Top

Daily Blog


January 8, 2012

 

Ah! The New Year…Well, I decided to clean out my office. I got it painted as well and put up some more posters. I realized that the paint color I chose is the same color as my childhood bedroom: should I be worried?

Now I have to figure out how to hide the mass (and mess) of wires that connect to my wireless router and computer and back-up thing-y. I got the new Nikon camera that Ashton Kutcher sells so well on the TV. I actually like the camera and it is nice to have a real camera and not a camera in a phone. It does a lot. Almost too much and I have to spend more time with it to understand it’s features.

I love new technology, especially when it comes to making my job easier. The only problem is, is that I feel like everything changes so quickly, that by the time I use the “new” stuff, it is already a year old and I am behind the times again. I still use the same digital camera for casting that I bought 5 years ago. In fact, I bought another one on ebay because they don’t make them anymore and it has a setting that the newer cameras don’t have. It records on a setting that makes streaming and uploading really simple. The newer cameras sometimes add steps, or you have to have a program that converts and zips or bundles or whatever.

All of this is, truthfully: ANNOYING! I just want everything to work and for me to be able to concentrate on the part this job that I love, the casting part. Worrying about if the camera is going to work, or if I have enough bandwidth (which I probably don’t) is just so tedious and inevitably expensive. As I type this on my ancient MacBook Pro, knowing that soon, a new computer will have to come into my life, I marvel at how fast things change and how adaptive I have to be to stay current. I have an ipad 2 – I love it. It has made my life better. It’s so cool to take to meetings and I am constantly comparing apps with friends. But I am sure, that in a year, or less, a new Ipad will come out, and my joy and marvel I have with my current Ipad will be erased. I won’t be the cool kid on the playground anymore.

Back to work: Now casting a film in London. Starts shooting on the 19th, hoping that all the deals close and that the actors confirm. It’s amazing to me how many times I hear, “She likes the role but wants more money.” They always want more. Heck, I want more. The tough part about what I do is that if you want or need a name or a perceived “star name” in a role, the Producer, especially a first time Producer or Director, ends up paying to have them in the film – unless it’s the most amazing script ever – then, that can be a game changer. So, for the New Year, I would like “the most amazing script ever” to cast, please…Happy 2012!

Share/Save/Bookmark

January 8, 2012 | 1 Comment


December 3, 2011

 

When I get approached to cast a short film, the first thing I always say to the producer is: “Just because it has the word ‘short’ in it’s name, does not make the casting process any ‘shorter.’ In fact, short film casting is often the toughest part of the work that I do. Inevitably, the budgets are low and the fees for the actors are low or deferred. What makes a short so difficult to cast is that, in just a few minutes the actor has to be able to embody, with great emotional depth, all of the back-story that most likely is being presented on camera. It is a great challenge for an actor to pull this off.

I have cast many shorts and many of them have gone to major film festivals. The most successful ones have the following ingredients:

1) THE SCRIPT: Clearly written, original, thought provoking, has a point of view and is unexpected and not cliché.

2) THE ACTORS: Committed, thoughtful, professional and most of all PREPARED!

3) THE CREW: Professional, considerate of the actors and the actors needs for space and preparation, but most of all, extremely knowledgeable in their field.

4) THE DIRECTOR: Communicative, passionate and a leader with a distinct point of view and voice.

5) THE PRODUCER: Dedicated, organized and considerate of everyone’s dedication effort and time.

When I look for a cast for a short film, I will admit, that the first actors I go to are the ones I trust implicitly, the ones I know personally and the ones who I know are right for the roles. If they are not available or not interested in the project (which happens and I totally understand when they don’t want to do it), I think about my wish list and then the reality of who I can get on that wish list and then I start looking at agents and managers whom I love to work with and pitch the film to them and ideas are generated and the casting begins. Many times, actors that I approach have a large body of work, so there is no need to audition them (especially when the are getting a deferred or low fee for their couple of days of work). I will show the director reels and say, “Why don’t you meet this actor and see what you think?” I don’t like offering a role to an actor in order to get them to meet a director. I understand that sometimes I have to do this when casting a low-budget film, but it limits how quickly I can cast the film and makes the process more complicated.

