Auditioning for Film and Television: A Post #MeToo Guide 9781350155930, 9781350155947, 9781350155978, 9781350155954

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Auditioning for Film and Television

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Auditioning for Film and Television A Post #MeToo Guide

NANCY BISHOP

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METHUEN DRAMA Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP, UK 1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018, USA 29 Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2, Ireland BLOOMSBURY, METHUEN DRAMA and the Methuen Drama logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc First published in Great Britain as Secrets from the Casting Couch by Methuen Drama 2009 Second edition published as Auditioning for Film and Television 2015 This edition published 2022 Copyright © Nancy Bishop, 2009, 2015, 2022 Nancy Bishop has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work. Cover design by Daisy Kosmider Cover images: Studio lighting isolated on the white background (© Igor Kovalchuk / Alamy Stock Photo), Black electrical insulation tape and letter X (© Emilija Manevska / Getty Images), White room with window (© Peshkova / Shutterstock) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc does not have any control over, or responsibility for, any third-party websites referred to or in this book. All internet addresses given in this book were correct at the time of going to press. The author and publisher regret any inconvenience caused if addresses have changed or sites have ceased to exist, but can accept no responsibility for any such changes. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. ISBN: HB: PB: ePDF: eBook:

978-1-3501-5593-0 978-1-3501-5594-7 978-1-3501-5595-4 978-1-3501-5596-1

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Contents Acknowledgments vii List of Abbreviations viii

Introduction

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PART ONE 1

The Actor and the Casting Director

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PART TWO 2

The Twelve Strategies

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PART THREE 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Shaky Ground of Identity Politics and Casting 57 To Be or Not to Be . . . Nude: Auditioning for Scenes Involving Nudity and Intimacy 61 Intimacy Coordinators 94 How to Report Abuse and Harassment 109 The Diversity Question 112 Why Actors Should Never Do Blackface 117

Considerations for LGBT, Trans, and Non-binary Actors 10 Considerations for Actors with Disabilities 123 9

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PART FOUR 11 Actor Marketing in the Internet Age 12 Archetypes and Branding

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CONTENTS

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13 Guidelines for Headshots 14 CV or Resumé

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15 Showreel and Video Clips

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16 Casting Sites and Search Engines 17 Actor Websites 18 Social Media

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19 IMDb: We Love It, We Hate It

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PART FIVE 20 Self-Tape Casting

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21 The Virtual Video Audition and Lessons from the Pandemic

PART SIX 22 Frequently Asked Questions about Auditioning

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23 Who Are These People and How Do I Contact Them? 24 How to Get an Agent

PART SEVEN 25 Practical Exercises

PART EIGHT 26 Scene Analysis Index

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Acknowledgments I

’d like to thank my advisors and friends Derek and Ilene Power, at KahnPower Pictures for their eternal support, as well as Luc Chaudhary, my agent in London. My assistants, Elisa Musson and Sophie Riddell, have also been helpful on this book, as well as my friend Anna Rust. Thanks to my colleague and friend Luci Lenox, CSA for her inspiring guidance to actors through her many educational opportunities. Thanks also to the organizations who support my work and the work of all casting directors, such as the CSA, ICDN, and CDG.

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Abbreviations Professional agent organizations AEAA ATA PMA TAMAC

Australian Entertainment Agents Association Association of Talent Agents Professional Managers Association Talent Agents and Managers Association of Canada

Professional casting organizations ADC ADCQ ARDA CDG CGA CSA DCS ICDN UICD

Asociación de Directores de Casting (Spain) Association des Directeurs de Casting du Québec Association des Responsables de Distribution Artistique (France) Casting Directors Guild (UK) Casting Guild of Australia Casting Society of America Dutch Casting Society The International Casting Directors Network Unione Italiana Casting Directors (Italy)

Professional acting organizations AFTRA Equity SAG

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American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (in US and UK) Screen Actors Guild

Introduction Why a new edition? For my first book, I agreed to the title Secrets from the Casting Couch (2009) as a bit of stunt titling, if you will. I thought it sounded catchy and that the hint at sex might sell books. Now I’m embarrassed by it. It was definitely the wrong title for an honest and direct audition advice book from a casting director. It was proof of my total ignorance about the topic, because sex in the casting studio was something completely outside of my frame of reference. There were always whispers and murmurs about an actual casting couch, but it did not exist in my world, or among my casting director peers. Casting directors are positioned ideally for this kind of abuse towards actors, and I am proud to say that casting directors, especially those in professional organizations such as the Casting Society of America, do keep admirably high standards. The second edition of the book, Auditioning for Film and Television: Secrets from a Casting Director, brought technical updates in 2015 regarding social media, self-taping, and internet marketing. In this third edition, although I approach makreting and social media, I have deliberately left out references to specific social media platforms since their popularity turns with the changing of the moon. Similarly, since I’m writing during a transitional political period in immigration and visa permissions, I will stray away from specific advice on rights for actors to work in various regions. In addition, this book reflects changes in the entertainment industry in its approach to gender, sex, and relations between the sexes. The shock of the #MeToo movement has changed the industry. Although the #MeToo phenomenon is not unique to the entertainment industry, it was uncovered here on our doorstep. It was no coincidence that it was Ronan Farrow, the son of an actor, who helped uncover the infamous Harvey Weinstein case. His journalism revealed cases where actors were expected to exchange sexual favors for career success. In this edition, as well as advice, exercises, and strategies for auditioning, I will cover the landscape of inclusivity, and chart a positive path forward in an arena pockmarked with past abuse. So many positive and helpful guidelines 1

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and incentives have resulted from the vestiges of a painful history. I will cover how both actors and crew can keep the relationship clear, professional, and above board in castings and on set, so as to reduce confusion when the sexuality inherent in a role may collide with professional intentions. I’m also writing as we ride the tail end of a pandemic, mindful of the ways the online community has further changed our ways of auditioning and networking. Online auditioning has become even more prevalent and is here to stay. A question actors often ask is how to get an agent, so I have included a chapter on that as well, and refreshed examples and scene work with newer writing. Acting is not just about talent; it’s about practice. While it’s true that some actors seem to possess “it,” that “watchable” quality, all actors can improve skills and cultivate screen presence. When you first learned to drive a car, you didn’t just head into rush hour traffic. You had to learn and practice. Screen acting and auditioning require the same type of training and commitment. In this book, I share with you exercises and scene work to help you practice your craft. This book addresses auditioning in an internet and pandemic age, when we must be prepared and in possession of the technical knowledge and tools to not only self-tape but to be effective in online meetings. Auditioning, like acting itself, is not just an art—it is a craft, which includes technical knowhow. Those who cop-out with claims such as “I’m just not technical” will be left behind. A craft can be learned, practiced, and perfected. There is no mystery to it. This book sets forth practical techniques for improving your audition method. I came from a theater background, and fell into casting by accident. I learned about film acting by directing castings for supporting talent on over a hundred major studio and network projects to date. Through the years, I have broken down auditioning into a system of techniques and strategies, which I outline at master classes internationally. In these pages you will learn this system. Good auditioning cannot be learned solely from a book; however you have to practice, practice, and keep practicing. So enjoy the journey the journey and the hard work.

PART ONE

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1 The Actor and the Casting Director

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feel so fortunate in my career, witnessing and nurturing the creative journeys of so many actors. Because I started my path in the wake of the Cold War, in a former Eastern Bloc country, I experienced unique privileges. I’ve been able to help usher actors from so many different countries onto the world stage. The thousands of actors who have stepped over my threshold have inspired me profoundly. Ignited by the great playwright, philosopher, and human rights advocate Václav Havel, I pilgrimaged to Prague in the 1990s as a theater director. When Hollywood burst into Eastern Europe, on the premise of idyllic filming locations and Candyland prices, I was asked to step in and help with casting, which launched a career that I never expected to happen. I had to learn quickly how performances worked on screen, rather than on stage. Because I saw a dearth in film actor training and audition training, I started an acting program at the Prague Film School, which specifically focused on acting for film, rather than for theater. I’ve also for years been invited around the globe to advise actors and teach masterclasses, and on my journey I’ve met and guided hundreds of actors on their professional paths. In this book, I offer my experience and advice, taking into account the many technical leaps we’ve all made in the digital age. I’m also interested in the rights of the actor, particularly in the post-#MeToo era. I use the word “actor” to mean male and female. The good news about auditioning in the digital age is that actors are selftaping more, which creates greater opportunity. The bad news is that actors are self-taping more and we no longer meet one another. Recently an actor friend of mine was cast on a series and, as I congratulated him, I asked him who the casting director was and he didn’t know. Well . . . eh hem . . . there’s no excuse for that! I can imagine some of the actors on my projects saying that too though. I have cast actors exclusively from self-tapes and never had a chance to meet them, which is a shame. I would recommend always going in person if you have the opportunity. Take the Zoom option rather than the 5

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self-tape option when given the choice. Our business is all about personal relationships. Go to mixers, film festivals, classes, workshops, anything you can to connect. When you are lucky enough to book the job, you don’t need to send the casting director a gift, but at least send them a note. When you come off set, make an effort to reach out to the director, producer, make-up artist, and anyone else who you met. Social media is a possible device for this. Give them a holler and tell them how much you appreciated working with them. I am not an actor, but I trained as an actor, and I endeavor to understand the actor’s process and how they feel on the other side of my camera. Every once in a while, I return to the boards and act again. I do it partly because I want to remind myself about how things feel from the actor’s point of view. Each time, I once again experience the elation and the fragility of the actor’s position. I urge actors to do the same. Imagine being a casting director, and perhaps it will help you to understand the process from a larger perspective. Casting directors may intimidate you, but, as shocking as it might seem, casting directors are people too, with all of the same human insecurities that actors have. Know that we are on your side, even if we may seem standoffish. While we can feel overwhelmed by actors, at the same time, we need actors, good actors, to do our job. Once you’ve stepped into our studio to audition, we are 100 percent on your side. We truly want you to be exactly right for the role, and we do everything possible to make you sparkle and shine. It doesn’t always seem that way to actors, however. To them, we may seem rude, evasive, or unhelpful. We’re the evil gatekeepers between you and the production. Try being us for a day. Here is a view from the other side of the looking glass. Consider these scenarios.

The casting director’s position in the production I interviewed about 500 actors for a role in an iconic studio film. In almost all the first round choices I presented, the perfect actor appeared. She went to a callback with the lead creative and excelled with flying colors. So much money and artistic creativity was at risk that the production couldn’t even go forward until the casting was just right on this role. The lead creative suddenly started harboring doubts and toyed with the idea of changing the concept of the role entirely, asking me to find actors of completely different types. Instead of being young and pretty, maybe she should be fat and jolly, or perhaps she should be fit as a bodybuilder. Perhaps there should be some kind of physical gag involved, like she should be seven feet tall. I went with it, finding all of these various types, scouring gyms for bodybuilders, frequenting

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the stand-up comedy market looking at hundreds more actors. This was only so that in the end, the production team could go right back to their original choice, whom I had found in the first round. At the beginning of my career I might have cursed this, but I approach it with much more equanimity now. It’s just part of the job and most of our work does not end up on screen. They went with the first actor they met. The point is that we casting directors want dearly to book the role because then our search is over, but it can be a long road until we actually get approval. Casting directors have to play the game. Everyone who works in production—the special effects team, or the costume department—has their own version of this story. Film is the director’s medium. At the beginning of the film era, studios micro-managed productions, overseeing each detail, including casting, at a time when casting directors weren’t credited. In the 1960s, European auteur directors started to influence American film. Studio systems gave way to directors like Francis Ford Coppola, and later Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas, who dictated the role of director as king. In some productions, the studio or the ubiquitous network wields the fist of power, more so than the director. In a TV series, the showrunner and the network have more say in casting than a director, who is usually hired freelance on an episodic basis. There are times when a casting director is really supportive of an actor, but we may have to convince not only the director, but the producer, the executive producer, the studio casting director, the studio executive, and the network head. More than once, I have cut deals with agents, under producer and director approval, only to get a call from the studio, demanding that I retract the offer. It’s embarrassing for me, and heartbreaking for the actor. Sometimes a director simply changes his mind about whom he wants to cast. Don’t take it personally because it even happens to big stars. Even while we support actors, we are often helpless to influence these decisions. Be assured that when you walk through the door, we want you to be the one who the director will choose. You’re the talent, not us. Every actor who enters the casting room is a potential gem for us to discover. When actors nervously step in for auditions, I wonder why. Why are they nervous around me? I want them to be perfect for the role. Internalize this fact and use it as a springboard of confidence. Don’t buy into the illusion that you are a supplicant standing at the gates of success in a casting director’s office. It’s true that some actors view castings as capital punishment, dragging themselves drearily along as if to their own executions. Go instead to meet a respected peer and share your work. Expect nothing in return, and realize that the meeting is part of your job. Don’t internalize the system’s hierarchy or allow casting directors and arrogant industry professionals to destroy your spirit. Instead believe in yourself and persevere.

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Director Barry Levinson recounts an early NBC pilot series called Peeping Times. The studio told him to get rid of one of his actors because he wasn’t funny enough. It’s a good thing that they paid no attention to the studio executives’ opinion, as the actor went on to host his own show, one of the most popular comedies in American TV history—Late Night with David Letterman. Actors in my casting workshops often tell me nightmarish stories about rude, disrespectful casting directors. I’ve heard stories about directors ignoring actors, or taking phone calls during the audition. One actor told me that the casting director’s phone was ringing during her entire casting. “What should I have done?” she asked. I advised her that next time, she might say, “That was distracting for me. May I go again?” My friend, Lana Veenker CSA, said that once when she was working with a star director, he scowled all through the auditions and acted foul towards her as well. She thought for sure the director hated her and all of the actors she presented. Later she learned that he was very happy with her work but had just found out that the financing had been pulled on the project. So don’t take a director’s mood personally. It probably has nothing to do with you. Realize that there may be one hundred actors who audition for a given role. Only one will get it, but that doesn’t mean that the other ninety-nine were poor actors. You may have hit it out of the ballpark at your audition, but because of these political battles that rage in any production, you didn’t get the role. If you felt that the director liked you, then it may be true, but you didn’t get the role because the producer wanted his nephew to play it. Or you may have looked too much like the lead, or been too tall to fit in the shot with the star. Don’t take anything personally, and move on. The director will remember you next time. I meet many, many talented actors to whom I cannot offer roles. Why? Because acting is the only art form in which the artist is the product. A painter can pour their soul into a painting, but the piece is still a physically separate entity from their body. You would never, for example, resist buying a painting because the painter is too short. The casting process is filtered through whatever unique and unpredictable personal biases that a particular director might have. We all possess certain personal qualities. These qualities may be physical—a dimpled chin, or thin lips—or they may be an indescribable part of our chemistry. Michael Chekhov referred to this as creative individuality: “to create by inspiration one must become aware of one’s own individuality.” But because the director also has a creative individuality through which they filter the actor’s performance, they might have an association (positive or negative) for that actor’s qualities. Danish director Ole Christian Madsen says that in casting, you’re often “trying to find someone like yourself, and when you find them, you want to cast them again and again.” In other words, it has to do with personal taste.

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There must be as many Hamlets as there are talented and inspired actors to undertake their conceptions of the character. The creative individuality of each will invariably determine his own unique Hamlet. MICHAEL CHEKHOV, To The Actor on the Technique of Acting

Even acting skill turns out to be a matter of taste. I introduced an actor named David to a director, who thought he was terrible. Yet when I introduced David to a different director, she thought he was brilliant. This seems personal, but don’t take it personally. It matters very little what one person in the industry thinks about you, because everyone’s opinion is different. If a director insults you (it happens), develop a thick skin and move on. Do what Meryl Streep did, as reported to me by a Variety journalist I know. While in a casting, a famous Italian director turned to the casting director and said in Italian, “Why do you keep showing me these ugly actresses?” Although Streep understood him, she kept her chin up, completed her audition, and then made sure she chatted with him in Italian before she left the room. In times of equal opportunity imperatives, there is no other profession that could get away with this kind of discrimination on the basis of physical looks. This has always been part and parcel of the casting process, and I will talk about it more in my chapter about inclusion and discrimination laws. When we cast a kid, meant to be the younger version of a character, then they have to look like the star. Other times we have to cast someone who is a mother to another character so they have to look related. This is good casting when a family fits together in a convincing way. If you were close but didn’t quite make it, this may be the reason you didn’t get the cigar. When you audition, believe in yourself, and your own creative individuality. You don’t have any control over these production factors, including what the director is thinking. Surrender to it, and know that even if you don’t book the job, if you work hard and perform well you may get a role on the next project. You are building a relationship each time you come to a casting. It’s not always about being the most attractive and sexy person around. Unless you’re auditioning for some show akin to Baywatch, this is unlikely to be the case. “You’re not pretty enough to be James Dean and you’re not ugly enough to be a character actor. So forget about being an actor.” This is what legendary director Billy Wilder said to Billy Bob Thornton while he was waiting tables at a Hollywood party, years before Thornton became the successful actor he is today. “Do you write at all?” Wilder asked. Thornton replied that yes, he did write. “Then that’s what you need to do,” continued Wilder, “Create your own way. Don’t wait around. Be an innovator and originator.” What can we learn from Wilder’s early advice to Thornton? First, anyone can be a film actor regardless of how they look. Michael Shurtleff, in his book

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Audition, reports the producer’s first reaction to Barbra Streisand at a casting: “She sings great, but what can we do with a girl who looks like that?” If you want to be an actor, don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not pretty enough, ugly enough, tall or short enough. Of course Wilder was wrong about Billy Bob Thornton, so it’s a good thing that Thornton didn’t stop working at an acting career. Thornton took Wilder’s advice, however, and didn’t sit around and wait for the phone to ring. He played mostly bit parts until his breakthrough film One False Move in 1992 which, not coincidentally, he wrote too. Early in my life, I decided not to be a career actor. Ironically it was partly because of early encounters with casting directors. When I was attending the National Theater Institute, part of the program included seminars by lead casting directors from New York City. Typically they were casting soap operas and sported nasty attitudes. They were older mink-clad ladies, draping little dogs on their arms. I remember hearing, “Look, if you’re fat, lose the weight. If you’ve got a big nose, get a nose job.” I ran away. I hope that no one who is reading my book is running out and getting a nose job or a boob job, or any kind of job other than an acting job. If your hair is getting gray, please let it. It’s getting harder and harder to find anyone to play the older roles because of our youth-obsessed culture. In period pieces we often prefer actors with crooked teeth, warts, and wrinkles, and white-toothed models are sent away. In my time as a casting director, I have witnessed the industry becoming more and more diverse, more international, and more authentic in its casting choices. Embrace who you are and realize that, whatever you bring, it is what makes you special.

PART TWO

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2 The Twelve Strategies

Actors who work are actors who. . . 1

Enjoy auditioning

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Prepare

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Make choices

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Determine the stakes

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Tell the story

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Act and react in the moment

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Play in the eyes

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Possess an inner monologue

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Commit to the scene

10 Stake a claim on the role, take a risk 11 Listen 12 Make their own work.

Over my years of casting work, I’ve contemplated why certain actors succeed while others, maybe equally talented, do not. What did the winning actors do in the audition process that “worked?” In the following sections, I’ve listed the top twelve strategies that have been part of my masterclasses.

Strategy 1: Enjoy auditioning Nothing great has ever been achieved without enthusiasm. RALPH WALDO EMERSON, Philosopher

Actors who get cast are actors who enjoy the casting process. 13

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When I was casting Dune for the Science Fiction Channel, I met one talented actress, Anna Rust, who was auditioning for the role of Alia. We called her back to read with us a few times. In the end, we decided that she was a little too young for the role (she was only four at the time). When I told her father that unfortunately, we had not chosen Anna, he said, “It doesn’t matter. She thinks she already did the film.” In a sense, Anna was right. She did play the role. For those few minutes when she came in for her initial meetings, she was playing Alia in front of camera, for an audience of three; myself, my assistant, and the camera operator. We then showed it to the producer and the director. The casting was a film in itself. She played Alia in a mini-film. Anna did eventually book roles as a child actor, and she is now a young woman and still working as a professional today. Her story drives home the importance of attitude. There are plenty of things that an actor doesn’t have control over in the casting process. One thing that actors always have control of is attitude. Having a persistent, positive, and professional approach is at least 50 percent of the game. Anna succeeded for two reasons, both having to do with attitude. First, because she enjoyed the process, and second because she approached the casting as if she already had the role. The old adage in theater is that if the performer is enjoying themself, so will the audience. The same goes in an audition. Enjoy it, and we will too. If auditioning is an excruciating experience for an actor, you can guarantee that it’s a painful experience for the casting director as well. No one wants to work with an actor who is miserable and down on themself. Yet some actors approach the audition as if it were an execution. If you come to the audition as if to your death, then we may put you out of your misery (“Thank you. Next!”). On the other hand, if you’re enjoying the process, then we may ask for more. Auditioning is an intrinsic part of the actor’s life. There are a few superstars in the world who don’t have to test, but even top actors still have to read for roles. Daniel Craig had to read for Bond. Marlon Brando famously had to screen test for The Godfather. Even Pierce Brosnan admitted to me that although he doesn’t have to “read” anymore, he is still obliged to meet with producers and their spouses, which he perceives as a kind of audition. If you dislike auditioning, then you’re going to dislike being an actor. Find a way to make friends with this process. Talented actors get turned down at castings all the time. Why? Because there’s only one role and many actors. Each time an actor reads for a role, however, they are building a relationship with directors that can eventually lead to a booking. Here’s a lesson from

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Thomas Watson, founder of IBM, and one of the most successful people in the world: “If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate.” Jack Nicholson had to audition five times to get into Lee Strasberg’s acting studio in New York, and Harvey Keitel a whopping eleven times. Jon Hamm had to audition eight times before the team at AMC was convinced he could play America’s favorite rake, Don Draper on Mad Men. Certainly, it’s not easy putting yourself on the line again and again. An actor going to meetings day after day without any success can easily begin to doubt their skills. Thoughts like this begin to take over: “I never get roles. This director doesn’t like me. I messed up my last audition. I’ve already been to six castings this week and no one wants me.” These attitudes are killers that infect performance and poison effectiveness. Think about the things you’re good at. If you’re a good cook, the chances are that you like cooking. If you’re an excellent skier, you probably love skiing. It works the other way too. If you love skiing, then you’re likely to become a good skier. If you like auditioning, you’re probably good at it. Remember casting commandment number one: Enjoy the process.

Transform your nerves into enthusiasm The entertainer’s journey through fear is the burden and the blessing of performance: it’s what invests the enterprise with bravery, even a kind of nobility. JONATHAN LAIR, The New Yorker

When you are nervous, it means that you care and that you’re invested in the outcome. Nerves are not only a positive sign; they are a condition of success. It’s the dizzying sense of fear that can either launch your audition to the next level, or capsize you into distress. If you’re nervous, then make nerves your ally. Nervousness is energy. Transform your anxiety into enthusiasm. To be enthusiastic originally meant to be possessed by a god, or inspired by a celestial source. Enthusiasm is that inner energy that fuels our love for our art. Bring it with you, and create a divine performance. Enthusiasm does not mean you have to kiss up to the auditors or fetch the director’s slippers. Approach the professionals that you meet at the audition as respected peers, not superiors. An over-willingness to please and be “liked” by your auditors can fuel the kind of negative nerves that will swamp your performance. Successful actors are not desperate for the job. You’re not there to prove anything. We already know you’re an actor. That’s why you’ve been invited to the casting. Read for the role the way a star does—as if you

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already have the part. Claim the casting, the space, and the time to do your work, then gracefully exit.

Bring your personality with you Sometimes an actor leaves their personality behind when they come through the door. I’ve witnessed many actors, who normally possess a well-developed sense of humor, entering with a stone face. Why? Personality is so important to our profession. Remember that it’s a job interview as well as a reading. No one wants to work with an actor who has no sense of humor or personality. You don’t have to concentrate on being charming, just on being yourself. “You’re doing an autobiography every time,” said Dustin Hoffman. How can you do an autobiography if you’ve forgotten yourself? Personality is what gets an actor the role. I don’t mean that people with fun-loving personalities get cast and those who are grumpy don’t. Often directors are looking for a quality, an essence, a part of that actor’s chemistry that fits with the role. They may be seeking, for example, a lightness, a heaviness, a world-weariness, a bounciness, that je ne sais quoi that makes us individuals. The great acting teacher Michael Chekhov called it “individual atmosphere.” There’s an alchemy to casting that’s beyond the thespian’s reach. While actors like to think that they are perfect for every role, director Stephen Frears described the director’s “opposite philosophical position.” We’re interested in “what your quality is—there’s nothing you can do about it.” At a certain point in the casting process, there will be at least a handful of actors who can play any given role. From that shortlist, the performer who books it is the one who projects the quality that fits with the director’s vision of the character. John Wayne spoke of film acting as “pushing your personality through.” Celebrated film director Bernardo Bertolucci says that each face has a secret, a mystery, and through his work, he seeks to unlock the mystery in the faces he casts. It’s personality and individual atmosphere that interests casting directors. Even imperfections can get an actor the role. The late Peter Postlethwaite made a living from a scarred, pockmarked face. Sometimes it is the thing we are the most insecure about, the imperfections that distinguish us from the rest.

Bare yourself The act of performance always involves vulnerability. Look to the ancient roots of theater. In ancient Greece, for example, theater was a religious rite, a ritual.

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The performance was a sacrificial act in which the actors went forth in front of the community to experience the pain and pathos of tragedy. Thespians acted out the horrors—the deaths, the bloody fratricides, the betrayals—in place of ordinary citizens to purge the audience of these atrocities. Performance is terrifying because it involves baring oneself. A psychological survey revealed that speaking in public is what people fear the most, even more than death. Yet performers do this every day. Performing takes great courage because it demands the actor’s vulnerability. Be courageous enough to expose yourself in the casting process, warts and all. I will later in the book address the issue of actual physical nudity, but there is a certain amount of emotional nudity required for the job. When I interviewed actor Veronika Nowag-Jones, who appeared nude in Amazon’s Hunters, she said “We’re naked anyway! It’s an actor’s job.” The actors who learn to stretch out of their comfort zones are the successful ones. I’ll discuss this in more detail in Chapter 4, which is literally about appearing naked in front of camera.

According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy. JERRY SEINFELD

Strategy 2: Prepare Actors who get cast are actors who prepare. An Actor Prepares is the title of Konstantin Stanislavski’s first book. This early twentieth-century Russian director revolutionized acting by introducing a system to naturalistically approach a character. Stanislavski’s basic orientation is just as germane today as it was 100 years ago. The Stanislavski questions fit perfectly into an approach to screen auditioning. When you are given a side (a section of the script), what is the first thing you do? Do you just highlight and memorize your lines? You need to scan the text for information that will help you play the role, concentrating on key facts that will fuel your choices in a short amount of time. Stanislavski stresses establishing the facts of the scene by asking the “w” questions: ●

Who am I?

●

Where am I?

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●

Who am I talking to?

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What do I want?

The Bishop Technique adds to his list: ●

Where are the changes?

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What are the stakes?

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What page are we on?

In transmitting the facts and plot of a play the action involuntarily transmits its inner content. KONSTANTIN STANISLAVSKI, Creating a Role

No one can act in a vacuum. It is amazing to me how many actors come into an interview without having done this very basic homework. This is Acting 101, and when I teach this in my audition technique classes, actors roll their eyes, thinking that I am telling them something basic that they already know. Even very experienced professionals sometimes neglect to determine these basic choices and end up swimming in a sea of too many possibilities. How do you get the answers if you can’t read the entire script? The first thing you should ask is, “Can I get a copy of the script?” It’s true that productions are getting more and more protective with scripts, but you will never know unless you ask. It will likely involve signing an NDA (nondisclosure agreement). Woody Allen doesn’t even give out the title of his films during the casting process. Luci Lenox, who cast Vicky Cristina Barcelona in Spain, issued paper sides at the audition itself, and no one was allowed to take them away. If this is the case, you may be surprised by how much you can learn by reading just one scene in a script. Most of the information you need will be embedded in the scene. Hopefully your agent will also provide a brief synopsis of the plot, prepared by the casting director. (See Part Eight to find examples of scene analysis.) Certainly the scene will provide at least basic answers to these questions. Work with what you know; that’s all you need and that’s all any of the actors have, so you’re on an even playing field. If you really feel like you can’t answer these questions, you can most certainly ask the casting director when you’re reading. I respect actors who ask questions. It reflects a thoughtful and professional approach.

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Who am I? Who’s there? First line of Hamlet, by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Identity. This is the first question in drama. The answer could be simple. I am an American teenager British travelling through Europe. I am a Madame of a bordello. I am a scientist. While it’s important to answer the question, it’s equally important not to over-analyze. This is an instance when Stanislavski’s method, or its misinterpretation, is over-wrought at an audition. I’ve seen actors prepare a long list of questions about a character; what is the character’s favorite color, what does she eat for breakfast? etc. For a casting call, stick to the basics. Time is limited. Don’t go into too much detail about the character or you obfuscate your objectives. The actor doesn’t need to do a Freudian analysis of her character’s relationship with her mother for each audition.

Research Find out as much as possible about the project. Information is power. Is it a historical drama? If the project documents a real period, then this character might have actually lived.

Where am I? See the location, and play it. Certainly the side will provide the location. Are you inside (INT.) or outside (EXT.)? Are you in a public or a private space? The way we relate to our spouses at the kitchen table is different from how we would relate to them in a crowded train station. If there are other people around, maybe you don’t want them to hear your conversation. When an actor hasn’t answered this question, it shows. They look like they are floating in space. This might be appropriate if it’s a movie about astronauts. “Playing the space” is an important concept. For example, I had to audition actors for a scene in Hellboy that took place in an underground tunnel. The actors had to imagine that it was dark, and wet, and they had to really see the monsters that were coming to swallow them up. The actors who were cast were the ones who could see the space and make it real. In the world of CGI (computer-generated images), it’s increasingly frequent to experience this on set too. You won’t be provided with the dark tunnel and with the monster—all

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you’ll have is a blue screen to play off of. Samuel Jackson said of his work on Star Wars, “They put you in a big blue room and say ‘fight ’em.’ So you put your little kid hat on and fight ’em.”

Who am I talking to? What is your relationship to the other character? Is it your mother? Your lover? Your enemy? Do you like this person? Do you know this person? Your character needs or wants something from the other. This need drives the scene. For example, “I want this person to love me.” It could be a more nuanced situation when you don’t know exactly what your relationship is. Here is an example from the feature film, Five and a Half Love Stories in an AIRBNB in Vilnius, by Tomas Vengris: Meghan is an Irish woman who has brought her little sister and her friends to Vilnius for a hen party. Meghan is a bit older than the other girls, and earlier Mykolas asked her if she was “the mother” of the group. Mykolas is the Lithuanian man who provided the strip show entertainment for the young Irish bachelorettes. INT. APARTMENT IN VILNIUS Mykolas sits on the floor in his sweatpants. Meghan is digging around the suitcases. MYKOLAS This is nice apartment. How you find? MEGHAN It’s just a last minute AirBnB. MYKOLAS Is it expensive? MEGHAN Not really. It was all vacant. They gave me a discount. I guess tourist season ended. Mykolas thinks about it. MYKOLAS Probably expensive for me. And you can check on website? Meghan holds the wall for balance, she’s unsteady on her feet. He grabs her hand and pulls it.

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MYKOLAS (CONT’D) Come sit. You work too hard for party. Meghan plops down next to him. She reaches for her feet, begins to pull off her high heels. MYKOLAS (CONT’D) This shoes look painful. MEGHAN (She sits) So you’re going to be vet’s assistant? MYKOLAS I work at an Alpacas farm. Since I was boy. But I want to live to city. MEGHAN Alpacas? MYKOLAS I help give them ultrasound. To see which are pregnant. Meghan stares him down. MEGHAN Alpaca ultrasound. Here’s something I didn’t think would come up today. Or any day. MYKOLAS I don’t understand, coming up? Where? MEGHAN I just mean it’s a special thing you do. He grimaces. Dismissing it. MEGHAN (CONT’D) What, you don’t love veterinary medicine? MYKOLAS Maybe I love that. But I’m only assistant. MEGHAN You’re young, you can go back to school if you want.

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MYKOLAS I need money. I can’t keep living with my grandma. Anyway, I tried the exam two times already. She shrugs. MEGHAN I didn’t get into medical school either, but shhh. No one here knows I tried. I’m happy as a nurse. Really happy. She looks a touch sad. MYKOLAS When I said that earlier . . . I didn’t mean you are actual mother. I mean you are mother of group. MEGHAN Oh god, of all the things to bring up . . . MYKOLAS This is good thing. They are girls, you the woman. (pauses) You are very beautiful. She laughs a little.

If you are playing Meghan, there are different ways to approach the role. You don’t really know what the director is looking for so you have to make a choice. It’s not clear what your relationship is with this stranger. What’s clear is that you’ve hired him to provide a service, but this exchange demonstrates something else. Possible choices to make: 1

Perhaps she feels embarrassed about this possible ambiguous type of relationship. She’s from a first-world economy and he lives in an emerging economy. Perhaps she is trying to bridge the gap with him and make him feel comfortable and equal.

2

Perhaps she is attracted to him, feeling old, and needs him to confirm her attractiveness.

Try both choices and see which works better.

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What do I want? This is the most important question. The character wants something and that’s why we’re interested. One of the first Greek tragedies ever written was about Oedipus the King. His objective was to lift the plague that was killing his people in Thebes. In Shakespeare’s Henry V, Henry wants something. He wants to conquer France and marry Catherine. All of his actions in the play derive from this objective. Storytelling has not changed much since Greek times. Your character, like Oedipus, like Henry, must want something. There is no acting without an objective. As obvious as this might sound, actors often come into auditions without thinking about what the character wants. Devise an active verb to spring your character into action. To act means to perform an action. That is why actors are so-called. This is where many actors fail in a casting. They have gone to acting school and learned about objectives, yet they don’t make vital and crucial enough choices. The best action verbs are the ones that take a direct object. For example, think of the name of the other character. John. I want to vanquish John, I want to change John, I want to hug John, or I want John to hug me. If you choose a verb that takes an indirect object, it weakens the scene. For example, I want to complain to John. I want to find something out from John. Do you see how those objectives are not as strong, precise, and direct? They give you less to play. Some actors forget to choose an objective because they’re so obsessed with their own objective, which is to get the role. So they think their objective is to impress the director. That is not your objective! Choose your character’s objective and then the scene will work, and your objective will likewise be achieved.

What page are we on?

A

nother trick is to look at the page number. It will be on the upper right corner of the script. Be careful not to confuse it with the scene number. Usually, a script has about 120 pages. So if you’re on page 10, you know that you are at the beginning of the film. That tells you that it’s an introductory scene. This is the first time we’re meeting the character. Or is it the last scene of a horror movie? That tells us that we’ve already encountered this monster many times. Looking at the page number gives you an idea of scale and tone. Are we at the end, at the moment of climax, or are the characters first being introduced? Remember that you are a storyteller, so it’s important to know where you are in the story.

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Here is another short excerpt from the feature film Five and a Half Love Stories in an AIRBNB in Vilnius. An Israeli couple travels to Vilnius, and Galia wants to look up her family roots. INT. BED ROOM – LATER Issa is asleep on the bed in his underwear. His laptop is playing a YouTube video of an Israeli stand up comedian. Galia approaches as he snores. She yanks out the headphone jack and stands for a moment watching the stand up, describing a scene of strangers fighting in a coffee shop. The comedy encapsulates the aggression in day to day life in Israel. She looks sad. The comedian moves on to making a joke about a stranger asking him to “make her a baby.” Galia snaps out of her gloominess. She SLAMS the laptop closed. Issa wakes up, pulls the headphones from his ears. GALIA This is why you couldn’t stay with me for a couple of hours longer? ISSA Come on, you know I was working. She opens the laptop, clicks his browsing history. ISSA (CONT’D) What are you doing? GALIA You’ve been watching Adir Miller and Shahar Hasson since 4. ISSA I finished faster than I thought. It’s a bit much, what you’re doing right now, no? GALIA You left the holocaust museum, and came home for this? ISSA I know, it’s crazy to prefer comedy to a holocaust museum.

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Here is an example of a typical objective: a wife wants a husband to change. It’s a general objective though. If you’re auditioning for the role of Galia, how can you make the objective more specific? Think of a few different objectives for the audition room in case you’re asked to do a new take and make it more specific. Objective possibility 1: I want my husband to love me more. I need him to stay with me in these hard times when I’m doing research into the tragic past of my ancestors. This is an objective driven by need. Objective possibility 2: I want my husband to care more about our collective past as Jews. He avoids the harsh reality of the holocaust and it profoundly disturbs me. I want him to change and become more serious about facing history. This objective is driven more by anger.

Where are the changes? The camera loves change. Change and contrast are built into a good script, and exist in almost any scene. Often a change occurs when an actor discovers something. Some actors make their discoveries before they come on. It is always more interesting to see a change onscreen rather than off-screen. Mark where the change happens. How does it change the scene and the objective? Where does it change? What does the character learn? For example, note this scene from the pilot of the ABC series A Million Little Things. A MILLION LITTLE THINGS By DJ Nash EXT. EDDIE & KATHERINE’S HOUSE—EVENING Shell-shocked and exhausted, Regina and Rome leave from baby-sitting Caleb. Rome is wearing a coat. Regina is not. It’s chilly. ROME Wow. REGINA Wow. ROME I mean, Caleb’s a great kid. REGINA He’s the best.

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ROME But—Let’s never have a great kid. REGINA Never. (then) I read more out loud tonight than I have in my entire life. ROME Right? And turns out, Curious George? Not that curious. Fifteen books and he still refers to this friend as “the Man in the Yellow Hat?” REGINA You’d think at some point, he’d be like, “Hey buddy, what’s your name?” ROME/REGINA “Just curious.” (they laugh) REGINA (hinting) Man, it’s cold. ROME (this has happened before) I said take a jacket. REGINA Like, really cold. (She looks at him with a flirtatious smile.) ROME So I’m supposed to give you my jacket, even though I said take a coat and you didn’t listen? (She make a shivering noise. Beat. He takes off his jacket and drapes it over her shoulders.) ROME This is some bul—

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REGINA Love you! (Rome makes a point of mumbling to himself.) ROME (cont’d) I mean, girl’s got tons of outerwear waiting at home. Long coats. Short coats. That down coat with the faux fur trim— (as Regina) “because real fur is gross and mean.” REGINA (O.S) What is this? (As he laughs at the joke, he turns to see Regina has taken a sheet of YELLOW LEGAL PAPER out of his coat pocket. His suicide note.) ROME Gina, no. (He tries to grab it, but she takes a step back and continues to scan it. She looks up at him, confused.) REGINA I don’t understand. (then) What is this?! (Embarrassed, he looks at the ground, confirming everything.) REGINA (cont’d) (barely audible) Babe. (then) Were you going to— ROME I need help, Gina REGINA But—I mean, I thought we were— ROME Gina. Don’t think for a second this has anything to do with you. REGINA (holding up the note) How can you say this has nothing to do with me?!

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ROME Because I love you more than every single other part of my life combined. That’s just it. I have a great life. And yet I’m so sad all the time. And I can’t help but thinking: what if this is the happiest I’m ever gonna be? (She takes this in. She nods. She gets it. Then) REGINA My turn . . . And I need you to listen to me. I need you to hear me. You are not the best part of my life. You are my life. And I will not lose you. (With that, they hug each other. For different reasons. He finally leans on her. And she is unwilling to ever let go.)

This scene marks a major life-changing discovery for the Regina character, when she finds the suicide note from her partner, Rome. At the beginning of the scene, her biggest problem is being cold; by the end of the scene, she realizes that she might lose her love forever. So the first big change is obviously the discovery of the letter. The second change is the adjustment she makes when the stage directions say, “She gets it,” and she has absorbed the problem and realizes that she has to be his rock to save his life.

Strategy 3: Make choices Actors who get cast are the actors who make choices. Make an actable choice that is clear to you and easy to play. Keep it simple. Actors tend to make complicated choices that are difficult to play. For example, “I think I love her, but I’m not sure.” A more decisive and playable choice would be, “I love her, and I want to shag her brains out on the kitchen table right now.” This objective is specific and there is a strong image that guides it. Turn your choice into an action verb. Do not choose negative objectives because they are not active and therefore harder to play. “I don’t want to talk to him” is a weak choice because it doesn’t give you anything to play. In fact, it gives you a reason to leave, but you need a reason to stay in the scene. A more active and therefore easier choice to play can become, “I want to punish him.”

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“I want to leave” is a particularly weak choice because then you would just leave. It’s more interesting to explore what is keeping you from leaving. In Stanislavski’s terms, that is called the obstacle. Is it because you still love him? If we have a crush on someone but don’t tell them, then what is keeping us from telling them? What’s at stake? What do we have to lose if we tell them? Rejection? Manhood? Self-esteem? Pride? This is a dated example but still helpful if you think of it from an actor’s point of view rather than from a feminist one. Someone once told me, “When a man and a woman get married, the husband wants his wife to stay the same and she always changes. The wife, on the other hand, wants her husband to change, and he always stays the same.” Take the wife’s perspective when making your choices. Will the other character want to change? Prove to him that you’re right and he’s wrong. Drama involves a competition between two characters.

What are the stakes? When I was a young woman living in Chicago I took a self-defense course, where I learned an ancient parable. “A wolf chased a rabbit. The wolf was running for its meal. The rabbit ran for his life. The rabbit lived.” The rabbit had more at stake than the wolf. In your audition, be the rabbit, not the wolf. Make the choices where the character has the most to lose, the most at stake. A strong choice is easier to play. At a casting workshop, an actor was performing a blank scene (see Part Seven), and he had not bothered to make any choices about why he was on stage, what his motivation was, what he was playing. He had decided who he was and where he was (on a couch with his girlfriend) but had not decided what he wanted. So the performance was flat and lifeless. I asked him to do the scene again but to decide what he wanted. The second time the scene was equally dead. I asked what he had chosen and he said, “I wanted her to go get ice cream.” Unless he was hypoglycemic and in risk of dying from lack of sugar, this was a very uninspired choice, as well as being inactive and difficult to play. Think about the stakes. What is at stake for the character? What has he got to lose? What will happen if she doesn’t get the ice cream? In his scenario, not much. In the hypoglycemic scenario, then his life was at stake. Films are often about sex and violence. Contrary to popular belief, this is nothing new. Sex and violence on screen (or on stage) have existed for all of recorded history, evidenced in ancient Roman theater, the blood and gore of the Jacobean stage, as well as today’s slasher movies. Therefore choices involving sex (“I want to get her into bed”) and violence (“I want to kill him”) are often appropriate. Even in more subtle genres, the characters’ motives

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can almost always be reduced to these most basic terms—a fight for power, survival, love, or money. Go for the strongest choices possible and they will drive your performance. The objective is simply the action of the scene. Stanislavski tells us that an objective should have an attraction for the actor, making them “wish to carry it out.” Keep the objective simple and clear. The objective has to be something that makes sense in the circumstances of the film. Your choices should be robust but not random. Serve the writer, the story, and the facts of the scene. The audition differs from work on set because it is an opportunity to make diverse choices. Once you have the role, you are expected to repeat the scene the same way, more or less, each time. On set, the director could establish a master shot, and then they will shoot it from different angles and in close up. To play it differently each time will disrupt the flow and continuity of the scene. When auditioning, however, I would recommend the opposite. Make at least two different choices for the scene before you come in. If you get multiple takes, try it a different way each time. Experiment with the script as you would in a rehearsal. The casting director might say, “Ok, try it again a different way.” They might not suggest an idea. This may be because you’re the fifty-ninth person in that day, and she’s exhausted, or it could be because she wants you to be the brilliant one. You’re the artist, so come in with ideas. She might also direct you to play the scene in a certain way, and then you have to adapt to her directions even if they are completely opposite from what you prepared. Here is an example of a scene from CBS’s Hitler: The Rise of Evil, written by John Pielmeier. Sc. 405D

INT. OBERSALZBURGH HOUSE—GELI’S SHRINE—DAY

Angela unlocks and open the door to Geli’s room. Eva steps inside, looks around, frightened a bit, but also fascinated. She reaches for a brush on the dresser, but Angela warns her: ANGELA Don’t touch. He’ll know you’ve been here. (Eva pulls her hand away. Another beat of silence.) ANGELA You can’t compete. You’re alive and she’s a memory. His memory. Not mine. Not the real Geli.

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(fighting tears) I can’t bring her back and I can’t change what I allowed to happen, but I can warn you, Fraulein. If you show any fire, any will of your own, he’ll turn you into this. This is his ideal. Not you. Never you.

Here Hitler’s sister enters the room of her dead daughter, Geli. The 16-year-old girl has committed suicide because of Hitler’s obsessive control. She speaks to Eva Braun, Hitler’s mistress. If the actor gets three chances to play the scene, what are some different choices she can make? 1

To warn Eva. The subtext would be: “Get out of this relationship soon or, Adolph will kill you like he did Geli.” This is motivated by concern.

2

To threaten Eva. Subtext: “Get the hell out of my daughter’s room, or I’ll kill you.” This is motivated by anger.

3

To scare Eva. Subtext: “We will all end up like Geli, but there’s nothing we can do.” This choice would be motivated by helplessness.

Contrasting choices Judith Weston, in her book Directing Actors, advises, “Whenever you’re not sure what to do with a line, find an opposite. If a scene isn’t working, do it wrong.” Although her advice is to directors, it is equally useful for actors. Don’t make the obvious choice. Make a contrasting choice. Looking for humor is a good tactic. Find the humor in sad or scary scenes. A sudden nervous giggle in a scene when you’re scared out of your wits can be very effective. Conversely, find the pain in a funny scene. Comedy is almost always at someone’s expense and involves deep pain. Your eyes might betray something different from your words. The words “I’m leaving” might mean I love you. The words “I love you” might mean I’m leaving you. Find the contrasts. Any scene that is about love is also about hate, and vice versa. As in life, we often don’t reveal what we mean. In fact, we rarely do. Make sure that you’re making the right kinds of choices. Decide what objective to play. Be sure to avoid the pitfall of choosing to play an emotion or a character over an objective. An actor who gets cast plays objectives, not emotions, adjectives, or character. Objectives come first. Caution! Here are the mistakes I see:

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Mistake #1. Playing a character before an objective Don’t judge the character. If you come in thinking, “this character is nasty, I’m going to play a nasty guy,” then you’re putting the character first. The character doesn’t think he’s nasty; he’s just acting in his own interest. He wants something. Sometimes misguided directors give this type of direction too. “Play him nastier.” When you hear a direction like that, translate it into actor’s language—an action verb. “I want revenge,” for example. In an interview, Robin Wright Penn was asked about her role as Claire Underwood in hit Netflix series House of Cards, in which she plays the Lady Macbeth-esque wife of a senator. “What is it like to play such an evil character?” the interviewer asked. “She’s not evil, she’s just motivated,” she answered. In her mind, every action is justified. She has to like the character and identify with her. In CBS’s Hitler: The Rise of Evil, Hitler didn’t think he was evil; he thought he was saving Germany from impurity. Robert Carlyle had to approach the role not as a bad guy but as a living, breathing person who had goals. He played someone who wanted a pure and glorious Germany. He left it to the audience to judge the character. Another pitfall is when the script judges the character. One time an actor did a very strange read, and then she asked me, “Should I play it more naively?” When I looked at the script, I noticed that the screenwriter had decided to describe this character as naive, which was not a helpful note for the actor. I said, “You can’t play naive so forget about that,” and her performance was much better. “Naive” is an adjective, not a verb, so you can’t play it as an objective.

Mistake #2. Putting emotion before objective On the stage there cannot be . . . action which is directed immediately at the arousing of a feeling for its own sake. To ignore this rule results only in the most disgusting artificiality. When you’re choosing some bit of action leave feeling and spiritual content alone. KONSTANTIN STANISLAVSKI, An Actor Prepares

Stanislavski had this advice for stage actors almost 100 years ago, and actors are still making the same mistakes today. Some actors cry and roll around on the floor, thinking that if they show a lot of emotion that will get them the role. The objective is not to show off your ability to express emotions or tears. If it’s appropriate and the tears come, then good. Consider, however, that

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sometimes in good storytelling, we don’t need to see the character cry. If you’re playing a character whose daughter has just died, you don’t have to play sad. The audience knows you’re sad. The audience probably just saw the scene before when she died. You need to play the character’s needs. The sadness may drive the character’s goal, but play the goal. When Anthony Hopkins played that wonderfully sad and repressed Mr Stevens in The Remains of the Day, he said, “I just stood still. I didn’t have to cry. I let the audience cry for me.” There are exceptions to everything, of course. When I worked with director Daniel Espinosa, he confessed to me that he just loves to see actors cry and motivated them to always go to the deepest place emotionally in every audition.

