEBOOK ME or CALL at 6 in the morning on my cell. (yes that is happening).
4. Some of you have gotten request for different characters... that is a good thing. But I need to see the character and not some random unrelated tape.
5. DO NOT call me with questions on how the EcoCast works. I didn't invent it. Please call Breakdowns.
4. AGAIN... NO NEED TO RESUBMIT IF YOU ALREADY HAVE SUBMITTED AN AUDITION TAPE OF THE CHARACTER I REQUESTED.
~~~
A lot to unpack here - but over-all I think this speaks really well to the reason why we are constantly harping on y'all that knowledge is power in this business.
This poor CD is exasperated and couldn't take it anymore and unleashed a very honest rant in the CMAIL that went out to everyone auditioning.
Why?
Because look at what these dummies are doing to this poor person. And I include some dummy agents and managers out there because I guarantee you that some of the people that were contacting this CD were reps.
So next time you wonder why you can't get feedback from a CD, or your agent/manager doesn't want to bother them, or you go to a casting session and they seem stand-offish just remember that it probably isn't you.
Its because some dummy called them at 6AM to tell them that their second submission on ecocast isn't working and want to know how to fix it.
So...
Remember: Casting Directors are people. If they are freelance they are pretty over-worked and under-paid people. And their livelihoods rest on their recommendations.
That's it.
They are literally in the business of recommending who to hire. Of protecting the directors and producers from all of these dummies.
So put yourself in their shoes.
Your job rests on recommending someone who will show up on time, not embarrass you, be smart, AND by the way can act. If its a guest star they have to be able to carry an episode. If its a series regular they have to be able to deliver all of this every day, day in and out for up to possibly 22-24 hours of television.
Which is why you MUST separate yourself from the dummies.
It is why you have to show up. It is why you have to be on time. It is why you have to cancel plans. And come home from vacation early. And put yourself on tape on the weekend. Or from the set of another job you are shooting.
You have to get it done.
Because otherwise they're going to assume you are in the other group. The group that doesn't get it done. The group that submits their demo tape instead of the actual self-tape because they didn't take the time to actually do the audition. The group that can't read instructions.
If you were casting a project and someone showed up late to your session and didn't read the instructions would you hire them?
Imagine bringing yourself in for a project. And then you can't make the callback because you're out of town with your best friend. You're were excited about you. You've seen hundreds of actors and finally think you've found the perfect person, and then you don't show up. Would you think you're serious about working?
Bottom line: Would you hire you? If you were late? Not dressed the part? Not off book? Would you hire you? Would YOU. Hire YOU?
We only want smarties here - because there is too much money and effort and time riding on every single project to accept anything less. If you wouldn't even hire you then why should they?