If we set up auditions for a short film, the challenge is often that the shooting script doesn’t have a lot of dialogue. If this is the case, I ask the writer to write a new scene for the role that may have limited dialogue in the script. This way the actor can get a better understanding of what the writer & director are looking for in a character. Sometimes, I will also encourage the director to allow the actor to improvise a situation that the character may be in.

In Los Angeles, the challenges of casting a short film are to convince the actors, the agents & managers that the team that is putting together the short is skilled and at the end of the day, the actor will benefit from his or her experience with participating on the film. This is why I am very selective about whom I work with on a short film. I have to trust that their previous experience will satisfy and bring confidence to the actor so that they feel that what they are about to embark on will be worth their time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share/Save/Bookmark

December 3, 2011 | Leave a Comment


November 20, 2011

 

Many of us, at one time or another, have gotten in the way of our own success. I know that I can point out several times in my own career where I have learned a lesson the hard way or thought to myself, “I could have probably handled this situation a little better then I did.” When you work for yourself you tend to live in a cone of isolation that can contribute to a funneled and often skewed version of a reality on what is actually happening to you when it is happening to you. Actors have an especially hard time with this, because everything they do (being truly emotionally available) can become emotionally exhausting. Being judged on a daily basis by others, clearly manipulates ones mental health and the business of being an actor can alter that persons perception of themselves to such an extent, that an actor can often get in the way of their own career growth. I applaud those who are constantly working and able to grow as actors. I know how tough it is.

 

But fear not actors! You are not alone. As a casting director, I too get judged. Producers and directors look at my work and meet with me to decide if they want to work with me or not. It is part of what I do, I go out into the marketplace and make myself available to judgments about my ability, work and vision on of a film. Sometimes I get the job, sometimes I don’t. And yes it sucks when I don’t get it.

 

The entertainment business has many rules, some known, some unknown and some, only learned about when you succeed or f**k up. The way Hollywood says “yes” to anything, could cause you to have a stroke, because often a “yes” is code for “maybe” or even if the “yes” comes on a Monday, by Friday, “it’s a big ole “no” and you just have to deal with that fact. You have to learn to be able to file these experiences away and find solutions to moving on from the negative. In casting, this means moving on very quickly. By building momentum on a project, getting people excited about the script and the elements attached to the script, a project that seems hopeless can quickly become hopeful. Even the best scripts have many opportunities to collapse and my job is to keep these projects from just that: collapsing!

 

Casting a film is all about living in the ‘no.’ I have written in the past that I learned early on that “actors say ‘no.’ ” Here are some additional forms of ‘no’ I have experienced over the past 13 years in casting: No, the actor liked the script but not the role. No, the actor would do the role but wants more money. No, the actor doesn’t like the director and wants to change him and re-write the script. No, the actor will only do the film if he flies Air France and not Air Canada. No, the actor will only do the film if he has a 4-week vacation in between certain shoot dates. No, the actor will only do the film if his chef can come. No, the director only wants this specific A-List actor in this role or else what (dear God!) is the point of doing the movie at all! No, the producer now does not like the director anymore because he insists on having a specific A-List actor in the role. No, Iowa no longer issues tax credits and the film will not be shooting there or anywhere – ever. No, the director doesn’t like the producer anymore and fires her and then hires a new producer who fires me (that was a harsh one).