Strategy 4: Determine the stakes Actors who get cast are actors who determine the stakes. “What are the stakes?” Since teaching my classes in over twenty countries, I’ve come to realize that “Raise the stakes” is an English phrase and sometimes awkward to translate. In French it translates well, “Quels sont les enjeux?” In German, they would say, “Was ist auf dem spiel?” (What are you playing for?) In one Turkish class I realized that it had been interpreted as “What are the breaks?” (like, when are we stopping to have coffee?). In Sarajevo, they thought I was speaking about sirloin. Another way to ask the question is: What does the character have to lose? What risk are they taking? What does the character care about? The etymology of the phrase stems from poker. Stakes refer to the ante. What’s in the pot? When you play your hand at cards, are you betting one dollar, seven dollars, or a million dollars? The more money in the pot, the more you sweat, and the higher the stakes. Getting actors to think about stakes in a poker game is an apt metaphor because money is often at stake in a good screenplay. What else can be at stake? Love, honor, power, or the highest stake of all: life versus death. The raised stake is the key ingredient missing in many of the auditions I see. Actors don’t set their stakes high enough. They’re betting only seven dollars when they should be betting a million. Note the following sides we used to audition actors for the Netflix limited series, The Liberator, by Jeb Stuart. Set during World War II, Spigliani is an American soldier who has been captured by the Germans in Italy.

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INT. ITALIAN BUILDING—EVENING Spigliani, his leg bandaged, sits in a room across from a German Captain (Hartmann). As Hartmann studies Spigliani’s dog tag, Spigliani eyes the SS insignia on the officer’s collar. CAPTAIN HARTMANN (in Italian) Spigliani. Do you speak Italian? SPIGLIANI Si. CAPTAIN HARTMANN (reading) Charleston, Mass-a-chu-setts? SPIGLIANI Si. CAPTAIN HARTMANN (Switching to an exaggerated Boston accent) Bahhstun. Pahk the cah in Hawvahd Yahd. Fehnway Pahk. Paw Reveah. Spigliani smiles nervously as the German Captain places the dog tags on the table. CAPTAIN HARTMANN (in perfect English) Where did you learn to swim Captain Spigliani? SPIGLIANI Swim. CAPTAIN HARTMANN No, let me guess. The Boy’s Club? On Second Street. SPIGLIANI (surprised) Yeah . . . How the hell do you know that? CAPTAIN HARTMANN (beat) I taught you . . . (The Captain offers him a cigarette.)

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CAPTAIN HARTMANN I dated a girl named Hammel . . . Gloria. She had these . . . . Beautiful breasts. SPIGLIANI Sparky Hammel’s sister. (They share a smile, remembering.) CAPTAIN HARTMANN Please tell me she’s big and fat now. SPIGLIANI Like a barn! Damn . . . You and me in the Charleston. At the Boy’s Club! CAPTAIN HARTMANN Small world isn’t it? (They share a laugh and then the Captain reaches into his pocket and removes a handful of dog tags. The effect on Spigliani is immediate. They are his dead comrades’. He listens as the Captain reads the names one at a time.) CAPTAIN HARTMANN Akecheta. Cormana. Kawacatoose. (to Spigliani) Indians and Mexicans . . . and a Wop from Boston? SPIGLIANI They’re the 157th Regiment. From Oklahoma. I got attached at Salerno, as interpreter. CAPTAIN HARTMANN And their leader? He’s an Indian too? SPIGLIANI Captain Sparks? No, he’s a cowboy from Arizona. CAPTAIN HARTMANN Things must be getting desperate in America if you’re allowing these types in your army? Red men and Mexicans? Inferior races. SPIGLIANI We don’t think of them that way. They’re Americans. Like me.

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CAPTAIN HARTMANN (skeptically) Really? I’ve been to Oklahoma, corporal. The bars there have signs out front that say: “No Indians allowed.” “No Mexicans.” I’ve also been to Georgia. They make the Negroes there drink from different water fountains . . . So don’t try to tell me they’re American, “just like you.” Strange. To fight for a country where you can’t even enjoy a beer in the same bar with your fellow soldier. (The Captain drops the dog tags on the table and wipes his hands on his handkerchief as the door behind him opens and a German Sergeant brings the Captain a map. Spigliani watches him spread it out on the table.) CAPTAIN HARTMANN So, please, tell me now about the “ponds.” SPIGLIANI Ponds? CAPTAIN HARTMANN Yes, I need to know what you did about the ponds? (Spigliani is completely confused.) SPIGLIANI What ponds? I don’t know what the hell you’re— (The Captain nods to the Sergeant who removes his Luger and places the barrel of the pistol against Spigliani’s head.) SPIGLIANI (freaking) Holy Mother of God, what the hell! CAPTAIN HARTMANN Ponds! Tell me what you did to the ponds? SPIGLIANI We didn’t see any ponds! (The Sergeant cocks the gun and tears spring to Spigliani’s eyes.)

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CAPTAIN HARTMANN You’re lying! SPIGLIANI Jesus Christ! It’s the truth! CAPTAIN HARTMANN Your company crossed three ponds in the last two days. (He points at the map.) CAPTAIN HARTMANN Here, here and here. What are the conditions of those ponds?! (Terrified, Spigliani’s eyes look at the map.) SPIGLIANI Ponds? Pontes? (beat, then) Bridges? Are you talking about “bridges”? (Hartmann looks at the map and realizes his mistake.) CAPTAIN HARTMANN (beat) Yes . . . Bridges. (smiling) I used the Italian word didn’t I? My mistake. What did you do to the bridges? SPIGLIANI Jesus . . . We didn’t do anything to the bridges. They’re all still there.

This scene, by Jeb Stuart, is brilliantly constructed. It manages to inform the audience of important exposition, without it feeling like they are being fed information since it comes from an obtuse source; the enemy. The objective for each character is clear. For Spigliani: survival, and for Hartman: to get information. The scene, however, twists and weaves in unexpected directions. The stakes in any war scene are high as death looms close. For Spigliani, he must play the highest stakes possible when the pistol is aimed at his head. The audience needs to believe that he believes it could be the last moment of his life. For Hartmann, even though he has the upper hand, the stakes are also life and death; winning the battle, leading his men safely across enemy-riddled territory. Although the scene dances into comedy and common experience

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among men, at one point, both actors need to navigate themselves back into a life or death stakes position.

Strategy 5: Tell the story Actors who get cast are actors who tell the story. For as many times as it is appropriate to take a risk and play high stakes, there are equally as many times when it’s appropriate to simply tell the story. Sometimes the stakes are low and there is less money involved in the poker game. When the stakes are high, it’s right to go for the Oscar. Other times, it is best to blend into the story and support someone else’s high stakes. This is when storytelling comes in. The director wants you to tell his story, not pop out from it. David Mamet, in his book True and False, defending the position of the writer, wants an “uninflected performance” from the actor. In other words, he doesn’t want the performer to mess up his text by acting too much. I got a similar note when working with Matthew Weiner of Mad Men fame. While casting his Romanoffs series, he told me that his actors never win awards, because he beats all the overacting out of them. The successful actors for his series are those who blend in, rather than stand out. Trust that you are expressing enough, and that the chemistry of your persona, merging with the objective of the character, will tell the story. You don’t have to do handstands for the role every time. Remember that you are only telling one piece of the story. Film is ultimately a director’s art, with him coordinating the elements—set, costume, sound, lighting design—and arranging them with an editor. These combined elements tell the story. Sergei Eisenstein was an early twentieth-century Russian director who originated the idea of a montage. He proved that the actor’s performance by itself has no efficacy without the context of the film. He conducted an experiment in which he filmed an actor doing different reaction shots. First, he instructed the actor to react as if he had just been brought a bowl of soup after not having eaten for a week. Then, in a separate scene, he directed him to react as a recently released prisoner, seeing birds in the sky for the first time in years. When the audience viewed the scenes, of course, they couldn’t tell what the actor was experiencing, proving that the acting alone cannot show thought— editing must. It’s the scenes that are interspersed with the actor’s reactions that tell the story. Let the text and your voice carry the scene. Keep it simple. A friend of mine, a successful Broadway actor, got a small role in a film. When they were shooting his performance, the director said, “Cut! You’re just too interesting of an actor for this role.” In the end, he was cut out of the film, and another actor was hired. The director had found a polite way to tell him that he was making the stakes too high. This is also called overacting. He

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was trying to make his character too important when the scene wasn’t about him. He was used to playing the central character in theater productions. In theater too, however, there is a phrase called “giving stage” (supporting another character) and “taking stage” (playing your own high stakes). In film and TV, this applies as well. In TV series, for example, the guest characters often appear to support the lead stars. The director, not to mention the star (they are often producers), may prefer that the actor disappears into the story, giving a low stake performance. So actors who take big risks and play too high of a stake in the audition may be perceived as a threat to the story. Here is an example of an audition scene for Mrs Larchmont, wherein an actor would choose to play low stakes and give stage to the other character. INT. HOSPITAL/HALLWAY—DAY Gloria knocks at an office door marked “accounting”. GLORIA Excuse me. Mrs Larchmont? MRS LARCHMONT (has her nose in the computer at her desk) Yes? GLORIA Hello. I’m Gloria Archer. I called you about Suzanne Archer. MRS LARCHMONT Tonsillitis, right? GLORIA Yes. The bill was taken care of, but you didn’t tell me who paid. I thought maybe if I came in person . . . MRS LARCHMONT You’re the patient’s mother? GLORIA Her cousin. MRS LARCHMONT I have to honour patient privacy rules. I’m sorry. (She sticks her head back into her accounts.) Gloria closes the door.

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In this scene, it’s clear that Gloria’s stakes are much higher than Mrs. Larchmont’s. For Larchmont, it’s just another day at the office. “Throw it away,” was my note to the auditioning actors. The producers, the director, the star playing Gloria and everyone, including the audience, wants Mrs. Larchmont to disappear into the story. The scene is obviously about Gloria and her need to figure out the mystery of who paid for her cousin’s secret abortion. The focus and the camera will be on Gloria’s reaction to this. Naturally, the Mrs Larchmont character is not the role of a lifetime, but in the beginning of your career, you will be up for these types of role and you need to know how to honor the story. Even later in your career you may find yourself up for a day player role, which may tide you over until the next job, and in the meantime, you may get useful time on set working with a star. Perhaps Gloria is played by a star and they need a really solid supporting actor for the scene. A team crew. Believe me, production is very picky about who gets on camera for these small roles. So can we conclude that the day player, or supporting actor is always there to disappear and give stage to the star? No. There are short cameo roles when there is a lot at stake, and those can be the hardest roles to play. For example, in the feature film Snowpiercer, Director Bong Joon-Ho forges his own distinctive style telling epic stories in which the star meets a series of important, often quirky, cameo characters who play high stakes bits in the hero’s journey. For example, in The Host there are scenes in which the camera zooms in on the precise moment at which the monster is about to overtake a pedestrian. The actor must project extreme fear and terror in his eyes, the moment that comes right before death. The audience must believe that the actor believes he is about to die. Actors are, above all, storytellers. When preparing for an audition on either stage or screen, make sure to ask: ●

Where are we in the story?

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How can I, as a performer, best serve it?

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Who else is in the scene and am I giving stage or taking stage?

Strategy 6: Act and react Actors who get cast are actors who act and react in the moment. Be flexible and open to spontaneity. Almost anything can happen at a casting. Don’t be thrown by the unexpected. It may be that, by the time you get

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there, the script has already changed and they’ve cut your role. It’s also possible that you mistakenly got the wrong sides, or they realize you’re better for another part, so you get handed another set of sides. You need to be flexible and able to go with it. This is why it’s important to exercise your cold reading skills. This also means being open to a change in your interpretation. You might be playing a psychotic lunatic, while the director sees the character as perfectly sane. It’s great to make a bold choice, and directors respect that, even if it’s the “wrong” interpretation. You have to be prepared, however, to go in an entirely different direction, and actors bomb this all the time. An actor will do a nice performance initially, but then they cannot adapt to the director’s ideas. Directors are on guard for actors who get stuck in preplanned line readings. They want the material to sound fresh and unrehearsed. Some actors over-prepare, carefully planning their intonation on each line, driving themselves into a fixed vocal pattern. Prepare enough to be stable, but not so much that you’re inflexible. To plan your performance is to plan your death. Sometimes the person who reads opposite of you at the casting is as inspiring as a piece of cardboard, reading each line with a dull, monotonous voice. This could be intentional because they don’t want to influence your performance. In these cases, you have to work off of your own energy, or as Michael Caine says, “If the other actor isn’t giving you what you want, act as though they were.” Other times you get a reader who is giving you a performance because they want to elicit a certain response from you. If you’ve been rehearsing the scene in a particular way and then the person you are reading with suddenly shouts out one line unexpectedly, do not ignore it. React the way you think the character would react in this situation. Like in theater, audition performance should be a fluid, flowing, living entity. Part of what the director is testing is your ability to take directions. He might give you a crazy direction just to see if you’ll go with it. The director wants to know that you are listening to him. I once worked with a very good actor, who was close to getting the role of Ilsa on Hellboy. She thought it was her job to “sell” the director her ideas for the role. The director, Guillermo Del Toro, had written the script and had a specific vision for how he wanted the role performed. Instead of listening to and incorporating his ideas, she clung to her own interpretation. She was not cast. A director wants an actor who listens. Once you’re cast, over and over again, and become a star—then you’ll get your chance to influence the script, but not in the audition. Come with your own ideas, but be willing to change them to adapt to the whims of the production.

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Strategy 7: Play in the eyes Actors who get cast are actors who play in the eyes. Film photographs thought. The thought is in the eyes. If there is one trick in film acting, it is to keep the acting in the eyes. When actors are mugging, or overacting in the brow, one effective note is to “channel the acting through the eyes, not in the face.” When you communicate with your eyes, think with your eyes, listen with your eyes, the camera will love you. Be like Medusa and kill with your eyes. The eye can become as large as eight feet wide on a big screen. When an actor concentrates on communicating with their eyes, the performance follows suit. Getting the brow unfurled is only a slight adjustment, and it’s about awareness. During the pandemic, mask-wearing has taught us the importance of communicating with our eyes. “Does the shopkeeper know that I’m smiling at her?” I would wonder. I made sure that she did know, consciously smiling in my eyes. Wearing a mask through your day can be a good film acting exercise. When I taught a class at the Mallorca Film Festival, I had to conduct the entire class with masks on. My students actually remarked on how effective some of the exercises were (for example the Chair exercise outlined later in Part Seven) when you have only your eyes exposed to communicate. LA theater company, The Actors’ Gang, followed by the now-defunct New Crimes of Chicago, pioneered a very distinct commedia dell’arte performance style in the 1980s, wherein the actor would face off directly with the audience, looking straight into an individual spectator’s eyes. Their training sessions challenged actors to express strong levels of energy, directing emotions through the eyes and sending them to the audience. The New Crimes’ commedia dell’arte is a highly physicalized form of theater, accompanied by an insane, thumping, rock and roll drumbeat. It seems unlikely that this style could be useful for film acting, which is grounded so fully in realism. Yet the founding members of The Actors’ Gang and New Crimes, including Tim Robbins, John Cusack, and Jeremy Piven, have gone on to have fantastically successful film acting careers. I believe that this was in part because they had so much practice with communicating with their eyes. The form of theater they practiced they refer to as “the style.” Original New Crimes member, Adele Robbins, says about her brother, “Tim believes in the style and always returns to it. It informs everything.” I have adapted some of the training that I got from New Crimes members into the Bishop Technique exercises. Although I didn’t know it while I was training, “the

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style” offered some of the most helpful techniques that I’ve learned for film acting. If acting in the eyes is something that doesn’t come naturally to you, then join the club. Like anything in acting, it can be practiced and improved. Learn to work with your eyes. Experiment in front of camera. Painters practice by drawing models in the studio, singers sing scales, dancers do pliés, yet there are people who think that without any training at all, they can just get in front of camera and act. As the sculptor uses a chisel, so the actor has their eyes. They are your main tool. In an audition, be as generous as possible with your eyes, always turning them towards camera. Do not bury your eyes in the script, allowing us to see only your eyelids. Your eyelids are not interesting. Master cold reading techniques, which help you look up from the script. Doff the glasses when possible. Wear contacts or do without, if you can. As the Yiddish proverb goes, “the eyes are the mirror of the soul.”

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n his seminars to actors, Michael Caine discusses the importance of the eyes in film acting; he suggests that actors get to know their leading eye. Everyone has one eye that is keener than the other. Learn which eye leads and cheat that eye towards the camera. For example, if it’s your left eye, then focus to the right of camera.

I have looked into your eyes with my eyes. I have put my heart near your heart. POPE JOHN XXIII

About blinking

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n a close up, even a blink registers as a ten on the Richter scale. During my classes, when we play back the scenes, my actors often say, “but I’m blinking too much.” Each actor is bothered by his own blinking on screen, even when the rest of the class doesn’t notice. Michael Caine claims that he has trained himself not to blink during close-ups. But we all know that our eyes need moisture and that’s why we blink, right?

I don’t believe it is necessary for an actor to train themself not to blink. Editor Walter Murch has devoted considerable research to the blink. In his book In the Blink of an Eye, he suggests that the blinking actor provides an opportunity for the editor to cut. He first noticed it when he was editing an early Coppola

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film, The Conversation. “I kept finding that Gene Hackman would blink very close to the point where I had decided to cut.” So Murch then started to pay acute attention to when and why people blink. “People will sometimes keep their eyes open for minutes at a time—at other times they will blink repeatedly—with many variations in between . . . . Our rate of blinking is somehow geared more to our emotional state and to the nature and frequency of our thoughts.” So sometimes when an actor thinks he blinks too much, he is picking up on his own discomfort with the role or performance. If you’re focused on the role, the blinks will come at the right time and in the right abundance. Trust yourself and stay the course by making choices that help you identify with the role.

Strategy 8: Possess an inner monologue Actors who get cast are actors who possess an inner monologue. When you foster an active and changing internal monologue, the eyes will be alive. While “less is more” is a good adage, doing “less” can lead to the opposite extreme—dead face. Overacting is the camera’s worst nightmare, but dead face is deadly. Dead face happens when an actor is not thinking in character, and the mind is not engaged—nice house but nobody’s home. In other words, there is no inner monologue. Ironically this seems to happen most with stage actors who are afraid to overact, so instead they end up doing nothing. Because many actors fear overacting, casting directors see a lot of safe and frankly dead auditions. Overacting is difficult to define, but you know it when you see it. Film critics are too lazy to even type it, preferring to use the initials OTT (over the top.) It does not necessarily mean doing “too much” (whatever that is.) If you consider some of the world’s favorite actors, Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson, for example, you will find that they do quite “a lot.” Examine their performances. These successful actors manage to find stillness while their faces are alive with thought and intention. Overacting is when an actor mugs (makes faces), and uses excessive gestures. It means that the actor is trying to “show” the audience what a character is feeling. This performance is not grounded in truth and believability and this is poor acting in both film and theater. The dreaded overacting can also happen when an actor pre-judges a character, or when they get themself into a pattern of punctuating the lines, which becomes fake after a few reads. The antidote to both dead face and overacting is to develop and concentrate on the inner monologue of the character.

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For a close-up, as the theory goes, all the actor has to do is think the inner monologue, and the viewer will know; the camera exposes all. Think the character’s thoughts. In my classes, however, some actors have learned that thinking in character reveals nothing. Even though they insist that they’ve got an active inner monologue, when they watch the tape they see no light in their eyes, and no wheels turning in their head (which demonstrates the value of watching oneself on camera occasionally). If your face is dead, then you’ve got to work harder to liven up your inner monologue. French film star Jeanne Moreau claims that, “acting is not true to life, it is beyond,” and that actors must “not only listen but listen beyond.” On camera, we don’t have to speak louder than in life, but we may have to think louder. Here is an example from the script Before Sunset, written by Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke. 8 EXT. GARDEN PATH STAIRWAY — AFTERNOON THEY CONTINUE TO WALK/TALK. JESSE No, no, tell me the truth. Did we have problems that night? CELINE I was kidding. We didn’t even have sex anyway. JESSE What? That’s a joke, right? CELINE No, we didn’t. That was the whole thing. JESSE Of course we did. CELINE But we didn’t. You didn’t have a condom and I never have sex without one, especially if it was a one-night thing. I’m extremely paranoid about my health. JESSE I’m finding this very scary that you don’t remember what happened.

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CELINE You know what, I didn’t write an entire book, but I kept a journal and I wrote the whole night in it. That’s what I meant by you idealizing the night. JESSE (a bit louder) I even remember the brand of condom I used. CELINE That’s disgusting. Walking by are an older couple with three kids. They look back, a bit shocked. JESSE No it isn’t. CELINE All right, when I get home, I’ll check my journal from ’94, but I know I’m right. (a beat) Wait a minute. Was it in the cemetery? JESSE Noooo. We visited the cemetery during the day. It was in the park, very late at night. CELINE Wait a minute. JESSE Was it that forgettable? You don’t remember, in the park? CELINE Wait a minute, I think you might be right. JESSE You’re messing with me.

In this scene, Celine does more of the talking than Jesse, so it’s acutely important for Jesse to keep his inner monologue going. If his inner monologue is “I can’t believe this. She doesn’t remember having sex with me. I can’t believe this. She doesn’t remember having sex with me. I can’t believe this. She doesn’t remember having sex with me,” then he’s probably giving

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a pretty boring performance. Just as the choices on line readings are important, so are the choices on inner monologue and subtext, and the same rules apply. The camera loves contrast and change. The camera loves discovery. So the actor playing Jesse needs to spin an inner monologue that is not only active, but varied. Some of the different thoughts winding around in his head can be: I know we had sex and I’m undressing you with my eyes right now. Was I that awful in bed that you don’t remember? Maybe we really didn’t have sex and I just imagined it. You must be kidding! Then finally— Thank God she remembers! If these types of varied thoughts are revolving, his performance will live and breathe. If thinking in character isn’t effective for you, then do whatever works. Dustin Hoffman says, “The method is your method.” Billy Bob Thornton, while performing in The Man Who Wasn’t There, spent a lot of time on screen without uttering a word. When asked what he was thinking about in his reaction shots, he glibly replied that he was thinking a lot about James Gandolfini’s shoes. I’m also reminded of Wim Wender’s film Wings of Desire, in which angels overhear the inner thoughts of humankind. While trailing actor Peter Falk on a film set in Berlin, they picked up on him thinking, “I wonder what I’ll have for dinner. Maybe some spaghetti with marinara sauce.” Nobody really cares what your process is. Your method, whether it is thinking the character’s thoughts or thinking about lunch, is what works for you. A solid bet is to activate the face and the eyes with a charged and changing inner monologue. Dead face is deadly.

Strategy 9: Commit to the scene Actors who get cast are actors who commit to the scene, not the lines in the scene. ●

What happens in the scene?

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What does the character want?

It is more important to nail what happens in the scene, than to perform a perfectly memorized line reading. I have seen actors who become so obsessed with flawlessly reciting the lines that they miss the point of the

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scene. It is not interesting to watch an actor without a script in his hand struggle to recall lines. Remember that the audition is not a memory test. The more familiar you are with the text, the easier it will be to act, but keeping the script in hand is accepted in the United States and in the UK. We all know how easily the lines flow when you’re rehearsing it in your bedroom, but somehow they all fall out of your head when you’re at the audition. Holding the sides is a kind of security blanket and it reminds us that this is not a finished performance; it’s a work in progress. Sometimes it is necessary to get the lines precisely right though: In a comedy, “committing to the scene” means telling the jokes properly. In this case, if you don’t get the wording right on a punch line, the joke doesn’t work. In a comedic scene, your job is to figure out the jokes and tell them. A carefully planned joke doesn’t work with lots of “ums” and “ers.” It needs to be told concisely. Sometimes the writer is at the casting. So if Peter Morgan is in the room, get it right. You want to do the script as much justice as you can. The audition is generally not the time to intentionally change the text. Generally though, I would advise, if you get a word wrong, don’t point out your mistake. Mistakes can result in fresh discoveries. Too many times, I have seen actors want to stop the scene and repeat it merely because they flubbed a line. You need to behave at the casting the way you behave on set. Cover and continue. It took the crew hours to set up the shot, so you don’t make them stop the reel for a line error. The editor can cut around it. Part of what we’re testing in the audition is your ability to concentrate and get through the scene. Therefore, stay in the scene, even if your pants are on fire until you hear “cut.” We are not just interested in you saying the lines perfectly. We’re interested in what you bring to the role. We want to see your interpretation, your energy, your choices, your dynamic. Don’t worry about pronunciation. When we were casting Dune, actors had to stumble over words like “Ibn Qirtaiba,” and “Ikhut-Eigh,”—language-specific to Frank Herbert’s Sci-Fi world. At the auditions, it was a source of stress for actors, but we didn’t care about it. We knew that they would pick it up on set, where we had a dialogue coach. If you go up on a few lines, you will be forgiven if you are playing the character’s actions and objectives. Pull us into the story, and it might not even matter what words are coming from your mouth.

Strategy 10: Stake a claim on the role, take a risk When you read, the only thing you have is your uniqueness. Don’t be afraid to follow your instincts about what you think the character is doing. Just go with it, because if nothing else, the people watching you, the director, the

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casting people, whatever, will be impressed by what you’ve done and they’ll take notice. You have to try and be courageous. ROBERT DE NIRO

Actors who get cast stake a claim and take a risk in the casting. This is your time. Remember, you are entitled to be at that casting. You were invited, and you deserve to be there. Take your time, own the space, and stake a claim to the role. The actors who are humble and enter with the attitude of “You, Oh great director have granted me this favor of your time, so I, little actor, will hurry,” are not the ones who get the job. Directors feel comfortable with self-possessed actors, who are confident in their abilities. Ask questions if you have any, and take a beat before you start the scene to focus yourself. Treat casting directors and directors as collaborators and peers. Staking a claim means being physically and mentally prepared. Do what you need to do beforehand to warm up. No one will warm you up at the audition. I’m shocked when I see an actor reading a newspaper in reception before performing an unprepared audition. Sometimes actors want to walk in the door already in character. This is one approach but you have to be flexible because some casting directors like to chat first. If this is your case, inform the receptionist that you’re ready to go right into it so that he can “announce” you that way. Most casting directors will respect this approach. The actor who gets cast is the actor who commands the room, and boldly squares off with the material. There are times when an actor will just walk into the room and claim the role in a way that one can’t imagine anyone else playing it. I had that experience when casting The Liberator for Netflix. When Bradley James stepped in for the lead role of Felix Sparks, he just owned the role immediately, and I couldn’t even think of any notes to give him to improve his reading. He nailed it the first go and the producers noticed it too and selected him right off. Later Bradley confessed to me that in November of 2018 I unknowingly received the best email of my life. It contained the script to The Liberator and from the moment I opened it, it didn’t leave my side. I was sent another audition at the same time for something my agents seemed keen for me to focus on but I told them I was passing on it because I wanted to focus fully on Felix. Immediately after stepping into the room I felt completely at ease to give what I had spent every waking moment working on since that email. It took lots of time for his audition to be passed through the chain of executives who had to approve it, but he happily landed the role. It doesn’t always happen

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this way, of course, but walk in and own the role each time nevertheless and you will be remembered. Maria Bakalova, when she flew in to London for a callback with Sacha Baron Cohen, for the role of Borat’s daughter, came with no such confidence. She was incredibly nervous, a girl from Bulgaria who had never been to the UK before. I told her that she had nothing to lose and that she should just enjoy herself on the audition. She flung herself into the role, with ferocity, committing 100 percent to what she had to do, which was improvising with Sacha and real people on the street. Sacha and his team were immediately impressed by her. She staked a claim on the role. Come into the audition as if to rehearse; imagine you already have the role. That’s what the movie stars do. At a rehearsal, you can take risks and play with the material.

You’re only as good as the chance that you take. AL PACINO

There are far too many actors who play it safe. Don’t be afraid to take the scene somewhere. Remember that we see hundreds of auditions. There will be many actors who can technically act the scene. But what do they bring to it? A good place to take risks is in the places where the scene changes. Dare to hit the transitions. Most scenes have a turning point, a place where the scene hinges or the dynamic changes. The scene needs to go from A to Z, not A to B. The camera loves contrast, and change. I saw Mozart’s Opera, The Marriage of Figaro. The singer who sang the famous “Aprite un po’quegli occhi”’ aria performed this biting number about the treachery of women with the passion of a plumber fixing a drain. I thought to myself, “He’s singing it perfectly but why do I want to fall asleep?” He had a lovely, trained operatic voice, and he hit every note with a measured expertise. But there was no love in it. There is something thrilling about an artist, an actor, a singer, an athlete who dares to walk out on the tightrope without a net. Dare to climb, to jump, and to soar.

Strategy 11: Listen Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen. WINSTON CHURCHILL

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Actors who get cast are actors who listen. You can talk your way into a corner, but you can’t ever listen too much. There are two types of listening that must take place. The first is for the actor to listen and respond to the director’s notes. The second is that the character must listen and react in the moment to the actor reading the other part. They are your opponent in a tennis game and if you don’t listen, you won’t know where the ball is. One unfortunate but common mistake is speaking the lines very animatedly but listening like a zombie, simply waiting for the other actor to finish their line, or even worse, anticipating what the other will say. The camera is unforgiving of this error. If you haven’t had much time with the text, the temptation is to read the other character’s lines instead of listening to them. Keep your finger on the text and listen to the reader, then find your line again. It’s OK if there is a slight delay. Actors who don’t listen are often text obsessed, so afraid of dropping a line that they just stare at the script. It’s more important to listen and react to the other character, than it is to get the line exactly correct. (Please see my tips for sight-reading in Part Seven.) The next time you watch a film, observe how many times the camera is on the actor who is listening. It’s there a lot. Director and teacher Patrick Tucker, in Secrets of Screen Acting, notes that “the viewer does not want to know how the [speaking] person feels about something she has just said, they want to know what the other person feels about it; this is the unknown in the scene.” Listening is interesting. Listening also entails reacting internally if there are no lines, and externally if there is a line. You may be forming your answer in your head halfway into the other actor’s speech. Listen with your eyes. Listening and reacting in character is at the heart of effective screen acting. In the CBS TV film, Hitler: The Rise of Evil, we cast the late Patricia Netzer as Sophie Gerlich almost entirely based on her listening skills. Patricia prepared a self-taped scene and sent it to us. What sold the producer most was the part of her audition in which she simply put the camera on herself and listened, silently reacting to a conversation between her husband and Hitler. The director knew that he would always have a place to put the camera, with this actor on set. If you are a good listener, you will get more screen time. In the words of the Greek philosopher Plutarch, “Know how to listen, and you will profit even from those who talk badly.”

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Strategy 12: Make your own work Actors who get cast are actors who make their own work.

An actor comes home to find his wife, bruised and badly beaten. He huddles down to his crying spouse and desperately demands, “Who did this to you? I’ll kill him.” “It was . . .” she weakly tries to answer. “Was it the mailman?” he interrupts, “I always thought he was suspicious.” “No, no . . .” she stammers, trying to find the words. “Was it the gardener? That swine!” “No, no . . . it was your agent.” “My agent stopped by?” he asks hopefully.

Don’t be an actor who sits and waits by the phone for their agent to call. This is a miserable way to live. If the phone isn’t ringing, staring at it won’t help. Actors need to be proactive. One of my teachers used to say, “It’s a poor dog who can’t wag his own tail.” There are so many ways to get out there and wag your own tail, especially in the age of the viral video. Once, an actor complained to me that he wasn’t succeeding because casting directors ignored him. He said, “The casting directors have control over my career and whether I make it or not.” This is absolutely not true. Take the power back. You are the only one who is in charge of whether you succeed or not. This is the most valuable advice that I teach my actors. Make your own work. If no one is casting you, if there is no one making a film or play with a role that is right for you, then make one for yourself. Write a play about you, directed by you, produced by you, with you in mind. Create the perfect role for yourself. If you don’t like to write, then find material. There are plenty of good plays out there. When you are doing theater, “push yourself and work with good people,” advises casting director Meg Liberman. You will learn from your co-stars. Not only are you attracting possible agents and caster, but you are also honing your skills and getting better with each performance. If your city doesn’t host a fringe festival, then start one. Fringe festivals are full of that sizzling energy created by hundreds of talented actors who are frothing at the mouth to work. These actors are seizing the moment, practicing their craft. As nineteenth-century playwright Friedrich Schiller said, “he who has lived the best of his own age will live for many ages to come.” It is these

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performances that will burn themselves into the minds of viewers, not just the big blockbuster films. Stars who have gotten their start at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, for example, include Emma Thompson, Miranda Hart, Jude Law, Gerard Butler, Hugh Grant, Ricky Gervais, and Rachel Weisz. There was a time when these actors weren’t famous and were noticed for the first time, but they didn’t do it by sitting at home. Steven Berkoff confesses that he composed his now-famous adaptation of Franz Kafka’s story Metamorphosis when he was out of work and sick of waiting for the phone to ring. Metamorphosis was nothing more than a talent vehicle for Berkoff—playing a cockroach of all things. Now Berkoff can languidly wait by the phone. This time, in addition to getting acting offers, he’s waiting for his agent to call and report on the royalties he earns when the play continues to be produced as a star vehicle for other actors, like Mikhail Baryshnikov. If you create a good role, other actors will want to play it too. If your phone isn’t ringing with film offers, then take the reins into your own hands, and make a film yourself. “But wait a minute,” you’re thinking, “don’t I need millions of dollars to make a film?” The answer is no. All you need is a camera (a simple digital video camera will do), a computer with an editing program, and a lot of ideas, energy, and enthusiasm. Choose something that matters to you and find your voice to express it through film. There are independent film festivals bursting out of every city. If no one accepts your film, then you can pop it on YouTube. There are online film festivals and even smartphone film festivals. The internet bars no one from promoting their work. Unknown actors are able to attract agents, and auditions for top-scale roles, when they produce good online work. The film Good Will Hunting launched the careers of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and it was written by—guess who? Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Some of the world’s best drama has come from actors who were writing material for themselves to perform. The great bard himself, Willy Shakespeare, was an actor. Vin Diesel didn’t know that he was on a straight course to action hero superstardom when he made his own film, Multi-Facial, in 1994. The film, about multiculturalism and identity, was close to his heart. He made the film because he had a passion to express himself. That $3,000 film was accepted to the acclaimed Cannes Film Festival in 1995, eventually catching the attention of Steven Spielberg, who offered him a role in Saving Private Ryan. Other actors who started by writing their own material include Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, and Emma Thompson. If you feel like producing or writing isn’t your bag, then team up with someone else. When you’re performing in a play or a web series, you’re generating a product that you can invite casting directors and agents to come see. Collect reviews from your play and you’ve got material to send out and post on your

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website. If it’s a short film, you can send the whole film, or put edited scenes of your best work on a showreel, and upload it to your website as well. Comic actors in particular, have managed to push themselves ahead by generating their own web series and YouTube videos that go viral. A famous example is Rachel Bloom, who launched her career with an outrageous video called “Fuck Me, Ray Bradbury”! The video exposes her very unique blend of in-your-face humor, splashed on a catchy tune à la the classic American musical. She eventually made her way to the writers room for the CW Network, where she developed and starred in her hit TV series My Crazy ExGirlfriend, rife with her brand of musical British humour. Other actors who launched their careers via original content on YouTube were black British actors Joivan Wade and Percelle Ascott. Their series, Mandem on the Wall, which they filmed on their neighborhood wall in South London, eventually earned 200 million views per month. Other stars who launched their career on YouTube include French star Norman Thavaud who progressed to one-man shows and eventually joined French TV series and films, and German comedian DJ, Flula Borg, who made his way to regular appearances on the Conan O’Brien show, and American Grace Helbig, who created her own web series DailyGrace. Many of the Saturday Night Live stars were also found via YouTube, such as Kyle Mooney, Beck Bennett, and Andy Samberg. It’s important to know that casting directors are indeed seeking and finding fresh talent from internet video clips. This works both ways, however. A bad video (either viral or not) can really hurt you. There is one rather well-known actor who started creating and posting his own off-beat, alternative videos that don’t appeal to all tastes. I know that this put off some producers when I suggested him for a role. Exercise caution and do your best to manage and control your own content. As noted, the actors who tend to make it using YouTube as a launchpad are comedians, with their own authentic brand of humor that is particular to their personality. There are many talented actors in the world who don’t fit this profile, so it is not the path for everyone. Yet learning to generate material via social media can be a helpful tool in anyone’s career. There has been a tremendous output of creativity during the various lockdowns of the pandemic, when everyone was trapped at home and the only outlet was social media. On my Instagram account, I led a fund-raising campaign for the Red Cross. Actors who contributed monologues received feedback from my staff, and I posted many of them on Instagram. I was delighted with the quality of the submissions—some were funny, but many were moving and sad. Mine was only one of many forums, including online film festivals, featuring actorgenerated work, shot at home. Hopefully, the lessons of quarantine will stay with us through time. All actors need is creativity and an audience. The internet provides an audience.

PART THREE

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3 The Shaky Ground of Identity Politics and Casting

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n the following chapters, I will be discussing casting considerations for people from all intersections of the population. Men, women, non-binary, and people of all races, religions, and all abilities. The work of a casting director balances on the precipice of identity politics and we constantly teeter on a shaky tightrope, negotiating between the actor, how they define themself, and the demands of production, as well as the perceptions of the larger audience. Kristen Warner, in her book The Cultural Politics of Colorblind TV Casting, notes that the “Title VII discrimination law (in the USA) is that the casting director should not ask actors about their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, or age, although it still occurs because it is an acceptable business practice. Essentially, Title VII legislation, although filled with good intentions, backfires in the casting room.” In her book, she refers to race but the tricky territory that we must wade through is consistent across the boards for every group, whether it be religious, racial, or people with disabilities. If we approach a disabled actor, we are not allowed to ask what their disability is. In the same way we are not allowed to ask about age, we are not allowed to ask about race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. Should we cast Jewish actors in Jewish roles? How do we know if they’re Jewish? Consider the precarious place where a casting director resides, for example, when they are casting a gay role. The LGBTQ+ community may complain if we cast straight actors in gay roles, or CIS (a person whose gender identity matches the sex that they were assigned at birth) actors in trans roles. We, however, on the casting team, are not allowed to ask an actor what their sexual orientation is! Even if we didn’t have that rule, frankly, it’s a rude question. I usually let people volunteer that information about sexual orientation if they want to in both social and professional situations. A friend who is an agent reported to me that she received a breakdown for which the casting director specified that they wanted gay actors in gay roles. She felt 57

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extremely awkward about this since she doesn’t ask her clients who they sleep with. Furthermore, isn’t it generally accepted now that all people are on some kind of spectrum of sexuality anyway? Who is to say that someone who has identified as straight for most of their life could not suddenly turn a corner? Do you see the rub? We are criticized if we do not hire “the real thing,” but we are not allowed to ask actors if they are “the real thing” in the casting process anyway. We don’t want actors from the “authentic identity” to feel disenfranchised, but there is also something called “acting.” Consider that gay people were playing straight characters for centuries before being “out” was tolerated. Even today, while for some actors their sexuality is out and clear, other actors don’t wish for their sexuality to be known. I’ll give another example. One time I was auditioning a role that was meant to be Asian (as in Indian or Pakistani.) Most of the actors I had on my list that day had names like Deepak or Bhavik. Then I looked down on the list and saw a very Anglo name, let’s say “John Smith,” and when I turned around, I saw an Indian looking man, and I said, “Oh, you’re Indian but you have a very Anglo name.” This comment just popped out of my mouth and he said, “I’m not Indian.” “Oh where are you from then?” I asked out of curiosity. “Well, my father is African American and my mother is white,” he said. He proceeded to do an excellent audition and I submitted him for the role. Later my assistant passed an email from him that he had felt awkward and offended by our exchange. He even pointed out that, according to Equity rules, I don’t have the right to ask him his racial identity, which is true. I felt awful. It had just slipped out and I asked because I was interested and curious about him as a person, but to him it came across as racism. I apologized and told him I thought he did a good audition and was fine to play the role regardless of his background, and that I had shortlisted him for production. I was more careful after that, because it wasn’t my intention to set him off balance or make him feel uncomfortable. This is an example of the kind of awkwardness that can occur in casting situations. Casting directors are eager to represent people at all intersections of the population, but because of laws that are supposed to incentivize this, we experience a Catch 22 situation because the very laws that are meant to support people at different intersections also inhibit us from recognizing them. I’m pointing this out because then it falls upon the actor to identify themself if they choose to. There was a YouTube video that was circulating, “Typecast (Lorde ‘Royals’ Parody),” about casting the diversity roles, and when the actor is asked what their identity is, they answer, “Whatever you want me to be” (see https://youtu.be/FSwhRZwFjfY). In recent history, the entertainment industry has recognized the need to specifically stimulate diversity in casting. One of the palpable incentive programs is SAG-AFTRA’s Diversity-in-Casting incentive for low-budget agreements that stipulate the following:

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A minimum of 50% of the total speaking roles and 50% of the total days of employment are cast with performers who are members of the following four (4) protected groups: ●

women;

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senior performers (sixty (60) years or older);

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performers with disabilities; or

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people of color (Black/African American, Asian/Pacific Islander and South Asian, Latino/Hispanic, Arab/Middle Eastern and Native American); AND

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a minimum of 20% of the total days of employment is cast with performers who are people of color.

I personally find it sad that women should have to be listed here, since women are over half of the world population but, so be it. Even in modern times women are not equally represented. When making the choice to cast diversity, sometimes it is obvious. For example, if someone uses a wheelchair, you know you are casting a person with a disability, and if someone exhibits the physical characteristics of an African ethnicity, you feel sure you are truly representing that group, but there are many gray areas, and since (as noted) we can’t ask, then we end up with some absurd situations. My colleague, Rich Mento CSA, for example, noted that when filling out the SAG report form at the end of casting, he’s often just guessing the identity of some of the cast. Perhaps if someone is slightly dark complexioned and speaks Spanish, he’s marking that they are Latino, but how can one really know if we can’t ask? Actors, thanks for seeing the casting director’s point of view. Turning things around, I can see why an actor would find themself in an equally slippery situation in the casting room. For example, if you’re an Indian actor, but you feel like you could pass for a Native American, you might not want to declare your identity if it would limit your ability to earn a certain role. On the other hand, if you know that the role is meant for an Indian actor, you might feel like the best thing would be to declare it. It’s confusing since you might meet the same casting director for many different types of roles. Or you might be proud of your identity and active in some relevant group. The issue is thorny on both sides, and it’s difficult for me to give concrete advice, except to say that you should think it through as best you can. Consider how you want to market yourself. Look at the market and see what roles are most often available and also consider what roles you can convincingly play. Or, if your identity is important to you in your personal and/or professional life, then never mind about the market and be you.

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Sound advice dictates, for example, not to pronounce political alignment on social media because it might hurt your chances of employment. I regularly doff this advice. I’m political and anyone who follows me on social media knows that. It might have cost me jobs, but I don’t care because it’s important to me. If you are an LGBTQ+ activist for example, perhaps the cause of promoting LGBTQ+ rights is more important to you than any typecasting you might fear in the casting room as a result. (Rest assured that gay people can play straight and vice versa in my casting room; but just to make the point.) Ian McKellen, for example, outed himself as a gay actor long before it was more acceptable. In industry parlance, there is talk of an “Inclusion Revolution.” But some people are offended by the word “inclusion” because it implies that “we” (presumably white men) are “allowing” others to be in their club. The term “BAME” (Black Asian and Minority Ethnic) was once accepted and in wide use in the UK, but has now given way to “Diversity.” Others say how can a person be “diverse?” Some use the language “People of Color” and others are offended. Please, reader, know that I have the best of intents to express myself in the language available to me today as I contribute to the discussion.

4 To Be or Not to Be . . . Nude: Auditioning for Scenes Involving Nudity and Intimacy If you believe what you see on TV and at the movies, we are having more sex than ever before in human history. Even in the midst of discussions around harassment, the roles of gender and identity, and the meaning of sexual experiences and activities, we are certainly watching each other have more sex than we ever have before. JOHN BUCHER, A Best Practice Guide to Sex and Storytelling

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iven that there is more sex being performed in film and TV than ever before, and more different kinds of sex, and more nudity both male and female . . . performing simulated sex scenes is something that will come up more and more often in auditioning as well. In this chapter, I’ll cover various Best Practice Guidelines for what might concern an actor in the audition process. New Best Practice Guidelines were a fortunate result of the #MeToo era. The abuses that took place both on and off set came to light, particularly thanks to the famous high-profile Harvey Weinstein case, have given way to rules and guidelines that will help everyone on the production team. Not only do the guidelines protect actors, but they help set a structure that creates a more harmonious working environment, and even succeeds in improving the artistic quality of the scenes themselves. When everyone feels safe and comfortable in the structure, artists on both sides of the camera can feel free to create and play with the scene. When sitting down to write this chapter, I recall the quandaries that arose while I was the Chair of the Film Acting Department at the Prague Film School. 61

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We so often encountered situations when the (primarily male) filmmaking students wrote films that required the full nudity of the (primarily female) acting students. This seemed like such a thinly veiled attempt for them to peek at their classmates. The school put their foot down on the requirement, but now all film schools have better resources to consult on the subject. A book which I quote from and highly recommend to film schools and to all interested parties is John Bucher’s A Best Practice Guide to Sex and Storytelling (Routledge, 2018).

Scenes of intimacy In this chapter, I have published the ICDN guidelines in full, which are adapted from the UK Directors Guidelines, developed by Intimacy Coordinator, Ita O’Brien. I also quote generously from the TIME’S UP (The TIME’S UP Guide to Working in Entertainment, https://www.timesupuk.org/find-help/guides/) and SAG (Screen Actors Guild) guidelines. Everyone has different boundaries. Kissing, for example, has been performed onscreen regularly since the first onscreen kiss that took place in 1895, the “Serpentine Dance” scene at the Chicago World’s Fair. Most actors will accept performed kissing as part of their job, but not all. There is one actor I know who regularly turns down work because of his religion. He is an orthodox Muslim and he will not perform a love scene, even a fully clothed one, if it includes kissing. This is something that every actor must assess about themself. The TIME’S UP guidelines urge actors to have an honest discussion with themselves about what their boundaries are. If you consent to kissing, for example, then what kind of kissing? Here is a list of sexual acts that an actor might be expected to simulate: ●

kissing

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French kissing

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simulated foreplay

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simulated intercourse

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simulated acts of BDSM (bondage)

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simulated oral sex (giving, and/or receiving)

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all of the above either with oneself, someone of the same sex, different sex, or with many people.

Each performer should evaluate where their boundaries are on this spectrum. Rarely are actors required to simulate sex in an audition. More often, you may have a scene which requires a kiss or some lesser act of intimacy. A

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question that actors often ask is “What do I do if there is a kiss in my audition scene?” The answer is to indicate the kiss in some way. Usually, a kiss would bring about a transition in the scene. So perhaps the actor would take a breath, and emote the change of emotion in their eyes, for example. Or I have seen actors in self-tapes actually kiss their scene partner, who is presumably someone they know who has given their consent. I often say in my classes, “Well, don’t kiss the casting director.” In one class, when we were discussing this topic, two actors swore to me that there was a particular casting director who was encouraging them to play the intimacy actively with her. The scene’s stage direction was to touch the other character’s breast, and this casting director was saying, “Yes, go ahead. You can touch my breast.” (This was not a CSA casting director by the way!) We all laughed about this, and how unusual it was. Obviously, the actors might not feel comfortable with this, even if she did, it wasn’t a professional request. A casting director colleague of mine also reported a situation in which she caught another male casting director (again, not a professional association member) urging the pretty young female actors to make out with him in the scene. My colleague reported this, and he was fired. So we’ve established that you shouldn’t kiss the casting director. As an aside, you shouldn’t hit them either. Casting directors have actually been hospitalized because of passionate actors accidentally hitting them in violent scenes. (Not kidding!) I think the most professional response in both cases would have been for them to say something like, “Well, shall we call an intimacy coordinator in to choreograph it?” There was a time when directors might instruct actors performing an intimate scene to just “go at it” or “improvise it naturally.” It is no less crazy than asking actors performing a sword fight to just “go for it.” Anyone who has studied stage combat knows that scenes must be carefully coordinated and planned in advance. The best fight scenes require extreme concentration and cooperation, not real fighting. It reminds me of a time when I was working on a Jackie Chan film, and the director’s inexperienced young assistant called and asked me to instruct the actors auditioning as guards to “do a sword fight” in the audition. Shocked at this unorthodox request, I asked him, “Will production provide a stunt coordinator to choreograph it?” “Just have them fight with sticks,” he suggested. “Really? In a Jackie Chan film, you want them to just improvise a scene fighting with sticks?” I asked incredulously. “Um . . . let me call you back,” he said. (He didn’t.) It’s no different with a scene of intimacy, which is why we now have the position of the Intimacy Coordinator, who, like a choreographer, stages the scene step by step like a dance. It is not less important for a scene of intimacy to be mapped out when it involves such vulnerability on the part of the actors, in the same way, as you don’t want actors to get hurt in a stunt sequence.