 

With all of this negativity, how do I function on a daily basis in casting? At the core of it all, I realized it is not about me. Yes, you need a PHD in psychology to navigate agents, managers, actors & producers. Yes, I have to anticipate every permutation on every ‘ask’ that I make. Mix in the desire and the creativity of what I do, what an actor, writer, producer, costume designer, cinematographer does and throw in a corporate-type structure around that, and you are bound to have a gigantic storm brewing in a very small teacup. A producer needs a casting director who understands the big picture of how a production comes together. It’s not only about knowing actors; my job has become that of a producer on so many levels. I am the conduit for discussions about the business of the film, the actors’ deals, the maintaining of information to flow between the production and accounting. Making sure the contractual aspects of the actors are being upheld and agreed to by the producers. I have to know what is going on globally in casting and also in the local markets so that I can (for example) go to Ashville, NC and cast 6 speaking roles in three days, when I have never been to that city before. The key is to remain professional: professional in your attitude, work and behavior. Maintaining situational awareness of, well, the situation and not freak out when things don’t go the way you want them to go.

 

Realizing these aspects of my work have made it a little bit easier for me to hear “no,” because when you get a “yes,” it can be a truly wonderful moment…and then your car battery dies and you owe Toyota $600 dollars. Tangential (or is it?), but it is my blog…

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Share/Save/Bookmark

November 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment


September 26, 2011

 

I got a request from Mr. Wayne Olsen in Minneapolis to answer some questions about what I do. So, I thought I would share with all of you my answers:

How does someone starting out get a foothold in this business?  If you could do it over from your start, what would you tell yourself then to do?  What would you tell yourself not to do?

The most common way for someone to get an entry level job in casting is to be an intern (paid or unpaid, depends on if you are in college and getting credit and different states have different employment laws regarding the status of “intern.” In California, an intern must either be receiving college credit or be paid minimum wage. There are other specific laws about this and you should look them up and know them. Or, you get a job as an assistant. Here’s the catch-22, when I look for an assistant, I am looking for someone who has at least 1 year of experience in a casting office. This way, I know that they have been exposed to actors, agents, managers, they understand what “lists” are, they have experience on the phone and also know about breakdowns, castit, etc… Another great way of getting experience is to work as an assistant at a talent agency or a management company. This way you are exposed to the entire casting process and you get a good idea, very quickly, about who the busy offices are, what their personalities are like and you may even make some good connections this way.

My path to casting was not the normal path. Normally, you start out as an assistant. I kind of jumped in headfirst and said, “I am going to do this.” But saying that, I had been a professional actor for 8 years and I had a large network of experience with agents and casting directors, so I kind of knew what I was getting into. Friends of mine were producers and directors & stage managers, so it was not like I was blindly starting from zero. I did work for a few months as an assistant to a very well known casting director and I quickly knew that this was what I wanted to do. I won’t go into the details of why I am where I am, and I am sure I made some mistakes along the way, but, so be it, here I am…but to your question, I would figure out who the busiest offices are and aim to work for those casting directors. If you are good at it, you will become a commodity that is highly sought after and you will be able to gain experience quickly.

What I would tell myself not to do? To be totally honest, fear is what will strangle you in anything you do. There were times where fear got the best of me; fear that I didn’t know what I was doing, or not smart enough to do what I was doing, but I hope and think that I am not alone in this and over time you start to loose that fear, probably because over time, experience hardens you and that experience is invaluable to the work you produce.

 What are the networks to tap in to?

You need to know the industry and what is happening in it. You need to read the Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline Hollywood, etc… You should go to the Casting Society of America website and sign up for emails for when casting directors are looking for staff. You should be going to see every film, watch as much television as possible (without alienating your family) and go to the theatre. You need to know people in these circles so that you have a resource to reach out to when you are looking for talent.

What’s the best way to get experience in this industry? 

Offer yourself out as a production assistant (PA) on a film set. Volunteer to be another hand on a low-budget film, short film, etc… see what goes on behind the scenes. This will give you an idea of what your place is in the process and may show you what you may be passionate about besides casting.

Is there a steep learning curve? 

Yes. You will be expected to work hard and be allowed to make any mistake one time, but not two times, that’s the best way to not get rehired or fired!

What technical knowledge is absolutely essential (i.e., treatments, blocking, etc.)?  What technical knowledge is helpful, but not required?  What technical knowledge is mostly useless?

You need to be computer savvy. You need to know both PC and Apple. You must have basic word processing skills and you should understand how cameras work, how to edit video on a computer, etc… The more comfortable you are with technology, the internet, software, the better!

What film financing knowledge is helpful? 

If you want to work in feature film casting, you need to have a basic understanding about how films are put together. The reason being, when you are approached to cast a film, there are specific questions I ask in order to assess how real a project is in coming to fruition.

What street smarts do you need for this industry? You need to be able to smell BS.

What SHOULDN’T you do in this industry, at all, never ever?

Never be rude, never lose your temper and never backstab a colleague you are working with.

What’s the basic etiquette rules?

This is the “Entertainment Business,” it has it’s own set of rules. You figure them out as you gain experience.

Who don’t you ever, never piss off?

I try not to piss off anyone. I try to be as formal and professional as possible. But this doesn’t always work. This is a business that is highly emotional, so you are probably going to piss off many people on your path.

What’s the primary difference between LA/NY casting and elsewhere?  Middle North America (Chicago?) for example?

New York has the most theatre casting offices. It also has a high percentage of independent film casting. My clients are on both coasts so I tend to have to go back and forth a lot. LA is where the Studios are based and where a major portion of the Studio Film and Studio Television casting happens. Other markets tend to support local filmmakers, or support the films and television shows that come to it. New Mexico, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina & Louisiana all have steady work because their incentives and infrastructure support film & television.

How much money do you need to start? As much as possible.

What drives you to do this every day? My Toyota Prius.

What qualities are necessary to bring the energy required to do this every day? A good sense of self. A great sense of humor and the ability to let things go.

If you had someone call you and beg you to work for them, what are the top three characteristics you would look for?  Honesty. Excellent interpersonal communication skills and the ability to let things go.

What’s a perfect apprentice look like/do for you? Go to http://www.facebook.com/alexthompson416 - he was great.

What’s the difference among working solo, working for a boutique casting shop, and in-house (like for Idol or X-Factor or CBS for that matter)? To be clear: I am hired by producers to cast their feature films. I do not work in reality television casting (which is a skill set I do not have and I have total respect for what they do) and “studio” casting which is a corporate position overseeing people like myself on film and television that is being produced by those entities. My “agenda” is to service the director’s vision while making everyone else happy with those choices.

What’s the future of the industry that every casting director needs to understand? In independent film, budgets are getting smaller and our role as independent film casting directors is changing as the market changes. We must figure out how to make a living in this climate and be able to do the job we love without compromising the quality of our work.

 

Share/Save/Bookmark

September 26, 2011 | 6 Comments


August 28, 2011

 

I just turned 40. Thank you in advance for your birthday wishes and love, but that’s not why I am writing this. I am writing this, because I like to think that birthday’s are a great time to reflect on where we are, or, more importantly, where I am, because this is really only about me. And well, kind of about you, because what I feel, affects how I operate on a daily basis and I suppose in some way, actors, directors and producers (if they care) would like to know this stuff.

 

I know, if you are an actor and just want to know how to “get a job” or you, if you are a producer, just want to know how you could offer me the lowest possible rate to get your film cast. I get it, and if I sound bitter, I TRULY AM NOT, I get it. Probably better than you think. Hence, why I write this blog, to “reach out” and hope that some of the people that I want to “get it,” will, well, “get it” they get what I am about and that they see that what may seem like cynicism is really just years of, for lack of a better word (my vocabulary is crap – this is a warning kids, study for those SAT tests because at some point in your life you are going to have to come up with a better word then “things”) THINGS…

 