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First, if there is a scene involving intimacy at the audition, this should be clearly stated in advance. It wouldn’t be OK for a casting director to pop this on you at an audition. The UK Directors’ Guild Best Practice Guidelines recognize that “by their nature, auditions are based on a power imbalance. Some performers can feel obligated to agree to uncomfortable requests to get a job.” This is why they drew up the following Best Practice Guidelines. If you have a callback with another actor, a “chemistry read,” and there is kissing involved, ask to take a moment and work out the moves with the other actor. Ask for specific agreement and consent with your scene partner for the stage directions in advance so that everyone feels comfortable. The casting director, or whoever is in charge of the casting, should orchestrate this, but if it seems like this is not happening, you must request that a specific process of agreement and consent happens. It might sound obvious, but the first step is the agreement to touch. You shouldn’t feel awkward saying no to anything because, as Intimacy Coordinator Ita O’Brien reminds us, “Know that your ‘no’ is a gift. And when you give a really clear ‘no,’ it means that the other actors can trust your yes, and they are free to be able to work absolutely freely and openly within the areas that you have said yes to.” At time of writing, it’s not yet standard practice to bring in an Intimacy Coordinator at an audition, but hopefully this will become common practice when it is appropriate, and I would advise requesting one. Here is a section from the UK Directors’ Guild Best Practice Guidelines regarding simulated sex at an audition, please consult the UK Director’s Guild website, as guidelines may be periodically updated: ●

There’s no need to use scenes of sex or violence to reveal character in first auditions. If this material is used, there should be no physical contact between performers and a stunt [intimacy] coordinator should supervise the handling of simulated violence.

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If callbacks require sex scenes, these should be done fully clothed and should be planned collaboratively with performers beforehand.

Here are some excerpts from the TIME’S UP guidelines to preparing an audition for Intimate scenes (TIME’S UP, founded by Hollywood celebrities, is a movement against sexual harassment. TIME’S UP raised money for its legal defense fund, and gathered volunteer lawyers to serve those in need.) However, sometimes during recalls, when it’s indicated in the script, performers may be asked to perform intimate acts, such as kissing or partial nudity. Note that “nudity” for this purpose is not total nudity; the

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performer must at minimum wear a “modesty garment”, eg a bikini for women and swimming trunks for men. If intimacy is required of any kind, best practice would be to have an Intimacy Coordinator present. If you have been asked to be involved in a recall that involves physical touching or partial nudity, know that you have rights, and a discussion of consent and boundaries is appropriate. Also, there are ways in which you can prepare, for example by following the Intimacy on Set Guidelines regarding auditions. (Note that our advice below is also relevant for film, TV and photo shoots.) Before you arrive at the recall: 1

Confirm the extent of intimacy or nudity requested (including costume) is in the script and therefore relevant to the role.

2

Evaluate your boundaries and consent.

3

Communicate those boundaries in writing, if possible, to the person requesting the audition, through your agent if you have one, or via email to your contact at the casting office. If you have representation, or if you take a person with you for support, tell them your boundaries so they can advocate for you, if necessary. So an example could be. “Dear Casting Director, I understand that according to the scene, kissing is required. I consent to closed mouth kissing.”

The TIME’S UP and SAG guidelines also encourage you to confirm the following: ●

If the audition is being recorded, who do you want to have access to the tape?

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Then, communicate your boundaries with the casting director. You can also make a written agreement that states:

Information from TIME’S UP: 1

The actor to sign a written agreement with the casting director that any recording of a nude or semi-nude audition will be confidential.

2

The actor may be asked to audition in specific clothing (eg. swimwear) required for a commercial, but will be informed in advance.

3

If an actor is semi-nude in a recall, they may bring a support person to be with them throughout the shoot.

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4

The only other people allowed to be present in the audition room will be the casting director and/or director/producer, and the reader.

You should not be asked to perform intimacy semi-nude in any audition. ●

If a scene with intimacy, or semi-nudity, is asked for in a second/final audition, it must conducted in a closed audition room.

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You have a right to know in advance who will be in the room.

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If an audition is recorded, request to draw up a contract stating that, once the role is cast, the recorded audition content is to be destroyed.

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You can create this agreement yourself and send it in advance.

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Next, make sure the casting director has agreed to your terms about what you will and won’t do before you arrive at the chemistry read. If you have representation, and/or if you take a person with you for support, tell them your boundaries so they can advocate for you, if necessary.

Nudity and intimacy guidelines are meant to prevent the exploitation of the actor. I heard actor, Emily Meade comment in an interview; “I was hired to play an exploited porn star (n TV series The Deuce) not to be one.

Your body is your own You have the right to determine what nudity and intimate acts, if any, you will engage in during a recall audition. Be upfront, proactive, and advocate for yourself. Never assume others will take care of your boundaries. Create and communicate them, and, if they are compromised, you can stop immediately. TIME’S UP guidelines

Considerations regarding nudity Anyone who watches TV will notice that programs, depending on the network, are getting increasingly bold about exposing a character’s body. Nudity or partial nudity may be asked of you at some point in your career, so it’s worth considering this even before it comes up. Are you comfortable with partial nudity, full nudity, and under what circumstances?

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When it comes to casting, the first requirement of production and the casting director is to clearly communicate in advance what the parameters of the script are, so you should be heading into the audition knowing if the role requires nudity or scenes of intimacy. The casting director should do this to the best of their knowledge because, as in any creative process, the script is constantly evolving and under edit. On Breakdown Services in the United States for example, when casting directors release a breakdown, there is a box they must tick, specifically regarding this. We need to sign off in advance that there is no nudity (or there is) so the actor is well advised. I can say perhaps not all casting directors mention if a role requires kissing, since it’s so often performed. Therefore, if kissing is something that you are not willing to do, then you should flag this to your agent and have them ask on your behalf always. Another item that might not be mentioned is semi-nudity for men. Since so many men (in Western culture at least) feel comfortable in public without a shirt on, this might be missed. Although production should be sensitive about people’s values from all cultures, sometimes they are not. Therefore if you are a man who does not like to appear topless, let this be known in advance. Regarding nudity in an audition setting, please see the following guidelines: Here I am covering guidelines for English-speaking countries. The UK Directors guidelines stipulate that “[Casting directors must]. ●

Performers should never be asked to self-tape or photograph themselves nude or semi-nude.

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Performers should never be asked to tape or photograph sexual acts, whether simulated or real, kissing included.

No full nudity is ever necessary in an audition or callback. Never in-person, never online, never in a self-tape. If someone asks you to do this for an audition, you should doubt their legitimacy. The ICDN, CSA, and CDG have actively discovered and reported imposters pretending to be casting directors. It was shameful what these perverts were getting away with, demanding intimate connect for their own enjoyment or to sell. The increasingly explicit nature of material in mainstream TV and film can present very dicey situations for casting directors. I once worked on a TV series in which there were many scenes involving prostitutes, and whole dialogues took place during simulated sex. For one scene, we had no time to interview actors personally, and therefore had to request self-tapes. I felt like there was no elegant way for actors to self-tape for this sex scene, so instead I asked to improvise a scene seducing a john as an alternative. If you feel like the nature of the scene is too explicit for you to do without the support of an

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intimacy coordinator, then ask for or suggest an alternative. Stipulate that you are willing to perform the scene if properly choreographed. In the United States, SAG-AFTRA dictate the following nudity guidelines: The Producer’s representative [most likely the casting director] will notify the performer (or his representative) of any nudity or sex acts expected in the role (if known by management at the time) prior to the first interview or audition. The performer shall also have prior notification of any interview or audition requiring nudity and shall have the absolute right to have a person of the performer’s choice present at that audition. Total nudity shall not be required at such auditions or interviews; the performer shall be permitted to wear “pasties” and a G-string or its equivalent. This clause is slightly confusing because if they don’t have to appear nude, for what reason would they need pasties etc.? Some interpret that the pasties would mean the actor is not nude, since the nipples are covered. Or it could mean that if you voluntarily decide to appear nude, or nearly nude, you have the right to wear a G-string or the like.

Audition conditions and location Another significant guideline that was added to the SAG rules in the post #MeToo era was focused on audition location. The TIME’S UP guidelines read as follows, and this is corroborated by the UK and Directors Guidelines as well as the ICDN: Audition location No matter your union status, you can say “no” to a casting if the location makes you uncomfortable. SAG-AFTRA opposes auditions, interviews, and similar professional meetings from taking place in private hotel rooms or at private residences. These are high-risk locations, and you don’t have to agree to meet in them. If you are a SAG-AFTRA member, you can file a complaint with SAGAFTRA if employers are hosting casting meetings in these locations by calling 855-SAG-AFTRA / 855-724-2387 and press 1. In the case that a caster or director insists on meeting in their home or a hotel room, TIME’S UP suggests to: Be cautious of auditions taking place at a private residence or an individual hotel room, or taking place at night. If possible, propose a neutral location

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that won’t compromise your safety, for example, at an office during work hours. Alternatively, take a friend with you to the audition. It may be a red flag if someone running the audition asks you to go to another location with them. All of the guidelines recommend that you have a “support peer” with you during an audition in a private home or hotel room. This person should be able to see and get to you at all times during the audition. This clause, that you bring a peer, implies that that is the best way to cover yourself if you do agree to meet in a hotel room. Let me say on a personal note that I know it sounds crazy that a job interview ever could take place in a hotel room or personal home to begin with. I have to admit, however, that before these guidelines, I held auditions in hotel rooms and even at my home. In the case of hotel rooms, this was usually because I was visiting another city, so I hired a room for auditions, but there always seemed to be at least one actor who couldn’t come during the scheduled time. Regarding auditions in private residences, it’s the same thing. I do know casting directors who regularly hold auditions in their homes, and I’ve done it on occasion; again, it might have been a last-minute request to re-cast a role with no way to see an actor except in my kitchen, or otherwise not at all. This generally happened, although before self-taping was so easily accomplished. If it happened today, it would be more typical to ask an actor to self-tape or audition virtually somehow. In short, I support the new guidelines since they are meant to protect actors from sleazy activities, but keep in mind that, sadly, sleazy activities could happen in any room. If your gut is telling you that the situation is unsavoury, bring a peer with you anyway . . . to a hotel room or to any room. That is always a good idea, especially if you are young or new to the business. In the ICDN Best Practice Guidelines, which were proposed by yours truly, we have stipulated that if the casting takes place at a private residence, that the audition space should be clearly delineated from the private space.

More about callbacks, and chemistry reads “Come back sexier.” Although I don’t recall ever giving this note “to come back sexier,” apparently actors hear it. Actually, I am more likely to advise actors the opposite way. Dressing too sexily for a role when it’s not appropriate can actually distract from your performance. In my first book, Italian casting director, Beatrice Kruger notes how Italian actresses habitually dress sexy for auditions and

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some foreign directors might interpret this as desperation. On the other hand, there are times when the whole point of a particular character is that they are sexed up in a certain way. For example, I had to cast a role that was meant to have artificially large breasts, otherwise the joke in the scene didn’t work. Yes, there are those times, and if you don’t feel comfortable, don’t do it. In any case, TIME’S UP specifies advice for this “come back sexier” note: If you are pressured to compromise your own boundaries (eg take off your top when you’ve made it clear you aren’t comfortable doing so), consider asking if they can explain why it is necessary for the role. It is appropriate for a casting professional or person requesting the audition to ask for a different wardrobe, hairstyle or makeup application if related to the role. However, these requests can cross a line; it may indicate that inappropriate behaviour will be tolerated on set. If you feel that the culture of a production won’t align with your values or support your creativity, you do not have to place yourself in that environment. Depending on the reason for the request, it may indicate that inappropriate behavior will be tolerated on set. If you feel that the culture of a production won’t comport with your values or support your creativity, you do not have to place yourself in that environment.

Once you are offered a role involving sex and nudity, should you take it? The most important consideration is to decide if the nudity and/or scene of intimacy is absolutely vital to the storytelling. At the heart of our journey as artists, and that means all of us—actors, filmmakers, casting directors, etc.— is the need to tell a story. We feel passionately about the plots we want to share with the world. A central question is what story am I telling in this film and is it important? If yes, then is this scene and my baring myself physically crucial to the story? Or is it just for titillation value? Is it gratuitous, or does it make the character’s journey more poignant? When evaluating any scene, the actor needs to consider what the objective is? The objective of the actor should not be “to do a sex scene” but to communicate the story. Why are you intimate with that person? To dominate them, to show them you love them? And, further, what is the purpose of the scene within the narrative? Does it bring the plot to an emotional climax? Does it expose something important about the character and their relationships?

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If it is important to the story, then consider your own attitudes towards nudity and how you’ll feel about performing the scene. If you are very modest about baring your own body, then consider what screen and costumes tricks can be used to make you feel more comfortable. For men, there are dildos, modesty socks for the genitalia, and barriers. For women, there are modesty patches, and merkins (genital wigs), essentially that cover up your actual parts, and give you a fake (and usually a flattering) one. In some cases, body doubles could substitute, and in a SAG contract you would approve your body double. Know that body doubles do present financial and technical burdens on production, however, and may not always be granted. Unfortunately, it is often only “moneyed” names who are granted this option. According to SAG rules, “an actor has the right to approve their body double if they have opted out of doing nudity with the initial contract. They waive this right, however, if they agree to the nudity in the initial agreement but change their mind on-set.” As well as approving the nudity, and its place in the story, you must also feel comfortable with the team you will be working with. The director is important, but also the Assistant Director plays a significant part in looking after the actors. Assistant Director, Korey Pollard, who worked on the Deadwood series, for example, said in Bucher’s book, “I was responsible for making sure that women that were playing whores were not treated as whores.” It would likely be the Assistant Director’s job, along with the costumer’s, for instance, to make sure there is a robe under the bed for you. Check in and make sure you can rely on the team. The cinematographer would also play a crucial role in the shaping of the scene and in making you look good. The lighting grip is also going to be your friend (or enemy as the case may be), so ask questions about how the scene will be lit. Naturally, your scene partner and your rapport with them will be crucial as well. Emilia Clarke, for example, mentioned in an interview that her scene partner Jason Momoa was the person who she felt looked after her the most when she exposed herself as a young actor (her first job out of drama school) in Game of Thrones. It was he who cried out for a robe for her between scenes (Armchair Expert podcast). Meet with the director and be absolutely clear about what the scene will involve. Ask them for a storyboard, for example, to see exactly how they intend to shoot the scene. Ask them if there can please be a qualified Intimacy Coordinator. Ask the director what their plans are for rehearsal. The more rehearsal, the more you will feel comfortable because you’ll have the opportunity to review the process of agree and consent. Communication in advance is the most important ingredient to success in these scenes. Confirm that, as per SAG and Equity regulations, there will be a closed set on the day of your shoot. This means that only minimal essential crew is there, and no one else can enter. Talk with the Assistant Director, the Costume Department,

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and the Intimacy Coordinator to make sure you have all the support props you need. A barrier may be used between you and the other actors if you’re lying on top of each other, for example. Figure out in advance who can be your support person on set, whether it be your agent, coach, or close friend. Make sure that the peer you bring has read your nudity rider and therefore knows if production is breaking the agreement or can observe if you are being pressured into something you don’t want to do. Sadly there are way too many stories about actors new to the industry who were pressured into stripping down when they weren’t ready, but felt that they had no choice—Emilia Clarke, for example, who was given the Game of Thrones scripts only after she accepted the now-famous role of Khaleesi. I took the job and then they sent me the pilots scripts . . . and I was reading them and . . . it was like “Ohhhh there’s the catch; oooooookay alright,” . . . but I came fresh from drama school and was like approach this as a job. If it’s in the script then it’s clearly needed then . . . and I’m gonna make sense of it and it’s my job and that’s what I’m gonna do and everything’s gonna be cool. Note that this was years before the #MeToo movement, but according to today’s guidelines, she would need to be both informed of the nudity before the audition and be given the scripts before the recall. When she got to set, she thought, “no this isn’t cool,” and she felt unprepared, unsupported, and needlessly exploited. She had only been on a film set twice before and she was green to the process. She noted that “regardless of whether there’d been nudity or not I would have spent that first season thinking I’m not worthy of requiring . . . anything at all,” and she confessed that she spent a lot of time crying in the bathroom. As the seasons progressed and her character gained more status, fortunately, she came into her own as an actor, and while she confessed that in the first season she barely understood what she was signing in the nudity rider, by the end she noted: “I’m a lot more savvy about what I’m comfortable with and what I’m okay with doing like I’ve had fights on set . . . where I’m like no! and [the feedback she got from the powers that be would say] ‘you don’t want to disappoint your GoT fans’ and I’m like ‘fuck you!’” (Armchair Expert podcast). A more positive and proactive example of an actor accepting a role with these requirements is Danish actor Victoria Carmen Sonne, who starred in the film Holiday, directed by Isabelle Eklöf. Victoria let me interview her for this chapter. When Victoria was cast, she took careful consideration of her participation in simulated sex and nudity. While in Denmark at the time, there was no legal or contractual requirement for a nudity rider, she felt that the

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scene and requirements were made clear to her from the beginning. Holiday is about Danish gangsters vacationing on the Turkish Riviera, and Victoria played Sascha, the lover of the gang’s drug kingpin, Michael (Lai Yde). Holiday is a disturbing portrait of a woman ensnared by a vicious master, with whom, through a series of humiliations, she becomes complicit in cruelty. Victoria agreed to simulate a graphic rape scene because “if we just made a little hint that there could be rape involved, . . . then the audience actually wouldn’t get it, especially since it’s with her boyfriend.” She understood that the audience needed to see raw brutality. “We had to somehow make it so graphic that no one would sit and wonder if it was really rape.” Film is a voyeuristic medium. The audience needs to see the event take place visually, not just hear it spoken about. Holiday impacted me strongly when I saw it premiere at the Sundance Festival, and the rape scene was the axis on which the plot turned, and Victoria’s character evolved in it. This shift was lauded by critics. For example the Guardian noted: “There’s a sickly inevitability in the build of violent tension. But what’s more unexpected is how, having chosen her path in the most savage way imaginable, Sascha’s status within the gang subtly shifts” (https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/aug/04/holiday-reviewisabella-eklof-unflinching-debut-drug-dealer). Critics from The Curb noted: Where other films that depict the violent act of rape, there has been a purposeful illusion to the act, with no penetration or genitals in view. Holiday pushes the reality and brutality of rape into the spotlight, with actress Victoria Carmen Sonne being required to simulate the act entirely, being required to go so far as to simulate choking on a prosthetic penis. The Curb I mention the critic’s reaction only to demonstrate that the scene and its successful orchestration was crucial to the success of the film, and Victoria had good instincts about that. What’s especially important in the scene is that it depicts rape among people already in a relationship, and we’ve seen Michael stroking Sascha tenderly earlier in the film. The scene starts consensually, but erupts into vivid brutality, man over woman. It was so well executed that I thought certainly they must have cast porn actors to actually do it. But no, it was skillfully orchestrated. “We had a special effects guy with a little sperm pump in his hands standing behind Lai to make it look like he was ejaculating on my face, and we had to edit him out of the scene later,” said Victoria. Although there was no Intimacy Coordinator on set, she said that the scene was precisely choreographed so that they felt free to improvise within the transparently set forth structure:

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We had very clear choreography but within the scene there was still some . . . moving space and liberty . . . sometimes Lai would maybe hit me twice and sometimes three times and in some takes I would fight a bit more so I think that’s the interesting part—how you can maintain space for acting and reactions within this very, very well structured choreography. Victoria needed to trust the director and the team. Isabelle Eklöf was clear and articulate about her reasons for depicting the action so graphically. In a director’s statement, Eklöf noted, “I always aim to be ruthless in telling a story . . . to not look away from the rawest, most vulnerable parts” (https://www. theguardian.com/film/2019/aug/04/holiday-review-isabella-eklof-unflinchingdebut-drug-dealer). All of us handle our own genitals every single day and the lucky ones someone else’s too. Why on earth should that be such a big secret? I think that, as with everything else, sweeping things under the carpet is ultimately destructive emotionally and, as it follows, physically. Concerning the violence, this is very much about what the core of the #MeToo-movement is about. We have to open our eyes wide to what is going on for a fucking lot of people and not dismiss it as a female issue (that’s only 50% of everyone) or something too scary, vulgar or unappetising to speak about. ISABELLE EKL Ö F, in an interview with Close-up Culture Victoria’s choice to commit to the scene fully was warranted because it embellished the storytelling. It made the film work. Does this mean that one should always commit to participating in a brutal and graphic rape scene? Certainly not. When I asked her if she was comfortable with the nudity she said, I felt really safe about doing pretty much anything . . . because I was super engaged in the project and I didn’t really see how we could make the scene without me being naked, but then like in other instances, I’d turned down projects because I thought why the fuck is she naked here? But then again I’ve always tried to make sure that I had that core safety feeling when I was engaged with other filmmakers, when nudity wasn’t involved as well. I asked Victoria what her advice to other actors would be when they are confronted with these types of requirements: Listen to your gut . . . If you have any sort of anxiety or a little voice somewhere deep in the back of your mind wondering if this is okay then pay attention because then there’s probably something you need to change. At least communicate and it might just be a tiny detail but it’s super

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important to follow that voice even though it means that you are a mood killer, or you slow down the process, or you might not get invited to another casting. At the end of the day it’s not important and if it’s not right for you they will give the role to someone else anyway. But it’s worth it to check in.

Additional considerations about nudity Once you’ve decided that the scene is essential, consider how you’ll feel about the world seeing you without clothes on. Attitudes vary from culture to culture and family to family. For some people, their religion very explicitly forbids it and for them there is a clear line. When we posted for the role of a stripper, we were surprised to see that an agent had suggested her client wearing a full hijab for the role. “Another funny example of agents not reading the role description,” we laughed. If she wasn’t comfortable showing her hair in public, we doubted she’d go for the Full Monty. Even if you feel comfortable with nudity, know that the world and social media can be cruel. Even the beautiful Emilia Clarke notes this: “I don’t google myself. I’m very glad I learnt it very early and I don’t look at anything at all ever ever ever . . . because when I did after Season One, I just saw the articles about how fat my ass was, and why would a girl do this bla bla bla” (Armchair Expert podcast). In my last book, I discussed how when we auditioned actors for the role of Spartacus in the Starz series, it was a requirement for actors to audition topless since the character would be without a shirt in essentially every scene. Otherwise, it would not be normal for a man to be asked to take his shirt off at an audition. On more than one occasion, however, I’ve met men who have volunteered to remove their shirt. Once, when we were auditioning a stunt role, with no requirement of toplessness whatsoever, one actor asked, “Ok do you want me to do it with my shirt on or off?” We never quite understood why he asked that. This then became a joke in my office. My assistant would say, “Do you want coffee? Shall I get it for you with my shirt on or off?” Indeed, some actors (some people that is) enjoy nudity, and have no problem with it on or off set. Although Equity and SAG require closed sets with minimum crew members for nude scenes, some actors feel no reason for this since they figure the whole viewing audience will see them anyway. This ironically may be received with discomfort from the crew. Culture can play a role in that too. In Germany and the Scandinavian countries, for example, spa and sauna culture encourages and permits nudism, so actors from those countries might have a more relaxed attitude. Topless sunbathing is also the norm in many countries. German Intimacy Coordinator, Julia Effertz, assured me however, that this is not always the case. There have been many past

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instances of abuse or discomfort in Germany. She also told me about a German director who attempted to level the playing field, so to speak, by asking the entire crew to work in the nude themselves while filming a nude scene! We’re not sure how that went, but suffice it to say I don’t see that becoming common practice. When I was working with director Peter Greenaway, he explicitly told each actor who came through the door, “I need your heart, your soul, your mind and your prick.” While most directors are not so direct, at least he was fair in stating the full-frontal requirements of the role. One actor, without being asked to, stripped down to his birthday suit in the audition in the middle of a monologue, completely out of context (I was kind of thinking “Please put your clothes back on!”), and for some crew members, they’re feeling more uncomfortable than the naked actors. I’m sure this act was just him letting us know that he wanted to play the role, and felt comfortable with nudity. Let it be said, though, that as per the above guidelines, nudity should never be an audition requirement; or if it is justified, then, as noted earlier, it should be clearly communicated in advance. German actor Veronika Nowag-Jones, who performed non-sexualized fullfrontal nudity in the Amazon TV series Hunters, said that as a Strasberg trained actor, she wouldn’t dream of appearing in the role any other way. She played a German scientist who developed the poison gas that killed millions of Jews in showers during the holocaust. In the episode, the Nazi hunters murder her with her own venom, as she steps into the shower thirty years later. “How could I possibly do this scene without being naked?” she asked. One takes a shower naked of course and, as a viewer, the scene had a tremendous impact on me—seeing this character so vulnerable and naked, just as the innocent women and children were in the holocaust. You wanted to see this evil Nazi naked, vulnerable, and choking to death on her own evil potion. “I don’t have such a great body anymore,” Veronika told me, “I used to, but fuck it! We are as actors naked all the time. Otherwise you couldn’t do this profession.” Veronika’s experience is that Americans are more respectful on set in these situations than in Europe and she felt coddled almost to a ridiculous degree. She was assigned a psychologist to look after her and was offered fake nipples, which she found ridiculous. Her friends joked with her that she should take them because they wanted to see what a fake nipple looked like. She had no problem as the set was closed, monitors were off, and someone always offered her a robe after “cut.” “They drove me a bit crazy,” she said, “all of these young people who couldn’t understand why this old lady goes naked in front of the camera. It was too much. Until I said, ‘come on guys leave me alone.’” Veronika did not know that she had to appear naked until the callback, but being a method actor who had starved herself for forty-two days to play the role of the hunger artist in a Kafka play when she was younger, had no problem

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with the nudity since it was a necessary condition of the role. Her agent had not been informed about the nudity, as best practice models dictate, but as soon as she found out, she negotiated a better fee and Veronika felt that she was adequately compensated. In any case, it’s a question that you will want to ask yourself when deciding to take the role. How will I feel if/when the world and my family sees the scene and what kinds of discussions might I have with them in advance?

When does nudity feel right? And when does it feel wrong? Film is a realistic medium. It’s about pulling the audience into the interior life of the character, which could mean exposing them in intimate moments. Over the years, filmmakers have invited us into more and more intimacies. It’s gone from not showing people, even married couples, in the same bed— the first married couple (who were not married offscreen) portrayed in one bed on American TV was in Bewitched in 1964—to today’s series, wherein non-married people have full-on sex exposing nudity. We see people showering, or even sitting on the toilet. If we are inviting the audience into the interiority of the character, nude scenes may feel right.

Considerations for women Female characters have suffered much abuse in art and entertainment over the centuries. Historically women who had sex in films were portrayed as victims or sluts; they got slashed first in horror movies, and the camera lingered longer on the death and torture of female characters. If a girl was raped, it was her fault because she was asking for it. Women who fornicated were punished as sluts or morally corrupt. It’s understandable that a female actor would want to really consider her choices carefully. Anyone who has watched film and TV over the years will undoubtedly notice that there is a huge disparity in the amount of flesh shown by men and by women. We all know that women show more. There is a very long-standing tradition in representation wherein women are classically placed in the “object position.” Women are the ones who are being gazed at. The camera lingers on the woman’s body, fetishizes it, consumes it, ogles it. This predates film. I remember wanderin through art museums as a little girl, flummoxed by paintings such as Manet’s “The Picnic,” where a naked woman sits with two fully clothed men, as if that is the most normal thing in the world.

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As someone educated in feminist theory, I hear voices screaming out against female nudity. The camera classically acts as the conduit for male pleasure, with the woman in the “to-be-looked at” position, which is so ubiquitous that we don’t even question it. We have all, as viewers, internalized and accepted that we are to gaze upon the female form (even if we are a heterosexual woman.) There is a word for this: “scopophilia,” which means pleasure derived from looking at someone without clothes on, or someone engaged in sexual activity. Both the character of Norman Bates and the audience derive pleasure when he spies through the chink in the wall onto the showering Marion in Hitchcock’s Psycho. In film, scopophilia is so aligned with the male heterosexual gaze upon the female body that we have internalized and accepted it as normal. Why should women always be the naked ones, the vulnerable ones on screen? We should question this. Ruth Wilson claims that she was asked to appear nude more often than her co-star, and cites it as one of the reasons for her departure from the TV series, The Affair. If you are a woman, sharing the screen with a man, ask this question: Will my male co-star expose as much flesh as I will? Research at USC showed that 25.6 percent of female characters in top-grossing films in the year 2006, for example, were depicted either heavily exposed, partially nude, or nude as compared with 9.2 percent of men. These figures were consistent up until 2016. There are cogent arguments, however, for when showing skin would be appropriate and help the story. As noted, film is a realistic medium, which can mean showing intimate moments. If the scene is hacked up too much, obviously flipping the camera in an unnatural way so as to protect private parts, this choice suspends the believability of the scene. To show people having sex with clothes on can pull the viewer out of the story since it’s unrealistic. Nudity could be the right choice in instances when the whole point of the scene is to show the character’s vulnerability. A naked body is indeed vulnerable. Nicole Kidman notes, for example, that although it was very hard for her the nudity was important in Big Little Lies. “I’m here to tell the story and to be true to the art, not to bring my own problems in terms of what I feel comfortable with, not comfortable with,” she told W Magazine. I felt very exposed and vulnerable and deeply humiliated at times. I mean, I remember lying on the floor in the bathroom at the very end when we were doing the scenes in episode 7, and I was lying on the floor and I just wouldn’t get up in-between takes. I was just lying there, sort of broken and crying, and I remember at one point Jean-Marc coming over and just sort of placing a towel over me because I was just lying there in half-torn underwear and just basically on the ground with nothing on and I was just, like [gasps]. But at times I would have flashes of images of women that

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have gone through this and I’m like, “This is authentic, this is the truth and this is what I have to do, and it would just come through like that.” But it was beautifully written, I have to say, and Jean-Marc is an exquisite director because he was able to modulate it and allow it to be and to grow and see and then sort of paste it together, you know. NICOLE KIDMAN, in an interview with W Magazine Other female actors, however, have firmly put their foot down and said no. Rebel Wilson has a strict no-nudity clause—but that doesn’t mean people in Hollywood don’t try to get around it. “[Filming ‘The Brothers Grimsby’], they wanted full-frontal nudity,” Wilson told Marie Claire UK in 2016. “We write in the contract, specifically, ‘No nudity.’” So, the production hired a nude double. The pressure didn’t stop there, however. “They got in another girl—this larger burlesque dancer from South Africa—to be a nude double,” Wilson told the magazine. “And they got her to do all this stuff . . . Sacha [Baron Cohen] would go, ‘See, she looks good.’ I’m like, ‘I’m not doing it. I don’t care what you say.’” Interview with: She Knows

Naked vs. nude Nudity is a Costume; it’s part of the character and story. JULIA EFFERTZ, Intimacy Coordinator

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y friend Karen LaMonte, who is a world-class sculptor, invited me to pose for her and, flattered, I consented. As I sat in her studio, I said “So you know everything about me, now that you’ve seen me naked.” “But you’re not naked,” she said, “you’re nude.”

What’s the difference between naked and nude? Both are synonyms for a person without clothing on. Art historian Kenneth Clark first noted a distinction in his 1956 book, The Nude. A naked body is embarrassed, possibly ashamed, defenseless but definitely vulnerable. A nude is a confident, artfully displayed body, undressed by choice. Historically in artwork, a male nude projects power, while a female denotes sexuality. A naked body on screen is often exposed, specifically to project the vulnerability of the character. Actors feel vulnerable anyway. In sharing their

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soul and their body with the audience they are baring themselves, but women are more often the subject of an aggressive and voyeuristic male gaze. Emilia Clarke discussed how intimidating it felt being under the gaze of people you’ll never meet, people you’ll never know . . . when you are doing theater you get it instantly . . . you do the show . . . and you see all of their eyes . . . you get an immediate end to that transaction whereas when you’re doing film you . . . have a relationship with this camera and I have no idea how many people there are but there are so many gazes behind that lens looking at me that I’ll never be able to get what that is and that’s fucking confusing when you’re a young girl. EMILIA CLARKE, Armchair Expert podcast Some actors successfully subvert this, and a notable example is Lena Dunham, the creator, producer, director, and actor in the TV series Girls. I would argue that Lena is not naked in any of her scenes. She is nude. She uses her body, her imperfect (according to patriarchal standards) body as an instrument to confront and challenge our assumptions about women in the object position. She is in the subject position, demanding that her partner brings her to orgasm. Girls is inhabited by female characters who want to have sex. They are not in the object position, nor are they portrayed as victims or as morally corrupt. They’re pursuing sex and enjoying it, but they’re not “sluts” for seeking pleasure. They’re human beings with all of the longings that we have as a species. “Dunham’s body rebels against pervasive long-lasting American media conventions,” argues Jocelyn Bailey in her essay “The Body Police,” “Girls’ depictions of the female body as an unruly, uncontained, and dominant space celebrate women’s subjectivity.” Girls is rampant with the female body. The girls talk about menstruation, sex, and vaginal discharge. They demystify women by showing them on the toilet discussing the harsh reality of urinary tract infections. Critics attack Dunham for her nudity, her “offensive” unclothed body. One male critic at a film festival noted that while he understood the need for nudity in Games of Thrones, where it’s there for titillation (i.e., the girls in GoT are “hot,” like Emilia Clarke) why would Lena Dunham, on the other hand, need to be naked so much? “It’s a realistic expression of what it’s like to be alive,” answered Dunham. She celebrates her body, and promotes self-love, among her fan base. Her body does not adhere to the patriarchy’s ideal of beauty, but she accepts herself. Dunham’s body is the body of an “everywoman.” She is not model perfect. She posts herself nude on Instagram, challenging her following; “Any negativity that comes your way is just an excuse to love yourself even more, right? Comment below with a reason you love yourself.”

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Another courageous female actor, with an unconventionally beautiful body, is Viola Davis, who consciously took up the subject position in How to Get Away with Murder. “I’m not a woman who’s a size two,” Davis said. “If I’m in a sex scene, I want to play the sex scene. I want to say, “This is why I’m attracted to you, it’s gotten to this point, this is what my body looks like.” . . . I saw it as an opportunity way bigger than doing good work—I saw it as an opportunity for a dark-skinned actress of 50 to be in a role that’s sexualized, not sexy,” she said. “There’s a difference between sexualized and sexy.” Variety interview Yes, even an older and larger woman can pursue and enjoy sex. She’s exposing it for the character and the plot, not to be a voyeuristic object for a male viewer. Michaela Coel even courageously shows menstrual blood in the series I May Destroy You. Therefore, appearing nude, depending on the project, does not always have to denote vulnerability, but power. Female actors, when you make your choice to appear without your clothes on, ask the question, Will I be naked or nude? When is it right to be naked and serve the story (perhaps exposing the character’s vulnerability), or when should I take the reins, be courageous, and appear nude?

2021 BAFTA TV Awards: Michaela Coel thanks intimacy directors amid growing #MeToo scandal in British TV

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ichaela Coel dedicated her BAFTA TV Award for leading actress to her I May Destroy You u intimacy coach Ita O’Brien amid a growing #MeToo scandal in the British television industry. Collecting her prize in-person, Coel said: “Thank you for your existence in our industry; for making the space safe; for creating physical, emotional, and professional boundaries so that we can make work about exploitation, loss of respect, about abuse of power without being exploited or abused in the process.” https://deadline.com/2021/06/bafta-tv-awards-michaela-coelthanks-intimacy-director-metoo-1234770171/

Considerations for men Equally, we see the pendulum leveling with more penises on screen than ever before (excuse the pun). Female director Patty Jenkins decided to expose

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Chris Pine as the vulnerable character in Wonder Woman, for example, and consequently, he showed more skin than Gal Gadot. I don’t have a penis, but those who do tell me they’re afraid of getting a hard-on at the wrong moment. This is what one actor has to say about it: I think that can happen, getting erect on set, but what the actor sees is a guy holding a boom mic that’s three feet above your face trying not to bonk you in the nose, you’ve got a camera usually right there and two other guys looking at the little monitor . . . you have people working. It’s not a real-life moment. It looks that way to the audience, but when you’re the one in the scene you’re worried about the other actor, you’re listening to the line cues, you’re trying to make sure it’s not awkward. Actor LUCAS COLEMAN, in Bucher, A Best Practice Guide to Sex and Storytelling Also know that only flaccid penises can be shown; an erect penis is not allowed to be photographed in a mainstream film because then it crosses the line into porn. So in cases when an erect penis is necessary, a dildo will be used. It would be either strapped on, or the actor’s actual member would be enclosed into a case. From my outsider’s point of view, it seems like a favorable situation for any actor since it pre-supposes that the outer casing will be larger than the original body part (just sayin’ . . .). Also note this quote from actor Michael Fassbender about working on the film Shame: [A]ll joking aside, [appearing nude and shooting a scene involving intimacy] is really uncomfortable. It is kind of a stressful thing, to be honest. Thankfully, I’ve had fantastic partners to be working with, all the female leads or even the women with smaller parts have been great. But the most important thing is to say, “Let’s talk about this.” . . . you have to say, “What lines do you have that you don’t want me to cross? . . . You let me know what boundaries you’re comfortable working within.” MICHAEL FASSBENDER, in an interview with Vulture, November 21, 2011 He’s talking about the days before Intimacy Coordinators were in common use, so he had to negotiate the agree and consent on his own. Hopefully if he were shooting this scene now, he’d rely on someone like Ita O’Brien to help oversee that process, but he makes the very good point that it all comes down to communication in advance.

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Richard Madden also made an interesting comment about male onscreen nudity regarding his work on The Bodyguard: We’re projecting a very unrealistic body image. I find myself with actor friends—after we’ve done a kind of barely eating, working-out-twice-a-day, no-carbing thing for these scenes—looking at each other going: “We’re just feeding this same shit that we’re against. I’ve done numerous jobs where you’re told to lose weight and get to the gym. It doesn’t just happen to women, it happens to men all the time as well.” RICHARD MADDEN, in an interview with Vogue, May 4, 2019 So it’s natural for men to feel just as vulnerable, exposed, and pressurized to have a perfect body as women do.

Considerations for transgender, intersex, and non-binary actors As alternative sexualities and genders are more widely accepted into the mainstream, their narrative finds a place on our screens more and more. At the time of writing, we have examples in popular TV series such as Pose, Orange Is the New Black, and Transparent. I am ebullient to see the progress that actor Alexandra Billings makes as she is one of the hallmark trans actors. When I was still acting back in the 1990s, I shared a dressing room with her in a Chicago theater, when she was performing a play about Gertrude Stein. Back then, as a transgender actor, who was HIV positive, she said it was just about getting through each week without killing herself. In Transparent, she features as lead actor where she celebrates her identity and her body by requesting a nude scene, exposing for the first time on television a full frontal view of a trans actor’s breasts and penis. “I’m not built like a model. I’m built in a very specific way, and I’m at a point now where I’m okay with my body. I like it. I don’t love it, but I like it. I’m okay with it. I’ve made peace with what I look like,” she told the Daily Beast. The show’s creator, Jill Soloway, decided that the best way to expose Alex was in an everyday way. The character gets a massage from her boyfriend, flinches, and turns over. This achieved the goal of not sexualizing or fetishizing the character. It was everyday nudity that naturalized her body. “It’s just life, living it, hanging out in your bed, getting a massage from your partner, turning over—just like life,” Soloway said.

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This was a landmark moment for non-binary actors on TV, and since then the representation of non-binary actors will only continue to blossom, hopefully allowing for the normalization of these body types. Michelle Hendley, another trans actor who appeared nude in the film Boy Meets Girl was told from the beginning that their appearance in the nude was non-negotiable. It was a scene in which they step out of a lake naked and ask their lover if they still like them. It was an important plot turning point that the audience also had to see and absorb. Trans and non-binary actors will experience all the same concerns and vulnerabilities that male and female actors do, in order to tell their stories, but the good news is that Best Practice Guidelines and Intimacy Coordinators are in place to smooth the way.

Does nudity make or break your career? As noted, many actors, including now-famous actors such as Salma Hayek, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Debra Messing have confessed that they felt pressured to appear without clothes on when they didn’t want to. One reason that actors may be lured into exposing themselves is with the false promise that it will launch their careers to stardom. There have been examples like Sharon Stone’s infamous scene in Basic Instinct and Kim Basinger in 9½ Weeks, but it is by no means a sure thing. You should only take the role if you believe in the project, but even believing in a film doesn’t make it a success. Unfortunately, I recall many projects where I loved the script and the creatives behind it, but for whatever reason, the film flopped.

Nudity riders Production should offer a nudity rider. Work with your agent (perhaps in conjunction with an entertainment lawyer) to review a comprehensive nudity rider. The nudity rider is the written consent, stating that you understand the terms. A good one will be as detailed as possible, not only stating that you understand that the scene requires nudity, but also including specifics on which body parts can be shown, from which angle, and for how long. It should also include what kind of costuming—pasties, bodysuits, etc.—the actors will be provided.

Items to include ●

That the set be closed, with no still photography or smartphone shots by crew.

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The SAG-AFTRA contract states that the actor can change their mind, even on set.

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What specific body parts are shown (i.e. pubic hair, nipples, which half of the body, frontal or dorsal).

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If script changes affect the nudity or intimate scenes, make sure you’re informed.

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Which specific nudity garments will be used.

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Stipulate that the scene be choreographed in advance and which parts of the body may be touched and for how long.

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Unused footage must be destroyed after the shoot.

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Actor approval of the final scene to approve what is shown.

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Stipulate that the scene be rehearsed.

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Use of body doubles and, if so, if actor can approve them.

Be specific with your agent and lawyer about what you are and are not comfortable with. Know that they will be the ones standing up for you if something goes wrong. Here is a sample of a general boilerplate nudity rider.

CONSENT REGARDING NUDITY SCENES Date:______________ NAME OF PRODUCTION COMPANY Re: “Name of Film”—Role: name of character Gentlepersons: I hereby confirm that you have notified me of the nude scene expected to be performed by me in the above role for which I may be engaged. Prior to receipt of the agreement for my services, I have read the screenplay for the Picture and understand the extent of the nudity required thereby (i.e. partial nudity back) and hereby consent, to render such services as may be required for the Picture. A copy of the scene requiring partial nudity is attached hereto. During any photography involving nudity, the set will be closed to anyone having no business purpose in connection with the Picture. No still photography of nudity performed by me will be taken nor any photograph of such nudity shall be made

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from film or videotape without my prior written consent. No scene in which I appear nude may be used including in advertising, trailers, or promotional material other than in connection with the Picture, which may be distributed in all media now known or hereafter devised throughout the world. No nude double for me shall be used without my consent. However, I understand that if I consent to perform such scene and later withdraw my consent, you may use a double for me in such scene and my withdrawal of consent shall not apply to any scenes already photographed. ________________ Signature of actor This should be followed by specific terms. An example might be: “Artist agrees to show one side of their breast for three seconds in a camera pan,” or “Artist will expose the right buttock cheek from the left side in low lighting.” “Artist agrees to show breast including right nipple in a pan shot with low light for no longer than three (3) seconds. No pubic hair will be shown.”

According to SAG, if you are pressured on set to go beyond what your contract stipulates, then you are allowed to call a SAG representative, but this is not always practical. Even if you are in a SAG project, you might be shooting on a location very far and in another time zone from the SAG office. This is one of the reasons why TIME’S UP stipulated the option to bring a peer. Make sure your peer has familiarized themself with the terms of your rider and perhaps has a copy with them on set. Note that although there is a clause that says you can withdraw consent, you must also be careful because even when everything was agreed in advance, a nudity rider can legally be amended after the shoot if verbal on-thespot agreement is given.

Further delineation of nudity rider Intimacy coordinators Here are the official Best Practice Guidelines, drafted by Ita O’Brien, for rehearsal and performance of scenes involving intimacy.

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How it can all go wrong. . . This happened to an actor I know, and it is only one of many true stories. She was very excited to get this role because it was her first job, for a major network TV series. Unfortunately, she was unrepresented. She had just turned 18 but, since she looked younger, she was playing a 15-year-old, who

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was being abused by her stepfather. The scene was short with no nudity mentioned, so she thought nothing of it. When she got to set, however, it became clear the scene “required” toplessness. She was endlessly reassured by every member of the production team that, because it was a network that doesn’t show nudity, nothing would be shown in the final cut. When she saw the episode aired, she was horrified. Not only was she exposed, but the camera even freeze-framed on her breasts. Because of this, she never used the material for her showreel, which was a shame because it was a good performance and her break-through role. Let’s go through this whole scenario again and review what should have happened. Although it was a major network, this was a non-union job because she was hired from a European country. This can unfortunately happen, when European actors are hired on what would otherwise be a union project; there is no protection. British actors often insist on an Equity contract when hired in Europe, but there is no overall guideline for European actors as of yet. Hopefully, this will change. Although the ICDN (International Casting Directors Network) approved Best Practice Guidelines for our auditions, we are not the police so we can only recommend guidelines. First, she should have been asked to sign a nudity rider. The nudity rider would have asked her to agree specifically to the exact nudity required, in this case, upper body and full frontal, and it should have specified how long the camera can linger, and what costume pieces she might have relied on. She didn’t have an agent at the time, but she could have asked an agent to step in as her proxy. Many agents will do this as a favor to a promising actor, who has been savvy enough to book a job on their own. She should have had the opportunity to: a)

ask what other options there were, like for example a body double, or some kind of costuming that might have covered her real breasts, pasties etc.; and

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sign a rider that would have allowed her to prepare properly, making sure she had a robe nearby, to ask questions about a closed set, to have a conversation with the director to ask how the scene would be shot, who would be on set, etc. She told me later that she might not have minded the nudity if it had been handled professionally on their part.

Given that none of these things happened, I can understand why she felt stuck. It was her first job, and she was entirely unprotected with no agent to call, and no union regulating her job. She didn’t want to appear “difficult” or hold the scene up. Here is my retroactive and (sadly useless at this point) advice. At the point when they asked her to appear topless on set without warning, they needed her to film the scene, so she actually had the upper

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hand and could have refused because it would not have been easy for them to replace her on that day. She could have insisted on a flesh-colored bikini, and said something to the effect of “OK, if you’re not going to show my breasts anyway, then we can cover them.” I realize that mustering the courage to speak up would have been a very gutsy thing for an 18-year-old to do on her first job. Production knew this and took advantage. I am upset to admit that I was the casting director on the project and wish that I could have protected her, but like her, I had no idea that it required nudity. The production should have flagged this to me from the beginning and then I would have included it in the breakdown that went out to actors and agents, and I would have made sure this was clear when actors were auditioning. Later I told her that she had recourse and it would have been within her rights to bring charges against the production, but she replied that she had a good relationship with the director and didn’t want to spoil it. So, even after this injustice, she felt intimidated to report it and this is why this kind of abuse has continued for so long. Note also that she was just barely old enough to appear nude. In most countries, it would be against the law to shoot anyone under the age of 18 without clothes on.

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n the post #MeToo era, I did a survey of all the European casting directors in our network (ICDN), and I especially appreciated the response of French casting director Nathalie Cheron, who was at the time the President of ARDA, the French Casting Directors Association. How should I start. . . In France it seems every actress (let’s be clear with actress and not actor) is naked at least once in almost each movie. It is the way it is. Well, for me, as President of ARDA, for the members of ARDA and for sooooo many actresses here, IT IS NOT THE WAY IT IS STILL GOING TO BE. Voilà. We are sick and tired of it. Since the Weinstein scandal, ARDA took a very firm position, communicating the fact that we would NEVER blacklist an actress or an actor, who would speak up regarding harassment, sexual misconduct, inappropriate behaviour, or anything . . . Actresses started to speak . . . to me. Young actors also as a matter of fact. Everyone calls me. If there is a problem with an actor on a set harassing young trainees etc. etc. . . . the crew calls me.

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Which is hard as I am not trained for this, and it can be quite tough and depressing. So many directors I have worked with were always at one point stripping all the clothes off the lead actress, and making her have sex of course with the male lead, and everybody finds it very normal. You may say . . . oh but the actress has read the script and she said yes when the director asked her if she was ok with the nudity and the sex scenes! Of course she said yes! Otherwise she might not get the part, right? I believe nobody ever ever had the guts to say no. Their careers are at stake. We have all understood that white men over 40 (let’s say) are in charge. They produce. They direct. They decide. They can fire you. They can make you look bad. Abuse of power. That’s what it is. Most of the time there is absolutely NO reason why the actress should walk around in a scene with her tits out. I assure you. She can be absolutely sexy without showing her tits or butt. But it is sooooooo cool for the director and most of the male technicians on the set to be able to peep. I have had fights with directors about this. About the fact they promised it would be a reduced crew on that special day. That’s why we believe it is absolutely the end of the problems with Intimacy Coordinators. Had there been one on the set of the Last Tango o, that poor Maria Schneider would not have ended up being raped by Brando so that Bertolucci could capture the real surprise on her face.

Fortunately, the change is starting to show and Nathalie is getting some support from French producers to support Intimacy Coordinators and training for Intimacy Coordinators in France. So you see, there is hope.

ICDN BEST PRACTICE CASTING GUIDELINES FOR NUDITY AND SEXUAL CONTENT

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y their nature, auditions are based on a power imbalance. Some performers can feel obligated to agree to uncomfortable requests to get a job. Casting directors are therefore rightly concerned about performer safety and issues of consent. To help ensure a professional environment and to enable the director to believe that a performer’s ‘yes’ is freely and confidently given, we strongly recommend following the guidelines set forth below.

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AUDITIONS All rules about nudity and intimacy apply for online and self-taped auditions, as well as for all sessions that take place in-person. ●

If a role requires nudity, semi-nudity or simulated sex (including kissing) the casting brief should detail this, enabling the performer to make an informed decision about participating in the audition. This should be done to the best of the casting director’s knowledge in the pre-production period.