As you know, I love the South By South West (SXSW) film festival. And this year, I have proposed a panel on casting for low-budget films. The panel is NOT for actors. Sorry guys, you get a lot of advice from a lot of blogs, articles and workshops. This panel is truly for low-budget/no-budget producers, writers, directors to get a sense of what they are getting themselves into when searching for a cast and why, a casting director may or sometimes may not be the right person to turn to for help. So, dear readers of my blog, my birthday wish is for all of you to go to: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/8960

And vote for me! Please. I really want to do this…

 

I was just in NYC and I what I love about NYC is the Theatre. You really can’t beat it. Unfortunately, it is so expensive and so over priced and so uncomfortable that once you pay the outrageous ticket prices you then have to sit next to the drooler, or the old man with the dodgy head piece thing so he can hear better, or the woman who sits in front of you and has the largest hair done up in the most anti-gravity force field that you just want to set fire to her hair. I do love the theatre, I think I love it better when I can go to Mann’s Chinese and have popcorn and watch it “Live from the National Theater in London.” It’s way more relaxing and you don’t have to sit on a plane to get there and back with people who clearly have no manners or boundaries or have fostered too many children into this world. I am not anti-child, well maybe a little bit, I am anti-crappy parent.

 

I saw “Follies,” which I loved and before all you bitter queens who saw the original production comment about it (the NYT already did it for you as a matter of fact), one must say that Sondheim is a genius and even if Bernadette Peters isn’t really 49 years old, a line that made me guffaw in my seat, the show was a who’s who of Broadway’s Dames and I appreciated what it was about and how mind-blowing it must have been to see it in it’s original form. Although, according to the NYT article, when Galt McDermott saw the origional production, he didn’t really see the point of it. Which to me is so ironic, because “Follies” and “Hair” probably have more in common then you think in terms of tone: unfulfilled dreams, longing, passion for a unrequited love in the past or in the future, etc…

 

I absolutely LOVED “Jerusalem.” And although towards the end of the play I was like,
“if that fairy girl comes out and sings one more time I may swat her!” the acting was flawless and one more bit of proof that Mark Rylance is the Laurence Olivier of our generation. The casting was genius!

 

This summer was busy for me. I finished up casting “Saving Lincoln” and because contractually I can’t talk about it in a blog, I won’t, I’ll just say this…actors really love to do period pieces. I was genuinely happy and surprised with the quality and level of actor that was drawn to doing this low-budget feature film. My director & producer were happy and that’s what matters to me. I am also about to finish casting “The Healer.” I am off to North Carolina on Tuesday to cast the remaining day-player roles. I love going to a location, because getting to meet local talent is always exciting.

 

So, now that I am 40, you may ask do I have any wise words to share? But of course I do!

 

Just do your best, go easy on yourself, don’t be sad if your make-out idol is Adam Levine and you know that you will never ever get to make-out with him. Be thankful for what you do have and try not to be bitter. It’s hard, I know, but (a) there is Xanax & (b) there is Xanax. And of course Yoga, Pilates, spin class, blah blah blah…..to help with the anxiety. Be thankful for your friends, your family (even if they drive you crazy and I bet we can all relate to that) and remember, your DOG is GOD. And I am sure if you have kids you are really happy that you have them too…just please, please teach them not to kick the seat in front of them when they travel. And I promise, no one will question your parenting skills if you give the screaming baby in row 22 a few drops of red wine to make him go to sleep.

 

If you are an actor: BE PREPARED – for everything. If you are a producer: BE PREPARED – for the rejection, the ups & downs of casting, the emotional wreck that you will become over the next few months and try not to take it out on your Casting Director. If you are a director: LISTEN TO YOUR CASTING DIRECTOR.

 

Most importantly, maintain a sense of humor, smile & dream bigger and when you ask for stuff from the Universe…be specific.

 

All of the above were themes of a Sondheim show. Wow, I am that gay.

 

40 is great…I think I am going to like it here (not meant to be a reference to “Annie”).

Share/Save/Bookmark

August 28, 2011 | 1 Comment

Bottom