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Auditions and meetings should take place in professional spaces and within reasonable hours. If a private home or hotel is used for auditions or meetings, separate space should be clearly delineated for professional work. Agents and casting directors should explicitly clarify that these meetings should remain in the lobby or living room, and never move into high-risk locations. The performer should be strongly encouraged to bring along a chaperone, who stays with the performer throughout the entire session.

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Never assume a performer is comfortable with nudity or simulated sex, even if they’ve done it before.

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Don’t treat “adult film” performers differently; everyone deserves consideration and respect.

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When making an offer to high-profile performers who’ve not auditioned, it’s key to brief agents fully. Performers need to know they will be working in a safe environment.

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There’s no need to use scenes of sex or violence to reveal character in first auditions.

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If callbacks require sex scenes, these should be done fully clothed and planned collaboratively with an Intimacy Coordinator to work with performers beforehand, using a system of agreement and consent. If touching is necessary, actors should agree what part of their body may be touched, for example.

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Actors should be encouraged to agree in writing to their boundaries beforehand. For example, if there is kissing involved, they can say “ I agree to closed-mouth kissing only.” Actors have the right to preserve their health and not kiss.

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Boundaries set during the audition phase should not be held against the performer or seen as a refusal to fulfill the legitimate requirements of the eventual role.

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In cases when auditions are conducted exclusively via video conferencing or self-tapes, all the same rules about nudity and intimacy apply.

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NUDITY & SEMI-NUDITY Be sensitive about cultural differences regarding what is acceptable. Always respect actor modesty. ●

No full nudity is ever necessary in an audition or callback. Never in-person, never online, never in a self-tape.

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Semi-nudity should occur only at the callback stage, and only if it is legitimately relevant to fulfilling the requirements of the role. This type of “viewing” should take place with the performer wearing a swimsuit of his or her choice and should be separated from performance of the scenes. The agent and performer should be given 48 hours’ notice and the full script should be supplied. If the project is secret, NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements, drawn up by a legal firm, that swear the artist to secrecy) covering script content are acceptable.

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If a callback does legitimately require semi-nudity, only minimum key production people (casting director, director and producer) should be in room. All parties should agree to this in advance, and the performer should be encouraged to bring a support peer who remains in the room whenever the performer is semi-nude.

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If the semi-nudity is to be filmed or photographed, the production must obtain explicit consent, in writing, from the performer; agents should always be informed.

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Viewing of filmed or photographed material containing semi-nudity must be limited to essential parties, that is: producer, director, casting director and costume designer. Only those who have a legitimate necessity to view them should do so.

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Filmed or photographed material containing semi-nudity must be stored securely, whether in a physical or online location. All such material must be destroyed after the pre-production period.

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Performers should never be asked to self-tape or photograph themselves nude or semi-nude.

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Performers should never be asked to tape or photograph sexual acts, whether simulated or real, kissing included.

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CONTRACTING ●

Casting directors should encourage production to issue a nudity rider, detailing the actor’s consent to any nudity, semi-nudity or simulated sex required for the role.

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Casting directors should encourage productions to exercise the standard on-set courtesies, such as a closed set and limits set on those viewing video monitors during filming of any sensitive scenes.

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Props and costume pieces should respect performer modesty and should be explicitly described in the nudity rider.

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Casting directors should encourage productions to employ Intimacy Coordinators to choreograph simulated sex.

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Production must note full details of sensitive scenes in the contract, and explicitly state what exposure and publicity is expected.

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Production is obliged to use these scenes only for completion of the project – i.e. cannot be included in publicity and/or making-of package, without the written consent of the performer.

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Storage of sensitive scenes should be secure, whether in a physical or online location; the requirement of secure storage should be explicitly stated in the nudity rider.

5 Intimacy Coordinators Nudity and intimacy in the post #MeToo era (transcript) This is an edited transcript of a panel discussion, which I moderated, sponsored by Spotlight, which took place in April 2020. MARCI LIROFF has worked as a casting director, producer, and acting coach for the last forty years. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and has served on the Board of Governors for the Casting Society of America. Marci is certified by the Intimacy Professionals Association, and was trained by the premier Intimacy Coordinator, Amanda Blumenthal, in Los Angeles. She began working as an Intimacy Coordinator in December 2019. ITA O’BRIEN is a British movement director and Intimacy Coordinator for film, TV, and theater. She has taught at some of Britain’s acting schools, has published research, and devises her own work. In 2017, O’Brien introduced the “Intimacy on Set Guidelines,” to protect performers during scenes that involve sex or nudity, which gained significant industry and public interest in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandals. She has worked for Amazon, the BBC, and HBO. Nancy Bishop Thank you so much to Spotlight for hosting. It’s really fascinating what these women do on-set. But since this panel is focused on the casting process, so more on considerations when you are up for a role or you are offered a role that’s going to involve possible intimacy or nudity, and how to make an informed decision and how to protect yourself the most in those cases. Let’s start out a little bit by way of introduction. Ita, could you tell us please, how exactly did you move into this field? Ita O’Brien My journey was a very organic one and authentic one. I have been in this profession for thirty-six years as a musical theater, dancer, and 94

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then an actor, and then I did movement studies, and then have been working since 2007 as a movement teacher and a movement director. Also, writing and devising my own work. I was looking at devising a piece around the dynamic co-play of The Perpetrator and the Victim—what practices and principles are needed to put in place to create a really robust rehearsal structure. So I looked at how I was going to keep my actors safe, present, centered, and grounded, and in a healthy place to explore that dynamic. I was in conversation with one of my colleagues who said please come and start teaching what you’re developing because I have to do the intimate content with my students, and invariably, either the physical doesn’t tell the right story, or when you speak to them about what they need to be, what the intimacy should be, that you can see that fear behind the eyes and that there was no structure in order to create that work safely. So, I started teaching the work in April 2015. I also incorporated the work of Vanessa Nguyen, who was one of my colleagues at Central School of Speech and Drama, and her inspiration was watching a fight rehearsal, seeing the time and space given to choreograph the fight scenes with a risk assessment and then safety, choreography, and techniques put in place. So, I worked in consultation with her as we developed the work, and gradually over the years developed the intimacy on set guidelines. I took the work to equity and then Weinstein happened. The Industry realized we have to do better. We cannot tolerate predatory behavior; we need a Code of Conduct within this environment. I was there ready with the intimacy on set guidelines and creating my course, Intimacy on Set, ready to start to bring this, a better way of working, into the industry. Nancy Bishop That’s fantastic. And it’s a really close cousin to a stunt coordinator, and a dance choreographer as well. Ita O’Brien That’s right, it’s that shift. For me, there’s a couple of reasons why there wasn’t a structure in the past. 1) People were embarrassed to talk about the intimate content just as a whole. And that meant that the intimate content wasn’t considered properly, it wasn’t discussed professionally, and so it kept getting left; 2) is that while you can see that you need a technique to learn to do a tango, so you have a choreographer, you need a technique to put a sword in someone’s hand and to do a fight; but the inference is that, well everybody does sex, so there’s not a technique that’s needed. But of course, that’s completely overlooking the fact that there is a risk, and the risk is your personal and private intimate body is at play, which of course has a risk of feeling from anything from awkward to harassed, to absolutely abused. As people have spoken about, as people have historically spoken about. And then also the fact that it is a body dance. We’ve got two bodies moving together in a rhythm of the intercourse, that’s telling a story, and there are techniques of choreography, of body awareness, of how two bodies move

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together, what the rhythm is. As Intimacy Coordinators we use the skill of choreographing two bodies. So that’s a shift that we’re inviting into the industry with intimacy coordination. Nancy Bishop So I’ve known Marci for years, and she does excellent work as a casting director, and advising, and coaching actors. How did you make the move into this field? Marci Liroff Well, I’ve been casting for a very long time, and one of the things that I do that I find very important is to protect and advocate for the actor in the audition situation, and also as a producer on set. And I’ve been on far too many sets and seen how actors are treated in these circumstances, and I really didn’t like it. And when I heard that this job existed a couple of years ago, because this is a new position on a film set in the United States, I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. I think it really encompasses all the things that I’ve been learning as a casting director, coach, and producer for all these years. And I really like the notion of having an Intimacy Coordinator to interrupt the power dynamic on set. Imagine if you’re an actor and you’re trying to advocate for yourself, but you’re trying to do it with the person that has the hiring and firing power. And so, it doesn’t make sense to me. And I just felt that this was so needed. And when I investigated and found a really great Intimacy Coordinator in Los Angeles, Amanda Blumenthal, she was training upcoming Intimacy Coordinators. I started training last year and was certified and started working at the end of last year (2019). It is the most gratifying work, and I love doing it. Nancy Bishop Great. There is just so much nudity now, so much more than there used to be, I think. At one time it was forbidden even to have two married people in the same bed together on set. So we’ve gone from that, to full-frontal nudity and simulated sex scenes. And, is it really necessary and do actors have to accept these conditions each time when they’re presented with these types of roles? So that’s the first question. Marci Liroff Well if you’re asking is it necessary, I mean I think we’re in a time right now where storytellers can tell their story. Because with streaming now, we don’t have the censorship that we did on network television, and so a director, writer, storyteller can tell the story that they want. If intimacy is involved in that, then that is the story. If it is something that is obviously gratuitous, then we see right through that. I think we’re very seasoned to understand what is authentic to the story and what is not. In terms of actually being required to do that, I don’t know that anybody’s sticking a gun to your head saying that you have to do this. I think it really has to do with your tolerance and your threshold, and what you’re interested in doing. And I think now it’s a really good time to check in with yourself to see what it is that you

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will do and won’t do. It’s really up to you, and I think this is the time to have this conversation not only with yourself, but with your reps to let them know what it is that you’re looking for, and what it is that you will or won’t do. And, every project is really going to be different in terms of what they’re looking for—what the story is that they’re trying to tell. And what your involvement will be. There’s always a discussion to be had. And now the Intimacy Coordinator can really help you with that discussion. Because many times, when I’m working on something, I find that actors really can’t find the words to what they’re trying to say. And so we help you verbalize that and really examine and do a deep dive into what your comfort level is. Ita, what do you think? Ita O’Brien I agree with Marci that with streaming, and with the lifting of the different degrees of sexual content and nudity that was required depending on the time that something was shown, it’s allowing writers to write just the content that they want that is right for that storytelling. So it in a way opens it to being hopefully more organic and more just what’s right for that storytelling. And then that question of, is it really necessary? Well that’s what I feel is part of what we’re, or what the industry was both calling out when it was saying, okay we need to do better, we’re having a Code of Conduct, is that sense of not having gratuitous intimate or nudity content. And making sure that the work is done with best practice. And then that’s also part of our role as an Intimacy Coordinator is . . . for me, there’s the three tenets of intimacy coordination, 1) open communication and transparency, 2) agreement and consent via touch, so sex and nudity. And then 3) a clear choreography so that everything is known. So within open communication right from the get-go, I’m inviting the actors to read the script and consider what is that content, does it serve as storytelling? Is it something that they feel that they as an actor can get behind, and that they’re happy to give that nudity or sexual content in service of that storytelling? And then we’re advising that open communication so that interrogation continues and that we’re absolutely looking at what is this scene, how does it serve as storytelling? And within those conversations, you’ll be very clear when it’s gratuitous and not needed. And for me, that’s the big part of an inactive feeling. Yes, I’m happy to honor this, or actually this doesn’t feel right to me. There can be the same content in something that’s sort of just added on top, whereas there’s another storytelling where it’s so inherent within the piece that you feel, yes, as an actor, I feel like I’m ready to fill myself up with intention of the character. The intimacy coordination allows for those conversations to happen. Nancy Bishop Let’s back up a little bit, because you helped to write the best practice guide for Equity, Ita, in the UK, and so let’s say that you’re up for

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a role, what should you know when you go to the audition? What should you already know about what will be required from you in advance? Ita O’Brien So, that pertains to your role as a casting director and what’s shared with the agent. And, obviously, it’s important to read the script. I say to the actors, make sure that you equip yourself, if there is intimacy there, that you also take responsibility, and then obviously if a degree of intimacy and nudity is required for the role, your agent should’ve told you that. And right from that point, before you even go for the audition, then it’s your responsibility to ask questions and find out about this director. What’s the reputation of that director? And to consider . . . first of all if you want to go for the job, and if you are going for the job, then having those conversations with the production, asking if they’re going to be working in conjunction with an Intimacy Coordinator. And if you do get offered the role, then obviously the conversation about the intimate content, the nudity content, what’s required, that should be had from the get-go, and also most importantly, not just the content, but how that director is going to work. And now if there is intimacy coordination issues, you shouldn’t accept anything but working through the intimacy guidelines. Nancy Bishop Yes, because just stepping out of my role as moderator for a second, as a casting director, I know that sometimes it is not always, or it hasn’t been in the past always communicated very well. And unfortunately, I’ve worked on projects where later, some actor said to me, “You know they asked me to take my shirt off,” and I said well I didn’t know that, they didn’t communicate with me, and so that’s why it’s so important to have those guidelines in place. Marci Liroff Also, if I could add, I think it’s very important for us as casting directors to advocate for the actors at the very beginning so that we’re very clear on what is expected of the actor, so that the information goes into the breakdown that we send out to the agents and managers explicitly what we’re looking for, so that as Ita says, you know what you’re going for, what you’re choosing to do going in. Another thing that I think will really help us as casting directors is to have an Intimacy Coordinator on board when we start to cast a project that has this content. Because if I can say as a casting director to an actor “Hey, we have an IC onboard, your actor is going to be covered,” I think that we will be able to land that actor— we have a much better chance to do that. And so as ICs are becoming more popular in terms of being hired on projects that have this content, it’s going to bring a layer of security, I think, to the actors, just coming in on the very first audition. I think that’s very important. I think it’s our job as casting to be very attuned to what the expectations are from the production team. And like Ita said, if you’re gonna

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go in, you gotta look at what this director has done before, look at the tone of some of their pieces, not only the director, but the producers. Who are the producers on the project? Because they could shoot something and then turn it into something completely different for a specific market that they’re trying to titillate. And so you really need to do your research on who these people are and see if that fits within your comfort zone. Nancy Bishop Yes, that’s good advice. And let’s say that, going forward, I hope that Intimacy Coordinators will be employed more and more, but let’s face it, that’s a perfect world, and we’re not in a perfect world. And there are going to be times when actors will go into a project, they’ll ask, is there an Intimacy Coordinator, the answer will be no. And I imagine that a lot of people who are watching this now are feeling like maybe they’re not strong enough to make that happen, they’re not stars or whatever. So let’s assume that they’re going into a production where they’re not at all sure there’s going to be an Intimacy Coordinator. So, what are the questions that they should ask from the get-go? Or how can we help, what is your advice as Intimacy Coordinators for actors who will potentially not have the privilege of Intimacy Coordinators? Ita O’Brien Share the intimacy tenets with everyone. What I say to actors is equip yourself with this structure of what you’re offering to create, a professional structure in order to do the best work that you can. And I say to actors, invariably you have spent at least ten thousand hours probably, and God knows how much of your training, to develop your craft, and your skill as an actor, and it’s precious, and you need to be careful as to who you give your craft to is someone that’s gonna take care of it. And then also, just as you were saying, how can a young actor straight out have that conversation? I’m saying flip that mindset. You are a professional, the director’s a professional. If you’re lucky enough to be offered the role, then have that conversation even if the director hasn’t before; you can assign the contract asking your agent or you yourself are inviting that conversation with the director to speak about the intimate content; find out how they’re going to work. And then if they haven’t, if they’re not gonna work with the intimacy guidelines or the Intimacy Coordinator for you to offer this structure. And it’s for you to be able to say as an actor, I want to be able to give you, the director, the best intimate scenes that I can give you. And the way that I can do that is by working with a professional structure that allows me to bring all of my skill as the actor to the intimate content. Offer that, and I also say if you’re going to meet in person, print the structure out and hand them over, so they actually have something concrete in their hands to read and to go through. And then their response will let you know whether there’s somebody who’s gonna work with you in a respectful way as a fellow professional in order to create the best work possible.

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Marci Liroff To add to that, actors are very hard-wired to say yes to everything, and to say “How high can I jump? What do you want from me? I’ll do it.” Because that’s what you’ve been taught all along. But you have to remember, and you have to really embrace that things have shifted for the better, for all of us, quite honestly. I testified against Harvey Weinstein. I was there. I saw it all go down. Things have absolutely changed. And you have to try and find your voice. Maybe you don’t have it now, but you have to try and find it, to advocate for yourself if there isn’t an IC involved or if your reps can’t do it or if they surprise you with something on set. In the past, what has been happening is you’d show up on set for this scene, there’s been no choreography, there hasn’t been a decent discussion about it. You haven’t given consent one way or the other. You’re wrapped up in a sheet, and the director goes “okay, go for it!” and then you’re supposed to suddenly be intimate skin on skin with someone that you’ve never met. It’s very odd. I believe that that has shifted, and that is changing. And let’s say there isn’t an Intimacy Coordinator, your job beforehand is to be as specific as possible and pick their brain on exactly what is going to happen in lieu of not having someone to be there to help you coordinate these scenes. Then you’ve got to be your own best friend in that situation. Also, I’m not sure if this is allowed, it will be different on every set, but if you want to bring an ally with you to set that day, have it approved ahead of time so that you’ll have your friend there to look at the monitor—this is what we do as ICs. Once our work is done and we’re shooting that day, we sit by the monitor and make sure that everything that’s on-screen is exactly what you agreed to do. So your friend, your person that you’re bringing there, can be watching to make sure that you don’t have a boob slip, or that your butt isn’t showing in the way that your nudity rider has specified. So those are some of the shortcuts that you can do if an IC isn’t involved. But like I said, I think at the base, you have to find your voice. Nancy Bishop And yes, that’s a good thing, thanks for bringing it up, Marci. So, in the guidelines, it states that also at the audition stage, you can bring, they call it a peer, right? So that can be a person of your choosing, it could be your agent, it could be a coach, it could be just a friend. And so both on set, you can bring that person, and you should bring that person. And at the audition, if you feel like perhaps you’re going be asked to do something like kissing, or that’s a whole other subject, actually . . . But if you’ve been asked to bring a bathing suit, for example. If you’re going have to show some skin or, if you have any discomfort about the audition, you can also bring a peer to that as well. So, here’s a scenario that I think could easily happen. Let’s say you’re just out of drama school, and there’s a role in a series or some big thing that you really, really want to do; and it’s made clear to you that this will

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require nudity. And you really just feel very uncomfortable with it, but you feel like if you say no, you won’t get the role. What would your advice be to that person, Ita? Ita O’Brien So what I’m advising in the industry and with actors is to really feel, is this role right for you? And if, and just as with the intimacy guidelines we’re asking, what’s your agreement, and consent? So you might be thinking about doing a scene and being nervous about it. But, it’s still within what’s okay for you, you’re not overstepping your own boundaries. And I’m really inviting actors to think about; is this perhaps a degree of nudity or sexual content that . . . that might make you a bit nervous? Or is it actually challenging, but it’s not going to compromise you or cause you to overstep yourself, which can cause long-term damage to you emotionally and psychologically? Really consider that. Your career is sculpted more by what you say no to than what you say yes to. So again, if this is the right role for you, and again, within your conversation with the director and with your agent to really consider, what am I okay with, what am I not okay with? To advocate for yourself, to really say actually, this is the degree of nudity that I’m happy with or I know I can offer to you. And, if that job is not right for you, then to happily say “actually no, I need to walk away from this.” The inference in the industry before now was, you’re an actor, you should be able to be naked and do sexual content because you’re an actor. . . . But we’ve all had different journeys in our lives and different relationships with our bodies. So, it might mean that a certain degree of nudity is out of bounds for a person or a certain degree of sexual content is out of bounds, but that does not mean that you’re not a brilliant actor. And within the industry now inviting us to have this open communication, I say to be honest, and to state what your boundaries are, and to offer the best of your skill as an actor. It also works both ways around. So the other way is that . . . I was on a production where they said that there were two actors up for a role. One was a better actor, but that actor said, I’m not prepared to do some of those scenes that you’ve asked for. And then another actor who was their second choice said, “I’ll do that degree of nudity.” So they went with the actor who said “I’ll do that nudity.” But when it came to it, they actually found it very compromising and they actually weren’t able to do it properly. And the producer . . . said, “Well, we now feel that we’ve been compromised, because if we had actually known that that actor couldn’t do it either, we would have gone with our first choice.” So I’m saying to actors, be honest, so that producers also don’t feel that they’re duped. It works both ways around. The industry is inviting more authenticity, open communication. So really feel into yourself and feel, is this job right for me? And then go with that instinct. Marci Liroff I think a lot of it also has to do with perspective. If you’re feeling like, oh I can’t take this role and I’ll be missing out, and this is going to really

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screw up my career, you have to look at someone, I could be wrong here, but look at Julia Roberts, have we ever seen her naked? I don’t think so. Nancy Bishop I will say that it was a different time when she made her career. It was before streaming. Marci Liroff Sure, but even now, do we ever see her naked, do we ever see her have really explicit, intimate scenes? Not that I can remember. Things might look hot, but I don’t really recall her having simulated sex in anything. And that’s her choice. I mean that’s an extreme example, because she’s a big movie star, but look at her, she’s managed to do that. Nancy Bishop I get your point, Marci, but I do think she started her career at a different time, and now she’s a star so she can do what she wants. Actors are being asked to do so much more now. But I do get your point. And now both of you have mentioned so far the nudity riders, so there might be people in the audience who don’t know what that is, and it’s a very important piece of legal. It’s a legal document that’s very important, and if there is going to be nudity, it’s really the law, I believe, that you must have this in place, that you have agreed to it. And, so what, tell us a little bit more about the nudity rider, either of you, about what you should be concerned with when you enter into that legal contract. Marci Liroff Well, it is part of your contract and it is and should be negotiated ahead of time before you step foot on set. Your rep can and should negotiate very, very specific language on what you’ve agreed to do and not do. So if you’re okay with showing your breast, but no nipple, or side breast, or the camera can only be on your naked body for four seconds, things like that, be as crazy specific as you possibly can be. And make sure that you understand that language. I’ve had actors come on set ready to go, and as ICs we’re meant to have them sign off on the nudity rider to make sure that they understand all the terms. I’ve had them come on set and I’ve seen that they really don’t understand or agree to what this act is. Make sure, just ask a lot of questions and have this all down in writing, and it has to be adhered to on set. They can’t spring something on you. Now they might, but remember that you have a nudity rider that ensures what you’ve said that you will do. Ita O’Brien My experience is that with British actors, they will sign what they’re comfortable to do nudity and sex-wise in their basic contract, but there’s not a separate line drawn up for each and every intimate scene, whereas when I work with SAG actors, we create a separate nudity rider for each and every intimate scene. Marci Liroff It depends on the production, some productions have one blanket nudity rider, but it is really better to have them for each scene because

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each scene has different needs, and it can change from scene to scene. One thing that I’ve noticed is, directors or filmmakers might say, “Well you did it on this movie, why wouldn’t you do it on my movie?” And you have to remember that the actor’s consent can be and will be and should be different on every project, because it’s different, specific to that material. One of the things that we do is check in with the actor how they’re feeling today about this scene. Because you can revoke your consent even though you’ve agreed to it. Nancy Bishop Yes, this is a very interesting point, about revoking consent, and I know that that is implicit in the SAG contract. It actually says that, doesn’t it, Marci? Marci Liroff Yes, it does. So you can be shooting a scene. You’ve agreed to it, you’ve signed a nudity rider, you’ve signed your contract, you can be in the middle of a scene, you’ve done a few takes, and you may be triggered by something, or suddenly something doesn’t feel right and you literally cannot go on with the scene. You have the right to pull your consent, the production has the right to use the scenes, the takes that we’ve already shot, and then we can hopefully come to an agreement, a compromise for the rest of the day to get that scene done. Or the production has the right to hire a body double. But you can pull your consent, and that’s why it’s so great to have an IC there to help you with that negotiation. Nancy Bishop And I think it’s very important also as you said earlier, to have a peer there with you who has read the nudity rider. . . Marci Liroff That’s why you have the IC, your IC is your advocate. If there isn’t an IC, then yes, it would be great to have a peer. Nancy Bishop Right, and how about the UK side, Ita? Is that also implicit in the contract, that you can revoke consent? Ita O’Brien Absolutely, but again, as Marci was saying, we check in for each and every scene, and preparation for the next day or in the next scene on set, I’ll check in with the director even if I had a conversation with the director at the beginning of the whole production. Ideas shift and change. People understand the scenes in new ways. I will always check in with the director. Check in with the actors, and then feed that back to the production, and then make sure that that’s communicated. So, for example, I had a scene the other day where the inference was that the actor got out of bed naked. When I checked in with the actor, the night before, he said, “Well, if I really have to. . .” So that language already is telling me that actually he’s not entirely comfortable with it. I then again checked in with him in the morning and he’s saying, “I would really rather not.” So we agreed that he would wear his character underwear, and in that moment of getting out of bed, then he sort

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of did the action as if he was pulling them up, so it gave the inference that he had been naked. So then, I had communicated with the production that this was the actor’s limit, he was not prepared to be completely naked ever on that particular day. So we all worked pre-emptively with the wardrobe, a period underwear that had buttons, so we had to look at how that film could be choreographed working with the camera angles so that the inference of the storytelling was achieved. Nancy Bishop And would it be reasonable, for example, for an actor, before they accepted the role, to ask the director to produce a storyboard, for example, of how he or she was going to film the intimate scene? Ita O’Brien Storyboards are absolutely brilliant, and I always say whenever possible, please can you create storyboards. Sometimes directors don’t like working with it, but yes it’s absolutely the best way to go, because of course you’ve got dialogue that’s very clear, the words, but when you go into the intimate content, as I said it’s a body dance, and the same content makes a huge difference when it’s something that feels gratuitous and exposing as opposed to something really tasteful depending on where the camera is and how it’s shot. So that’s all communicated through the storyboards. Now I absolutely always say, if possible, please storyboard it. And then even if someone can’t, if they said that they haven’t got someone to draw, just do stick men, just to have a visual image out and then everyone can look at that and go great, I understand you, or yes, I’m happy with that, or no, I’m not happy with that. Nancy Bishop And you can talk about the lighting, too. I mean, that’s even in the nudity rider, isn’t it? If it’s low light, or whatever. Also, Marci and Ita, can you tell us about what props and costume pieces are available for people in nude scenes? And, there’s something called a barrier and there are all these things—fake genital parts and everything. So what can actors request that would make them feel more comfortable, maybe? Marci Liroff Well, first thing that you should know is that there is never allowed to be genital on genital contact. And so, part of what we do is to address that and to make sure that that never happens. There are what we call modesty garments or modesty patches, different for, as we say, someone who has a vagina or someone who has a penis. We discuss this with wardrobe, ahead of time to make sure that they’re on board, because oftentimes, they furnish those garments for us—such as nipple patches. In addition to that, there is what we call a barrier; something with a little bit more padding than just a thin piece of cloth, that can be taped on or put in between you so that you’re not feeling the pressure between you. There’s so many things we can use. We work with props to create a prosthetic penis because maybe the

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scene calls for an erect penis, which I’m not sure if this is the same thing in Europe, but in the United States you can show a flaccid penis, but you can’t show an erect penis because that becomes porn. So, we have to actually build ahead of time, and we need at least six to eight weeks lead time for them to send out and build that. And props and hair and make-up, attach it, and come up with some pubic hair if that’s needed. So there’s many different departments that get involved in this, but we oversee the whole thing. Nancy Bishop So, it’s not necessarily your penis that’s being shown anyway. Ita O’Brien No. Marci Liroff Exactly, but it looks like it. That’s part of our goal is that we’re meant to make it look absolutely authentic. Nancy Bishop It could be a better penis. It would be great, you could choose your own penis. Marci Liroff Exactly. Ita O’Brien But that’s absolutely right, and I had an actor in a genitalia pouch and there was a shot that came around, and the producer contacted me saying, for that particular actor we need to ask if we can do a CGI penis, and I contacted the performer and he said, so long as you make it a big one. Nancy Bishop Yeah, seems like something you’d want, actually. I was quite naive because I always thought they were real; they’re really very skilled at it, aren’t they? Ita O’Brien That’s a big part of authenticity. I find that it takes me out a bit as an audience if you’re supposed to have a moment of intercourse, and you can’t believe it. There’s a scene I watched where they were first of all having sex on the bed where he was standing, she was lying, and then he lifts her up and turns and then they’re against the wall and they continued that rhythm, and then he just flips her, he turns around and continues; you go hold on a minute, there was penetration there, unless you’ve got an elastic penis, they’re gonna withdraw, turn, re-penetrate, it’s actually quite an awkward thing. So I was out a bit, so I, as an Intimacy Coordinator, I think it’s really important that we have all the details correct and it’s choreographed, it’s all simulated, and a lot of that is depicted by breath, and how it’s received, and for me, if all of that detail is correct, then we as the audience can stay invested in the truth of the situation and then stay with character. Invariably the scene is there because it’s telling us something about those characters and their relationship with each other. So for me then, you can stay invested in enjoying this character’s journey through intimate content.

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Marci Liroff Another part of our job is educating the crew because language is very important. It’s really important that we don’t call it a sex scene, or that they’re having sex. They’re having simulated sex. It really changes the dynamic. I was on a project where they broke for lunch and they were about to get back into shooting and the director says, “Okay let’s go shoot your rape scene.” That has a ripple effect, certainly to the actress, but it also has a ripple effect to the crew. It’s just not good practice. We’re meant to educate the director, the producer, maybe a crew member who is saying something that’s crass and making everybody feel uncomfortable. We’re meant to explain to people the proper pronouns that the actors want to be called. These scenes are really sacred to a certain degree, and that they demand respect on a closed set. That’s another thing that actors can do—let’s say they don’t have an IC, you have to demand a closed set. And what a closed set means is there is only essential personnel on the set, and it comes down to five or six people. That all the monitors are flagged or tented, and what that means is, how there may be one monitor or many monitors all around set, video village and whatnot. Only the people that are on the closed setlist are allowed to look at those monitors, and those monitors have privacy built around them. If you don’t have an IC, that’s another thing you need to ask for. Nancy Bishop You said something quite nice in some of the interviews I’ve read. You said your no is a gift. Ita O’Brien That’s right. Nancy Bishop Tell me more about that, your no is a gift. Ita O’Brien Yes, absolutely. As you can see from Normal People, when an actor can work really freely with the intimate content, you can create something of real beauty, but you can only do that if your personal and private intimate body is taken care of, that you’re feeling empowered and autonomous. So in that moment of consent, be it regarding nudity, simulated sex, or touch. We’re saying, we want, we’re inviting your no and exactly that, to think of your no as a gift, as a positive no so that your yes can be trusted. Because I’ve had this situation, early days in 2018, where we’ve done the scene, and the director said, “You don’t have to do it again.” And then he came back from lunch, and oh my goodness, there’s another set-up, I could really do with doing this scene again, but I told the actors, that’s done. And I said we’ll ask them, he said, they’ll just say yes. I said, “Would you like me to ask them?” And he said, “Well, they’ll just say yes to you.” I realized that because they hadn’t set up agreement and consent, the no hadn’t been invited, and I realized that that director did not trust their yes to really mean a free and open yes, because that no hadn’t been invited. So that’s that shift in the industry to give confidence to our actors, to really freely say their nos so that we can all

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work professionally to create better work; that is in their agreement and consent. Nancy Bishop What about student films? We’re working in the very highest standard; we’re lucky, the three of us, we work with the big studios and all that, but I have worked with smaller productions too. So what about on a student film or a smaller indie film, how does the actor protect themself there, and how can we improve conditions? I’ll answer it a little bit, because I started an acting program at a film school, and I know that when we get back to normal, I am going to suggest this excellent book that Ita was featured in. . . Ita O’Brien A Best Practice Guide to Sex and Storytelling by John Bucher. Nancy Bishop We have guidelines for these schools, right? So I guess we’ll make sure that the film schools have the guidelines for one thing, right? Marci Liroff Well, first of all, as wonderful as the guidelines are, they’re not union rules yet. So they don’t have to go by these rules, they don’t have to apply them. They are certainly best practice, but they’re not part of the contract yet. Nancy Bishop Yes, and we’re not the police. Marci Liroff No, and we shouldn’t be. But the one thing I want to say to the filmmakers out there is, if you’re doing a small project, the indie project or student film, don’t be surprised that there are some Intimacy Coordinators that will help you out because they may be in training or just coming up and they need the experience. I’ve certainly done many free projects as I was starting out to be on set and gain that experience. So, don’t be afraid to reach out to someone like Ita or myself, or Amanda Blumenthal in Los Angeles who reps a lot of us Intimacy Coordinators, and you’ll probably be able to get somebody to work on your set. Ita O’Brien So absolutely, I’ve got Intimacy Coordinators all over the UK all over Europe, Canada, in America, and then also in Australia and New Zealand. And I am absolutely constantly looking out for opportunities for my Intimacy Coordinators in training to have experience. So it’s a win-win situation, I need those situations so all my Intimacy Coordinators are being mentored. And we’re looking at these opportunities, so that they can gain experience as you might have gathered. While the pure guidelines of bringing in agreement and consent of touch and choreography are quite simple, how we integrate within a whole production is really quite complex. We also, as training coordinators, really need those opportunities for people in training to support student films, and to help them develop and start to understand about intimacy guidelines and start to integrate that ethos into the whole of their school, their course

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handbooks. I’m in the process of doing that. I’ve just taught the work with the National TV and Film School, the London Film School. I’ve just been in conversation and contact with all the drama schools and then all the film schools, because if these young people coming out into the industry, if they have taught the intimacy guidelines as standard, then that’s how we’re going to help to get the shift in the industry as quickly as possible so it just becomes commonplace. Marci Liroff I agree, I think a lot of our job is education. I have been going around to various studios, networks, and agencies, and management companies around town to fully educate them on what we have to offer so that, when the time is right, and that content comes up in a project, they will hire us. Education is a huge part of it, because this is a newish position. Nancy Bishop This, it was marvellous. I want to thank you both so much again, and I want to thank Spotlight again.

6 How to Report Abuse and Harassment

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his book addresses casting in the post #MeToo era, so I hope that inappropriate actions and approaches will become a thing of the past. Hollywood surveys released in late 2020 reported that, although everyone interviewed agreed that conditions were improving, harassment and discrimination among all genders still existed. Writer Janet Dulin Jones was a source for Ronan Farrow in his New Yorker article exposing the abuse of CBS President, Leslie Moonves. She was pitching a film idea in his office, when he rose from his chair and threw himself on top of her and forcibly tried to kiss her. She resisted him, both physically and verbally, in strong terms. She tried to leave but the door was locked. After insisting that he release her, he finally unlocked the door, from a button behind his desk. When she escaped, she was stunned to see the assistant had left, as if by a premeditated routine. A few days later, he threatened her in a phone call, saying that if she reported this, he would bury her career. This was in 1990. I asked her what her advice would be in such a situation now. Beware of perceived power. Just because you’re in someone’s office and they have a company doesn’t mean that they are above you. You may be giving this person a lot more power emotionally than you are aware of. So if something untoward happens—like you’re in the middle of an audition and the man throws himself on top of you, or sits next to you and grabs your crotch—you don’t have to sit there terrified. You can punch him or hit him over the head, whatever you can to get out of his grasp. Everyone has the right to be treated decently and with respect, if you’re going into any kind of meeting, whether it be in the office or for a dinner meeting. When I go to a meeting, I’m prepared for it, as a professional. If someone treats me with disrespect, I can leave. I found my courage to fight him off and I would do it again. 109

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I asked Janet how it might be different now from in 1980s when it happened to her. “We’ve had this change in our cultural dialogue,” she said, and everyone knows now that this is not OK—but knowing and not doing it—is still something we can’t count on. In our rational, moral mindset we know a person can’t sexually assault someone just because they’re young and new and desperate for a job. It’s not OK to sexually control someone. But not all people are wired this way—so even today you must perceive yourself as having as much value as anyone you’re meeting or working with in any setting. And obviously if someone has a gun or a knife you might have to then do whatever to survive—but in a meeting, on a set, in a classroom, an interview, no one, no matter who they are, has the right to abuse you. How to define sexual harassment. Here is an example from a legal contract from Stillking Film, a production company.

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nlawful sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual intimacy, and other verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature where: 1 a) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s engagement on the Program; 2 b) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or 3 c) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.

How do I report abuse? If it’s a criminal matter, you need to report it to the police. In either the case of something serious like rape or assault, or something inappropriate, inform your agent or manager if you have one. If the job is offered through an acting guild like SAG or Equity, you can report it there as well. The International Casting Directors Network has an email: [email protected], as does the Casting Directors Guild (if the abuse takes place in the UK): [email protected].

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Janet Jones advises, “Don’t go to Twitter or Facebook, or to your friends to whine. Stay empowered and go through the right channels.” Equity members can access the hotline at the website: www.actorsequity. org/safety or by telephone at 833-550-0030. Here are some other resources: Film + TV: https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/ SOLT: https://solt.co.uk/ Equality: http://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/app/home TIME’S UP: https://timesupnow.org/find-help/ Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/ Acas: https://www.acas.org.uk/ Rights of Women: https://rightsofwomen.org.uk/get-advice/ The Actor’s Fund, a separate arm of SAG: https://actorsfund.org/

7 The Diversity Question

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ne time I was casting a feature film, for which we needed a Native American character. So impressed with the casting on The Revenant, with its many authentic tribal actors, the director and I agreed that we should do the same. We definitely didn’t want to do a “paint down” and cast a white actor to look Native American; we thought that casting an actual First Nations actor would be the most honorable thing to do. Therefore, I posted a breakdown stating that we wished to cast the role authentically. I made a selection of actors and I asked them to announce what tribe they were from on their introduction self-tape. I thought that, this way, we’d avoid the confusion with the term “Native American,” a group who used to be referred to (incorrectly) as “Indians.” We weren’t looking for people from the country of India. For some agents in Europe, they think that “Native American” means simply someone who was born in America, so I noted on the casting brief that we were looking for “authentic Native American actors, from the indigenous tribes of America.” I later realized when researching this book that I had broken SAG rules, Equity rules, European data protection laws, as well as American Title VII Discrimination laws, which state that individuals cannot be discriminated against in a hiring situation because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Even though my intent was to honor Native American actors, I should not have been asking actors to identify themselves racially like that. This story demonstrates how even the best-intentioned and well-meaning casting director can go wrong. In my last book, I made an incendiary comment that casting can be racist (along racial lines), in that we do and must discriminate in terms of race sometimes. For example, for one job I did in Germany for 20th Century Fox and Hulu, we were looking for an actor to play a Nazi. We still kept this nondiscrimination clause in the breakdown, which states: We are committed to diverse, inclusive casting. For every role, please submit qualified performers, without regard to disability, gender, race and 112

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ethnicity, age, colour, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other basis prohibited by law. However, it was obvious that we were looking for a white actor. Similarly, if we were casting an actor to play Nelson Mandela and his family, it would be absurd not to cast a black actor. This is why TIME’S UP made this caveat in their best practice guidelines: It is against the law to discriminate against someone because of a protected characteristic. These are: People making casting decisions are prohibited by law from asking you about your status within these categories during the hiring process and using that information to discriminate against you. However, people in charge of auditions and casting choices can base their choices on what would otherwise be protected classifications, such as age and sex, if necessary, for the purposes of genuineness or authenticity of the role. They should make clear they are seeking actors who can play a role of a certain age, sex or race (rather than saying that the actor must be that age, sex or race). So what I should have done when I was looking for the First Nations actor was to put it out there that we’d love to cast the role authentically, and allowed actors to mention it themselves what tribe they were from, if they desired to make it known. Naturally, this is one of the times that I would recommend that an actor make that known—when their identity matches the identity of the role. Even though we’re not allowed to ask, we in production, however, still felt that if we had not cast an authentic Native American actor, we would be offending the community. Since TIME’S UP knows that casting directors (like moi) do sometimes ask an actor questions that they shouldn’t—here are the official TIME’S UP suggestions: You can answer a question about your age, pregnancy status, race etc. in a way that does not actually answer the question. Here are some ideas: “Here is a list of the various roles I’ve been cast in. . .” ●

“I’m capable and open to playing a wide variety of roles.”

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“I feel best cast in the following types of roles . . .”

In general, I still agree with the statement I made in my last book, that there has never been a better time to be a non-white actor. Opportunities are only widening. In every casting breakdown sent out by major US Networks, there is a clause similar to the one I cited above.

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The CSA and the CDG each have diversity statements, as do Equity, SAG, and AFTRA. The PMA in the UK and the ATA in the United States also support diversity, and have specific diversity clauses in their mission. When a casting director posts a breakdown on Spotlight, they are given options to tick certain characteristics of a role, and these options include racial and ethnic composition, but then, before the breakdown is released, we must also tick the following box: I confirm that the characteristics selected in filters or set out in my description are genuine occupational requirements of the role making the casting process as inclusive as possible. I further confirm that I have checked the language in my description to ensure that it is considered nondiscriminatory, professional, and in line with Spotlight’s terms: EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Spotlight is committed to equal opportunities for all performers, irrespective of age, gender, colour, race/ethic national origins, or disability. Unless the role you are casting has very specific requirements in one of these categories, please always make your casting search as inclusive as possible. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are acquainted with your legislative responsibilities in relation to Equal Opportunities. I interpret this box as Spotlight nudging us one last time before we post the role, reminding us that maybe even if we had a certain image of the character in mind (for example, white) that we could consider an alternative. I believe that the industry in the Americas and Western Europe, in general, has come a long way over the years in attempting to be as inclusive as possible. This inclusion is not without its problems however. As I’ve continually said, it’s very dodgy territory. Even discussing these issues can leave one open to accusations of racism or insensitivity. I thoroughly enjoyed Kristen Warner’s book The Cultural Politics of Colorblind TV Casting (Routledge, 2015) and would highly recommend it to anyone interested. Warner is an African American woman who claims that “for me talking about race is akin to a game of Russian roulette: I imagine a single bullet is in the gun, thus my odds of a clean escape are less each turn I take.” I feel exactly the same way, as a white woman, and since I’m from the dominant race, I would feel shy to make the argument that she so persuasively made in her book, that colorblind casting is actually a damaging process. Colorblind casting is the practice of casting people of any race into a role that was most probably designated as a white role. There exists a strong argument that colorblind casting, for all its ostensibly good intentions, ultimately harms the cause of confronting racism because it

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at best erases race and, at worst, hurts people of color, because it may accidentally call forth racist tropes (i.e. the magical Negro, the Jezebel). Therefore, the practice of colorblind casting, although a well-intentioned byproduct of the civil rights era, can actually be viewed as a tool of assimilation and a way of perpetuating white supremacy (according to Warner’s argument). The argument asserts the idea that blind casting, as evidenced in a series such as Grey’s Anatomy, where roles were written with no racial specificity, should be replaced by “conscious casting,” evidenced in series such as The Wire, which acknowledged racial difference and writes it into the script. Colorconscious casting can be found in Blackish where the characters know they are black and talk specifically about being black, as opposed to the more oldfashioned series The Cosby Show, wherein they never mention race. The proponents of color-conscious casting would say that people of all races should not only appear onscreen, but that those characters should truly represent the cultural experience of being an African American woman, or an Indian man, etc. Therefore the backgrounds of the characters should be filled out in the storyline, not whitewashed or ignored. Under pressure from watchdog groups such as the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), the American networks have diversified their casting substantially, but critics of colorblind casting say that the emphasis is on the quantity of diverse actors on screen, not quality of roles. Actors of color tend not to object to colorblind casting since first, it means they’re working, and second, actors often don’t feel enfranchised to speak up about how their role is written. When I gathered a group of my colleagues together from the Casting Society to discuss the problems of colorblind casting, the general consensus was that, although imperfect, it’s helpful for audiences to see representations of all races on screen, whenever possible. Like many others, I have been supportive of the colorblind project simply because I felt it has an aspirational quality. Our actual world is not populated with different colors of people in equal proportions holding hands and singing kumbaya even if we want it to be. Why not cast the world the way we wish it to be rather than the way it is? I believe this is what the project of colorblind casting aspired to: a “post-racial world.” The concept of post-racial was a hope in the post-civil rights era, that humankind could be free of racial preference, discrimination, and prejudice. In my last book, I mentioned an example about casting families. If I had two white parents, I would definitely cast a white child (unless the story was specifically about adoption, for example.) I have to say that even that concept has gone out the door since then. While working on a quasi-sci-fi fantasy TV series for Amazon, the producers made the choice to construct a deliberately post-racial world, where anyone could be any race. Almost always they preferred a bi-racial couple, and on a specific occasion, I tried really hard to

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find a child who looked like she had sprung from an Indian father and a white mother, but instead, the production ended up casting a white child with no resemblance to the father. I am including this complex discussion of race politics and casting so that an actor might understand the many considerations that must be weighed up on the production side and the thought process that we experience. I realize that actors feel like they have little or no control over what roles are written. Actors from specific demographics also feel like they are sometimes unfairly typecast. If you feel like you always land the same types of roles, because of your race or ethnic identity, my advice to you is the same as it would be to anyone in that situation. Decide what roles you want to play, write scenes for yourself, and get your material out there. If you can’t write, then find someone who can, and team up with them. Get behind the camera as well as in front of it. Tell your story, the story of your community, or simply write the character you’ve always wanted to play.

8 Why Actors Should Never Do Blackface

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hat is blackface? It’s when someone with lighter skin deliberately uses make-up, or in historic times, burnt cork or soot, to impersonate a person with darker skin. It’s called “blacked up” in British English. Why shouldn’t you do it? First, because you could seriously offend many people. Second, you could get fired, or it could prevent you from getting hired on another job, which is what happened to an actor I cast from the Balkan region. I hired her to play a series regular role in a Netflix show that was shooting in the UK. A few months after I cast her, the producer called me, saying that very sadly I’d have to find another actor to play her role. Netflix found social media content, featuring this actor in blackface impersonating famous black singers. The producer was very apologetic, saying that he realized this was probably due to a cultural difference, but that Netflix simply had to distance themselves from this actor because this is perceived as a highly racist act. My heart sunk. I had encountered this issue before in the Czech Republic. Actors who I know and adore had also impersonated black entertainers, wearing blackface, and they simply didn’t perceive it as a racist act. In one case, I knew the actor deeply admired the singer he was impersonating, and the program he was featured on was part of a network contract and they had insisted that the black make-up was part of the costume. It was very sad for the Croatian actor whom I had to recast. I knew she was a victim of a hopeless situation. It was part of her contract on the popular show, Tvoje lice zvucˇi poznato, (Your Face Sounds Familiar). She also loved and respected the singers she was impersonating, and had no hostile feelings towards them. Because her intention wasn’t racism, she just didn’t have an awareness of why this act would be offensive. Her sacrifice of the role served another actor in her agency, who then turned down a similar offer on the same show. Her agent was equally upset about it and sent me a clip of Taylor Schilling in Orange Is the New Black, depicting Michael Jackson. I looked at the clip 117

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and said, “But that’s fine. She’s just imitating his dance moves, she’s not doing it in blackface.” Her inability to distinguish between an actor in blackface and an actor not in blackface made me realize that there was no negative association in her mind about the racism of the act. Here’s why blackface is offensive and racist. First, the culturally accepted and appropriate way to British honour characters of various races is to cast actors in the roles who truly embody those skin colors. While there was a time when it was normal for someone like Laurence Olivier to play Othello in dark make-up, it is not accepted now when the world is amply populated with talented and trained black actors. In Olivier’s period, black actors (or fill in the Asian, Hispanic, aboriginal, and so on) were considered less talented, and, in reality, less likely to have studied at a drama academy because of institutionalized racism. Second, blackface as a form of cultural (mis)appropriation belongs to a tradition in which members of a dominant culture use elements of another culture to repressive ends, and it’s considered a form of colonialism. Blackface became popular in the United States in the openly racist minstrel shows, which originated in the South in the early nineteenth century, at a time when black slaves were struggling for freedom. One of the first black characters to appear on the American stage was depicted by white actor Thomas “Daddy” Rice, who portrayed “Jim Crow,” a freed black slave, propagating the stereotype of the “happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation” or the “dandified coon.” The narrative around Jim Crow usually centered around: civilized white people were enjoying a pleasant day out, when they were interrupted by the antics of the surly recently freed black slave, positing the idea that African Americans as freed citizens could only be a nuisance. The notorious silent film Birth of a Nation, released in 1915, triumphs the Ku Klux Klan as they bring order to a chaotic South, run rampant with Northern abolitionists and unruly African Americans. White actors in blackface appeared in this film, depicting black men as rapists and thieves. These performances heralded the “Jim Crow segregation laws,” which repressed African Americans and plagued the American South for decades (and arguably still do). Essentially, blackface was, as a tool of white supremacy, a way for whites to assert power and control over the depiction of blacks. It was often workingclass, lower wage-earning white men who performed these roles to dehumanize the Other and distance themselves from their own low status. This Jim Crow character morphed into further characterizations of African Americans, as stupid, overly sexed, and lazy. For a period on the American stage, it was the only way for black people to be represented, by white actors; their faces smudged black, with white rings around their eyes and mouth, revealing their true whiteness underneath. Lip size was augmented as well. Black actors eventually followed suit, performing in blackface as well, which

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was documented in Spike Lee’s film, Bamboozled. It was the only way for them to be accepted by whites on stage. The history of the American South may seem irrelevant in Europe but actually blackface was alive and well in in Great Britain, in the form of the BBC’s Black and White Minstrel Show, which aired from 1958–78, despite a protest petition by the Campaign for Racial Discrimination in 1967. The BBC’s David Pitt argued that “black-faced minstrels performing a song and dance act have been a traditional form of entertainment in the British Isles for a great many years.” The performers seemed equally clueless, claiming it was not about race. To watch it now is jaw-dropping. It features exclusively white men in blackface, dancing with gorgeous white women. Since miscegenation, or the mixing of races, is the most threatening idea to a racist, I can only surmise that the image of docile, smiling black slaves courting white women in this daffy way was a way of taming that fear. Another rampant use of blackface in Europe is the Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) character in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Northern France, who accompanies Sinterklaas (Santa Claus) as his Moorish servant. Traditionally, white people would dress in blackface as Black Pete as well, but recently the tradition has become controversial. In the late 1990s, when the Spice Girls visited a Dutch talk show during the Christmas season, a quartet of Black Petes appeared to welcome them, and they all objected, vocally, especially Mel B, who said, “You should get proper black actors to play them!” Awareness in Europe and elsewhere in the world is improving. If you’re asked to do it, please recommend an actor with a skin color that works for the role.

9 Considerations for LGBT, Trans, and Non-binary Actors Art doesn’t have gender. BRAD CALCATERRA, Acting coach

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asting directors are eager to cast roles with authentic actors. Trans and non-binary actors can help casting directors by making themselves visible. If you are an actor of this description, check in with the Casting Society of America, which has hosted an annual “Trans Casting Day,” giving performers the opportunity to present work to a panel of casting directors for feedback. They are then logged into a database. LGBTQ+ film and theater festivals are also an ideal forum for actors to make connections and nurture support. It falls on the actor to decide how they will present and market themself. Some actors have written to me specifically marketing themselves with “LGBT actor” in the subject heading of the email. This could be helpful in the case where there is specifically an LGBT role I’m looking to fill, but is it helpful for the actor in an overall way? Does the actor not want to play other roles too? Or do they only want to play themselves or someone very similar to their own identity? As I mentioned in the introduction, gay actors have been playing straight for centuries. When straight actors play gay (trans, non-binary etc.) however, it can create upset in the LGBT+ community because there is a feeling of cultural misappropriation, much in the way a black actor might feel when a white actor does blackface (see Chapter 8). One gay director I worked with felt there was a lack of authenticity when straight actors read for a gay role. I won’t be able to rectify that situation in this chapter and I believe that controversy will always boil on the subject. Non-binary actors as well need to consider how they will market themselves. If they have transitioned to a new gender, perhaps they don’t want anyone to know them any other way; perhaps they want to blend in with their new gender 120

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identity and let it never be mentioned otherwise. Trans as an identity, on the other hand, can be marketed as a niche. That is a very different position to consider, and can be one of pride for the community. “What a difference it makes when an actual trans person plays the role,” proclaims the Emmyaward nominated trans actors Laverne Cox about her role in Orange Is the New Black. Alexandra Billings, whom I mention in Chapter 4 on nudity and intimacy, was a pioneer in this field, blazing the trail for other actors with a trans identity. “When I say we are your neighbors, we are, but we will not be erased. . . . In order to do that, you have to know that I am transgender” (Transgender Actors and Celebrities, New York Times Publishing, 2018, p. 90). During a panel, I observed on the subject of representing trans actors in trans roles, a certain actor, who had transitioned to male, complain about how humiliating it was to have to declare this in a casting. He said that he displayed his smaller than normal hands as proof of his former identity. Yet, had he not declared that, how would the casting director know that they were truly representing an authentic trans person or buttressing trans representation on screen? This again demonstrates the pockmarked territory that we all tread in regard to identity politics. British Equity has created best practice guidelines for casting directors, advising us to look on social media when we are specifically seeking trans and non-binary performers, so it’s good to keep a presence online. Use handles such as #trans #Actors #lgbt #LGBTQ Social media also can be utilized to educate about the pronoun you wish to use. Help casting directors out by letting us know in advance of your audition if you are he, she, or they. When you are cast, please make it known which dressing room you wish. Trans actor, Michelle Hendley, for example, was discovered by director Eric Schaeffer when he googled “transgender women” and saw her vlogs for the film Boy Meets Girl. In a 2015 interview, Alexandra Billings notes: There are more opportunities but look carefully. They’re very specific. We’re either in the hospital or visiting someone in the hospital or in jail or some kind of cage. God Forbid you put us in charge of children or in the corporate world, where we have power. Transgender Actors and Celebrities , New York Times Publishing, 2018, p. 89

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My colleague Russell Boast, President of CSA, said it was his goal to cast a trans actor as mayor of a town, even though the role wasn’t written that way. “I’m just going to do it,” he said. “Just bring in trans actors to read for the role.” As noted, casting is always at the forefront of identity politics, and sexual and gender identity comes with a unique host of baggage that casting directors often find tricky to wade through. Although casters may wish to provide opportunities for all actors, we are weighted with the usual demands from financiers and networks to cast stars and bankable names in lead roles. One way forward is for trans and non-binary performers to take the advice that I give to actors across all spectrums. Get behind the camera as well, and write. Write a role for yourself and others in your community where trans or non-binary people are normalized, or not; write and dramatize the stories that are important to tell.

I would never want to tell a story that really should be told by somebody who’s lived that experience. Having said that, it’s a slippery slope conversation because that means I could never play another straight character if I’m going to hold everyone to the letter of this particular law. I think it’s such a gray area. KRISTEN STEWART (LGBT actor), Variety y, November 23, 2020, https:// variety.com/2020/film/news/kristen-stewart-happiest-seasoninterview-1234838342/

10 Considerations for Actors with Disabilities Differently abled artists need to be given equal opportunities because a lot of us deserve it because when it comes down to talent and what we have to offer, we can create quality work and deliver. Whatever their condition is, whether it be physical or mental, we don’t need to be marginalised anymore. We only need to be judged on our talent. For me I feel like I’m on a mission in my life, and my goal is to make change . . . to inspire everyone to think differently and see differently (pardon the pun). ADAM MORSE, partially sighted director and actor

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hile attending a town hall meeting for disabled actors, sponsored by the CSA New York chapter, we were given the opportunity to ask any question (which may have been taboo) of each other on both sides. During the opening, I had already chatted with someone and asked him if he preferred to be called a “little person.” He replied that he didn’t like being constantly associated with his condition, but if it had to be mentioned he was a “person with dwarfism.” Another question I asked was to do with an experience I had long ago (which I mention in my last book) about casting a soldier with one arm and one leg. The director had been absolutely irate with me that I hadn’t asked the actor WHY he had one arm and one leg. Had he been born that way or amputated? I had not felt like it was a question to ask. The director wanted an amputated actor. “Is this a polite question?” I asked at the CSA meeting. I happened to be sitting next to an actor with one leg. I was told that no, indeed, it was not a polite question. “My accident was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life,” she said, “I don’t wish to rehash it each 123

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time.” Moreover, the head of the chapter reminded me, according to U.S. law, you’re not allowed to ask. Here is when actors who don’t consider themselves in the mainstream type often face the same quandaries that non-white actors, or LGBTQ+ actors experience. We casting directors are not allowed to ask about the actors’ identity (or condition) and the issue becomes, should the actors make themselves known or not? Director, and partially sighted actor, Adam Morse advises, “If you can keep your condition private then do so, because unfortunately there is still too much prejudice in the industry and the best way to change the way people look at blind actors is to surprise them by telling them after you get the job.” Naturally, however, an actor with one leg is not able to do that. I did go to a speed dating session, however, sponsored by the CDG, where I met disabled actors, some of whom had hidden conditions, such as Asperger’s, who were part of Spotlight’s registry of actors with disabilities. Actors with disabilities do have more opportunities than ever since there are registries for these types, and opportunities such as the ones I’m mentioning; meet and greets, speed dating, showcases, town hall meetings. There are also agencies that specialize in this kind of actor. If you are an actor with a disability, make sure you contact the CSA (if you’re in America) or the CDG (in the UK) or any of the international casting organizations (listed in Abbreviations), as well as the actor unions in your area. There are also support networks such as DANC! (Disabled Artists Networking Community). If there is not one near you, then consider starting one. The reason these registries are helpful to casting directors is because, as I’ve noted in other chapters, we wish to cast authentically, and there are times when we specifically need a character with a certain physical condition. That is the best way to go of course, and it’s certainly what casting directors Lisa Lobel and Susan Shopmaker did when casting deaf actors in the wonderful film, The Sound of Metal. There have been so many beautiful examples of casting directors casting authentically, ranging from Geri Jewell in Deadwood to the lovely Ali Stroker, who played on Broadway in a wheelchair and won a Tony for it.

I think the reason I love theater, specifically live performances, is because I was used to being stared at because of my disability. But when I am on stage and everyone is looking at me, it’s a different kind of attention. It feels much more powerful. I felt like I am in control. Becoming other characters allows me to feel free. ALI STROKER, April 22, 2020, https://disabilityhorizons.com/ 2020/04/ali-stroker-we-speak-to-the-tony-award-winningdisabled-actress-and-singer/

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There are also more and more wonderful examples of disabled actors playing roles that might otherwise be inhabited by a more conventional choice, for example, RJ Mitte in Breaking Bad. The character was not necessarily written as someone with cerebral palsy but it worked and the role evolved, using his own persona. “I’m now very honored we have a Walt Jr. to look at and to not just be a disabled person, but a pivotal part of a family,” said Mitte. “Not just someone sick or dying, an actual individual.” I know that disabled actors would like to see more examples of this kind of any man casting. Peter Dinklage, for instance, had to become famous as the dwarf in Game of Thrones before he was offered ordinary (presumably abled) roles, such as a scientist, a gangster etc. Know that casting directors are aware of this and we are presenting actors of all abilities whenever possible. When I asked one disabled actor to make a comment for this chapter he said, “I think it’s the casting directors that need to be advised better on how to look at disabled actors as just ‘actors’ instead of marginalizing them.” He then went on to say that I should cast him and make a positive example. I found it aggressive, since I had in fact auditioned him before, and since this actor also directs, he must know that it is not the casting director alone who makes the final decision on casting. As noted in Chapter 1, casting is a team effort. We curate choices, and the casting and actors’ organizations such as CSA and SAG are helping us to do that. In the end, my advice to actors of all abilities is the same. Don’t wait for the phone to ring! Get out there on your own and perform. Write your own material, enter it into monologue contests, make a short film, create a showcase opportunity, get together with other talents and write, create, and perform your own story. Authenticity rules the roost.

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11 Actor Marketing in the Internet Age

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hile it is true that a good agent will play a crucial role in promoting you, think of your agent more as a collaborator in your marketing campaign, since the product is ultimately you. Only you control your daily actions, which flow into the digital world of fluid marketing. I say “fluid” because marketing has changed so drastically in my lifetime, from static—when I went to drama school, marketing was only about a headshot and a resumé—to dynamic. In the digital age, our marketing campaigns evolve on a daily basis, as we load more and more images to the story we tell on social media. If your next question is, “But must I engage on social media?” then the answer is yes. Luddites finish last in the digital marketing age. You must engage with at least one interactive social media platform. Be proactive and take responsibility for your career by preparing your own promotional material, activating social media, networking with other professionals, and researching productions and job opportunities. In this section, I’ll address both the static and fluid means of networking, promotion, and marketing. STATIC (these elements are in truth “semi-static,” since of course you will update them too): Headshot Resumé/CV Showreel Website About me video Participation in databases FLUID: Social media marketing Selection of video clips 129

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Let’s start with the marketing basics. In any campaign, marketers will ask the following basic three questions first. 1

What do you do?

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Who are your customers?

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Why do they buy from you?

Let these marketing questions guide the content of your marketing campaign. 1

What do you do? You’re an actor and in your static material (printed CV, photo) you need to communicate that you’re a professional actor, not someone who acts as a hobby. You don’t need to literally say, “I’m a professional actor.” Show us your professionalism by presenting quality headshots, and an organized layout of your work. Even if you’re just starting, if you take yourself seriously, then we will too. Your professionalism should be communicated in your social media presentation as well, but in your fluid campaign you can individualize yourself more, accentuating your unique tastes and opinions.

Get in the habit, half an hour every day, of doing research. Know what theaters are re-casting and when. Do that all the time so that you become part of the industry that you’re working in. PIPPA HARRISON, Spotlight

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Who are your customers? Initially, when you’re starting your career, your customers are casting directors, agents, producers, and directors. As you become more well known and start to book roles, your customers are your audience too. They want to peak into the life of that person they saw on their favorite TV show. The content you generate will be for the interest of this audience of customers, so let that guide your choices.

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Why do they buy from you? Here is the fun part. There is one thing that only you can offer, and that’s you. That’s the personal je ne sais quoi that makes each individual unique. I find the word “branding” somewhat crude when we’re talking about a human being, but this is essentially what we’re talking about, when an actor presents themself. Social media gives us that opportunity. Through your own personal story, and the particular way you tell it, you will reflect what you have to offer, how you look, what your experience is, what your

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tastes are, and how you’ve trained. Here you can document your journey as an actor, and include your quirks and opinions. It’s true that agents do pick up clients sometimes from social media. So make sure the images and stories you tell are “on-brand.” In contemporary times, what chimes out the most in the maelstrom of images is authenticity. The YouTube stars that excel stand out because they are authentic. They’re not just throwing random stuff out there, they are truly expressing who they are and what’s important to them.

12 Archetypes and Branding

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n archetype refers to the original model of a person or, in the words of psychologist Carl Jung, a “symbolic figure” or a “collective representation” of a person, drawn from “the universal symbolism” that we share. Audiences connect with archetypes.

Actors want to play all roles, and perhaps they can at some point in their careers. If you want to be employable, however, remember that archetypes play a central role in driving the story in literature. The use of archetypical characters universalizes the story, giving viewers the ability to identify with the characters in their own world. In psychology and mythology, it’s called archetype. In marketing, it’s called branding. Think of both in terms of broad general archetypes, like “the mother” or “the warrior,” as well as specific, such as “spoiled millennial,” or “creepy pedophile.” Part of being a good actor is to know thyself. That means identifying the archetypes predominant in the market, and knowing which roles you can convincingly play. This will help shape your marketing strategy. As the actor progresses through life on their own hero’s journey, they must adapt to the archetypes that time and experience bring. It partly relates to age, so when we are young we play the innocent youth, like Pip in Great Expectations, or Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. As we grow older, we may play the hero, who battles good, or their doppelganger, the evil shadow. Know the archetypes you can play well at any given point in your career. In a busy and competitive market, there is nothing wrong with creating a niche, especially if you have a particular linguistic skill, or a particular physical characteristic. Are you excessively tall or short? Have a hooked nose, or bushy eyebrows? Some people, for example, no matter how happy they are, project melancholy in their face, and others possess a quintessentially comic look. While, on the one hand, some of the most brilliant casting choices have deliberately gone against type, there is nothing wrong with typecasting. Remember, the second part of the word “typecast” is “cast.” Actors often 132

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resist the idea of “types” because it reminds them of stereotypes, which indicate a derogatory over-simplification of character. Archetypes, however, have existed in show business for centuries, starting with the masked Greek dramas, to commedia dell’arte, to Shakespeare, to the sitcoms of today. Here are some examples of epic, timeless archetypes from stories we know: The Innocent—Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Romeo and Juliet The Amazon Crusader—Wonder Woman, Buffy, Xena The Hero’s Mentor—Yoda in Star Wars, Tia Dalma in Pirates of the Caribbean The Fool—Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones The Femme Fatale—Samantha in Sex and the City, Claire Underwood in House of Cards The Lover—Romeo in Romeo and Juliet The Warrior—Superman, Bourne, Joan of Arc, Wonder Woman, Black Panther The Witch—The White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia, or Phyllis Schlafly in Mrs. America The Care Giver—Daenerys in Game of Thrones (later morphs into Destroyer) The Trickster—Wednesday in American Gods, Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter The Destroyer—Bilquis in American Gods, The Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz The Creator—Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia The Seeker—Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker The Ruler—Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth, Henry in Henry V The Magician—Gandalf in Lord of the Rings The Child Man—Peter Pan The Rake—Don Draper in Mad Men, Prince Charming in Into the Woods Here are some modern, specific archetypes: Computer Geek Bimbo Footballer Football Wife Bouncer Cheerleader Rapper Feminist Hustler

Bag Lady Mob Boss Mafia Wife The Stag Night Bloke The Trafficked Sex Worker Metro Sexual The Healer The Drag Queen Torch Song Singer

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Priest Doctor Lawyer CEO Night Clubber Junkie Couch Potato

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Precocious Child Abused Child Skateboarder Nerd Fat Kid Popular Kid Spoiled Millennial

It’s useful for actors to understand the archetypes, also called primary types, casting brackets, or niches, that commonly appear. You don’t have to choose one of the above and stick to it; you can play many archetypes but, knowing how you fit could help your marketing campaign. For example, I have on a few occasions run into an actor I know on his way to a commercial audition, dressed in a nerdy sweater and glasses. It’s not the way he usually dresses, and he admitted that that’s the role he always manages to land, so he plays towards it at auditions. He also may have a photo in his portfolio that spins him in this way. He knows he’s not going to be called in for the role of Spartacus in the next remake. Knowing your archetypes can help you in your branding process, and selecting an image for a headshot. The key image will be neutral, but at the same time it should allow the viewer to see you in the archetypes that you can convincingly play. If you’re great at playing comedy, for example, choose a shot that projects that. Archetypes will morph and change during an actor’s lifetime. Judy Dench once played the fragile, virginal Juliet and now she plays the Queen Warrior. You can shoot a variety of headshots that are within your range and present specific ones when you audition for different roles. Conversely, don’t limit yourself too much. Face the challenge and push past the archetypes within your comfort zones as well. I once assigned an actor an aristocratic character and he said, “I only play lower class roles.” He gave up a great chance to stretch himself. Where would the world be if Michael Caine, born to humble beginnings, had not been willing to take on roles like the professor in Educating Rita. Challenge yourself to grow, and allow your archetypes to shift as you advance through your career.

13 Guidelines for Headshots All photos are accurate. None of them is the truth. RICHARD AVEDON, photographer

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eadshots are somewhat static. Of course, you can and should update your headshots as you mature and change, but you shouldn’t change headshots too often since it’s expensive to hire a professional photographer. Also, the headshot can be used as a logo of sorts and it’s helpful if that logo remains consistent on all of your marketing material for a stable period of time (let’s say every few years). A headshot is a neutral photo of the actor’s face, and it’s important because it is often the first thing a casting director sees. A good headshot is an accurate photo, spun to get you the most work possible. That does not mean spinning the photo so that you look a thousand times better than in life. The biggest mistake that actors make is presenting themselves inaccurately. Namely, their headshots don’t look like them. Casting directors want the person who walks into the room to look exactly like their headshot. That means a current shot with, for example, your hair, eyebrows, beard, teeth reasonably the same as they would be on the day of the audition.

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headshot isn’t a photo. It’s a marketing tool. Use it to “show us how to cast you.” BONNIE GILLESPIE, Self-Management for Actors

A successful headshot will: 1

Look exactly like you. This can’t be emphasized enough. CSA Casting directors agree that the most important aspect of the headshot is that it looks like the actor. Everyone wants to look their best self, so you’re not going to portray yourself as you would look getting out of bed on 135

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New Year’s Day morning. Headshot photographer Natasha Merchant says, “A good headshot captures the person looking exactly as they would if you caught them walking down the street on a very good day.”

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hen I want to photograph someone, what it really means is that I’d like to know them. Anyone I know I photograph. ANNIE LEIBOVITZ

2

Reveal the actor’s personality. We should know you in your photo. I’ve emphasized that the actor’s unique style, presence, personality, and chemistry is what interests casting directors the most. One recalls the scene in Zoolander, in which Ben Stiller, playing a model, demonstrates his silly poses, like “blue steel,” for photoshoots. This is a great example of what not to do for a headshot session. You want to look as natural and relaxed as possible so that the inimitable thing that makes you you is revealed. A good picture will capture the essence and humanity of that person.

3

Feature active, thinking eyes. While I advise against looking into camera at an audition, shooting a headshot is the opposite story. The eyes should look directly into the lens. Just as film acting is based on expressing and communicating through the eyes, a headshot should reflect a thought process. You should express intention through your eyes without pulling a face. Many headshot photographers use the focus technique of honing in sharply on the eyes, while subtly softening out towards the edges of the face so that the eyes draw in the viewer. During your photo session, think about what you want to communicate to the viewer. Tell the camera you love it with your eyes. Tell the camera you want to kill it. Think of a line that a character who you want to play would say and say that to the camera.

4

Suggest an archetype. The best headshots are neutral, but will suggest an archetype that will help casters understand how to cast you. I do an exercise in my marketing seminars in which actors post their headshot, and the class suggest what archetypes best suit them. One actor got suggestions like “mob boss,” “criminal,” and “CIA spy.” Yet he had a warm friendly personality, often playing the father or best friend. Since he never played these hard man types, the headshot was causing him to get called in for the wrong roles. He learned that his shot was not accurately representing his range of archetypes, and so he hired another photographer and re-shot.

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Archetype headshots. Can you have more than one headshot? Yes, you can include many headshots in your gallery and keep special ones for special roles. Some actors keep separate “commercial” photos for commercial work.

Sample headshots Anna Rust has offered two of her headshots as samples. The first headshot, she used for a short time (see Sample 1). While it is not a bad photograph, she knew she could do a bit better, both in representing herself and in the quality of the photo. Her eye make-up is a bit overdone and the lens shoots down on her a bit, distorting her face.

SAMPLE 1 (photo credit: Steve Lawton).

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In the second photo (see Sample 2), she looks straight across at camera, and the eyeliner is not so heavy, so she projects a more natural look. This photo looks unforced and she pulls us in easily with her active eyes, so the viewer likes her. It maintains enough neutrality that we can see her playing the sweet romantic lead or the mean girl. The background is ambiguous, so we look only at her.

SAMPLE 2 (photo credit: Faye Thomas).

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Adwoa Akoto’s photo is also a good example of a striking, well-cropped headshot, with a neutral background (see Sample 3). Her eyes are active and strong. Here she projects the image of a strong warrior woman, but her choice to keep her lips slightly parted gives a sense of vulnerability, suggesting that she could play softer roles as well.

SAMPLE 3 (photo credit: MUG Photography).

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In this contrasting photo, Adwoa shows a completely different side (see Sample 4). Here she is playful, soft, and sexy. While it is good, I would not recommend that she use it as a key photo because it is too editorialized. It’s specific rather than universal. Also I personally dislike shots with the hand in the photo. It’s a good shot for her to keep on the side in her photo gallery, however, to show that she does have that other side, and depending on the product, it could be ideal for landing her a commercial gig as well.

SAMPLE 4 (photo credit: MUG Photography).

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Taylor Napier keeps two headshots, one shaven and one without, as all men should.

SAMPLE 5 (photo credit: Claire Newman Williams).

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His photo says leading man. The first, without the beard (see Sample 5), is slightly lighter and more innocent than the bearded shot that allows us to imagine him as the bad guy as well (see Sample 6).

SAMPLE 6 (photo credit: Claire Newman Williams).

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Headshot no-nos While I maintain that there is an exception to every rule, I would advise against the following: 1

Heavily airbrushed photos. Show us what you really look like, warts and all. We might want the warts. (A cold sore that isn’t normally part of your facial landscape warrants a slight airbrush.)

2

Lots of teeth. While you do want to show some teeth for commercial shots, full-on toothy smiles are a general no-no for a key neutral headshot. You may have a separate one for commercials.

3

Hands. Keep hands out of the shots. (I don’t ever want to see a picture of a girl with her finger in her mouth again.)

4

Props. Keep the shot simple. The use of props or gimmicks clutters the image. (Trust that we’ll understand that you can play an academic without holding a stack of books, for example.)

5

Specific backgrounds. Keep the background as neutral and nonspecific as possible. Let the viewer imagine you in different locations.

6

Overly stylized photos. Make sure that the photographer’s style doesn’t overpower the image. Remember that the headshot is a marketing tool for you, not the photographer.

7

Production stills. When I asked actors to submit headshots if they wanted them to be featured in this book, a few actors sent photos of themselves on set. These are not headshots. There is a place for production stills on your website or in your gallery, but these are not to be used as a key photo in your marketing campaign as they show you in one specific role only.

8

Headshots without name or contact information. I know this sounds obvious, but I have too many unknown headshots floating around in my file. If you don’t staple your CV to the back of your photo, at least stamp on your website, or agency contact info. If you are sending your photo as an attachment, please label it properly (i.e. with your name, not a number) so I can find it on my computer once I download it.

Styles of headshots When selecting your headshot, consider to what market you are presenting. There are different trends in the United States and the UK, but the industry

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standards in each country are becoming more similar. Only a few years ago, you saw only black and white used in London. Color photographs are widely used in the UK as well now, especially since so many London actors are working across the pond. In Europe, it’s less standardized and I’ve seen a diversity of choices. Often an agency will make their own rules and standardize the presentation of their pool of actors. The most important thing is not to worry too much about following rules, but rather presenting yourself professionally and accurately. CSA casting directors prefer color photos. A color photo provides more information. In casting, it’s important to know if someone has red hair, or blue eyes. I dislike the strange, stylized cropping techniques that US photographers are using now, where the actor isn’t centered, or fully displayed. It’s common sense to keep the actor in full view, rather than presenting them creatively. Use your own judgment, and keep in mind that there are no absolute rights and wrongs.

Sending your headshot Professional presentation means sending one primary image to a casting director when auditioning for a specific role. It is fine to keep a few different headshots, earmarking specific looks for different jobs. Actors may shoot separate headshots for commercials, straight drama, and musical theater. Choose the image that fits the role. Don’t confuse us with too many different looks. For example, do not even think of sending a composite with fifteen different shots—in a nurse’s outfit, with your dog, wearing glasses, making a funny face, with your hair blowing in a wind machine, etc. This makes you look like a stills model. If you’re responding to a general call where the role is unspecified or if you’re applying to an agency, then you may send more than one photo. When sending two photos, I want the second photo to provide more or different information and a full body shot will do that. I urge actors to include photos that show their full form, or at least from the waist up.

Choosing and working with your photographer I hope it goes without saying that you should hire a professional. Yes, your Uncle Jeffrey may take great photos and offer to do it for free, but the art of shooting a professionally accepted headshot is a very specific skill. Show us that you are serious about your career by making the investment. When choosing your photographer, it’s not enough to go solely on the recommendation of a friend. The chemistry that your friend had may not be

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there between you and that same photographer. Research their photos so that you know and like their work. All photographers have their own style, but make sure their style doesn’t overpower the subject matter—namely you. Schedule an interview with the photographer before the shoot to make sure that you feel relaxed and comfortable with them. If you feel ill at ease, the photos will reflect that. Bring previous headshots as a starting off point to discuss what you did and didn’t like about them. Discuss archetypes and how you’d like to be cast. If you’ve been playing lots of doctors but would like to start broadening your range, devise ways to suggest that with subtle dress choices. If you have an agent or manager, make sure they participate in the discussion. You, the photographer, and the agent should be working as a team to create your branding. At the session itself, bring several different dress choices so you can aim for a range of looks within your archetypes. A good photographer will direct the session, but don’t rely solely on the photographer’s inspiration. It’s your job to find motivation that turns the wheels in your head, and keeps your eyes engaged. You are the one in front of camera, so come prepared with ideas. Keep lines in your head from roles you have played, or that you want to play. Playing active objectives and making strong choices are effective in shoot sessions just as they are in auditions. Above all, enjoy the session. If you’re in pain, then so is your audience. The more you relax and enjoy the session, the better the photos will be.

Choosing your headshot There was a time when casting directors worked only from stacks of 8 × 10 photos. The computer age has changed this as we now view pictures as thumbnails on computers and as two-inch images on cell phone screens. When I post a breakdown on Breakdown Services or Spotlight, I get thousands of suggestions and they appear on my computer screen in thumbnail size. I peruse them, choosing the more interesting and appropriate options to explore further. Sometimes when I Google an actor, all I can find is a tiny image that refuses to enlarge. So the moral of the story is, choose a photo that also works as a thumbnail. It’s not always the best idea for an actor to choose their own headshot; the most flattering image is not always the optimal choice. The most beautiful shot is not necessarily the one that will get you the most work. Consult with your agent, the photographer, teachers, classmates, and actor friends, before you make a decision. People who know you are at an advantage because they can tell if the picture “captures” you and who you are. They are at a disadvantage because they are biased, and filter you through their own

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particular shade of lenses. The shot that your mother or boyfriend likes is not necessarily the shot that will book you the job. People who don’t know you have the advantage of being completely unbiased and may give you a more balanced opinion. There are actors’ websites and forums where you can post your headshot and get feedback. Ask specific questions when eliciting feedback. “What types of role do you see me playing?” or “How would you cast me?” the opinionators are unlikely to agree, so in the end, it’s your call. Choose a headshot that you are proud to hand over to casters.

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t’s one thing to photograph people. It is another to make others care about them by revealing the core of their humanness. PAUL STRAND

Digital or hard copy? Yes, it’s true that in the casting business we are increasingly relying on digital images on the internet. Fewer and fewer headshot prints pass through my hands. However, the good old 8 × 10 or A4 size is still necessary and in circulation. We use them for our casting boards.

14 CV or Resumé Tell all the truth but tell it slant. EMILY DICKINSON

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our resumé is not simply a list of all the work you’ve ever done. The Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resumé (North America) is a marketing tool edited to get you work. Never lie, but spin. Display the accurate and true facts in the order that will best present you for the roles for which you want to be considered. Some actors mistakenly think that to impress casters, they should list as many projects as possible. On the contrary, this can be a brilliant way to bury your true accomplishments in a sea of words. Help us by selecting your best and most relevant credits. Toss out rules that say you must list work strictly in chronological order and in an exactly uniform way each time. Feature your most prominent work first. If your best leading role was last year, then put that project at the top, and list this year’s project, in which you played the supporting role, below it. It’s not a lie. It’s spin. There is not one way to organize a resumé because everyone wants to emphasize different things, and everyone is at a different point in their career. If you’ve been working for twenty years, for example, you’ll want to trim down your projects to the most impressive and the most recent. Feel free to leave off the projects that you wish you hadn’t done. If you’re just starting out, you’ll probably want to include everything, including your drama school project, which counts by the way. If your best credits are in film, move that to the top. If your best credits are in theater, emphasize that. If your best credit is your A-list acting academy, move that up. A professional resume is generally organized as follows: ●

Name in Bold at the top, with contact or agent contact information.

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Include your accurate:

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■

height (in appropriate measurements. Remember that Americans don’t know the metric system and people who don’t live on those islands off the coast of Europe don’t know what a “stone” is);

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color of hair and eyes;

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playing range, not age;

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Union Status: SAG (Screen Actors Guild) or Equity etc. If you don’t have membership, skip the section entirely. (Sometimes non-SAG members are preferred on independent projects.)

Trim the resumé to one page, itemizing “selected credits” neatly in three, easy to read, columns. List your best area first. For example, if you have a lot of strong stage credits, push them to the top. Otherwise list as follows: ●

Film. List your best projects first. If your experience is limited, include student films, and unpaid video work. Aside from naming the title of the project in the first column, there is no one right way to list your credits. In North America, actors often denote their billing in the second column. That means: Lead, Supporting, Featured, or Extra. Some actors list the name of the role, but that is less informative. Some actors simply list the project, the director, and the company, without mentioning what they played in it. Make your decision based on what showcases you the best. For the third column, list the most impressive thing about the film. For example, mention the production company if it was produced by Universal Studios. If it was an unknown production company, but a well-respected director, like Kathryn Bigelow, then hustle her name into the column. If it was a small independent film produced by George Lucas’s company, then George Lucas gets the third column place. If everything about the film was unknown, except the star, then go ahead and mention that it was “starring Ben Kingsley” or whatever.

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TV and Web Series come after film, or they can be listed under one heading, “Film and TV.” If you choose to list your billing, the standard is: Series Regular, Recurring, Guest Star, or Co-Star. Your billing should be denoted in your contract, if you have any doubt.

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Theater. If you’re brand new on the scene, you can list school theater. Everyone has to start somewhere. For theater, the three columns are play, role, and the name of the theater company and/or director (whichever is better). If you played a lead in an unknown play, feel free to write “Gary (lead).”

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Commercial/Industrial. If you have a long list of commercial credits, you may want to write, “conflicts available upon request.” That way, the commercial credits don’t overwhelm your CV, if you’re working on developing a film career. Conflicts mean that when you’ve represented one brand of soap, you can’t appear in a commercial for another brand of soap in the same year.

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Training. Here you can list a university degree, and any training courses or teachers with whom you’re studying. If you’re just starting out, and your strongest suit is your education, you can list it at the top if you wish. Casters like to see that your training is ongoing.

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Special Skills: Your skills and interests can be important in the casting process, but never lie. If you ride a horse, denote at what level (intermediate, recreationally, professionally, etc.). If you sing, that means not only that you can carry a tune, but that you sing professionally. Mention your voice range (tenor, alto, etc.) Be sure that you can really do the accents you have listed properly. You may have to prove it at an audition. Mention if you speak a foreign language and at what level. Mention if you have a driver’s license.

In North America the resumé is stapled to the back of the photo. The other option is to include a thumbnail-sized headshot in the upper left corner of your CV (I prefer left corner, because the eye reads left to right) in addition to a contrasting photo on the back. It’s essential that the photo and the resumé stay together.

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Suggested template for actor CV

15 Show Reels and Video Clips

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n your marketing campaign, think of the headshot and resumé as your print advertisement, and the reel as your commercial. For actors who wish to work on screen, it is imperative to have video material that a casting director can quickly and easily access. When we post breakdowns on Actors Access, Spotlight, and other sites, we are presented with hundreds of options. If I come across an unknown actor who looks interesting, but who doesn’t have a clip, I may move past them to another actor who shows me a sample of their work.

Video clips vs. showreel If you want to work on screen, video clips will be an important part of your marketing campaign. It’s great to have one professionally cut reel that you can post on IMDb, or use to target an agent. The reel is somewhat static since it’s edited together and requires re-editing when you acquire new material. On the other hand, if you’re working often, you don’t want a reel that is so tightly edited that you can’t freely and easily edit in new work yourself. It’s a great advantage to know editing skills so that you can edit your own reel, and update your work as it matures. Editing is not hard, and any laptop computer comes with some sort of basic editing program.

Clips Frequently, however, actors and agents are eliminating reels altogether, and instead offering a selection of clips. Collecting clips is fluid, as clips can easily be added or subtracted, or selected specifically for a certain job. The more successful actor websites will offer the viewer a choice of clips according to genre—comic, action clips, etc. You can also use specific clips to hone in on particular roles. You have the option to present a clip that matches the genre 151

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of the project you’re auditioning for. You can name the clip in a specific way. For example, if you are putting yourself up for a drama, you might send a clip called “clip from Homeland, playing opposite Claire Danes.” Or if you are up for a forensic TV series, send a clip called, “procedural interview in NCIS .”

Reel If you do decide to showcase a reel, realize that, just as the resumé is not a list of all your projects, the reel is not a collection of everything you’ve ever done. It is a carefully edited selection of your best work. Your reel should be assessable 24/7 at the click of a button. That means posting it on YouTube, search engines, and your website. If I Google your name and “video,” I should be able to see your reel immediately—without a password. I don’t understand when actors password-protect their reels. What’s wrong with the whole world seeing your work? Hard copies of reels are less common now, but some actors distribute cards with an embeded reel, that flips out, as a USB. The image you present on the reel needs to match your primary headshot, so that’s a good place to start. Begin the reel with a still of your headshot so we have no doubt whose reel we’re watching. Some actors start with a montage of different shots set to music to introduce themselves. I can tolerate a montage only if it is very short (for example, three different shots). Some editors choose to display painfully long montage openings, full of fluff. Casting directors will get bored quickly if there is no substance on the reel. Just as the headshot should be current, so should the reel. You might have been great as a child actor, but showing your baby pictures will not get you cast today. When Shakespeare said “brevity is the soul of wit,” he must have been thinking about showreels—the shorter, the better. Producers and directors don’t have time to watch hours of footage. If your reel is more than two or three minutes, it’s almost guaranteed that it won’t be watched until the end. It’s advisable to trim a reel short to pique the viewer’s curiosity about you. That way, an interview may follow. Many actors miss the opportunity to sell themselves when the reel is poorly produced. Top mistakes include reels that: ●

run too long;

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contain too much of one project, or similar material;

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feature other actors more than the presented actor;

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contain the right material but the editing is slow, or conversely;

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are over-edited with snippets that are too short to get a sense that the actor can create a whole character;

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contain unprofessionally recorded theater;

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have poor sound quality;

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don’t include contact information, stamped on the reel.

Since you don’t know how long the viewer will stay tuned, front end your best work. The same idea applies if you share scenes with prestigious actors; showcase these clips first because a star lends immediate legitimacy. If you can carry a scene with Tom Hanks, then you can be trusted. Cut right to the chase in each scene. The filmmaker who produced your material is telling a story. You’re not. You are advertising your brand. Jump right into the middle of the scene, to the heat of the argument, or the moment of discovery, then quickly move on to your next brilliant moment. Just as a flashlight only works on the strength of its weakest battery, so does a reel; leave out scenes that are sub-par. Just as variety, change, and opposition are interesting in a performance, such is also the case with a reel. Vary the order of scenes: for example, a long scene, followed by a short one, then a fast scene, followed by a slow one, etc. This holds the viewer’s interest. The variety should extend to the types of scenes you choose. Intersperse comedy with tragedy, action with costume drama, etc. Remember that clips that are too short can also vitiate the effectiveness of your reel. I want to see at least a few scenes that are long enough to demonstrate that the actor has created a cogent character arch, with inner depth. Avoid two-shots in which the other actor is featured much more than you. We may end up casting your co-star instead. If you have original footage, you can even play around with the editing, leaving the shot hanging on you, while the other actor’s voice is off-camera. Make friends with the editor of every project you work on. Maybe they will help you get those clips that ended up on the cutting room floor. Sometimes you can even get hold of scenes that were entirely cut out of the movie, if you make friends with the right people. Think carefully about what clips you choose. Your favorite scene may not reflect your best work. An agent or editor is a more impartial arbitrator. Consider not just how you’ve been cast, but how you want to be cast and spin your choices accordingly. When negotiating your deal with the editor, establish how many cuts they’ll do within the agreed fee. Circulate the first cut to directors and professionals you trust for feedback before the final cut. At the end of the day, it’s you who must be satisfied, so make sure that you feel proud to post the final product on the web. Most databases, such as Spotlight and Casting Networks, offer a video slot.

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If you’re just starting out . . . If you don’t have a film career yet, then creating a reel can be a daunting task. How can you cleverly cut together scenes that don’t exist yet? This first question you should ask yourself is, “Am I ready to make a reel?” Make sure you’ve had some training before you set off. Everyone has to start somewhere. If you’re not experienced on screen, then your first priority should be to gain experience. The “About Me” video also emerges as a prevalent way for actors to introduce themselves. Devise a video with five facts about you, delivered in your own voice with your own style. Helpful to include would be skills that are often sought, such as horse riding or stage combat. You might speak in alternative languages, if you have those skills, or simply talk about something that fires you up. The video shouldn’t be longer than one minute, and it should be included in a database profile, and/or on your website. Collect footage by volunteering to appear in student films at a local film school or university. You never know when you’re working with the next Martin Scorsese, and most importantly, you’re getting experience in front of camera. The director might even be willing to cut a reel for you in exchange for your performance. There are always independent directors seeking actors on no or low budgets. Get connected to the circuits and networking sites that link blossoming actors and directors. Beginning actors can also collect footage from screen acting classes. There are production companies that specialize in producing showreels. This means that they provide a set, lighting, and sometimes coaching, to shoot Professional-quality scenes specifically designed for a reel. Ultimately, it is not the reel itself that is important, so much as some kind of quality taped material. One option is to invest the money that you would have used in producing a reel, and collaborate with other like-minded artists to produce a short film or local web series. I’ve seen very high-quality material that was actor generated for the purposes of creating a reel. I’ve also seen some real dogs, that I’ve advised actors not to use, so please get a second opinion.

16 Casting Sites and Search Engines

I

’m often asked about the turnaround for casting a project. How long does it take? While sometimes casting directors are hired months or even years in advance to develop casting on a feature film, once a project greenlights, casting can happen in an incredibly rushed fashion, especially on TV series. The internet’s lightning speed only exacerbates the pace of this enterprise. When casting directors release a breakdown onto a casting site, within hours, agents submit hundreds of actor suggestions electronically. When I’m working on a fast-moving TV series, almost the moment an actor auditions for me, I pop them onto a file share for the producers and director. In the 1990s, when cell phones were newly popular, I remember an actor’s comment that, “having a cell phone is the difference between getting the job or not.” Indeed, casting is sometimes simply about getting an actor quickly to set. The key point now is to uphold an online presence so that I can access your materials at any moment. When I’m in an idea-storming session with a director, I may refer to an actor off the top of my head. If I can immediately access that actor’s reel, they are that much closer to the job. When the director has access to all of your materials online, they are more likely to shortlist you for the role, quicker than the actor without a web presence. Yes, it is your agent’s job to market you, but getting your own materials online makes it much easier for your agent to sell you. You’re giving them the tools they need to help you book the job. I suggest a four-pronged strategy for internet presence. 1

Register on the major quality casting sites, and search engines, always keeping your profile up to date.

2

Be Google-able and YouTube-able.

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4

Design and update your own website (this is more static, and I’ll discuss it later, in Chapter 17).

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nce, when I was teaching master classes in Istanbul, Turkey during a politically tumultuous time, the prime minister shut down Twitter and YouTube. I was also casting a project and a few actors sent me their reels via YouTube. The lesson is to make sure that your promotional material is available on a variety of platforms (YouTube AND Vimeo AND speedreels, for example). You never know when a certain platform will be kaput for either political, technical (or who knows what?) reasons.

The internet offers an indeterminable range of search engines designed for actors and the entertainment business. Although I list some of the major ones here, there are hundreds more, and by the time this book goes to print there will be new ones, and the old ones will have new options and functions, so actors need to keep up with the ever-changing world. Following is a list of major actor casting search engines, where smart actors maintain an active presence. Some of them charge and some have a free option, so you have to selectively decide where your money is best invested since you probably can’t afford to do all of them. Once you are registered, don’t throw your money away by ignoring the site; make sure your information is up to date. Each time you do a new project, make sure you add it.

International ●

IMDbPro (see Chapter 19 on IMDb)

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Casting Networks

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We Audition

United States and Canada ●

Actors Access

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Now Casting

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Casting About

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Castit

CASTING SITES AND SEARCH ENGINES

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Backstage Casting

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Breakdown Services

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Casting Frontier

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Casting Workbook

United Kingdom ●

Spotlight

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Mandy

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Shooting People (for independent projects in the US + UK)

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The Stage

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Backstage

Europe ●

e-TALENTA (in six languages)

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Castupload

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Encast

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Cast Connect Pro.de

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Stage Pool

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Job.book.fr

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Filmmakers.de

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The Castlist

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Cast Connect Pro

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Cast Forward

Australia ●

Showcast.com.au

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17 Actor Websites

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n my former books, I recommended that all actors develop websites, because they are the best way to control and spin your own content. While I still think a tasteful and well-managed website can be advantageous, marketing is changing and becoming more dynamic, while a website stands static. So I would now say that a website is optional, but I would highly recommend a website for an actor who lives in a remote region where agents are not prevalent, and the industry is not well developed. An effective actor’s website will include the following.

Home page Two items are paramount in web design: clarity and navigation. Your identity and message should be quickly and easily recognized within the first few seconds that someone lands on your homepage. If it isn’t, most people will quickly navigate away to another site or search engine. DEB DEWITT, DSW Design

The home page will prominently feature the actor’s one main headshot. It’s best not to clutter it with tons of different images. Save multiple photos for the gallery. Google likes changing content, so announce news, like a new show or snippets of good reviews, on the front page. You might prefer to vlog info in video format rather than to write it. Not only will it keep us up to date but it will make your site easier for search engines to find. You will also decide on this page what your menu items will be.

Menu items ●

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Resumé. Here you may decide to organize your resumé with selected credits as described earlier, or PDF of full credits for download. Some

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actors skip the resumé and link into a search engine, such as Breakdown Services or IMDb for their resumé. This is handy because then they don’t have to worry about updating two sites, but I would recommend posting your resumé separately on the site as well. Provide downloadable and printable options to make it easier for casting directors to obtain hard copies. Make sure your contact info is on the printable copies. ●

Biography. This optional heading is a short prose section that includes where you were born, and how you’ve gotten where you are. It is a way to emphasize your background, and what makes you unique. If you escaped from war-torn Yugoslavia, for example, that could inform your experience for a given role. If you grew up in the suburbs of New York, or Kent, it could be equally as relevant, depending on the project. The style in which the biography is written also provides an opportunity to express your personality and sense of humor.

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Gallery. Here’s a chance to show the range of archetypes you can play and to offer additional information about yourself. The headshot is limited, as it is usually just that—the head. Take this opportunity to show a wider shot, so we can see your wonderfully round, or modestly slim, frame. If your main headshot is quite serious, but you’re also good at comedy, then include a photo that reflects this side of you. If you mostly play contemporary but are also a Shakespearean-trained actor, post production stills with period costume. Be selective about what images you choose, however. Web expert Ellen Treanor Strasman notes that one of the frequently made mistakes is when, “Actors choose to put in too many photos. The average visit time per page is less than one minute so people won’t look at that many photos. The rule of lists is (and this applies to the number of photos) people will look at the first three and the last one.” So put the strongest photos in these four positions.

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Reel. Don’t miss this part. When I’m considering an actor I don’t know, I always watch their reel. There is no substitute for the moving picture. Some actors separate their work by project, showing a few clips from each. Other actors divide their clips up by type—for example, comedy, drama, action—and make mini reels. Usually, actors load up their two or three-minute reel. Make sure that the links work and are in a common format that viewers can watch, like QuickTime. The reel and each clip should start with your image so we’re not confused about who we should be watching. If you have clips in a different language, separate them.

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●

Press or reviews (optional). This section will include snippets of reviews about you. You can link to the whole article, or quote one or two sentences. If you got a good notice within a bad review, feel free to pick out the phrase that flatters your performance.

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Contact. If you have an agent, include all of their contact details. Many casters prefer the professional distance that an agent affords. If you don’t have an agent, or don’t mind being contacted directly, an auto-form is a way of concealing your personal email address.

Other sections that you might include are: ●

Voice over. If you do voice work, and have a voice reel, include that.

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Links. Links to and from the site are important for drawing viewers. Link your page to a professional search engine, your agency, or to a project you’re working on, and ask them to link back to you. The more links there are to your site, the more traffic you’ll get, which will push your site to the top of the search engines.

18 Social Media

Goals on social media 1

Your first goal is to create and optimize your professional brand d image as an actor. That means syncing your logo/headshot on all of your sites.

2

Your second goal is to build industry relationships s. Many casting directors have professional social media platforms where you can interact. Once you join, do a hashtag or keyword search using words like Casting, Actor, Production, etc. to identify groups you want to join or individuals you want to follow.

3

Your third goal is to find opportunities s for auditions, and events that you might not hear about via other channels. Other actors might even be your best source for these.

4

Stay informed d. Join Twitter feeds from Hollywood Reporter, IMDb, Actors Access, and Variety. Find out what’s happening in your area, what the recent trends are, who is up and coming in the industry etc.

5

Help and inspire other people e. Think of social media as a community of artists and pass useful information on to others. Perhaps you see a great opportunity for someone else. Pass it on. Help casting directors find someone even if the post is not right for you. That casting director will remember you next time. Promote actor friends, and they will promote you when your time comes up.

M

arketing on social media is free, and it suits the dynamic nature of marketing in the digital age. One of the questions that I’m most often asked at Q&As is about how necessary it is to develop followers on social media and if that makes a difference to an actor getting the role. While I can answer 100% that I have never counted an actor’s followers on social media, it does seem to be happening in some instances. I have given examples earlier in this book about 161

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actors who launched their careers from YouTube or Instagram videos. While not everyone will excel in this way, it is a missed opportunity in today’s digital world not to take advantage of free marketing. Social media gives you a chance to tell a story. We, who work in the entertainment industry, are storytellers. So why blow the opportunity? I am not going to explore specific social media platforms in this chapter because the platforms morph so often that, by the time this book comes to print, platforms will have already changed. The key point is that the use of social media should be part of your marketing strategy. Create an overall marketing strategy on your platform. It’s tempting to simply post whatever we’re feeling on a given day or grab images that seem cool. While there can be some value in spontaneity, make sure that you are adding value, and staying on message. If you were designing a room in your house, for example, you might grab one piece of furniture, then a color of wallpaper to match, adding piece by piece as you go. I’ve done this and ended up with an eclectic room. A more useful approach might be to consider what mood you want to create in the room. How do you want to feel when you occupy it? Think in terms of the big picture when you design your social media strategy as well. What do you want followers to get about you? What overall story do you want to tell? You could decide, for example, to start a short series about “the actor’s life” or share tips about what films you recommend. Try to be as consistent as possible, releasing this in a set time frame every week. Think in general also about color, tone, mood, etc. Social media is the way for you to create your own specific content as well as sharing other valuable content in a regular fashion.

Name and image The first considerations are your name and your image. Claim your name on social media. If you have a common name, distinguish yourself from others by adding a middle initial, or make sure that you’re entered as John Smith, Actor, rather than just John Smith. Then make sure that your image, that key headshot, is inextricably linked to your photo, thus creating your “brand.” Once you have created the logo for your campaign—that is your headshot— make sure that it matches across all platforms. The image that you present on your website should match the image that you use on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, IMDb, and Twitter (or whatever platforms you’re using). That way it can truly serve as your logo. See the following examples of how actor Julian Kostov used his key headshot as a logo on the various social media and marketing platforms. He keeps it consistent on each one.

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When structuring your campaign, remember those key marketing questions outlined at the beginning of this Part: What do you do? Who are your buyers, and why do they buy from you? Make sure you include a short bio about yourself. Coordinate your efforts with your agent or manager, if you have one. Talent representatives often register concern about whether you can be contacted about work directly via social media so it’s good to be on the same page about how you present yourself, and at what point to bring them in. Use social media because you’re selling and that is where everyone is buying. Do you have to use all of the social media platforms? No. But please choose at least one site to lead casting directors, producers, directors to you. How do you do this? By creating value and curiosity. Present yourself as a professional peer to the people with whom you want to connect. Nurturing these relationships will take time and patience until they come to fruition, so don’t expect instant results. Some advisors recommend a strict separation of professional and personal pages, however since in acting the product is the self, you may merge the two spheres. Your personal interests are part of what make you unique and

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they are a way to connect with others. For example, if gardening interests you, you have the opportunity to make a connection with other industry professionals who might share the same passion. A producer you work with sometimes might notice your rose garden pictures and comment, and then you have an authentic relationship, based on a common interest, that might or might not result in future work. Authentic charity interests can also unite people and attract attention to you in a positive way.

Avoid narcissism Personally, I’m very bored by an endless stream of selfies. Take selfies judiciously, like if there is a particular background you want to project or a new look you want to share. Imagine that social media is like a big party. There is nothing more boring than hearing an actor (or anyone) rant on about how great they are, what they are doing, etc. Everyone has experienced that braggart

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who traps you in the corner and just doesn’t stop talking about themself. Be the memorable guest at the party who is listening to others speak, supporting them and occasionally interjecting their thoughts and ideas. Your tribe are your community and you are all there to help and support one another. Read and reply to other people’s posts, as well as your own. Isn’t this just what your mother taught you—to be cooperative and supportive towards others? It’s common sense. Be a human being, not just an actor. The idea is that you want to draw people to you, not repel them. I’ve observed this in my own interactions with actors. I meet thousands of actors at casting calls, festivals, and masterclasses. The honest truth is that I can’t remember them all, but there are certain ones who manage to stay in touch with me in a friendly and unobtrusive way. These are the actors who come to mind when a role comes up for them. There are others who are forever in touch but in an obnoxious way . . . constantly spamming me, or writing long emails with too many questions that I can’t take the time from my day to answer. There are actors who send unsolicited material and then get angry when I don’t send feedback (not realizing perhaps that I get hundreds of emails like this and cannot respond to all). You can grow followers by tagging locations, friends, and professional relationships. Be careful about tagging one individual too much though or an algorithm might block you.

Political content Social media consultants may warn you against posting any political material because it could divide your audience and prevent you from getting a job, particularly commercial jobs wherein a political view may conflict with a product. This is something to be aware of and keep under advisement. I however do post political content because my political views are too important to me that I would waste my platform and not express myself in that way. It might cost me a job sometime, but for me, it’s worth it. Everyone needs to make their own choice in this regard.

Fan page A fan page could be premature if you’re not famous yet. Some well-known actors find that their fans start the page before they do. Once this happens, you may decide to create an “official fan page,” that you can manage yourself. If you’re not famous but in the stage of building your career, focus on building relationships rather than fans.

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Networking with casting directors Many, but not all, casting directors use social media, so you do have opportunities to connect with us via social media. As I have emphasized, relationships take time however, so don’t expect immediate results. One time, for example, an actor joined my Nancy Bishop Casting page and rather abruptly messaged me asking, “OK I joined your page, where are the casting announcements?” This is an actor who doesn’t understand social media. The trick is to build relationships and stay in a contact’s peripheral vision. There are casting directors who post breakdowns, and others who never will. Even if a casting director does not share breakdowns, they may provide useful tips, and help actors to stay in the loop, so it won’t be a waste of time to make the connection.

U

se original photos and video when posting to social media sites. A picture always draws more attention than just words.

The to-do list for social media On your social media account, be kind, be positive and be honest. SAYA SERGEBAYEVA, Social Media Manager ●

Make sure your bio is included on all platforms. This is how you differentiate yourself. Hashtag carefully, using career-specific keywords like “actor,” or “voice-over artist.”

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Add your location. This can be particularly useful for regional casting directors to find you, and also helps you connect to professionals in your area.

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Find your tribe. Your tribe will include other actors as well as industry professionals like casting directors, agents, directors, and producers. Your tribe will be composed of people you already know, as well as those you will meet via hashtag searches.

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Find your own voice on social media. Is your humor dry? Witty? Or if humor is not your bag, then use your genuine earnestness. Authenticity rules.

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Be not only active, but interactive. Ask and answers questions. Contribute to your followers and friends. Take part in industry in chats, and groups, and share and re-post the valuable content of others.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Precautions: How to ruin your career on social media ●

The Litmus test is don’t post anything that you wouldn’t post on the front page of the New York Timess. There are messenger apps available to post content that you want only close friends and family to see.

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When on set, there is usually a PR person there who approves what can be posted. Don’t be the one who gets reprimanded or even fired for posting backstage pictures that break the terms of the confidentiality agreement.

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I would caution about making specific auditions known, for the same reason. Productions can be very secretive the material in advance of production

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Drunk tweeting. Make sure you’re sober when you make that post. Yes of course you can erase it the next day, but even temporary posts can cause damage. (The 45th President of the United States taught us that.)

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Don’t be a narcissist and bore us with endless selfies.

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19 IMDb: We Love It, We Hate It

IMDb’s mission is to be the world’s most trusted and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content and to make that content available to the widest audience possible. IMDB

What is IMDb? The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is the largest known online record and rating system for films, TV programs, video products, and games, with complete listings of cast and crew; a kind of Wikipedia for both film industry professionals and laymen alike. The site is by far the most popular source of information, hosting 200 million monthly visitors. The Internet Movie Database started as a passion project by a cinephilic, Hewlett Packard employee who just wanted to share and document his encyclopedic knowledge of films. Col Needham (living in the provincial village of Stoke Gifford, England—no Hollywood insider) had no idea that it was the beginning of a multi-million dollar business when he innocently started compiling and posting lists of data in 1989. When you cross a film geek with a computer nerd—the result is IMDb. He simply loves movies and has (at time of press) watched and rated over 13,000 of them. The site is important because not only did fellow cinephiles find this data delightful, but eventually the database caught on with industry professionals who now use it as a bible of information.

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What is IMDbPro? While IMDb is used by punters, IMDbPro offers paid subscriptions to film professionals for more comprehensive tools to track information and manage their careers. IMDbPro is infinitely helpful for any casting director in a brain-storming session with a director. “What’s the name of that actor who is in X film?” It’s so easy to look things up. I even use it to check my own credits when I can’t remember something. Casters, producers, directors are using IMDb every day to find and check credits on actors. Right or wrong, good or bad, your credits on IMDb legitimize you.

What actors need to know about IMDbPro . . . Although the site was sold to Amazon in 1998, it is still not one hundred percent professionally manned with data entry personnel. It functions somewhat like Wikipedia, which means it relies on the help of thousands of contributors to enter, correct, and update information. These contributors may range from Star Trekkies to heads of studio. Is the data consistently reliable? No, it’s not. Consequently, those of us who work in the biz must consistently update our own information, making sure that it’s current and accurate. The best way to make friends with IMDb is to consistently contribute with accurate, and verifiable, information. Once the site knows you as a reliable source, it will likely accept your updates with less difficulty. Become a conscientious contributor to IMDb. Read the contributors’ charter. Some people, like my producer friend, don’t mind updating and correcting other people’s information. When my friend sees an error on a film he’s worked on, he’ll correct it. The more someone updates data in this way, the more the system will like that contributor. I, personally, on the other hand, hesitate to update other people’s accounts because it could become a full-time obsession. One time I caught a film I had cast, which hadn’t screened yet, with an almost entirely wrong cast listed on IMDb. The list reflected a suggested early cast, which creeps me out because I wondered how the database got this wrong information. Was some production assistant looking over my shoulder or did an IMDb spy pop his head in my office while we were in the process of casting? I almost shouted when I saw this false information but knew that it would be corrected once the print of the film was released. I have settled on a policy that I won’t make actors’ credits my responsibility. I advise actors and agents to take control of this process themselves. IMDbPro encourages agents to manage their clients’ accounts and allows this function in cases when both the manager or agent and the client pay for subscriptions.

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IMDb makes a point of claiming that, on all unreleased titles, listed credits are subject to change, and will be checked against the actual film print when it’s released. A sure way to prove to them is a screen capture of the person’s name on the onscreen credits. In order to use all of the resources available to you, you must buy an IMDbPro account. This costs money, but it’s worth investing in your career, especially once you start to collect film and TV credits. With a Pro account, you can add and manage a showreel and resumé, choose which images to display, and select “known for” credits that will catapult your favorite credits to the top of your page. You can write a bio and add trivia, etc. Be careful, because once you post a bio, it can be expanded upon, but it is not easy to delete.

Using IMDbPro proactively IMDbPro posts breakdowns for actors in conjunction with the global sites Casting Networks, Audition Magic, Mandy.com, and DirectSubmit.com, so there are some jobs listed there in the job section. Casting directors who work on major film and television projects usually use other breakdown outlets (see Chapter 16). IMDbPro is also useful for research, in a way that is not possible on IMDb. You can learn about films that are shooting in your area by doing a search on your IMDbPro account. Research what films are in pre-production and section the search by location. Once you figure out a film is shooting in your area, the best step from there is to contact the casting director. If they aren’t listed, contact the producer, and emphasize that you are a local hire and ask whom to contact. They will want to connect you with the right casting director because they’ll know he can save money on local cast. The other great advantage that a Pro account provides is the ability to look up contact details for producers, casting directors, and other industry professionals that you might not otherwise be able to find. Additionally, you can make yourself and your own agent’s details transparent for colleagues who may be trying to contact you. You can also track specific people or projects.

Some potential problems to watch for The objective of IMDb is to be as comprehensive and as accurate as possible. The objective of actors is to forward their careers. Herein lies the rub. Note that these objectives are not the same. While actors want and need to use IMDb as a tool to market themselves and enhance their job opportunities,

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IMDb is a behemoth with a mechanical, impartial personality. It doesn’t care if you look good or not, as long as your credits are listed accurately. There are times when listing every single credit can have a negative effect. One of the biggest complaints that actors have is that they cannot remove credits. Unfortunately, many of us have credits that we are less than proud of. A good friend of mine, early in his career when he was needing money, signed a contract with an ostensible action film called Cracker Jack 3. By the time the film was printed and merchandized, the title listed on IMDb was Girl Camp: Lesbian Fleshpoints. His brother wrote him and said, “I guess I know what I’m getting Mom for Christmas!” and his agent was not brimming with joy. He wished he could remove the credits but alas. . . IMDb does not care about his career. It only cares that he appeared in these films with the unfortunate titles. They claim only to be a factual resource, and refuse to delete “factual data.” This actor does not include these films on his own resumé, but since that time he has collected so many more credits to his name that these silly titles have fallen to the bottom of the heap, largely unnoticed. So I wouldn’t say that Lesbian Fleshpoints has compromised him. Unfortunately, however, that is not always the case. I was once developing a feature film with a production company. The private source of funding was a Texas family with very conservative values. One actor had auditioned brilliantly, and the director wanted to hire him. When the producer checked the actor’s credits on IMDb, he called me and said, “There is no way we can make the offer. As soon as the funders see that he has a credit called Young People Fucking they will not hire him.” When I reported this to the actor’s agent she said, “That title was just an ironic joke—not a porno film!” Furthermore, the released title had been Y.P.F, not Young People Fucking, which was only an early name that was later dropped. Well, do you think we could get them to change this on IMDb? It is impossible to get anyone on the phone to explain the situation. I will say that customer service at IMDb has improved since the printing of my last book in 2015. This is partially because CSA has a close relationship with IMDb since they understand our pivotal position in the industry—that we connect actors to jobs. So, via CSA, I was able to get an IMDbPro rep to answer some of my questions. This rep assured me that IMDb now offers a “robust” customer service branch, and I’m happy to report that when I wrote to them this time by email, someone did get back to me within a day. The other frequently encountered problem is that IMDb confuses people with the same names, resulting in actors getting credits for things they didn’t do. If you are starting your career, look on IMDb and see if there is already someone working in the industry with your name. Try to avoid this problem by adding an initial or middle name, to make your name distinctive, and use it when making all acting contracts.

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Lastly, IMDb insists on keeping records of people’s ages. For years I’ve been lecturing actors not to reveal their age, but their playing range. Well this throws a wrench into that! An actor even sued IMDb over this and lost the case. She claimed that outing her true age hindered her career. Yes it’s true that an actor’s age is a fact, but so is their blood pressure, shoe size, and star sign. Yet these other attributes are not listed. Would it be a lie to simply not mention an actor’s year of birth? IMDbPro has the option for an actor to mention their playing range, rather than age, so take the option. But unfortunately, IMDb still keeps a record of your actual birth date (that was either volunteered by you, or picked up from an interview or article) and then Google will grab it from there. So they are not in the business of protecting actors, no matter what they claim. Can we take IMDb to task for this? I hope some ambitious entertainment lawyer may try again.

What actors should not do when interfacing with IMDb When updating your information, try not to be anxious and impatient about when it actually gets posted. There is some lag time between when you update it and when it appears. One actor I talked to was complaining that they didn’t update him fast enough, and this was preventing him from getting hired, or negotiating a higher salary. So he sent IMDb a nasty correspondence, which he claims made them even slower at adding his credits. Don’t try to enter incorrect or embellished information. This will only flag you as an unreliable source, and make it harder for you to submit even when the information is correct. Don’t try to remove information. It will be a frustrating and vain exercise. The database responds much better to corrected information. Don’t obsess about your star meter rating. The star meter measures an actor’s popularity based on how many hits they score weekly on their IMDb page. The lower the number the more “popular” an actor is. Some actors become obsessed with the measurement and take to constantly hitting their IMDb page or asking friends/family (strangers on the bus) to look them up in order to improve their numbers. I have not done an official survey, but in my experience of moderating panel discussions and exchanging with colleagues, casting directors do not cast according to IMDb star meter numbers. At one point, there were accusations in the press that star meter ratings were rigged, and a number of third party companies surfaced that promised you that, for a fee, they would raise your star meter rankings. IMDb has officially discredited these companies, so run away if you are approached by anyone who offers

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money in exchange for a better star meter ranking. Also, star meter ratings jump wildly from day to day. On my own, I have noticed it can jump even 100,000 points in one direction or another. If a particular show comes out, then people will be checking those credits on the premier day. Then a few weeks later points will descend again. And, as Matthew Lessall, CSA, pointed out on one panel discussion, “The best way to improve your IMDb score is to die, but then you’re unavailable anyway.” An actor’s worth is valuable at the box office, but it is a mystery to all of us in the industry exactly how to estimate an actor’s value since they are only as good as the numbers on their last film. Personally, I would much rather cast according to an actor’s ability rather than their star meter rating or ostensible box office worth. The film business is, however, exactly that—a business, so producers and networks care very much about an actor’s ability to be “hot” at the box office. Sales agents think they know which actors are the most valuable, even when the list of “A” actors versus “B” actors is always changing and shifting. Casting directors are constantly fighting with producers and sales agents about who would be right for a role, based on talent rather than a number but, in any case, the IMDb star meter is not the key factor.

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20 Self-Tape Casting The self-taped audition

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hen I wrote the first edition of this book in 2009, self-taping was still a relatively new phenomenon, considered a poor second cousin to the live audition, and only happened when the actor couldn’t be physically present for the interview. Self-taping is when an actor is given sides to tape themselves, and sends the clip in to the casting director. Since that time, self-taping has become, in some cases, the first call for all casting directors. For almost any project that I cast, a substantial proportion of auditions will be self-generated outside of my studio. Sometimes self-tapes are used as a screening device even when the casting director and actor are in the same location. This can happen because of deficits in either time or money (studio space costs). The skill of taping oneself effectively is absolutely essential for the success of any actor. Learn it, practice it, perfect it; figure out what works for you. Self-taped auditions are both an exciting and daunting prospect. Thanks to the internet, geography no longer prevents auditioning. At the same time, it puts more responsibility on the actor to learn the technology and techniques that before were only in the casting director’s hands. Actors have to be ready and equipped to tape themselves at any moment. Actors who learn the skills and technologies to effectively self-tape will be the ones who work. The industry leaves behind actors who cling to technophobia. It’s not just the most talented actor who gets the work; it is the most talented actor who can get their work effectively and swiftly to production on time. Electronic auditioning has changed the way films and TV series are cast. It has allowed actors from much broader geographic regions to work. Whereas casting was once centralized in New York and Los Angeles, now actors can be cast from anywhere, anytime. In a vast country like the United States, virtual casting allows actors from Dallas, Texas to book roles on projects shooting in Houston, more than three hours away. Actors from Seattle, Washington regularly virtually audition for series shooting in Portland, Oregon. Actors from the entire South East work on series shooting in Atlanta and New Orleans. In 177

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Europe, we often accept self-taped audition clips from actors all over the continent. The pandemic crisis and the demand for social distancing only exacerbated the demand for self-tapes. I can happily say that actors have become much more adept at taping themselves, yet I still encounter tapes that are such poor quality that I can’t present them. It doesn’t matter how great your performance is if we can’t see your eyes or hear you. Shaky camera work and shabby backgrounds can similarly cheapen a good performance. Hone this skill, and practice in your spare time, so when you get the phone call you’re ready. There are many conditions in your career that you can’t control, but making an effective and professional quality self-tape is something you can control. There are a number of services that cater to virtual auditioning, and more are springing up every day. There are even organic businesses that have sprouted up in actor’s homes to accommodate this new way of casting. Look online in your community to see what the buzz is. It’s important to know how to prepare an effective audition. It might sound like a piece of cake, but many actors find it hard to set up the taping themselves. As a former technophobe, I can assure you there’s nothing complicated about operating a basic video camera. Learn it and consider it one of the skills that an actor should know to succeed in today’s film world. The disadvantage of taping yourself is that you don’t have the benefit of a casting director’s guidance and notes. The advantage is that you can prepare the session in the comfort of your own home, and practice with multiple takes. Create a space that looks like a studio even if it really is your bedroom. Get comfortable taping in this space so that you’re prepared when the call comes and the audition will go smoothly. So take a breath, relax, and here are some guidelines.

Steps in self-taped auditioning 1. Equipment Camera Video cameras are affordable and useful. High-end, high-tech equipment is not necessary. You can invest a few hundred dollars for an amateur camera. The advantage of a camera over a smartphone is that you can manipulate the shot better, zooming in and out to adjust shot size. It’s easier to mount on a tripod to get the right level, etc. If you don’t wish to invest in a camera, then a good smartphone will work too. I have definitely cast actors from iPhone auditions. Very important: make

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sure you turn it to landscape, not portrait. The portrait images have a way of flipping upside down when they are delivered, and they also appear in a skimpy vertical shot.

Tripod The image needs to be stable. This is when the smartphone can present a challenge, unless you invest in a special tripod for the phone. I have seen too many shaky camera auditions. Position the tripod so that the recording device shoots straight across to you. Don’t shoot up or down on yourself, unless instructed.

Miscellaneous equipment Self-taping kits exist. Do an online search and find one that’s cost-effective for you, or construct your own. A good self-taping kit should include: ●

A lighting system with a filter. (Alternatively, you could buy two cone lamps from a home supply store and mount them on a tripod or ladder. To avoid shadow, filter the light with an umbrella.)

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A gray or light blue backdrop. (You can also just buy a sheet and duct tape it to your wall.) Avoid shooting in front of a window, patterned wallpaper, or busy bookshelves.

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A useful but optional investment might be a separate microphone, as internal microphones are often poor. Inexpensive mics are available at camera stores. An external mic will take care of the problem we often experience of hearing the off-screen reader (who is next to the lens) louder than the actor.

2. Preparation Once you get hold of the scene, follow the steps already outlined in this book. First, you want to answer the basic acting questions: ●

Who am I?

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Where am I?

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Who am I talking to?

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What do I want?

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What are the stakes?

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Where are the changes/discoveries?

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3. Shooting There is no formula for shooting the perfect virtual audition. The most important thing is to follow the specific instructions of the production. Sometimes they will want you to introduce yourself in a certain way, or shoot yourself in a wide frame, or close up. My office always provides very specific instructions, and I get irritated when actors can’t be bothered to read them. If we ask you to announce your height, for example, there is a reason for it. ●

If a casting director sends you sides without instructions, then the only rule is to present yourself well. Make sure the lighting is good, the camera is straight. I appreciate a short introduction announcing the role you are reading for. I have definitely seen actors introduce themselves for far too long. I also recommend showing both a wide shot in the introduction and a medium in the actual scene, which means top of head to nipple.

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If you’re reading with a scene partner (could be the camera operator) place them directly at eye level behind the camera lens. If you prefer to find a focus point, rather than reading with a person, choose a spot near the camera lens, so that we can see you. Looking next to the lens (rather than into it) will give us a good three-quarters view of your face.

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Play variety and range. If you do two takes, make each take different. There is no point in sending two versions, unless there is new information the second time around.

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Make sure you’re listening (see Part One on listening). Remember that a large proportion of film acting is listening and not speaking. Don’t throw away your best acting moments that happen during the silences. Avoid acting without a partner, unless it’s a monologue. It’s important to have a partner (even a non-actor) to read the other lines. I’ve even seen actors who have recorded their own voices in the other lines, and this can work. I prefer to hear another voice; one suggestion is to call a friend and put the phone on speaker while they feed you the lines of the other character.

4. Sending the audition clip There is only one right way to do it; the way the casting director or production requests. If they ask for the clip to be a certain size or compression, then you

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must do it exactly as they ask, or it may not fit into their viewing format. I often ask for material to be sent very small, for example, less than 20MB. When it’s big, it looks better but it may take too long to load or the director may be viewing it on set where there is a shaky internet connection. Unless specifically requested, avoid using sites like YouTube for auditions. Even if it is password protected, you might find that your auditions are public material someday.

What not to do I’ll give you the opportunity to learn from some bad examples I’ve seen: ●

Don’t try to shoot a professional film. Some actors mistakenly think that they must produce a mini film and go to ridiculous lengths to acquire costumes, sets, and professional editing. One actor who was auditioning to play a taxi driver decided he needed to tape in a car. I couldn’t understand a word he was saying, the engine was so loud. Remember that the casting tape should be as simple as possible. You want the director to be looking at you and your raw acting ability, not your sets and costume design skills.

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Do not include a scene partner in the shot, unless you want them to be cast too. The person you’re reading with should be off-camera. If they’re a good actor, that’s fine, but it’s not a necessity. You risk that the director will become more interested in the other players than you. (I’ve seen it happen. “He’s not so good but what about her?”) The best scene partner will read neutrally and quietly so as not to distract from your performance.

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Don’t worry about complicated blocking. Remember the KISS rule (Keep it Simple, Silly). There are all kinds of creative ways that a director may choose to shoot a scene. This does not apply to auditions. Shoot yourself from the most flattering side of your face, but don’t worry about shooting it creatively. Stick to the boring formula as described above; we’ll see three-quarters of your face, aimed to a point near the lens most of the time.

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Don’t throw away the best moments in the scene. Remember that so much of acting is in reacting. Sometimes it is the moments in between the text, the reaction shots, that reveal the character’s inner feelings. I’ve seen too many audition clips in which actors concentrate on speaking the lines rather than on reacting.

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Self-casting do’s and don’ts Do

Don’t

Introduce yourself briefly, saying your name, height, and agent.

Announce your age, unless it is specifically requested.

Keep your shots simple. Face camera and expose at least three-quarters of your face most of the time.

Get fancy with editing or shooting.

Have your scene partner read offscreen and close to the camera lens. The camera should always be on you.

Focus the camera on any actor other than yourself. Unless you want to audition your scene partner as well.

Use a simple background.

Shoot on a location, use elaborate sets, costumes, and props.

Sit close to the mic, or get a professional separate mic.

Stand far from the mic, so that your scene partner is louder on the tape then you are.

Practice with several takes, but just choose one.

Send in many takes.

Mount the camera on a tripod so the shot is steady.

Handhold the camera.

Make sure your eyes are well lit.

Sit with the window behind you.

Use a camera or a smartphone.

Shoot “portrait” on a smartphone.

21 The Virtual Video Audition and Lessons from the Pandemic

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f you’re fortunate enough to be called back to meet the director after your initial audition, the video audition may be the next step. During the pandemic, we witnessed the rise of the video call, particularly on the Zoom platform. Like everyone else, I had to scramble to more efficiently use this new technology. I had already been using it for CSA board meetings for many years before, but when it became the only way to communicate with people, I had to take it more seriously. There are two facets to the audition. There is the meeting and the audition itself, so you may want to find two different places in your home. In both cases, think about the background and lighting. Careful consideration will show us that you care about the meeting. I’ve seen actors carelessly sit down at the kitchen table with the dirty dishes behind them for a meeting, which is unlikely to make a good impression. For the meeting, when you’re saying “hi” to the director, the background you select will say something about you. The classic advice is to appear before a shelf of books so you look smart, but it’s silly since, even for those of us who read a lot, we don’t always collect hard copies of books anymore. A window is probably a bad choice, as it will backlight you into darkness as if you’re in a witness protection program. If your only private place is your bedroom, then make sure your bed is made. Or if you don’t want people to see your bed, you can sit on it and figure out how to place the computer so we won’t see your bed. In any case, do a reconnaissance in advance. Go ahead and turn on the Zoom and see what it looks like. Make sure your eyes are well lit (can be natural lighting), and the background is acceptable to you and presents the impression you want to make on the viewer. Cinematographer Ivan D’Antonio suggests that for interviews, it’s best to create depth in your background. His tip is to avoid a flat wall, as the viewer should “feel some air in the shot between the subject and the background” so that subject doesn’t appear caged.

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For the actual audition part, when you’re reading lines with someone on the other side of the screen, you may want to find another space. That’s fine to tell the casting director that you’re moving to another spot, and you can even turn off your video momentarily while doing so. For the actual taping, it’s best to establish a solid background with nothing to distract us from you; definitely not a window, and no busy wallpaper. You should be more interesting than your background. A gray or light blue background is optimal but not essential. The eye line is tricky and anyone who was following my Instagram feed during the first lockdown can see that I myself was working this out. Position your laptop or phone so that the camera is level with your eyes. A stool works for me, as my desk is too low. Sometimes you might have to stack several books to get the right height. The temptation will be to look into the screen at the person who is reading with you, but then your eyes are slightly below the camera. In the optimal audition your eyes will look next to the lens, which is likely the corner of your computer screen. Casting director and coach, Manuel Puro suggests making a marker by drawing faces on Post-it notes. For example, if the person you’re meant to be playing is happy, draw a happy face, or if he’s angry draw a cranky face, etc. In some ways, the Zoom audition is the best way to audition, because you can rehearse and even tape it in advance, to test what it looks like. It’s different from a self-tape experience because it’s live and it gives the interviewers the chance to see how you respond in the moment. As with all the advice I give, learn to enjoy the Zoom interview and make friends with the process.

Five tips for the virtual audition 1

Test your audio in advance e. The classic joke is that every virtual meeting starts with people saying, “Can you hear me?” or “Click unmute. You’re muted.” So if you’ve never used the particular format before, make sure you test your audio. (It can waste a lot of time if you are fiddling with the tech during the audition.)

2

Wear clothes on the bottom half of your body y. During the lockdown, many people got caught out when they rose from their computer only to be discovered “Donald Ducking” it. You never know when you might need to stand.

3

Click “Touch up appearance.” Look for the “Touch up appearance” button, featured in certain formats such as Zoom. It adjusts the lighting balance on the picture ever so slightly.

4

Think about how you will dress s. If this is a callback, the classic advice is to wear the same thing you wore for the original audition. The director called you back because they remember you in a certain way. You

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obviously performed well enough the first time that they want to meet you again, so imprint your image in their memory by wearing the same thing. If it’s a first meeting, then choose something that suggests the character, but you don’t need to go too far. If the character is a banker, wear a collar or a tie rather than a sexy neckline, for example. If it is a sexed-up character, wearing a lower cut V-neck that shows some skin should be suitable, but there is no reason to wear a negligee. Again, you want to help suggest the character so the director can better imagine you playing the role. 5

Decide in advance e if you want to face the computer camera full on or if you look better three-quarters, and place yourself accordingly.

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22 Frequently Asked Questions about Auditioning

Learn the rules so that you know how to break them properly. THE DALAI LAMA

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ere are the rules. The trick is figuring out when to break them. While I answer these frequently asked questions, there are no formulas for the acting trade.

What can I expect at a film or TV audition? Be prepared to expect almost anything, and roll with it. Usually, for film or TV auditioning, you can expect there will be a camera. There might be several people in the room, or just the casting director and the camera. If it’s a large “cattle” call, they may give you a number before you come into the studio. Usually, you need to hold the number under your chin while they take a still photo for identification. Often you are asked to stand neutrally in front of camera, and turn for both profiles before you start reading. (Yes, like in jail, and they’ve heard that joke before.) In a commercial casting, they want to see a toothy smile and your hands, but don’t offer this in a film audition or you’re screaming, “I’m a commercial actor.” Some casting directors may surprise you by handing you another role, or even asking you to improvise a scene that you knew nothing about. Each director has a different process. For example, on a TV series I worked on for Amazon about young people in Europe, French director Cédric Klapisch (Call My Agent!) requested a pre-casting in which young actors from different countries talked about their experience of coming to adulthood in Europe, and then built the characters based on the actors he met, instead of the other way around. One of my students said that he was completely thrown when 189

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auditioners asked him to speak his lines in Polish. Though he had a Polish name, he didn’t speak Polish, so they said “So make up a gibberish Polish language.”

What do I say in the introduction? Often you are expected to introduce yourself in front of camera, for the benefit of the director. This means making a simple introduction, stating your name, agency, perhaps height, and mentioning a few of your best projects. Do not mention your age. Your playing range is all that matters. The introduction seems to be the hardest part of the audition for some actors. They can’t wait to transform themselves into a character but they feel uncomfortable just being themselves for a few moments. To a director, this might be the most interesting time. It’s vitally important that you reveal your own personality. You are the product and you are really the most interesting thing from our side of the camera. “The actors are my teachers,” commented director Stephen Frears about My Beautiful Launderette. He took all of his cues from them since he knew very little about India when he started the film. If the director is at the audition, he may ask you to say a little about yourself or ask what you have been doing recently. As casting director John Hubbard noted in a symposium I moderated, “That doesn’t mean he’s actually interested, so don’t go on all day.” It’s OK to plan what you’ll say in this situation. “I love to hang glide and I’ve been taking advantage of the great weather to do that lately.” That communicates a passion and is something unusual for the director to remember. “I’ve just thrown a birthday party for my adorable three-year-old daughter,” is also a good one. It introduces you not just as an actor, but also as mother, or dad. One time an actor told me in his introduction that his cat was having her period. I did remember him but think about how you want to be remembered. Leave problems outside the casting studio door. If you say you’ve not been doing much, this doesn’t give a good impression. The director doesn’t want to work with someone who doesn’t even take an interest in her own life. If the director asks you what projects you’ve worked on lately, remember that he doesn’t want to hear your entire resumé. Briefly summarize the projects that showcase you well. “I just got to work with X actor in a BBC series. It was really fun; we got to shoot in Cornwall. Have you ever been there?” Remember to spin it in the most positive way. Some actors don’t feel adequate, and they demote themselves. Turn “Not much, I was in Lord of the Rings, but it was a really small role,” into “I just worked on Lord of the Rings. It was a fantastic opportunity to work with Peter Jackson.”

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Never mention negative work relationships at an audition. I’ve actually seen actors talk us out of casting them by mentioning that they didn’t get along with the last director they worked with. Remember that it is a job interview, and we want to work with actors who will cooperate and be team players.

What if I haven’t worked much or I haven’t worked in a long time? Being unknown can be a great asset because it means that some agent or casting director can claim that they “discovered” you. Great movie stars have been discovered at times when directors were searching for unknowns. When I was casting Alien vs. Predator, I asked director Paul Anderson if we were casting any stars and he said, “We have two stars. Alien and Predator.” When Steven Spielberg was casting Jaws, he said: I wanted somewhat anonymous actors to be in it so you would believe this was happening to people like you and me. Stars bring a lot of memories along with them, and those memories can sometimes, at least in the first ten minutes of the movie, corrupt the story. FROM PETER BISKIND’S BOOK, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls (Bloomsbury, 1998) Some actors don’t break through until later in their careers. Naomi Watts landed the lead in King Kong when she was 36. Casting director Priscilla John addressed the issue of the non-working actor in a casting symposium, “There are plenty of actors who succeed in their 30s or 40s, and you think, ‘I always knew he’d turn the corner even if he wasn’t working much in his 20s, but he’s coming into an interesting time.’ ” Casting director Maureen Duff cited the example of Eileen Essell, who had a successful acting career that she started at age 80! When a director is interviewing you about your career, spin it your way. “I haven’t done much of anything, really. I just got out of school,” can become “I’m hitting the scene now. I just finished a really great program at X University,” or “I’ve been studying with a really exciting teacher, named Y.” Instead of, “I’ve only done an unpaid student film,” try “I just finished working on a really exciting project about a teacher in the inner city, and it was a great role for me.” Remember that the director probably knows that you’re inexperienced. Bring your enthusiasm and yourself with you.

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Who will be there? This varies, and you can certainly ask if the information is not volunteered. Sometimes it’s just the casting director, or their assistant, and sometimes the director will be there too, though this is rarer. Director Joe Wright, for example, sat in on every audition when I worked with him on Charles II for the BBC. In the United States, and generally at film auditions, this is less common at the first audition. Old hand casting director, Fred Roos (now a producer) explains that in the 1970s directors (including Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas) frequently sat in on even the first meeting. Though that’s uncommon these days, be prepared for anything. If it is only the casting director’s assistant there, remember that they are important people too and will make recommendations about who to shortlist and report on how you were in the room. Assistants often move on to become casting directors themselves as well. If it’s a callback, you’re likely to have the director, and if it’s TV, the producer may come as well. If it’s US network TV, your third callback is likely to be a “test option deal” at which point you read for the Studio. Once you get approved past that point, you read for the network. Meg Liberman, who has cast numerous US network series, advises actors in these callbacks to “replicate the (first) audition,” unless directed otherwise. On rare occasions, the star may be at a callback audition too—mostly if he or she is the producer. Miraj Grbic´ found this to be the case when he appeared in Prague for a callback on Mission Impossible—Ghost Protocol. When I ushered him into the room at the Four Seasons, he was greeted by Brad Bird and Tom Cruise. Miraj was nervous but he didn’t lose his cool. Tom said to him, “So I hear you’ve been in 27 films in Bosnia?” Miraj didn’t lose a beat; “yes and I hope this will be my 28th.” Everyone laughed, and they immediately knew that they could work with him. He was funny, enthusiastic, and he spun himself in a positive way. The important thing is to do the research, not only on your role and the project, but on who will be at the meeting. Ask, or have your agent find out for you. Know whom you’re meeting and what their credits are. See some of their work if possible. It gives you an idea of their style, and a topic of conversation. Get to know who the casting director is, her name, and what she looks like. This sounds obvious, but it doesn’t occur to a lot of actors. I’ve had this experience, and it’s been corroborated by many of my colleagues. We can meet an actor in a casting on a Monday, but in a café on Tuesday they have no idea who we are. We meet thousands of actors, so why is it that we remember them better than they remember us? Is it because they’re so nervous or preoccupied that they don’t see who is in the room with them? Sheila Jaffe, who

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cast the Sopranos among many others, told me that she’s gone to cast parties where actors she cast didn’t recognize her. Remember the hand that feeds you. Keep up with casting directors and their careers.

What happens at callbacks? Great! You got a callback! This means that, after your initial audition, you are asked to return. The casting director wants to work with you some more. You may be meeting the director and he might have invited other actors to test who plays well with whom. To prepare for a callback, know the lines. Callbacks tend to make actors even more edgy since they are that much closer to the role. Some actors do a wonderful first audition, but bomb the callback. They make the mistake of over-preparing, making it impossible to receive direction that might change their original choices. Actors also tend to think they need to prove their acting abilities, by showing off, or doing too much, or making that fatal mistake of judging the character. Keep it simple. Know the character, make specific choices, and let it flow. At callbacks, we’re looking at the alchemy of the cast and how they fit together. If you’ve made it to the callback stage, you don’t have to prove yourself. We already think you’re a good actor. Often we’re assessing your chemistry with another actor or simply your personal chemistry and how it meshes with the role. This is not something that you can push. Either it’s there or it’s not. My yoga teacher advises, “the more you relax, the further you’ll stretch.” It works at a callback audition as well.

Is it important to get conservatory training or a university degree in acting? If you get accepted into Julliard or LAMDA, or another top drama school, you’ve got a great start to your career. These top institutions, by name alone, immediately impress, and lead to invaluable work contacts. Top drama schools, however, are not the exclusive formula to success. In show business there is no proscribed trajectory. If you want to earn a liberal arts education (for example, a history degree) then, by all means, do. This degree could include a specialization in theater or film. A liberal arts degree is an excellent foundation for acting because history, science, and literature are all important when making decisions for building a character. In terms of the real world of show business, however, having a BA

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or BFA on your resumé doesn’t count for much. It’s about what you can do. I’ve never regretted my education, but for jobs I’ve worked in entertainment, no employer has ever given a toss about my diplomas. I learned on the job. Actors learn on the job too. In olden times when theater companies traveled, performing from village to village, like the players Shakespeare portrays in Hamlet, they didn’t have MFAs. They learned their craft through the internship system on stage, and if they didn’t perform well, they didn’t eat. While I heartily encourage actors to get as much quality training as possible, it does not have to be in a university setting. There are many excellent training programs and teachers who don’t necessarily offer a degree. Natalie Portman famously said, “I’m going to college. I don’t care if it ruins my career. I’d rather be smart than a movie star.” (She is both.) If an actor has no knowledge or life experience, then there is very little from which to build.

I’m a trained actor. Must I keep training even after I have completed my degree work? Yes. Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman, and Helen Hunt all have acting coaches. If you think you’re a better actor than they are, then skip it. Training is ongoing for actors. Take courses and masterclasses every chance you get in improvisation, stand-up, Meisner technique, Viewpoints, Shakespearean verse, stage combat, film acting, scene study, audition technique, clowning and physical theater. Even if musical theater isn’t your specialty, make sure that you’re studying voice, and dance as well. Being physically fit is important. It’s part of keeping the instrument tuned. Acting is physical.

Should I lie about my age? Currently, according to European Data Protection laws, it’s illegal for a casting director to ask for your age. If you are asked, the only thing that matters is your playing range. I do encounter actors, however, who habitually announce their age even when not asked. By announcing your age (your correct age or a fantasy age), you limit your options. Therefore, on your resumé list only your playing range (i.e. 20–30, for example). The playing range should be believable and probably within ten to fifteen years of your true age. In the internet age, it’s difficult to hide one’s age anyway. Once your age is reported to IMDb, it’s impossible to remove. There has been a lawsuit regarding this. Actor Junie Hoang sued IMDb for revealing her true age, arguing that it impedes her job chances. SAG-AFTRA supported her: “An

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actor’s actual age is irrelevant to casting,” it claimed. “What matters is the age range that an actor can portray. For the entire history of professional acting, this has been true but that reality has been upended by the development of IMDb as an industry standard used in casting offices across America.” I wholeheartedly agree with the union, but as of the time of this publication, Junie has appealed but not won the case. For now, an actor must accept this. (More on IMDb in Chapter 19.) Stick to the age range when face to face with a director though, since he is rarely staring into his computer while interviewing you. In some cases, age range actually has nothing to do with your actual age. A prematurely bald actor, for example, often plays roles older than himself. Let the casting director lie for you if necessary. Casting director Leo Davis confesses that she regularly lies to directors about age on actors’ behalves. One of the famous examples of an actor playing against his true age is Dustin Hoffman, who played the 18-year-old Benjamin Braddock in The Graduate. He was 30 playing opposite Anne Bancroft, only five years his senior, who was meant to be his mother’s age. This is an old film, however, and wouldn’t wash with today’s standards. David Schwimmer directed a film called Trust that was about an older man (40, played by Chris Henry Coffey) seducing a teenage girl (played by 15-year-old Liana Liberato). Because casting directors Mary Vernieu and Lindsay Graham chose actors who were authentically correct, the audience really felt the disgust at this rape. The only exception to the age rule is that, when a minor works, production must be informed since different rules dictate how and what hours minors work on set.

What do I wear? The important rule is to wear something that flatters, but does not upstage. Casting director Anja Dihrberg notes that “if the costume becomes more important than the acting, then we have a problem.” Neutral, solid colors work well. No stripes, loud colors, or white (it reflects the light). Be careful about what jewelry you choose. We want to cast you, not your earrings. Any hats are bad, as are t-shirts with writing. Sometimes women feel the need to sex themselves up at castings. While I would advise anyone to play their assets, remember that you want the casting directors to notice your acting, not your bust line. If it’s a particularly sexy role, however, then go for it. For Van Helsing, we had a role called “buxom barmaid,” and we encouraged candidates for this role to let it shine. “There’s nothing wrong with wearing a tight t-shirt, if the role requires muscle definition,” notes talent manager Derek Power. I generally want to see an actor’s waist, whether it is big or small.

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Some actors are considered too “contemporary looking” to play in a period film. A tanned actor who looks great jumping off a surfboard in one show may not be convincing in a seventeenth-century piece. For a period drama, it may be advisable for a man to grow a beard, or whiskers (if there is time) before the casting. Women with dyed or streaked hair, flattened down with hair straighteners, are less likely to be cast for period roles as well. Don’t broadcast a tattoo; it makes a problem for the make-up department. For a callback, it’s advisable to wear the same outfit that you wore for the first audition. You will immediately be recognizable to the director. He short-listed you and he remembers you as the guy in the mauve t-shirt from the first call.

Should I dress as the character? This question is debated. Most casting directors are happy when an actor suggests the costume somehow. Although you’re theoretically auditioning for creative people, don’t count on them having a well-developed imagination. Make it easy for them. It’s hard for them to imagine you as an investment banker if you’re wearing a tie-dye t-shirt. Help them out and wear a suit. Some actors come prepared with a few different clothing options. Be time-efficient and make sure you can slip them on and off quickly. Generally, casting directors find it absurd when actors go overboard with costumes. You don’t have to rent a partlet if you’re up for an Elizabethan era piece. Here are two examples of casting directors comments, from a symposium: I knew an English production company and they went to LA to cast for this commercial and all the actors turned up as Batman. About an hour later the producer turned around and said to the casting director, “Why are they all dressed as Batman? We’re casting a batsman.” I think what you have to do is something that suggests the character, subtly. (A batsman is a cricket position, not a superhero.) JOHN HUBBARD

I was casting Tom Brown’s School Days and there was one particular actor who didn’t have an agent but kept calling and was desperate to read, so we finally let him, and he came in with a nineteenth-century costume. Silver cane and hat and everything and he screamed at the top of his lungs—an awful reading. As soon as he left the room we all just burst out laughing. But he’d forgotten his silver cane so he had to come back . . . MAUREEN DUFF

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There are simple things that actors do to subtly alter their dress, without turning heads on the bus en route to auditions. A good choice for period drama is to wear an accessory or hairdo that suggests the era. A suit coat for women in a 1940s piece, or a waistcoat for men can go a long way. Be dressed and ready when they call your name. No casting director wants to hear, “But wait! I have to change.” Actor Colleen Camp provides a wonderful exception to the “no elaborate costumes” rule. She was competing against top actors, like Madonna and Demi Moore, for the role of Yvette in Clue. At the callback, Colleen came bouncing in wearing a French maid costume, and she played the costume so well that from that moment on the casting team couldn’t imagine anyone else in the role.

Should I wear make-up? It’s a good idea to even out your skin tone with a light covering of foundation. The camera detects all. Think about the specific role, and what makes sense cosmetically. When we were casting vampires on Blade II, Andrea Miltner, who played the first vampire of the film, came to her audition with ghostwhite foundation and dark red lips. It helped us to see her as a vampire and she was cast. Sometimes I specifically ask actors not to wear make-up if we’re looking for an unpolished look. The things you normally try to hide can be the things that get you cast. When I was acting, a director said to me, “I want to use the dark circles under your eyes for this role.” Sometimes women overdo their eye make-up. Liner and mascara are designed to accentuate, but too much eye make-up upstages. Bette Davis advised that if you want to bring out your eyes, wear brown eyeliner, not black. If your make-up is too thick, you’re drawing attention to your liner, not your eyes. Bette Davis, famous for her eyes, should know.

What if I don’t know anything about the film? It’s difficult to act in a vacuum. The most important thing, however, is that you can answer the W questions. Who are you? Where are you? Who are you talking to? What do you want? Very often, the answers to these questions are contained in the sides themselves. If you don’t feel like you have enough information to answer these questions, call the casting director’s office. You can request a copy of the script and production may surprisingly be able to provide it. These days, more often than not, scripts are watermarked with your name. It can’t hurt to ask. In cases when you are provided with the

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script, read it! There is nothing that turns a director off more than a missed opportunity. Often the script is impossible to view, even once you get the job. It used to be only very high-profile scripts that required secrecy, but I’ve had to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) on nearly every film I’ve worked on in the past several years. Producers are more neurotic than ever about their content being leaked. On Mission Impossible IV, I was not even allowed to look at the script until I had been working on the film for several months. The director and producers described the characters they needed, and we used dummy scenes. I felt like a secret agent myself as I finally viewed the script, printed on red paper, and without my cell phone (so I couldn’t photograph the pages). I had to go into a clandestine room, where the script was pulled from a locked vault. Research the project as much as you can in advance. That means knowing the director’s previous work, reading the project synopsis, learning something about the historical period in which it takes places, or reading the novel on which it’s based. This will give you an intelligent and curious approach to the work. The more you know, the better you will perform. I need to do this research for my work too. When I worked with Korean director Bong Joon-ho on Snowpiercer, I was delighted to watch the films that had made him famous (The Host and Mother). I observed his distinctive, epic style of storytelling. Characters appear in pivotal cameo roles to tell the hero’s story. I could see his style and how it related to his taste in casting and acting style. I also found common ground with him in my interview.

Where do I look? Do I look at the camera? Film generally follows the dictums of Realism, the concept of removing the fourth wall of a room. Just as actors in a Realist play do not look at the audience, we rarely see actors looking directly at camera in film. The performer is not supposed to be aware that they are photographed, so why would they looking into camera? Unless specifically required, it is better to look next to the lens. Often the reader is positioned there anyway. If the reader is sitting in a place that is disadvantageous, then choose a spot next to the lens. You don’t need to maintain eye contact with the reader. Which is your good side? You should know this if you want to be a film actor. Figure out which side of your face photographs better and play to that side. Bear in mind that you don’t have to fixate on one focal point for the entire reading, but be as generous with your eyes as possible. Screen acting is in the eyes, so we must see them. During the actual filming, the director shoots a scene in all sorts of ways. The actor might be

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crouched down low, in semi-darkness, or the director may shoot over an actor’s shoulder to get a Point of View (POV) shot. Let the director make these artistic decisions when they are shooting the film. When you’re at an audition, however, the goal is to show yourself. That means uncreative blocking; play to camera and find a focal point right next to the lens. When referring to or seeing something off-camera, place it near the camera lens also. Often actors choose a focal point that is either on the floor (wrong!— the eyes go down) or way off to the side (wrong!—then we don’t see your eyes at all but only your profile) or even behind them (great—if you want us to see the back of your head). Figure out whom you’re talking to and where they are. Make these decisions before you come into the room. Orient yourself: “OK, so the camera is there and my mother is to the left of camera and my father is to the right of camera, etc.” Actors sometimes get lost with these logistical considerations. The scene doesn’t have to make geographical sense; let the director worry about that later. Play towards camera and locate yourself in the scene. No one will hold your hand through this process.

Is it important to be word-perfect or off book? In Part Two, I emphasize that it is more important to know the scene rather than the lines. I encourage actors to learn lines, but to hold the script on their lap. There are two reasons for this; first, you have the script there in case you corpse a line, and second, it reminds me that the audition is a process, a reading, rather than a finished product. There is one well-regarded acting coach in Los Angeles who encourages actors not to learn their lines in order to keep them fresh. Many casting directors, however, will say that it is absolutely imperative to be one hundred percent off book. In some European countries, the casting director would even kick you out of the room if you didn’t know the lines. So it’s important to know your market. There are actors in Los Angeles who go to three auditions per day. In that case, proficient sight-reading becomes an actor’s best friend. Some actors only go to a few auditions per month and are given the text well in advance. If that is the case, then by all means, learn the lines. It is paramount, in either case, that you are prepared. Film and TV actor, William Fichtner told me that if there is only one piece of advice he gives actors new to the craft: it’s that the top of your head isn’t interesting. He has a point. How can we get to know you if we can’t look you in the eyes? If you’re reading the text then your head is bent down. Practice sight-reading so that you’re ready for someone to randomly throw a script at you, but keep your memorization skills in tune as well.

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Is it important to be word perfect on text? My advice also goes against the “dead letter perfect” dictum, emphasized at British training schools. While working with Ian Richardson on From Hell, he told me that he found the lines awkward because although this Jack the Ripper story took place in Victorian London, it was written in an American cadence of speech. He felt, however, it was his professional obligation to make the lines work, as written, so that he did. There are times when actors change lines slightly to make them flow better and some writers/directors go along with it when the changes improve the product. I’ve been in castings when the writer actually took notes on the actor’s mistakes, wondering if it sounded better with alternative wording. Other writers might have a thermal nuclear meltdown when even one line is changed. No matter how much you prepare, however, you cannot anticipate how much the scene will change and evolve. It is the very nature of television drama that the text is more like a blueprint than a cemented structure. While acting in television mini-series I’ve memorized pages of script only to have it re-written on the day. For both NBC’s Revelations and ABC’s Anne Frank, the writers were present on set and re-wrote the lines by hand, passing them to me on the back of a call sheet. If this happens to you at a casting, or on set, don’t let it throw you. If you memorized the scene, meaning the happening in the scene, and the character’s objectives, the scene will run smoothly.

What about accents? When an accent is required, you have to speak convincingly on the day of the audition. Otherwise the director won’t believe that you can do it. There are multiple dialect coaches who can meet with you in person or online, as well as courses. We Audition, which is an online taping resource, can line you up with a scene partner who has an authentic accent and can help coach you. (We Audition has offered my followers a 25% discount with promo code NANCY25.) Have at least a few different accents under your belt. If you’re British, then standard American is important. Conversely, Americans should learn RP (Respected Pronunciation or Standard British). Concentrate first on the accents that will be the most useful to you. If you’re a white actor, you probably won’t ever be expected to speak in a Chinese accent. (Believe it or not, I have actually seen this on a resumé.) Only list the accents that you really have mastered. Often actors think they can do accents well, when actually they sound like cartoons. Get your accent approved by either a native speaker or a dialect coach. If it’s Friday and you’ve got an audition on Tuesday that requires a new accent, then do whatever you need to learn it. Rent a film that uses that

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dialect, or find a radio program on the internet. If your audition is tomorrow and you just can’t master the Irish accent in time, then be honest. It’s better to use your own accent and confess, “I don’t know the accent now, but I’m very happy to learn it.” Poor accents can ruin the audition, especially if you’re concentrating only on the accent and nothing else. The dialect has to be second nature to you.

What about volume? Must I project my voice? Actors who come in projecting give themselves away immediately—theater actors. Theater actors must throw their voices to the stalls. In film, it’s important to play to the microphone. If you are speaking to someone who is only a few feet away, speak relatively quietly. If the mic is one meter away, then adjust your voice accordingly. Occasionally there is a separate mic, on its own tripod or even attached to your clothing. In these cases, keep your voice at realistic levels. If you think the character would be whispering for some reason, then whisper. If your character is talking to a large crowd, then use the full strength of your voice.

Shall I follow the stage directions in the script? Identify when the stage directions are important. For example, if the scene is about a character handing over money, that’s a stage direction that is easy to follow in the audition room. Generally, however, you should ignore the stage directions for two reasons. First, the writer is often trying to direct the actors, or tell the director how to direct the scene. When they insert adjectives in parentheses like (stunned), (perplexed), (hurt), etc.—ignore these. They are result-oriented directions that won’t help you act the scene. Stick to the objective and stray from adjectives provided by the writer. Sometimes you will see punctuation that dictates a certain performance. A dash in the middle of a word usually means the character has more to say but is cut off. In these cases, be prepared to have more to say in case the other actor or reader doesn’t cut you off. Sometimes writers will capitalize an entire line, which seems to mean that they want you to scream. You’re the actor, so you make the choices about the performance. Above all, make the scene work. The second reason to ignore stage directions is that the writer might also be trying to tell the casting director how to do his job (these pesky writers are going too far). Andy Pryor, who casts Doctor Who and many BBC TV shows, was embarrassed to call in actors for the role called “Fat Bitch.” The role name was a way of describing the character as unpleasant, but there are many ways to devise

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this through the acting. What’s more, you might get the side and think, “But I’m not fat!” (or blonde, or whatever). I’ve called thin actors in on “fat” roles simply because I thought they could act the role. The writer’s description of physical attributes throws actors off. So just ignore it! (My apologies to my writer friends.) The audition is artificial. The way we shoot a scene at a casting may be entirely different from how it will be shot in production. If the scene takes place in a car, we don’t go out to the parking lot and shoot in a car. A walking scene is hard to film without a dolly and grip department, so be prepared to say the lines standing in place. If there are stage directions like “they kiss,” then make the scene work without kissing the casting director or the reader. (See my chapters about intimacy guidelines in Part Three.) With punches, or any kind of physical violence, you will not be expected to punch anyone, though I’ve seen actors punch their own palm to make an effect. Know that any kind of violence on screen is very specifically choreographed, so don’t try to pull it off. I have heard of two casting directors getting hurt and having to go to the hospital because of overenthusiastic actors, so don’t be one of those! If the stage directions read “Anna cries,” and if the tears come, fine. If not, then play the scene organically and make it work with your choices. If the director really insists on tears, then he’ll let you know. Above all, play to camera as much as possible even when it doesn’t make scenic “sense” to do so.

Can I move around in front of camera? Yes. You’re not a caged lion. It’s professional to ask the size of the frame so you know how to calibrate your movement. If it’s a close up then focus performance in the face and eyes, mindful not to pop out of frame. Bobbing from side to side will make viewers seasick. You may also choose to walk into frame or perform some simple blocking but, if so, let the camera operator know, so he can follow you. You won’t be expected to do the more demanding actions, unless it’s a stunt audition. When I was auditioning stuntmen for Running Scared, for example, they all came in and checked the strength of the wall before they threw themselves onto it. If you’re on a horse, don’t feel the need to simulate the movement of a horse. We get it that you’re on a horse.

Can I use props in a casting? When you’re battling aliens in outer space, don’t forget your weapons! You can use props, as long as they don’t upstage your performance. We want to be

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looking at you, not your toy soldier set. A mobile phone works brilliantly as a compass, a phaser gun, and a walkie talkie. The most successful props are simple things that will support your performance. Even your script can become a doctor’s clipboard, and your umbrella a sword. Most casting directors will not object to whatever props might enhance your performance. Sometimes props will be provided. Some casting directors prefer miming since it eliminates the awkwardness of props, but miming can be uncomfortable. During auditions for Everything Is Illuminated, director Liev Schreiber said, “I don’t want actors to act with anything that’s not there.” I assume that as an actor, Liev hated to audition with mimed actions himself.

What if the person I’m reading with stinks? They probably will stink. Your reader might be the casting director, who thinks she can act, but actually can’t, or it may be a bored assistant. Even if it’s an actor, they may not give you the energy you want. You are responsible for your performance, regardless of what you get on the other side. Famous acting coach, Sanford Meisner, a disciple of Stanislavski, developed a technique, based on honest emotional reactions. This training is very effective and many actors boast (rightfully) that they are “Meisner trained.” This technique can go pear-shaped in the audition room, however. I believe that this is because the spontaneous repetition exercises that Meisner employs assume that the other actor in the scene will provide emotion or energy. You might end up reading with a corpse or a robot, which could stimulate a reaction but maybe not the one appropriate for the scene. Therefore the actor must be prepared to draw upon his own inspiration.

Can I expect to do more than one take? You may only get one take, so this is why it’s crucial to enter prepared, and warmed up. If you are only offered one take, feel free to ask for another one. They might say no, but they won’t knock you sideways for asking. When you do the second take, ask if they want you to try something different. I recommend that you come prepared with at least two different choices, in case you do get another chance. Then the director will see your range. They may possibly be testing to see how consistent you are too, so that’s why it’s good to ask. The caster may ask you to do it again, and give you some direction, or she may say, “Let’s play with it.”

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What if I’m wrong for the role, should I audition anyway? Yes, absolutely. It’s a meeting with a casting director. If you’re not right for this role, she’ll remember you for another one. Whatever you do, don’t decide that you’re wrong for the role before you get to your meeting. Let us do that. If you believe you’re wrong for the role, then you’ve already lost it. If you were invited, then obviously someone thinks you’re right for it. Stay open, and realize that they might want to cast against type. Dustin Hoffman didn’t want to play Benjamin Braddock in The Graduate because he insisted that he wasn’t right. He called it “the biggest miscasting mistake anyone could make . . . this is a mark of a great director.”

What if the character is totally alien to me? Find a way to connect with the character. What does the character want that is like what you want? Robert Carlyle is one of the most pleasant actors I’ve worked with. He played Hitler in CBS’s Hitler: The Rise of Evil. His off-screen personality is about as similar to Adolf Hitler as Godzilla is to Bugs Bunny. How did he pull off the role of one of history’s most horrific villains? He found a way to connect with the role. “Hitler’s mother died when he was young, just as mine did,” said Carlyle. He didn’t play Hitler like a monster. Hitler didn’t think he was a monster, after all. He played him like a petulant child.

I get so nervous. What can I do? “If you’re nervous it means you care,” said Sarah Jessica Parker. Nerves are your allies. Nerves give us energy, enthusiasm, and excitement. Turn the energy towards the role. Even when actors say they’re nervous, it doesn’t always show, so don’t announce it to the auditioners.

How about non-white actors? Casting has a history of racism in Hollywood and the West. There are legitimate times when we have to discern race for artistic reasons to make a story believable. We casting directors hire actors for reasons that other types of employers would get fired for. We hire people according to the way they look, which includes considerations of race, age, and ethnicity. For example, if I’m

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casting a child who is supposed to be the son of Ryan Gosling and Jennifer Lawrence, then that child has to be white or the audience won’t believe it unless it’s specified that that child is adopted. When I was working on Red Tails, George Lucas’s film about the African American pilots in World War II, we obviously had to cast black men of a certain build (short) to fit the profiles of the actual Tuskegee pilots. One agent called me at the time and mentioned that she had a wonderful black actor who was from Germany and spoke perfect German. Well of course, I couldn’t cast him as a German soldier. Nothing would have confused the audience more than a black German soldier. So yes, we had to identify race very closely in our casting, but for sound artistic reasons. I realize that actors from various ethnic and racial backgrounds feel at a disadvantage when it comes to casting in North America and Europe. The perception is that white actors dominate the screen, and it’s true that the industry is still largely run by white men. The fact that I feature a sub-chapter in my book about ethnicity and casting demonstrates that there is an unresolved issue. At the same time, I would say that there has never been a better time in history to be an artist of color. “Diversity Casting” is the language that has crept into a casting director’s vocabulary. Networks, producers, and casting directors are prioritizing casting as many diverse ethnicities and types as possible. This is largely because of watchdog groups such as the NAACP. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) even offers a “diversity-in-casting” incentive to low-budget filmmakers. The CSA and CDG both have special sub-committees that specifically address diversity in casting and how it can be improved. The truth is that there is a lot of work for actors of all different races. First, casting has opened up tremendously from the old studio times. In the early days of film, actors worked only if they had a contract with a studio, and it was a certain type of actor who was invited to join the club. Films from the 1940s feature white icons, with perfect figures and teeth. In the 1950s and early 1960s, actors like Cary Grant and Doris Day could make it; white actors, painted by the make-up department, played ethnic roles. Tastes have changed and now there would be nothing tackier than seeing a white actor with dark make-up on, playing a Native American role. In the 1960s and 1970s, we saw the emergence of leading men like Dustin Hoffman (who at one time would have played character roles only). Influenced by the auteurs of Europe, American directors started to populate their films with actors who looked like real people; actors like Al Pacino and Barbra Streisand don’t seem very alternative to us now, in a time when Denzel Washington and Lucy Liu can be stars. Francis Ford Coppola, collaborating with legendary casting director Fred Roos, was one of the first American directors to cast non-actors because they looked right for the part. Coppola claims, “I was not looking for stars. I was looking for people who would be

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believable to me as real Italian-Americans” (in Peter Biskind, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, Bloomsbury, 1998). He also assiduously chose his extras, lending The Godfather that realistic, earthy look. He had to fight tooth and nail with the studio to cast Pacino. The studio executives were suggesting names like Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, and Ryan O’Neal to play Michael Corleone. Coppola claims that “they told me Al was too scruffy and looked too much like a gutter rat to play a college boy.” The trend has continued. Now, when I’m casting a film that takes place in modern-day New York or London, I cast actors from all different colors of the rainbow, to reflect the real demographics of these cities. Actors Equity has a committee called the EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) that is devoted entirely to encouraging diversity and inclusion in the American Theater for actors of different races, senior actors, female actors, and actors with disabilities by enforcing the equal employment opportunity provisions in all Equity contracts. If you are not white and want to get active, contact the Actors Equity committee or start one in your own community. Use your race and your ethnic background to market yourself in a positive way. Create and produce diversity showcases and invite casting directors. If you feel you are being cast only one way, then create your own web series or one-man play that features you playing the role that you want to play.

How can I find out about casting calls? In a perfect world, your agent will do this for you, but we don’t live in a perfect world. It is your job to find the work for yourself. Beatrice Kruger CSA says, “You have to make sure that you’re visible. If you have an agent, fine, but you can do the same thing if you don’t have an agent. You have to take your life in your hands.” Do readings, do benefits, do one-woman shows. Also, stay on top of what’s going on. There is no one door to knock on, or one number to call, with all of the possibilities neatly listed for you. It’s about keeping your ear to the ground, reading the trade magazines like Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Backstage, and Screen International. Many of the databases that you subscribe to will distribute helpful newsletters as well. Online, there are numerous websites such as IMDbPro.com that list studio and independent projects in pre-production. They also have a job listing, which at time of publication serves commercials, small independent projects, and Reality TV. It is absolutely essential to make the investment and register with the major search engines that casting directors use. They are: Casting Networks, Breakdown Services in the United States; Spotlight in the UK, Castupload, e-TALENTA in Europe; and Showcast and IACD in Australia. Follow these

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sites and casting directors on social media platforms, as discussed in the marketing section of this book (Part Four). When you put yourself up for a project, make sure that you know the breakdown and that there is a role appropriate for you. Casting directors are project-oriented, not actor-oriented. When I am absolutely obsessed with finding African centaurs for Prince Caspian, I ignore submissions from Swedish female actors that land on my desk. When film isn’t happening, turn to theater.

If I want a film career, will I ruin it by doing commercials? I once moderated a casting symposium when I asked the panelists to give advice to young actors at the start of their careers. One casting director said, “Do commercials,” and a director said, “Don’t do commercials.” Once again, it’s not simple, and there are no rules. From a financial point of view alone, it is absurd to turn down an opportunity that could possibly pay your entire college debt, not to mention the fact that a commercial will get you exposure. Actors have even signed with top agents and managers as a result of commercial work. There is a risk that you could get too much exposure on a particular ad that will make casters unable to see you in a serious role. If you are doing commercials, make sure that you keep your “commercial package” separate from your “film acting package.” Actors who send composites (like at a modeling agency) rather than a headshot will not be taken seriously for a film role. Actors who groom themselves to nurture a more “commercial” look might be too “modelly” looking to play a “real person” for film. This is where good management is instrumental. Manager Lainie Sorkin of Management 360 in LA nurtured actor Orlando Jones’ career by booking a 7-Up commercial spot for him in which he created and played a fun character. This move succeeded in bringing in more interesting film work for him. Questions to ask about the commercials are: ●

What is the product? Do you want to be identified as the toilet bowl man for many years to come?

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Who are the creatives? Michael Bay, Spike Jonze, and Oliver Stone all direct commercials. Landing a commercial with one of them, or even being seen by them in a callback, could start a valuable relationship.

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How long does the commercial air and in what medias? TV? Print? Radio?

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Where does the commercial air? If you’re an American actor, maybe it’s OK to be the toilet bowl man in Japan, for example.

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How much is the buy-out, in what countries, and for how long?

Keep track of when and how often the ad appears. I have heard too many horror stories about productions and even agents who pocketed the money when an ad re-appeared beyond the terms of the buy-out. When auditioning for a commercial, most of the same rules apply as for film or TV casting. Make specific choices, know your type, be yourself, and keep open to play. Improvisation is a particularly useful skill in commercial auditions. The difference between a commercial and a film casting is that the ultimate goal is to sell a product. Know the product that you’re selling, and the specific ad campaign. For example: Product: Apple Campaign: iThink therefore iMac.

What if I can’t do what the director asks, or I get poor direction at an audition? George Lucas was known to scream, “OK. Same thing only better,” while directing Star Wars. I believe that actors very often get poor direction in auditions, either from the casting director, or the director himself. Casting directors come from a variety of backgrounds, not all of them “actor-oriented.” Successful directors might come from editing, writing, and even stunts or special effects, so the chances are very good that they don’t understand actors. Translate their directions into actor language. Find a playable action, even if you’re not given one. If a director gives you a strange direction like, “I want her funkier,” then figure out how you can turn that into an action. One time a student in my class was acting a scene in which he was trying (too hard) to play a crazy guy. He was playing an adjective (“crazy”) rather than an action. I told him to imagine that there were snakes coming out of the other actor’s head. Once he did that, and made the image real for him, we all believed that he was crazy. Give yourself a direction that is something you can play. Some directors simply don’t consider it their job to give direction or praise if the actor does well. Sometimes, no notes are good notes. Other directors give good, playable directions. I observed Duane Clark in a callback for the TV series The Philanthropist. We were casting a guest star character named Bejan who was described as an extremely dangerous mafia leader. A less astute director might have told the actors to “play him more dangerously.”

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Well how do you play “dangerous?” Duane instructed the actors to “intensely study the other character.” This was something actors could instantly play and it produced the desired effect. If the director isn’t clever enough to give playable actions, you have to think for him.

How can I find out what the director wants before the casting? You can’t know for sure, and sometimes it’s hopeless because they don’t even know what they want until they see it. When actors read at the auditions, it is often the first time directors hear the words of the script coming to life. It’s a learning curve for them. “The character forms in the casting,” says director John Strickland. “It’s the role made flesh.” Concentrate on what you can bring and your choices. Research the project so you arrive with an informed point of view.

Can I get cast from a showreel? Yes, I have seen actors get cast only from showreels so it’s advantageous to have a good one. Other times, the director isn’t interested in looking at reels and only wants to meet actors. Generally, it’s an excellent screening device if the actor is far away or if we only know his work from stage.

What if I’m bombing the audition? Ethan Hawke noted that “the beauty of film acting is cultivating accidents and spontaneity.” Mistakes and accidents offer opportunities for actors. One of the most memorable scenes in film history was in Midnight Cowboy when Dustin Hoffman’s character almost walks into a taxi and yells at the taxi driver, “I’m walking here!” This was an accident. The taxi driver was not supposed to cross through set at that time. If the casting director’s phone rings during the casting, try playing it in the scene. Or use the frustration you feel when you go up on a line to invest it into the character.

What can I do to push the job through after the meeting? You can send a postcard with your headshot on it to the casting director, thanking them for considering you, or ping them on Twitter or Facebook,

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“Thanks for the nice opportunity today.” Then you’ve reminded them of your interest in a professional way. Maybe if it’s a choice between you and one other actor, and they’re undecided, your courtesy will make the difference. Generally, however, there’s not a flicking thing you can do once you’ve left the room. Actors seem to delight in making themselves crazy. “On that third take we did and you asked me to internalize the second speech more, did I do it? I think I understand now what you were asking. Can I try again?” This was a text message I received from an actor over the weekend after a casting. Can you say “obsession?” When you leave the room, let it go. I’ve witnessed actors who arrive saying, “I’m so embarrassed about last time. I’m so sorry.” I don’t have the slightest idea what they’re talking about. That means either a) they didn’t do so poorly, or b) it has simply disappeared from my mind since it wasn’t so important for me. For casters, it is usually only good or odd performances that really stand out over time. Obsessing over the role after the audition won’t affect the outcome and you will only tie yourself into knots. Try not to invest too much hope, emotion, or importance in each audition. Remember that there will always be more. If your entire wellbeing, either emotional or financial, is caught up with one particular job, that desperation will read and it is likely to inhibit your chances.

How can I get feedback after an audition? You can’t. Don’t expect it. I would suggest that you don’t ask for it. It puts the casting director on the spot, and you might not like the answer. The truth is sometimes unhelpful and hurtful, when they are willing to say it. Oftentimes, I can’t even give feedback because the director won’t share his thoughts. Actors don’t get cast for silly reasons, and knowing the reason might be counterproductive for you. It matters little what one director thinks of you. Gene Hackman was nominated “least likely to succeed” before he was kicked out of acting school. I’m glad he didn’t listen to the opinion of the school’s director. Allow yourself to harbor the thought that you were brilliant, but the role just isn’t right for you, and move on.

When can I expect to be contacted about a role after the casting? This varies widely. On some projects, I’m meeting actors months before shooting begins. TV projects, on the other hand, often turn over very quickly.

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Sometimes no news is bad news, and other times no news is no news. I’ve put an actor on tape in October for a role that shoots in March, and I get the approval to cast them three days before shooting. Stay in touch with the production, via your agent, about conflict dates etc. (for example, if you get hired on another job which will disqualify you) and otherwise go on with your life.

23 Who Are These People and How Do I Contact Them? What’s the difference between an agent and a casting director? An agent works for the actor and the casting director works for production. It’s the difference between buying (casting director) and selling (agent). These people should be separate. If your agent is also the casting director then they are a servant of two masters, and you might lose out since the production is the more powerful master. In smaller cities, it can happen that an agent will cast a film, but the practice should be discouraged. In larger cities where the industry is more developed, this practice is not considered professional and is sometimes even illegal. The Casting Society of America, the UK Casting Directors Guild and the International Network of Casting Directors bar casting directors who are agents or managers.

How can I make contact with a casting director? Most casting directors prefer to meet actors in the context of a specific project that they are casting. Exceptionally they will have a “general meeting” if the actor is new, or visiting the casting director’s city, or introduced by an agent. Although the “correct” way for an actor to be introduced is via an agent, it is not unusual for actors to send material directly to casting directors. I would recommend contacting the casting director when they have a project that you may be right for. How do you know your material won’t be thrown in the bin? You don’t, but one way to help prevent that is by enclosing a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). Never ask for material to be returned to you without a SASE. Most casting directors work digitally anyway, and if you do write to a casting director, offer something to them rather than asking 212

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something from them. For example, offer them a ticket to a show you are performing, rather than asking them to review your material or give feedback on a showreel. Remember that casting directors get hundreds of emails per week from hungry actors. When is a good time to call a casting director? Never. I would suggest never calling, unless your call has been requested. There’s too great a chance that you’ll catch them in the middle of a stressful project or inopportune moment. Writing gives the recipient time to consider. Cover your bases by both emailing and posting hard copies. Be efficient and effective when communicating with casting directors. Ask yourself who you are contacting and why. Don’t write a long, sprawling cover letter (that won’t be read). Write a concise letter getting right to the point of why you’re appropriate for their casting pool. For example: Dear Nancy Bishop, I see that you’re casting Road to Vladivostok. I’m an experienced actor from Vladivostok, and speak Russian fluently. Please find my photo and CV. Thanks for your consideration. Anna Cherna If I’m looking specifically for Russian actors, Anna will be called in. Research the project before you blindly send out your material. Think about your resources, and costs. Hone in on the specific casting directors who are casting projects for which you are appropriate, rather than just sending your details out to every caster that you can find. Casting directors are seeking specific actors for specific roles. If you randomly stop by at a casting director’s office, you might get lucky and be able to say hello, but you also risk putting them on the spot if they are very busy. We don’t like to feel rude. This is why social media is offering new opportunities to build these bridges. (See the chapters on social media marketing in Part Four.)

Is it a good idea to take an educational opportunity with a casting director? Many casting directors work as educators as well, including moi, of course. We work in actor training because we want to see the talent level rise. We want an opportunity to guide and advise actors because we don’t always have the time to during the audition process.

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There has been a dispute about the practice of “Casting Director Workshops,” which have gotten a bad wrap. This is because there were some dodgy people in the industry who have taken advantage of beginners who are naive about the business. There have been known incidents of “pay to play” offers. This means that actors were told they needed to pay for workshops in order to get hired on a certain project. Please note that you should never have to pay for an audition. Both the CSA and the CDG have created guidelines for the proper way for educational discourse to take place between casting directors and actors. Please see the CDG Guidelines below. So if you are taking a workshop with a casting director, you may politely inquire if they are following these guidelines or some similar ethics. Above all, when you enter into a class with a casting director, please take it with the attitude that you’re going there to learn about the process from the casting director’s point of view. Please don’t take the class with the expectation of something, like employment. Participate in the spirit of learning and making connections. I know for sure that actors who have met each other in my classes from networks help each other, and host each other in their respective cities. Actors have been “discovered” in workshops, but that should be regarded as a lucky possibility, not a targeted outcome.

Is it important for me to live in Hollywood? We live and work in an international market. I interact with actors, producers, and directors from all over the world. Globalization brings us more opportunities yet, often, we find ourselves overwhelmed with possibilities of where to live and work. The world is both opening and closing. The possibility to audition has expanded, but the ability to work in different regions seems to contract as xenophobia fuels stronger border restrictions and more laborious work permissions. Some actors are plagued with the question about where they should live, in order to get the most work. There was a time when actors who wanted to work in film automatically moved to Hollywood. In today’s world, where the internet brings us so much closer, this is not such a foregone conclusion. A happy person is a person who loves: ●

what they are doing;

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where they are living;

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and who they are with.

All of these factors must be somehow weighed and balanced when you decide where to live. True enough that location is important, but you also need

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to measure this against what you do and whom you are with. Presumably, if you’re an actor, you know what you love to do: act. You have to figure out where you can act the most, which is not so obvious. If there is acting work in your home vicinity, you may end up working more as an actor and less as a waiter than if you lived in Los Angeles. Perhaps in order to live with your partner, you have to live in a certain place. How can you find acting work and live with the person you love? Can the person you love make compromises and allow you to fly away for acting jobs? These are complicated life decisions that can’t be answered in this book, but perhaps this chapter can help you weigh up your options. When I worked with Guillermo del Toro, I asked him if he lived in Los Angeles. I figured that any director as successful as he would live there, and he said, “I hate Los Angeles! If the whole world fell into the ocean, except for Los Angeles and that was the only place in the world left to live, I still wouldn’t live there!” In my classes, actors often ask me, “Should I move to Los Angeles?” Many of my students are Europeans, but I would answer North Americans the same way. The first question I always shoot back is, “Do you like Los Angeles?” Would you really consider moving to a city that you have never been to before? Try visiting the city first. Los Angeles is not the only place for an actor to live, and while Hollywood is universally known as the entertainment capital of the world, ironically not so many films and TV series actually shoot there anymore. Production budgets may dictate that the film shoot elsewhere. Thanks to tax incentives, local industries in many US and Canadian regions are booming with production, giving small-town actors breaks into the business. Europe also hosts popular locations, especially if the story takes place there.

Working locally Local actors are offered day player roles, but can often take a shot at bigger guest stars and recurring roles as well. It is to the production’s advantage to cast locally, dodging transportation and accommodation costs to bring in Los Angeles actors. With the advent of tax incentives in various states, SAG re-configured the rules to encourage the hiring of local actors in the United States. This means that even while local actors aren’t always paid for travel days, they can petition to get reimbursed for mileage within a 500-mile radius of their hometown. In some cases, they can get accommodation and per diem too. For example, there are actors auditioning in New Orleans and driving to Atlanta for shoots, while Pennsylvania actors

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commute to Michigan, and Seattle actors are considered for shoots in Portland, Oregon. If you are North American and live in a production area, working in your local market first is an excellent way to build your resumé before moving to Los Angeles. It can work the other way around too. There are actors who move to LA but still stay in touch with their regional casting directors for auditions. If an interesting role comes up, they self-tape and fly back to shoot. Clearly identify on your promotional materials and online profiles the cities where you can work as a local hire. If you have an aunt whom you can stay with in Detroit, and don’t mind springing for the plane fare . . . there’s a lot of stuff shooting in Michigan. On your Actors Access profile, you can write based in “Los Angeles/Detroit.” Spotlight in the UK also allows actors to write “London/Edinburgh,” for example. I know one LA-based actor who even simply writes that he is willing to work as a local hire anywhere that they may be shooting. He claims that this opens a lot of doors for him, but he does need to cover his travel expenses. In the European Union, which is a free work zone for talent holding EU passports, actors are sometimes willing to fly themselves to various countries for shoots, even if it means that they only break even on costs. It is a good idea to inquire about tax withholding since it can vary from country to country. Working in another city is a way to add scenes to your showreel, and make connections for further work.

Is NYC Mecca? “Los Angeles or New York City?” many actors ask. The common wisdom is that actors make their film breaks in Hollywood but hit it in theater on Broadway. New York City booms with independent film, and many casting directors are bi-coastal. So if you’re looking to move to the United States and you’re trying to weigh up where you should live, a good first question to consider is—do you drive? If you live in Los Angeles, this is essential. In New York—not so much. Gotham City and Tinsel Town are as different as two cities can be except in one way . . . both are extremely competitive. If you want to live in New York or Los Angeles, make sure that you enjoy competition. Yes, there are many jobs and opportunities in both places, but there are also many more actors fighting for them. Be prepared to walk into the waiting room at an audition and see hundreds of actors who look just like you. If you move to either city, make sure you have money in your savings account to start, and be prepared to take on a non-acting job. The bigger and more competitive cities also tend to be more expensive as well. The real question

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depends on quality of life. There are very few actors who make their living only from acting. Most supplement their living with PR jobs, teaching, coaching, clowning work, etc. In truth, film and TV casting is done from everywhere. Back in the 1990s when I was working with kids in Chicago, I was directing a young boy named Jeremy Sisto in a theater performance, but before I knew it I had lost him to play Kevin Kline’s son in his first break, Grand Canyon. It is nothing new for actors to be cast outside of LA on studio productions, and regional casting directors are often called upon to help LA casters do broader searches. For example, I was asked to do a sweep of Europe when Andy Whitfield was sadly unable to play Spartacus anymore. Meagan Lewis, CSA from New Orleans, regularly works with director Steve McQueen, even when he’s not shooting in the South East, simply because he likes her taste in actors.

Should I move to Los Angeles for Pilot Season? British and Australian actors used to fly to Los Angeles for Pilot Season and now Pilot Season comes to them. American casting directors are always posting their breakdowns in London and Sydney as well. American TV series are rife with international talent. The internet is what makes all of this possible, of course. Via Casting Networks, We Audition, Actors Access, Eco cast, and Castit, actors are submitting themselves from every state. (See Chapter 16 on internet casting.) It is no longer necessary to do that since American networks are happy to look at auditions online.

What if I am American and want to work elsewhere, or what if I live elsewhere and want to work in America? This is a question that I have answered in more detail in previous books, but these regulations change with the rotating political situation. I’m sad to say that, since my first book in 2009, the world has become more xenophobic, and less open to freedom of movement. Suffice it to say that you need legal consultation to make sure you’re working legally. On the positive side, the film industry has expanded and quality work for actors exists in many locations, and certainly not only in Hollywood.

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What is the difference between an agent and a manager? Do I need both?

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personal manager advises and counsels talent and personalities in the entertainment industry. Personal managers have the expertise to find and develop new talent and create opportunities for those artists, which they represent. Personal managers act as liaison between their clients and both the public and the theatrical agents, publicists, attorneys, business managers, and other entertainment industry professionals which provide services to the personal manager’s clients. The National Conference of Personal Managers website

Managers are more common in the United States than in the UK and Europe. In Los Angeles and New York, many actors do have both an agent and a manager because actors need all the support they can get in such competitive markets. The agent actively procures work for an actor, while the manager is meant to work cooperatively with the agent to manage the process. Legally speaking, managers are not allowed to find work for their clients, though almost all of them do. Managers take on actors whom they believe in, and view their relationship as a long-term collaboration. Managers typically sign three-year contracts, while for agents, a one-year contract is common. The great advantage is that managers concentrate on a smaller number of clients than an agent. While agencies might promote packages of actors, a manager takes time to promote you as an individual artist. We as a breed have an overview. That’s one of the key things that differentiates us from agents. Agents by definition have larger lists of people they work with. On a daily basis I work with eight or ten people. A good manager is a very handy person to have on your side. DEREK POWER, Manager

Tammy Rosen (who manages Michael Sheen, among many others), a manager at Link Entertainment, notes that “a large agency may have a five-minute phone call to promote ten actors, but a manager will use that same five minutes to promote one actor.” In exchange for their focused attention, managers may in turn, extract a higher commission than an agent, taking as much as 15 to 20 percent of your salary. This would be in addition to your agency’s fee. Clarify this with a manager from the start. The TMA (Talent Managers Association) and the

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NCOPM (National Conference of Personal Managers) ensure that managers maintain professional and ethical practices. Brad Pitt has a manager but so does Wendy Wannarole, who is at the beginning of her career. How a manager works with a star is different from how she will work with a less mature talent. Rosen uses the metaphor of a company to describe how the manager works with someone like Brad Pitt: “The way I see it is the actor is the owner of the company and the manager is the president of the board of directors. The board is composed of the agent, the publicist, the make-up artist, and the lawyer etc.” The manager manages this team. Ideally, the manager is in a position to nurture the actor, specifically guiding not only his career choices, but also his image, and his relationships with specific producers, casting directors, and industry professionals. The manager could go out on a limb, specifically spinning the client for a particular role. In the case of Wendy Wannarole, the manager may be the one who actually positions her with a prestigious agency. “An agent might say to a manager, for example, ‘Let me know when she’s viable. Show me something that will make her more interesting than the other clients in my agency,’ ” explains Rosen. Lesser-known actors get lost in larger agencies, which is why a manager is pivotal. The manager is also more likely to handle a complicated transaction, like getting a foreign actor an O1 Visa, for example. Many European actors land a manager before an agent for that reason.

Associates and assistants Learn the names of the people who answer the phones and monitor the reception rooms. They could be your greatest allies. Our assistants report to us about actors who were rude and pushy in the waiting room. We also respect our assistants’ opinions, and yes, they can make suggestions about whom we see. It goes without saying that actors, like all people on the planet, should be kind and courteous to everyone, but especially to assistants, who may become associates and eventually casting directors themselves. They also love to be invited to the theater, as do casting directors. So that can be a good way to make friends with them and allow them to see your work.

What’s a casting agent? There is no such thing as a “casting agent.” If you want to really irritate a casting director, call them a casting agent. My friends learned this, and now they do it all the time. The official position of the Casting Society of America is:

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Although the term “Casting Agent” is frequently used incorrectly by those outside the business and in the media, it is not accurate. An Agent is defined as “a person or business authorized to act on another’s behalf.” In the Entertainment Industry a Talent Agent procures jobs and negotiates deals on an actor’s behalf. For this service they receive a fee usually based on a percentage of the actor’s wages. Casting Directors are hired by Studios, Networks or Production Companies and are employed to select actors for consideration. Casting Directors also negotiate, on behalf of those companies, the deals to hire the actors selected. Casting Directors and Casting Associates do not represent actors or receive any fees from the actors they present for hire.

Should I join the union? While I try to write for an international audience, please forgive me that I’m not covering actors’ unions in every single country; rather, I’m focusing on The United States and the UK. The important American unions to familiarize yourself with are SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of TV and Radio Artists) and Actors’ Equity Association. To Join SAG, you need to prove that you have played a principal role or have spent three days as an extra in a SAG production. To join Equity you need to work twenty-five weeks in an Equity theater, and both unions have reciprocal agreements. The advantages are numerous. Membership allows you to relax because favorable terms have already been negotiated for you on your union contract, including residuals. Actors can also enjoy potentially fat pension checks, as well as numerous perks such as industry screenings and business panels, among other things. Moreover, it’s a stamp of prestige and approval if you’ve earned your union membership. Now for the disadvantages. You can only audition for SAG projects. Consider if you are ready to compete with the many outstanding actors in the union market. I sit at a unique vantage point because I cast projects in Europe and I have witnessed many times when the union has become problematic. Numerous quality, large-scale streaming productions shoot and cast in Europe and, right or wrong, they avoid the unions. I have seen union actors in Europe not able to participate in these productions. Technically, SAG should not have jurisdiction outside of the United States, but the non-union status makes many actors nervous so they, therefore, refuse to take jobs or are discouraged by their agents, peers, or union representatives. So if you live outside of the United States, SAG membership is something to think hard about.

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In the UK, we have the British Actors’ Equity Association that actors can join by showing evidence of paid work. As with many unions, Equity offers benefits such as insurance, career advice, representation on legal matters, and above all, the equity contract. Fortunately, British Equity has negotiated a fair contract with Netflix and hopefully other streamers will follow.

What if a director (or industry leader) invites me to dinner and I’m not sure it’s appropriate? Actors have asked me this question even before #MeToo. Dinner meetings can be a perfectly legitimate part of our business, but of course, lunch meetings seem more clear. Even I have experienced this quandary as a casting director (though more often when I was younger and cuter). When I was invited out by my boss, and I wasn’t sure what the vibe was from that person, I would just show up with my assistant as if it were quite natural. You might do the same thing with your agent, or some chaperone-type of person. It might be the same person that you would bring to an audition, for example, if you weren’t sure it was a kosher situation.

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ork and be visible. Make your own projects when you’re not getting offers. Do showcases, and take classes. If you’re doing good theater work, or training in a quality program, you will attract the attention of an agent. Simply sending your photo and resumé to every agency you can find is not the way. Good agencies get hundreds of these blind solicitations every day. An actor once asked me, “How can I make an agent watch my showreel?” Of course you can’t guarantee that your material will even be opened. That’s why it’s advisable to target specific agents with specific requests. Invite agents to a project, and attach reviews of your work. Instead of sending a huge envelope that has to be opened with thousands of pictures, send a postcard with one image, and a succinct message with a website address on the back. Keep cards with photos in your wallet in case you run into a good contact during the course of your day. See the social media chapter for more hints (Chapter 18). Research the agencies that are available to you, and identify a good match. Everyone wants to be represented by the A-list agencies, but if you’re at the beginning of your career, you may have to work your way up. Research also means networking, which includes asking actors, teachers, casting directors, and other industry professionals for agent recommendations. IMDbPro provides a list of agencies, with their respective Star-meter rankings. The lower the agency ranking, the more star names they represent. In the United States, Breakdown Services and the Ross Reports list agencies. In the UK, look to The Actor’s Yearbook or Spotlight’s Contacts. Gauge each agency’s clientele and whether or not you fit. In addition to considering the caliber of actors they represent, examine what types sit on their roster. Would you complement or compete with their other clients? Some agencies specialize in particular types. In most cases, you’ll be looking for a local agent. Take the trouble to learn the agency’s submission policies. Some agencies categorically reject submissions without an industry referral. That means you need a recommendation from someone they trust. Ask a director or producer you’ve worked with if you can use their name when contacting an agent. Personal contacts or friends registered in the same agency could help as well. 223

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Watch out for scams. It is normal and expected that agents will take a percentage of your salary. This is how they make their living. In most cases, the percentage should be no more than 10 percent. If it’s a SAG (Screen Actors Guild) contract, this fee is often taken off the top of your salary (i.e. production adds 10 percent for the agent). If it is a non-SAG contract, expect them to take a bite out of your wages. Check this before you sign on the dotted line. Any reputable North American or British agent will not charge a fee to accept you. I have heard reports of so-called “agents” who charge a fee for administration, photos, and website entry, or insist that clients attend expensive in-house training. These are not agents but scam artists. Their job is to promote you, find you work, and then take a commission (not before). Talk to other registered actors before you sign. To investigate the legitimacy of a US agency, check the ATA (Association of Talent Agents) website to see if they’re registered. The same goes for the PMA in the UK. Agents with SAG and Equity associations are also held to professional standards. Above all, remember that even once you’ve signed with an agent, selfpromotion and networking continue. Don’t expect an agent to solve all of your problems. An agent can get you a more effective contract, more money, a better dressing room etc., but they can’t get the work for you.

How to get a European agent This panel discussion took place in May of 2020. I interviewed three top European agents via Zoom. The discussion was hosted by Luci Lenox, CSA and her platform “Get Inspired.” Anila Gajevic is the CEO of Zona in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Luc Chaudhary, CEO of International Artists Management, represents actors in Hollywood. Luc holds offices in London and Prague. Caprice Crawford, CEO of Crawford Talents in Berlin.

Nancy All three of these agents are great networkers and they obviously have great relationships with me, which is important for agents to make relationships with casting directors. When you meet an agent, remember that not only are they interviewing you, but you are interviewing them as well. One question you can ask is, “What casting directors do you have good relationships with?” because, you know, some relationships are stronger than others. I know all of the agents but some of them I work with more than others. The title of this panel is “How To Find An Agent” and I just want to tell all the actors here that there’s not one way to find an agent, I know that for sure.

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There’s no prescribed trajectory, it’s not like you do A, B, and C and you’ll get an agent; so here we will get a full spectrum of opinions. Nancy My first question is, when people are contacting you, a random actor that you don’t know, what is the best way to contact you and what is the worst way? What do you like and what doesn’t work for you at all, for actors contacting you? Luc Chaudhary I think that what really doesn’t work is a phone call. When you’re not following the protocol, it’s probably the worst way of getting our backs up straight away. I think the best approach would be, for sure, by email, do a nice quick synopsis. It doesn’t have to be too detailed, and make sure to have your Spotlight link there. It just depends on the level of where you are. Like in any industry there’s certain levels of agents, and I think you need to have a realistic view of where you are. If you don’t have a showreel or you don’t have any work and you’ve had very little professional training, you potentially may need to drop the bar slightly and look at an agent who perhaps is just starting out and eager to build the career of an unknown. You should do the research on every agent who you look to be signed on by. Anila Gajevic I agree that it’s not a good idea to call, but I’d also add that social media like, Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp are not good ways to make first contact. I get messages from actors on all of those platforms and that’s really not the right way because that’s my personal account. Email is the best way to send materials. I would exclude Spotlight because my region is a bit different. We don’t use Spotlight as much as in London. A good way to approach me is some kind of referral. For example, if some of the talent worked with a film or theater director that I already know. Or if they’re coming to Zagreb, to Belgrade, to Sarajevo for a performance or for some kind of premier, you could invite me to come and that’s the best way to see their work. I need to see a reel or get some kind of industry recommendation. Caprice Crawford Right away I like to see a photo and a monologue, so I can see where the level is and if it’s unbearable and I think you might have to go back to school then I let them know but if it’s a natural actor and there is potential then yes, we could work together. I actually read every email, but if it’s a new email it takes a little time and most of the time I only respond when I’m really interested, but it’s 50/50. I am fine with a call or email. If they don’t have a showreel, I tell them “make a showreel of yourself, make some scenes, work with some good actors that you may know, or a monologue.” Nancy

Do you like to find talent or do you like for talent to find you?

Caprice I find it so amazing when great talent finds me, and of course I check every day and I look and see what’s out there and I study shows, favorite

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shows that I love, I study where this client is now. So, no, I’m okay either way. It’s a two-way street. Nancy Another question is, when you’re looking for talent, are you looking for people who are different from the people you already have? For example, Anila you have mostly Balkan talent, so are you looking for people that are going to compete with the people that you’re already representing or are you looking to expand? Anila That’s a good question, I have the problem that Zona is the only working agency in the Balkans and many actors really need representation so we’re reading and accepting their submissions all the time but we can’t make any promises. If we have actors that are the majority of the clients that we have in our agency like, thirty to forty years old or twenty to forty, then we would say we will try with some of the auditions, we can send them to you, but we won’t sign you so easily. Sometimes we’re looking for a certain type. For example, we were working recently on a project and they were looking for eight male characters, military-looking people. So, we approached some talents, even though we didn’t have them in our agency. We are open, but we wouldn’t like to make it super competitive for the clients that are with us for twelve years. Nancy And how about you Luc, how would you characterize the types of talent that you’re looking for? Luc I think ultimately it just comes down to talent. If the actor is incredible and I love the work and they’re passionate about it, I’ll take them on. I already have so many wonderful actors in my books, so I feel that I have to be crazy selective but ultimately it really does boil down to talent. Nancy So, if someone approached you and they were very good, but they were very much like some actors that you already have, you would take them on, even if they competed with some of the actors that you already have? Luc No, you’re right. I would have to look at that. Especially because any actors on my books I’m happy with. As I said before, if you’re going to have a client and if you’re going to have them on your books, there’s a reason you do that. It’s because you want to work with this person. So, I’ve always been very open and honest and I feel that the artists have been the same back with me. If it wasn’t working out, we wouldn’t be together. So, if they were someone that demographically looked incredibly similar or had a very similar style, I’d take that into account and I would probably say no. Nancy You understand the reason I’m asking this question. I hope it’s helpful to the actors because if you look at somebody’s books and you look

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very similar to some of their clients, you don’t go with that agent. You go with somebody who doesn’t have somebody that’s exactly like you, you know? Caprice Can I just say, I need to know the behind the scenes story of that client because I’m based in Berlin and my actors are sometimes in Spain, in Mexico, all over the globe. So, if I have two Germans in the States that also speak American English, so, I need to know the back story. If I have two redhaired men on my books, I don’t know whether he is based in Berlin or both of them are based in Berlin. Sometimes I have similar looking actors but one is in the States and the other one is here and that can happen too. Nancy Yeah, that’s quite interesting and leads us into another pertinent issue because it used to be that so many actors would ask me how they could get an agent in London and I used to say, “Well, you have to live in London” because the London agents were not into taking on people from elsewhere, unless you are super famous, they just didn’t want to take you on. I think those times have changed a bit and Caprice is a case in point because she has clients from all over the world, from so many different countries. Caprice I mean, it’s risky business. Sometimes productions don’t want to fly people over but I enjoy having international clients. Nancy How about you Luc? What about location, how much do you take that into account because you have people from all over too, don’t you? Luc Yeah, I think location is more a question of the visas. I think being based in Germany, being based in Italy, now there isn’t really an issue. Wherever they’re based, if they’re going to film in London, it’s not a problem. The issue comes when dealing with certain visas and I think that’s what I have to take into account. We had a situation recently with a wonderful actor from Russia, they just booked a major job, a major TV series and, you know, the visa was the issue. Thankfully we were able to get it through but wow it was a lot of work and it almost didn’t pan out. So, we have to take that into account, for sure. But geographically, no. Anywhere in Europe, even in America, flying into the UK and filming, it’s pretty straightforward. Nancy Anila, do you have anything to add? Anila Yes, when you’re talking about visas that’s my biggest problem all these years. Since I’m based in Bosnia, which is not in the EU, our passports are not that serious in the matter. I can list the countries that we represent that aren’t part of the EU; Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, I also represent actors from Turkey because I work with several Turkish stars and they’d all need visas to work in the UK. I also work with Croatian and Slovenian actors who have it much easier because they’re in the EU but when it comes to

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these countries, we always have to deal with visas and I remember our last project was the movie called The Last Christmas with Emma Thompson and Emilia Clarke and one of our Serbian clients played there and everything was very last minute but he got the visa and he went there to shoot. I must say that I don’t always know where my talents are from during the meeting. It’s possible when production really wants you and the director really wants you; we can get the visas. It can be done. I even did that a few years ago with Skyfall. They hired one of my talents from Serbia and we had to do a lot of paperwork but, in the end, he was there and shooting. Nancy Good. Another question is, what do you guys think when an actor comes to you, but they already have an agent from a different region? That’s happening more and more now that actors will have an agent in different countries. How do you feel about that Caprice? Caprice Yeah, sometimes they already have an army of agents. Depending on where they have an agent. For instance, I’m here in Europe and the UK is so close and I work with Spotlight a lot. I prefer them not having a UK agent because I like to work in that market and everything that comes from there is good. So, I’m not a fan of that but it totally depends on what the actor provides as well, what language they speak, and what visas, but being in Europe you don’t need that many agencies, you can have one in the States that’s different. Nancy agent?

How about you Luc, how do you feel about actors having a different

Luc Just depends on the artist really. Sometimes I jump in at the last possible time so I’m the agent that has come in to work with another agent so I’m probably a lot less protective because I’ve obviously agreed. If I do believe that it’s better for the artist to have an American agent and a British agent at the same time, then that’s great and if that’s going to work, wonderful. I work very well with agents, thankfully, and I work really well with managers, so there’s no single formula. Anila Yeah, I do have a few clients that I share with two London agencies and we have a really nice collaboration, we always work together on the projects. I have one actor who’s actually Serbian but based in Germany and he has a German agent. When he works in Germany he’s represented by them but internationally, when I book him, he’s represented by me. So there are two ways, either agents work separately on a different project or they work together. I have amazing London agent colleagues that I work with. Nancy From my perspective what I want to say, that I appreciate it that when you do have more than one agent you need to be really transparent with those agents because what I don’t like is being confronted with a situation

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where one agent will say, “Will you tell the other agent that I’m representing them on this?” I really hate that because that is not my job. The actor should be transparent with their representation and they should be a team and they should have communication. It shouldn’t be left to me to untangle that mess if you have that situation. When there is more than one agent, I need to know that they have an arrangement. I’m friends with a lot of agents so I don’t want the agent to feel like they didn’t get their cut or whatever. It’s better maybe just to have one in Europe. I don’t know, sometimes you could make a case for one in Germany, one in London. I mean, certainly you could make a case for one in Germany, one in LA. Caprice It’s a production thing as well. Some productions go to the different agents because the fees are less than if they go to another agency. I’ve noticed that happen before. Anila Yeah, maybe if it’s a British production they might go to a London agent. Nancy And you understand that too because sometimes you have a linguistic situation where, let’s say the agent is German and they only speak German. I can understand why a German production would want to deal with the German agent. Also there are mistakes made too. I remember one time my assistant was contacting a local person and I was just in a hurry to book them and I ended up going on IMDb and finding their LA agent and I actually got into a lot of trouble for that and I had to fix it because it was my fault because I wasn’t paying attention to the stream of communication thus far. But honestly that was a special case . . . I have to say that more often it is the actor who doesn’t keep a transparent collaboration between their different reps. Sometimes it is not clear to me at all which agent I should deal with and the actor doesn’t make it clear. Nancy Let’s talk about actors who haven’t done anything and they’re just starting in acting, just out of school . . . do they have any chance of getting an agent if they have nothing, no IMDb page. What is your advice to those people? Caprice That depends on how old they are. I don’t work with people under eighteen. Hopefully they’ve done some drama classes but some people haven’t and some people you have to try out as actors. So I ask them to do a monologue, do a scene, let me see what you have and if I see that it inspires me and my hair stands on end, then I’ll have further questions and then I’m open to take them on. Anila Well, since I know all the schools in my region, all the faculties and they come in and say “I’m in the last year of acting school” I would believe

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that they’re already talented because I know how they choose them. We have only five or so actors in one year in a class, so from the beginning I know that they must be talented. I would ask them for some of their student work—they do short movies, they do some school plays, and there is always something that they can show. Nancy

Luc, I know you go to those showcases, don’t you?

Luc Yeah, I do. But, look, if people don’t have work but they’re trained, they’ve done three years where they’ve put in the mileage on the training and now they’re starting their career, they will get the opportunities and they will be seen by agents. At least good agents will look at what they are selling. The fact that they have nothing is completely understandable, they just graduated. I think the problem comes—is what Caprice mentioned—when you’ve got a lot of so-called actors that want to fast track and they’re like “Oh you know what? I want to be an actor now! Yeah I’ve got no experience or whatever but what I’ll do is that I’ll contact Caprice and ask for advice” or say, “I’m incredible, I can do this, I can do that.” It’s nothing quantifiable, in the sense of what they really are able to offer to the agent for the agent to be able to sell them and I think that that’s when you say “no.” That’s when you say, “You have no experience, you have no training, what have you done?” If you don’t have a showreel, that’s totally normal when you’ve just graduated from an acting school. Nancy In London it’s quite good because they have all these showcases. I think it’s harder when you’re from Romania or something and you’re really good, but you don’t have a way to show. But you can get involved with theater or you can do a monologue, like Caprice said. Is that a good way? I mean, I know that Luc goes to tons of theater in London. He invites me to go to the theater and Caprice and Anila, you go to the theater too, don’t you? Anila Very much, and I must say that once I was working on one Slovenian production and they were looking for an Italian actor, so I picked one Italian actor from an Italian Theater Festival in Sarajevo, and I invited him to audition and he got the part and after that he became our client and he still is. So, yeah, I love theater and I always go, not only here in Sarajevo. I travel all over to see plays. Caprice I go to a lot of short films festivals. Film festivals are where I find a lot of talent as well. I even sponsor one webfest here myself so that’s what I do most of the time. Nancy What’s the webfest called? Caprice The Sci-Fi film festival here in Berlin.

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Nancy I know that all three of you go to film festivals too. Have you ever actually picked up a client at a film festival? Anila Yes, many times. I actually remember that you introduced me to someone in Berlin that’s now one of my biggest important clients. Or again I think you were with me when we went to a Macedonian film festival, where I picked up my client who became a European Shooting Star. Nancy Yeah! You picked up someone in Dubai too, didn’t you? Anila Yes, I did. Nancy I mostly just remember the champagne in Dubai; amazing that you were able to pick up someone even though we drank so much champagne, and I remember Luc picked up somebody when we were in Berlin: you picked up a Danish actor, right? Luc Yeah, absolutely, and he’s wonderful. I picked him up just over a year ago and I joked to him I said, you know, sign with me and you’ll be in The Vikings—I maybe had a couple glasses too many—but the great news is that he’s just been confirmed now. Nancy

So, it’s worth going to film festivals.

Question from the Audience So, what’s the situation regarding agents/ casting agencies in the Czech Republic? Nancy Basically it’s a mess. We have everybody doing everything. This is one of the things that really gets under my skin because I started the Casting Society of America branch in Europe. I’m really into casting directors properly working as casting directors and agents properly acting as agents. In Prague, almost everyone is doing both. Most of the people who cast basically are agenting, which is not something that I can support as a CSA person but, luckily, that’s changing. Luc now has an office in Prague, which is great; he’s obviously just an agent and he’s not a casting director and there are some legitimate casting agencies now here in Prague. My recommendation for you is if you want to find an agent in Prague, ask them “Are you only in casting or are you an agent too?” because if they’re casting too, they shouldn’t be representing you on the same thing that they’re casting. That doesn’t work. It’s a conflict of interest. Or even if they have waived their fee when they’re casting the project, this double role still muddies the waters and makes the relationship very unclear. Question from the Audience If an actor has many skills and writes to you to try to win you as an agent, would you like to see their skills in the showreel as well, or rather several different videos?

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Anila I think different videos. I really love actors who have other skills other than acting. One is of course speaking different languages, that’s what I always look for. Just now we are working on an Austrian production and we are looking for German and Serbian speaking actors so there are times where we approach these actors because we need fluent speakers. You remember Nancy when you were casting Snowpiercer and you were looking for talents and you really appreciated actors who can do parkour. Yes, all the skills; singing, driving, all other skills we really appreciate. When you write an agent, just note which other skills you have—like ice skating, for example, was a skill we recently needed. Caprice I think it’s best to just make a video with all your skills together, if you’re a fighter too or you’re a dancer or singer, make these separate videos because we as agents can’t always use the fighting one but we can use the dancing reel. So, elaborate on all your skills. Anila Just to name one, we have one nice talented actor who was a champion in rhythmic gymnastics before she started acting school and she’s a dancer as well, so she has all these clips with different skills like rhythmic gymnastics and dancing but she has a really nice acting career now, but we always point out that she has these skills as well to the casting directors. Nancy I think this person was asking if they should be on one video or separate videos. Caprice No, I would like to have them in separate videos. We don’t want to see the dance skill with the fighting skill. So make a good reel for both separately. Question from the Audience What are the casting platforms you mostly work within your country? Nancy Luc mentioned that it’s pretty much only Spotlight. Anila, what do you use? Anila We use Spotlight a lot as well but we don’t have so many clients on Spotlight like Luc has. We also use eTalenta. Caprice Well, we use eTalenta, and CastUpload. Nancy

Okay, and Luci? Do you want to answer the question?

Luci Lenox, CSA In Spain we don’t really have a platform in the same way but I use Spotlight if I’m looking for talent in the UK or for big international or European casting, I sometimes look at eTalenta and then I use a lot of different contacts for agents, but I think Spotlight has got it open in Spain and France next year, so I’ll be using them more then.

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Nancy Yeah, and I would add too that I use Casting Networks and then there’s also WeAudition, which isn’t a platform in the same way but it’s a really interesting one too. A friend of mine who’s an actor was in quarantine and he had to do a self-tape recently and he asked me if I would help him and I said, “Look you’ve got to find a better solution to this problem instead of asking me to read the opposite lines for you every time.” WeAudition can actually help you make your tape too so that’s also a good one. Question from the Audience What would your advice to actors be if they don’t get any TV or film auditions and they’re only getting commercial auditions? What would you say that they need to be doing differently? Caprice Well, look at your agent. What agents do you have? Do you have a theatrical agent, or do you have a commercial agent? What kind of showreel do you have? Do you have a commercial reel, or do you have a theatrical reel? Take a look at yourself. Question from the Audience Should a showreel have all the languages an actor speaks? Anila I think so, yes. Especially for actors who come from my region, we appreciate actors who speak different languages like English, German, French, Spanish. Nancy

But should it all be in the same showreel?

Anila I would appreciate it and I think that if I were to send it to a casting director, I’d send it with all the languages. Caprice It depends on how much material you have of that. We don’t want your showreel to be ten minutes long. If it’s a good scene in a different language add that and then still make a showreel if you have really good material in German. Make another German showreel, a separate one in one short reel. Anila What we do at Zona is that we have introductions of actors in all the different languages that they speak. So if I send it to a German casting director I’d send an introduction that we already have or we have one client who speaks in an American accent even though he’s Croatian, then we always send his introduction to prove that his English is basically American English. Yeah, those introductions can also be very good in different languages if they don’t have work, if they didn’t play or didn’t have a chance to play in Spanish but they do speak Spanish, then it’s really good to have their introduction. Question from the Audience If you’ve already contacted an agency and they didn’t reply, should you bother to follow up and, if yes, what’s the best way to reach out again?

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Nancy So, in other words, at what point are they being a pain in the butt or is it okay to follow up. What do you think? Anila It’s fine to follow up. Sometimes if I’m busy I don’t reply to an email at the same time and I might’ve forgotten, so it’s good to send an email again as a reminder. Nancy I always tell people that it’s good to be really specific, like you could say, “I just did this film that was at the festival or I won an award or come see me at this show.” Does that help when they have something quite concrete to say aside from “represent me?” Anila Definitely. As I said at the beginning that I like when an actor invites me to watch a movie that he played in or just to see a theater show or to name some of their recent work. Caprice It’s like a little elevator pitch you know. Be creative, it’s fun. Question from the Audience What do you look for in a showreel? Caprice Well, I think the showreel should be like the opening showreel. The opening sequence should be a strong sequence and then we move on and watch further. I don’t really like when there’s too much music at the beginning. We don’t need montages, we just really need your face, maybe your headshots, and then it goes right into your scene because the showreel should be just about you and not about the other actor. Nancy And what do you think, Luc and Anila? Do you like montages, when there’s different music and flashes of them wearing different costumes etc.? Anila I like in the first thirty seconds that they do the sequences of the most important movies that they worked in. Not just a montage with some music but maybe do short sequences where they play different characters, but then later I like to see the real scenes from the projects and again I love to see a different language if they have it. Nancy You know what I’m telling actors to do is instead of having a reel is just to have different clips and labeling them like, “dramatic clip,” “comedy clip,” or “German clip” so the viewer can choose what they want to see. Do you like that, or would you rather like to see a reel with a variety of clips? Anila

I would rather see a reel.

Caprice I sometimes edit the reels for my actors when I don’t have time to wait to get their material back, so I do edit them in sequences into a fiveminute showreel, or there are sites that allow you to have these individual clips, so I’m okay with that.

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Nancy I think it’s a little different because I think that agents like to see the whole body of work. For casting directors, the clips might be more useful because we’re looking for something specific. Caprice So do you like the reels on Spotlight to be individual clips or do you like a short showreel? Nancy I prefer clips. Because I might be looking for a specific thing to convince the director. Like maybe the director is saying to me, “Oh, this guy only does comedy.” This happened to me once. He said to me he only does comedy and I showed him this clip of the actor being really scary, you know? He didn’t believe that he could be scary, until I showed him. Caprice That’s a good option to have. Nancy But for your job you want to see all the things that they can do because you want to put them up for different roles at different times, right? Caprice Exactly. Question from the Audience Should actors show several emotions in a headshot, or could versatility kill you as an actor? Caprice Well, I use a photographer and I love her work. I always request nine great pictures of my actors, not just the headshot, also a half body shot and she puts them in natural different periods, pieces from life or what fits to them and they’re a bit headshotty lifestyle pictures. So, you’ve got a little from anything and everything and not just a sterile headshot where you just see this. I like to show them in more movement. That’s just me though. Question from the Audience We didn’t talk about the finance of it. Do you have to pay your agent? How does it work with how you get paid, then? Caprice I simply just get paid commission. I never get paid, I only get paid when you book a job. Nancy And commissions can vary from agent to agent, so just make sure it’s clear in your contract. Nancy What about, when you already have an agent, and you want to change? I see it done badly all the time, when actors leave their agents. So, what’s the best way for an actor to do that politely? Caprice There’s people who have left me, I have left people. I think being transparent about it both ways. Why do you want to leave the agency, if you have a reason or no reason, or why you want to go to me and leave the other agency. All transparency, is what you want to do with everything.

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Nancy One final question. If you guys could just think about some general advice for actors. And also what is the most creative and constructive way for actors to spend their time when they’re not working? Luc I think, ultimately, stay mentally and physically strong. We really do need to be doing some sort of exercise and keeping yourselves fit, that’s really important. I know with myself, just in terms of my mental wellbeing, I play a lot of sport and that is brilliant for me. I think it really is important as an artist you have to understand that this is your body and you really need to look after it and keep yourself in shape. Ultimately, reading. Really embrace the time; read the playwrights, watch films. Engross yourself into as much information as you can because, ultimately, it will help you. In terms of scenes, there was an example; I met an artist and he was doing a scene from On the Waterfront, but he never even read the play and it showed. So he literally just took this duologue and he thought “Wow this is great, this looks good.” So, I’d say, use your spare time to do your homework. If this is the business that you want to be in, make sure you’re well informed. Caprice Take classes whether in person or online. Make your own short films. Do your own thing. Anila Keep your material up to date; get new materials; new headshots, new CVs, update old showreels.

How to get an American agent Here are excerpts from telephone interviews I did with two top American reps. Danielle Robinson is a manager and partner at Alan Siegel Entertainment in Los Angeles; the company represents Gerard Butler, among many others. Barry MacPherson is an agent and Partner at APA, who reps such wellknown actors as Isabella Rossellini, among many others.

Nancy Many of my readers and followers are European. I think they will want to know what is the best way to approach an American representative. Barry MacPherson It’s very mixed. I’ve gotten clients through UK referrals when they are looking for representation in the US. I’ve had them from producers on European films who’ve reached out or looked at my client list and seen that I have such a diversified portfolio of actors. Back in the late 1990s my

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client list was very Hispanic, African American, obviously a lot of white actors too. I signed Viola Davis right out of Julliard. But it is not about color or race or origin or anything with me, it is always about the talent. I’m always casting a wide net looking for referrals in Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary. I’ve gotten them all over or I watch a lot of European television now on Netflix. My family is from Germany and I speak German. I watched Babylon Berlin, for example, and I started noticing talent on that show. Then I go on IMDbPro and find out, does this actor have representation over there? I share clients sometimes with UK agents. It’s just this kind of odd referral system. When I started going over to London a lot in the early 2000s, I reached out to all the London reps and then they would trust me and then word of mouth and the same agency would hit me up. Danielle Robinson For me, it’s all about the work. I have signed some of my biggest clients off of their first short film, that didn’t go to festivals—just a short made in college. Nancy How would you see this short? Would they send it to you cold and then you might watch it? Danielle Yes, the one short I’m referring to came from a client I ended up signing. I view student films to see who are the up-and-coming directors. This actor was in a thesis project for a film student. I think there are so many brilliant film schools. And you can find some really nice actors in shorts. Also, for me it’s about plays I love seeing something off the West End or seeing something super fringe or off Broadway or off-off Broadway I’m always wanting to know who new playwrights are and who are the new and emerging voices. Most of the people I know and really have their eyes open because they are hungry to understand and get to appreciate and know new talent. I would say the best thing to do is to get into a place where you can prove yourself workwise and that can be in a local theater production or it could be in a movie that you do for your friend or something. . . . There are so many ways to be creative; you could even film a great monologue. Alden Ehrenreich moved through the ranks because he did this ten-minute monologue when he was thirteen in black and white and it was so exquisite that a casting director said, “I have this monologue from this kid who is thirteen making the rounds. You should check it out.” Everybody thought, wow that kid is going to go somewhere. It’s really about connecting to the performance for me. I can really see how that person’s acting can grow and that makes me interested as a rep. Nancy The other thing that people want to know is how much you’re looking at social media and are you actually finding people off of social media. Does that happen?

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Danielle Not for me. That’s not really my bag. I really use social media for family. I might follow if it’s an indie wire thing, something that I use scrolling through and to get news. I do follow a lot of the playhouses in London. I did enjoy following the collaborative Shakespeare readings that were being shared on Instagram during quarantine. I was watching that kind of thing. That was just for people wanting to share theater and unity in a time of uncertainty. For me it’s all about that performance and it’s that performance that says something to me and I feel like I need to see what this person can do next. Barry I don’t. I don’t look at somebody and think, “Oh my gosh, they’ve got four million followers on Twitter or Instagram.” That seems about trying to create a sensation on YouTube as opposed to putting in the work. Can somebody pop from that medium and jump from that media to television or film? Yes, of course. But in the long term, I think that’s really short-lived. That’s no different from actors who were models back in the day. I remember years ago this pretty guy coming into my office, and when I asked him what actor he respected and he wanted to emulate he said, “I don’t think about that. I just want to be a star!” and I went “ughhhh.” I’m not looking for pretty women and guys that I can slam on CW that can’t transition to bigger careers. Looks fade and at the end of the day you are competing against people who are really trained and talented and that’s very short-lived. There’s a short upside to that. Nancy It sounds like your advice would be don’t aim to be a star; aim to be a working actor right? Barry Yes, definitely. Nancy Yeah, I know that’s stupid to want to be a star, right? I agree. Have you ever not accepted somebody because they were too much like another client so you deliberately try to diversify your people or not? Barry I do. What you don’t want to do, well, I mean, let’s just say this: When I was working with Viola, everybody was coming out the woodwork for me. African American women who, just because they were African American women, thought that they could be Viola Davis. And she is unique and an amazing talent but out of that I did sign a number of amazing and unique talent that I still work with, a number of those ladies, but they are all uniquely different, they are not the same. Nancy So there is a possibility that somebody really good could come to you but because they are too much like another talent you would say no thank you? Barry Exactly. And what you don’t want to be, and I have never been this agent of . . . I’m calling Nancy Bishop and pitching Viola Davis and you’re like no and then I go hey what about Sonja Sohn.

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She’s the same yeah, I get it [laughs].

Barry You can’t be passionate about the same people for the same role. It’s got to be one or two that really can do it. I’ve never been a volume guy, I’m almost a casting director and manager when I read scripts. I look at who is right for the role and go after it and target it to get it for my client. Nancy I remember one time I asked this question to a manager and she said I don’t like talent to find me, I like to find them. Do you feel like it’s okay if they approach you or would you rather find them, or does it matter? Danielle My first job was for agent Susan Smith, and she had a motto that we went through every single submission. We gave people the respect of looking at it because they were thoughtful enough to put it together and send it through to us. So, every single headshot was opened, everybody got a phone callback even if she wasn’t taking on new clients, and they heard from her personally. Now we are not in a printed headshot days anymore; we are getting those PDFs. Out of respect at least I open a picture, I open a resumé, I open a link. My client list is really small so for me it’s about the talent and my feeling about being inspired by that talent and also timing. If I don’t have the appropriate time to dedicate to new clients I won’t do them the disservice of engaging them. If somebody is authentic in their approach and personable and doesn’t send a blanket letter—to me and five hundred other people, for me that’s most effective. Barry Both ways. Géza Röhrig from Son of Saul, for example, is so incredibly talented and so unique, and Rose Ganguzza reached out to me and said “Barry, I got this actor, he is in my movie Chaperone coming out, you should take a look and let me know if you are interested.” So I do get referrals from producers but by the same token I’ve had actors reach out to me directly . . . Nancy So, they find your email on IMDbPro or something and they just write to you? Barry Exactly. Nancy

Do you look at everybody’s material that comes in?

Barry Always, always, even though I’m a partner and one of the owners of the agency, I still to this day look at things that come in my inbox. Back in the day it was mailed in pictures and resumés, and that was a great way of obviously discovering talent and taking a chance on talent, but I’m always in my inbox getting emails from people who respect the actor that I represent and would like that kind of representation in America.

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Nancy When a European actor lands in LA, they want to understand this whole thing about manager versus agent. Is it important to have a manager or should they have both? Danielle I think truthfully, it’s very different for each person. I always like to say you have to pick the person, not just the profession. I think it’s important that you feel that, whoever you sign with, they really understand your goals and can help you achieve them and that you want to have a long-term relationship with them. If you are able to find a manager and an agent that you truly connect with, I don’t think there is any harm in having both. The more people shouting your name from the rooftops, that’s a great thing, but it’s really about who has a strong connection to you and your work. Nancy What advice would you give to actors if they already have an agent in one region and they want an agent in another region? How would you advise them to go forward with that because I have noticed sometimes actors have too many agents? Barry I agree with you. I have a client right now who has an American manager, I’m the American agent, a London agent, and now he’s moved to Ireland so there is an Irish agent who wants to come on board. I’m going to talk to the London agent once that happens because they are going to be sharing the same intel as far as productions that are going in Ireland, Wales, the UK. That just seems a bit much to me, but it’s the way that business is done now globally and the access to information. I can’t tell you how many productions from Netflix we’re hearing about over here that are green-lit, that have co-pros over in London, France, or Italy. I don’t want to say you don’t need an Italian agent because you do, or you don’t need a French agent because you do, but I feel like with the way it is now between US reps having access to Spotlight and UK reps having access to Spotlight and breakdowns, I don’t know that you need that many reps. Maybe one or two and maybe a manager if you want to throw it in because at the end of the day the commission is split 7%/7%/7% for actors who are represented internationally and it is a bit burdensome. It’s truly about a representative who is passionate about you, focused, and if there is going to be accountability and everybody coming to the table who represents that actor needs to be adding value. If an actor is going to give up the piece of the pie, i.e. money, then you would expect that the people on the team are going to be doing the work and proactive and not just—the American agent is really doing everything or the UK agent is really doing everything and still the American agent is getting 7 percent on something that they had nothing to do with at the same token the UK rep should be getting 7 percent on an actors series over in the US that they had nothing to do with.

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Danielle It’s got to be a team, that’s really easy, I share with people and their multiple agents in different continents. Everybody has to be transparent; everybody has to be on the same email, and everybody has to be part of the conversation. It’s really fun when you have someone in Europe or Asia messaging “Hey, I’ve heard about this project or we’re tracking this, and sharing information.” That’s the best part of being a rep when you’re part of a great team and everybody is working together for this greater goal of supporting an actor. I think a lot of transparency and everybody knowing what everyone is up to, everybody sharing ideas. The actor should also be aware that they have to keep everyone updated too, if they’re going to go out of town, they have to send an email to the group. I’m going on vacation, not going to be on my phone, I’ll be hard to reach. You know, that kind of thing. Barry It can be awkward. I had a situation I had to address today; it’s not my client but I’m covering a project, where the UK agent got the offer and never told the American agent that the offer had come, and I told the American agent that the offer had gone to so and so . . . Nancy I hate it when it’s not clear which agent to go to or, sometimes, they don’t have deals with each other. I have fallen into some bad situations. I think it’s the actor’s fault really, I think the actor needs to take responsibility for communicating. Barry That’s true. Everybody should know what offers we have and the dates and all that, because I’m sure you hate to hear, “I talked to the UK rep and they said they’re not available.” Nancy Yeah, that happens all the time. Makes me crazy. One agent says an actor is available and another agent says no. Nancy If somebody is just out of drama school and reaches out, would you consider them? Danielle Yes, absolutely. I just need to see something that inspires me. A lot of people go to the showcases and we try to make sure we cover things and are looking at people. I’ve signed people out of showcases, one hundred percent. I’m always looking to see if somebody is interesting, and maybe I’m not the right person for them, but I’ll tell a friend. Also acting schools and acting classes, and a lot of people get their reps going into masterclasses and the teacher says I think there will be someone good for you, or they have people come to their classes that are looking at people. Barry Absolutely, if someone writes from RADA, or any of those drama schools.

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Nancy And what if they are not from RADA? What if they’re just from an ordinary school? Barry I am all about the training with actors and I do look at the schooling that they have, and I look at the work that they did while they were at school. If somebody is doing dramatic stuff, Victorian work, or if they have the ability to do comedy. I look at everything (stupidly maybe, from some agents’ standpoint). You never know when you are going to find somebody interesting. We have a democratic process within the agency with respect to bringing in potential talent. Everybody weighs in on the talent before we actually sign them because you don’t want to have just one office out of all our offices around the world being supportive of somebody. When I first moved to New York to reopen the New York talent office, I had great latitude and just pretty much signed who I wanted from Uzo Aduba, Tituss Burgess, Annaleigh Ashford, I just started building up more of our people in New York on my own. Now you just want everybody to be as excited about an actor across the board, and I think that’s best for the actor too. Again, by the same token if somebody is twenty-three and right out of college with great training, has been on a London stage, or in Berlin at one of the theaters, then you would take a flyer on that. If somebody is forty or so and has no credit, there would have to be some holy shit moment where some actor just got a job or some discovery in some Terrence Malick movie that a casting director would refer to me or something like that. Then you are betting on the future that they are going to have their moment. Nancy

Right, yeah, it is harder for older actors, probably.

Barry It is, and it’s funny because, like I said, I look at everything that I get in and I’ll get a character actor’s picture and it’s been mainly co-stars or whatever and it’s just hard to do that at this stage. You feel bad and sometimes I will just refer them to a manager. You need a manager, you don’t need to be at a big agency right now, and get on the stage and create some buzz, and then it’s a chance to reinvigorate something. If somebody has done co-star work or guest star work in television of a certain age the next thing you know they are on the stage performing like these great New York character actors and then next—holy crap, they are on Handmaid’s Tale, or winning a Tony or something like that—then they can change the trajectory of their career. Nancy I imagine you sometimes get recommendations from agents too, that want to work with you? Danielle Yes, I love when I get a call from somebody with a client in Europe and they say, hey I’ve gotten a client coming to town, would you like to take a

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meeting? That’s the majority of how I’m introduced to people. That and finding people on my own. Nancy Is there any information that you would want to get out there that you feel like actors should know that you could share? Barry It’s funny because there are certain actors who have done decently in their own countries and everybody has the ambition that if you make it in America then you’ve really made it and I don’t necessarily agree with that. I look at all these different movies and shows, like Call My Agent and Babylon Berlin. The list is long of great European productions with these actors. They are finding success in their own countries and that’s a great thing, and for me as an American agent I would like to be able to take that talent and to expose it to a bigger market in America and platform it in a bigger way over here. But, by the same token, they should be proud of their success that they have over there, and I admire it. It’s refreshing to see new talent and I certainly see all this great European and British television. Danielle An actor’s career is one of the most beautiful, incredible journeys someone could choose and the one thing I’d like to get out there is that beauty and performance and storytelling always finds a way. As long as they love their job, and they love what they do, and they focus on the storytelling, it will happen. It’s such a beautiful path Nancy, as you know, and the most incredible performances rise up and people start seeing them clearly. Nancy What a nice thing to say. Danielle It’s true. It doesn’t matter what age you are or what you’ve done before or what your path is to this. If this is where your heart is you’ll find a way through it and you’ll find a way to find joy in it, and as long as it’s joyful and it’s something that you are passionate about and you dedicate your work towards it and you enjoy the work of it. You’ll find a way through. Nancy That’s very inspiring. I’m sure they’ll love to hear that. Thank you.

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25 Practical Exercises Your camera and you A camera is a necessary investment for anyone interested in screen acting. For those who were taught the inside-out method of acting, watching the performance from the outside can be off-putting and painful. In An Actor Prepares, Stanislavski warned his students, “You must be very careful in the use of a mirror. It teaches an actor to watch the outside rather than the inside of a role.” In the beginning stages of learning film acting, however, I believe that actors must get to know themselves on screen. It’s necessary to see when an eyebrow goes astray, or to realize when one is bouncing out of frame. In front of camera, actors can rehearse auditions, and practice the techniques of screen acting. The camera is essential for discovering that middle ground that balances the artist between over-acting and dead face. We talk about naturalism, but honestly, there is nothing natural about acting on stage or on camera. In this chapter, I suggest exercises for use in class or on your own. While these exercises are helpful for the process of learning screen acting, it is ultimately important not to become self-obsessed. When filming, you need an outside person, like a director, to direct your performance and ensure that your work fits with the whole. In a production situation, trust the director. Directors will not stand for actors who run to the monitor after each shot, and demand a re-take if they’re not satisfied.

Exercise 1. Pre-casting warm-up What do you do before you go on stage, or on camera? For every actor it’s different. Some actors jump up and down, some sing, and some do yoga. Figure out what you need to do for yourself in order to perform well. In acting classes, the class warms up. At an audition, no one will warm you up and you may only get one take, so you have to be “warm” from the get-go. The 247

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problem is . . . do you feel comfortable warming up in the reception room before the audition? Probably not. Here’s an exercise to be done in a chair, based on the teachings of Alexander. Frederick Alexander (1869–1955) was an actor who developed a system of physical exercises to alleviate tension. His technique was based on the theory that stress in the body can inhibit the flow of emotions. Actors tend to push to manipulate a performance, creating tension in the body. Stress can be channeled; the actor’s creativity comes in the way he reacts to and manages that stress. If an actor holds tension in his neck, for example, it will constrict the voice. These are the actor’s reactions, not the character’s. Therefore the actor must be in a relaxed state in order to perform well. The Alexander Technique teaches actors a way to organize, be aware of, and manage body tension, directing it towards character not towards interference with performance. You can practice this relaxation exercise in a chair, without making an ass of yourself in the reception room. ●

Place your feet flat on the floor.

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Ensure that you are well balanced on your sitting bones.

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Sit on the edge of the chair.

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Concentrate on breathing deeply.

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Concentrate on lengthening the spine in two directions.

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Visualize your head poised at the top of your spine.

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Visualize your torso lengthened and widened.

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Concentrate internally on this mantra:

Let my neck be free, to let my head go forward and up, to let my torso lengthen and widen, to let my legs release away from my torso and let my shoulders widen. Imagine a ball of energy moving from your toes to your ankles, to your shins, thighs, and buttocks. Visualize the energy moving through each part of your body, including the torso, the hips, and all of your joints. Include your neck, shoulders, and facial muscles. Relaxing the jaw and throat is important for vocal freedom. Once you have isolated each body part through the relaxation, gradually allow each vertebra in your back to collapse, with the head leading the torso into a forward bend. Your torso moves as a unit from the hip sockets. Then allow your head to lead your torso up so that you are vertical again. Clear your mind, take a breath, and concentrate on the choices you have made for the character. Run the lines in your head. Step in for your audition.

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Turkish casting director, Harika Uygur, advises her actors to meditate every day. How can you create a character when you’re not connected to yourself? ? she asks. The character comes from inside. Meditation encourages actors to connect with the breath, and the creative flow. How can you act if you’re not breathing? How to do a good audition? Connect with the breath!

Exercise 2. Telling a story ●

Work in pairs, off-camera. Choose a theme and think of a particular moment in your life. Themes could include: ■

something very embarrassing;

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a time when you got caught;

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something that happened to you when you were a child that changed your life.

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Tell your partner the story.

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Listen carefully and empathetically to your partner’s story, memorizing each detail.

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Now work on camera. The partner tells her partner’s story, in first person, to the camera. She may change a few details to make the scene work.

Evaluate This exercise encapsulates what acting is. You’re telling someone else’s story, as if it were your own. This scene should reflect you, and your personality. Were you able to convincingly and naturally tell your partner’s story? Did we believe that it was your story? Was it a natural performance?

Exercise 3. Blank scenes I call these scenes “blank” because the actor needs to fill in the blanks; we know nothing about the characters, who they are, where they are, or what their motives are. Famous Russian actor and teacher, Michael Chekhov,

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devised blank scenes such as these for his technique so they are sometimes called “Chekhovian.” I use them in my casting workshops because they are excellent exercises to practice making choices. Practicing a blank scene is not unlike doing an audition for a film. Often you haven’t read the script and know very little about the character, so you have to make choices. Practice these scenes with a partner. Make specific choices, based on answering the following questions: ●

Who am I?

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Where am I?

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Who am I talking to?

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What do I want?

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What are the stakes?

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Where are the changes?

Blank scene I A You first. B

No, I always go first. You this time.

A

But I don’t like going first.

B

Does it always have to be the way you want it?

A Wait, wait, wait . . . where the hell did that come from? B

I have needs too. Did you ever think of that?

A

I’m thinking about you all the time!

B

Ha!

A You don’t believe me? Do you know how much I’ve sacrificed for you? B

Sacrificed? I don’t even know where you are half the time.

A

I can sacrifice from elsewhere.

B You really are very creative. A

Ok, I’ll go first for goodness sakes.

B

Got you!

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Blank scene II A Thank god you’re here! B

Umm . . .

A

Now you need to stand there. You’re next.

B

Do I know you?

A

Stop kidding around.

B

So . . . I should just go along . . .

A Yes go along with it . . . B

I’m not much good at playing the game.

A

Just play the game.

B

I really don’t know anything about this.

A

Just play the game. DAMN IT!

B

I have friends in high places.

A

It’s too late.

B You won’t get away with this. The possibilities are endless for these scenes. Experiment with playing each scene in three different ways, as you would during the casting. As a warm-up, play off-camera with your partner. Then take turns in front of camera. You will have to agree on what the relationship is between you and decide where you are. You don’t have to share your objective; that can be secret. Then ask your partner to read off-screen in a neutral voice, giving no energy (as you might get at a casting), and focus the camera on your face. Rise to the challenge of making specific, actable choices without getting inspiration or energy from the other actor.

Exercise 4. Listening and the inner monologue In front of camera, listening and reacting can be even more important than speaking. When I’m casting a supporting role, with few lines, it’s often hard to find dialogue where the character speaks several lines consecutively. So I keep the camera on the actor while I speak all of the other lines. These types of roles present an even bigger challenge to actors than a character who

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speaks all the time. The actor has to be constantly on, engaged in an ongoing inner monologue, or soundtrack of thoughts, listening and reacting to all of the actions and speech of the characters around him. I like to challenge actors by giving them scenes with few lines, because it shows the director that the actor has the skill to be featured in a reaction shot. On a TV set, there may be five cameras shooting at the same time, catching every character’s reaction. If your reactions and listening skills are not up to par, you’ll get less screen time. Michael Caine, in Acting in Film (Applause Books, 1997), discusses how surprised he was when he started working in Hollywood with actors like Sylvester Stallone who wanted to cut their own lines. Caine came from a theater background where everyone wanted as many lines as possible. It was because Stallone realized that the most interesting moments are in the silences, not in the speech. The following exercises, to be done with a partner, or in a classroom, are designed to develop the listening and inner monologue skills that are imperative in an audition as well as on set. In castings, so often, actors throw away their silences and reactions by reading the other character’s lines instead of listening. When an actor reads the lines, we only see their eyelids and the top of their head.

Take 1. Medium shot Actor B stands off-camera and tells a story (see the example below). The camera shoots Actor A, who is listening in a medium frame. The featured actor does not speak, but merely listens and reacts silently. It is best to choose a story that will impact the actor who is listening. Here’s an example: Actor A (the featured, listening actor) should be male and Actor B is female. The set-up for the scene is that B has invited A to meet at a café. They are a couple who have not been dating long. B is there to tell A that she is pregnant. Actor B improvises a one-minute long monologue in which she explains the situation. Actor A has the camera on him and he will react in the moment to what she is saying. The pregnancy is a good example because he can choose a variety of responses.

Take 2. The “less is more theory” Shoot in close-up. This time Actor B can tell the same story, or a different story (something that impacts Actor A). Actor A will listen again, being mindful of the fact that this is a close-up. In my class, I ask how the acting changes in a close-up shot. The class will often answer that less is more, and that

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the acting should be smaller. The camera is right there, so it will pick up everything. Thinking is enough for the camera. So, in Take 2, Actor A will go with the theory that less is more, and keep his reactions contained, and smaller than in life.

Take 3. The “more is more” theory Shoot in close-up again, and Actor B will tell the same story. In a close-up, the actor loses the ability to communicate through body language. The actor becomes a floating head in space. Therefore the face and the eyes become the only instruments of communication. Due to this, some actors practice a more intense facial reaction in close-up. Sometimes the actor has to listen more loudly than he would in real life. This means that, contrary to the last experiment, the reactions might actually be bigger than in life.

Take 4. The “harbor a secret” theory Keep the camera in close-up. This time, as Actor A is listening to Actor B’s story, he will concentrate on playing contrast in his inner monologue. How to play contrast? There are times when someone tells us something and we don’t want them to know how we feel. This can be achieved when Actor A has a secret. Imagine a poker game. Keeping a secret is an effective choice because often, we want to keep our cards close to our chest. For example, he could choose that he’s upset about the pregnancy because he is already married with children, but he doesn’t want his girlfriend to know this.

Evaluate After going through these four takes, watch the tape, and evaluate your performance. Which take was the most effective? When you’re evaluating yourself and each other, ask the following questions.

Take 1 ●

Were you really listening?

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Did it look like you were really listening?

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If you were the director, would you want to feature this actor in a reaction shot?

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The first take is probably the easiest in terms of really listening because you’ve never heard Actor B’s story before, but is really listening interesting to watch on camera? Sometimes our faces are blank when we’re listening. This could be OK, if the character is deliberately playing a poker face. Or it may be boring. You might have to consider other techniques.

Take 2 ●

Is it effective to contain your expressions and reactions?

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Does this create a believable performance?

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If you were a director, would you want to feature this actor in close-up?

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Is it underplayed? Is it overplayed?

Some people naturally have expressive faces, and large reactions. If you are one of these people, then you may well have to concentrate on limiting your facial expressions, and learn to develop stillness, keeping the reactions and inner monologue in the eyes and not in the face. Some unconsciously direct their responses into an overly scrunched forehead. (I have heard of acting teachers who suggest putting masking tape on the forehead to break the habit.) Beginning actors invariably think that film acting is about doing nothing. Doing nothing, however, often results in that anathematizing dead face. Watch out for it.

Take 3 ●

Was the face alive?

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Was the performance interesting and engaging? Was the screen filled with information?

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If you were a director, would you want to feature this actor?

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Was the performance too over the top or at the right level?

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Was it interesting? Could we see the character’s specific thoughts?

What actors learn from this exercise is that they can get away with a lot more than they think they can. Theater actors come with the impression that film acting is “smaller” or less exaggerated than theater acting, so they’re terrified of over-acting, and they end up with a performance that is frankly boring and flat on screen. Other actors may watch Take 3 and realize that, for them, less

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is more. For actors who are naturally animated, reacting more intensively in the face might cause them to jump out of the screen. Actors new to film acting need to experience this process of experimentation to learn what level is right for them.

Take 4 ●

Did the actor play contrast in his reactions?

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Was the screen filled with information?

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Was this performance more effective than the previous takes?

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Was keeping a secret effective?

The camera loves contrast, and variety. The camera also loves mystery and secrets. An actor who has an active and complex inner monologue is likely to have the most compelling performance. When you have a long reaction shot, the worst thing you can do is to react in only one way. Keep the thoughts spinning, active, varied, and specific.

Exercise 5. “Over there!” This exercise draws from commedia dell’arte techniques originated by Tim Robbins’ theater company, The Actors’ Gang. This exercise is intended to help actors practice and develop their ability to communicate feelings through the eyes. The Actors’ Gang, inspired by the teaching of Georges Bigot of Theater du Soleil, developed a style based on the actor being “stated” in one of the four primary emotions—sadness, anger, happiness, or fear. This means that the actor finds inspiration that will crank him into an optimum high intensity of emotion. On a scale from 1 to 10, the actor plays a 10. He then brings that emotion with him to play objectives in the scene. In this style of theater, the actor must be heightened in one of these emotional states at all times and send it out through the eyes, making contact with the audience. I adapted this approach to a film acting exercise called “Over there!” In film, you can’t connect with the audience so you have to connect with an image near the camera lens. Set up the camera and mark a spot next to it at eye level. The actor steps in front of camera, points at the spot, and says, “over there.” She does this four times, once each for the four emotions listed above. The first time she is pointing to something that is deeply sad. She must imagine the saddest thing in the world to her, her dead child, or burned down-home, etc. The second

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time it will be something that makes her incredibly happy like her soldier husband, thought dead, returning home safely. The actor continues through this process, pointing to something that makes her angry, then something that prompts fear.

Evaluate Watch the tape, and evaluate. ●

Was the actor at a heightened state of emotion? If you were measuring on a scale of 1 to 10, was she all the way at a 10?

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Did the actor communicate clearly with her eyes?

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Was it interesting to watch, and was it effective?

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What does the actor need to work on to improve communicating with the eyes?

I realize that there is a contradiction in this exercise. I have spent a whole book emphasizing the point that actors need to play action, not emotion. Now here’s an exercise that is all about playing emotion. This “stated” sense of awareness can be applied to a scene in which there is an objective. I could see this training in Tim Robbins’ performance in War of the Worlds, in which he played a petrified homeowner cowering in his basement, while terrifying aliens invade the earth. He was in a permanent sense of fear that riddled his eyes and body, while at the same time playing the objective to fight for survival.

Exercise 6. Improvisation/Playing the objective Following are examples of strong objectives. Note that they all take direct objects (i.e. “to seduce him”). ●

To challenge

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To arouse

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To convince

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To irritate

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To change

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To forgive

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To avenge

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To scold

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To hurt

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To placate

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To amuse

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To motivate

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To tease

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To punish

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To undress

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To shame

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To scare

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To seduce

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Choose from the list above or create your own. Select an objective that is an action verb. Actors sometimes choose scenarios, or adjectives, instead of doable actions. Set the camera at eye level, and shoot three times. Actors choose three contrasting objectives to play.

Take 1. Wide shot Choose one objective and play it to the mini screen that is located on the right side of most cameras. As in the exercise before, play your objective with the intensity of a 10 out of 10. Drive the stakes high. Play for life or death. Speak to the mini-viewing screen as if to a scene partner, improvising your objective. Keep your awareness that you’re playing for a wide shot and fill the entire screen with information, doing what you need to fulfill your objective.

Take 2. Medium shot Choose a contrasting objective. The frame is smaller now, so focus your performance to fit the screen.

Take 3. Close-up Choose yet a different contrasting objective, but this time play it silently without speech. Be aware of the screen size, so that you don’t pop out of frame. Find stillness while fighting for your goal. Play in the eyes. Be like Medusa and kill with your eyes. NOTE: Don’t worry if your objective isn’t exactly clear to the audience, as long as it’s clear to you. The filmmaker must provide context for your objectives. When you have a purpose, that aim drives the scene, whatever the context may be.

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Evaluate Take 1 ●

Is the actor filling the screen? Are the stakes high which drive the objective?

Take 2 ●

Has the performance changed to adapt to screen size? Is the actor playing his objective at a “10”?

Take 3 ●

Is the actor playing in the eyes? Is the silent performance effective? Is the actor “stated?”

Exercise 7. Telephone conversation This exercise emphasizes a character’s strategy. Work in pairs. Actor A is on screen, telephoning Actor B. Set up a situation where A wants something from B. For example, A has just finished a late shift at work, and it’s raining. A wants B (her boyfriend or girlfriend) to get out of bed, come, and pick her up. B will not come to pick A up until she has persuasively used at least three different strategies. Strategies could include: 1

A tries to get B to feel sorry for her. “It’s wet, I’m cold and tired,” etc.

2

A threatens B. “I’m going to break up with you unless you come and pick me up.”

3

A bargains with B. “I’ll give you a little surprise if you come pick me up.”

Watch the performance. This is an exercise that practices playing different tactics and strategies to achieve an objective. Your character wants or needs something from the other character.

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Evaluate When evaluating the performance ask: ●

Were there three clear strategies to reach the objective?

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Were the strategies believable and persuasive?

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Was there contrast in the performance with each different strategy?

Exercise 8. “Get out of the chair” I’ll only get out of the chair when I believe you. This is a fun exercise to do with or without camera. Actor A’s objective is to get Actor B to stand up from the chair. Actor A can use whatever tactics necessary but, Actor B will not get up out of the chair until she believes him. That means that she must see truth in Actor A’s eyes. Try specific lines. Power phrases are: I love you. I want to kill you. Say it. Mean it. The person sitting in the chair should not stand up until she believes him. If you shoot it: Shoot this exercise with Actor B sitting directly next to the lens and Actor A in front of camera.

Exercise 9. Sight-reading techniques (also called “cold” reading) There are times when a casting director will throw you a text that you’ve never seen before. It’s called sight-reading or cold reading, and the best way to beat your fear of it is to practice. Remember from Chapter 2 that cold reading is what you’ll be expected to do at a Woody Allen audition, when no sides are issued in advance and no sides leave the casting area. When I teach in Germany and France, my students insist that they always get the text in advance and they have no need for this skill, but my casting colleagues in these countries tell me it isn’t so. Even the most organized of casting directors might get a script change suddenly.

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Use sight-reading as an opportunity to bring fresh, unbiased energy to the scene. If the caster just threw it to you, she knows that you’re reading it cold. The technique for sight-reading is as follows.

For practice in partners (as an extension of the “Chair” exercise) Hold the text and put your thumb on the first sentence. Read it to yourself first, and once you’ve got it, take your eyes off the page and read the text into the eyes of your seated partner. (If you don’t have a partner, read it into that spot next to the camera lens.) When you read it out, make sure that you believe what you’re saying. Your partner will look into your eyes. When she believes you, she will get out of the chair. If she doesn’t believe you, she sits. Keep reading out the sentence into her eyes, until she believes you. Then move down to the next sentence and repeat. This process slows the reading down. It will not be fast, but it will be honest. Some actors even find that their first reading is the best and, afterwards, they are struggling to repeat the same freshness. Try this exercise on Jeb Stuart’s monologue from the film The Liberator. I have deliberately divided it up into chunks of text that you can easily manage. Don’t cheat by reading it in advance. MALE COLD READING MONOLOGUE Felix Sparks in The Liberator, by Jeb Stuart INT. FORT SILL OKLAHOMA, JAIL

SPARKS My name is Lt. Sparks. The fact that I’m introducing myself to you in a jailhouse tells me that you’ve not gotten along well with your previous C.O.s. Maybe you’ve been told you’re too stupid to be in this army. Maybe you’ve been told you have a problem with authority. Or maybe . . . you’ve been told you come from a race that’s got no business wearing the uniform . . . Whatever you have been told doesn’t mean shit to me . . . What matters to me is performance.

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There is a live-fire test at the end of this week. Pass it and you can enjoy a weekend of freedom. Forty-eight hours not only outside of this cage, but off post. But like everything else in life, this privilege has to be earned. Now, if you feel that you and the U.S. Army have reached the end of your journey together, do not waste my time or anyone else’s. But if you want a chance to prove that everything every asshole has ever said about you was wrong . . . Then you have two minutes to join me outside.

How did it go? Did you feel like you brought a freshness to the scene? Now that you know the monologue, you can try again but with an informed knowledge of what’s coming next. Now you can answer the who, what, where questions, even without reading the whole script. ●

Who am I? Felix Sparks, an army officer charged with overseeing a troop of Mexican-American and Native American soldiers during World War II.

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Where am I? Inside a jailhouse in Oklahoma.

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Who am I talking to? The ragtag group of soldiers I’ve been assigned, who are currently serving jail sentences.

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What do I want? To rally the troops and unit them so they can train together and be a successful platoon.

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What’s at stake? Winning the war.

Now try it again with these specifications, and see how it changes. Can you manage to keep it fresh on the second reading? FEMALE COLD READING MONOLOGUE The Elizabeths, by Janet Dulin Jones INT. CHAPEL OF ST. PETER AND VINCULA, AT THE TOWER OF LONDON Elizabeth: Forgive me, Mummy . . . I am suddenly feeling my age;

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without you I don’t think I can do this anymore. I struggle to keep my composure, my smile, waving day, after day, after day, after day . . . and then subjected to unending criticism, for what? Nobody sees me unravelling; they see my suits and hats, my dogs, the ceremonies, the rituals, but they don’t know me . . . Such a sad little chapel. You liked coming here. The Queens, you came for the murdered queens because you’d been such a lucky one, maybe the luckiest who ever was wife to an English King; through thick and thin a united couple, united parents, united again, and me, suddenly orphaned. Mummy, I . . . must abdicate, go away, up north towards Glamis, towards you, towards my childhood and leave. I want to be Elizabeth, wife of Philip, mother and doting grandmother. I want to be like any other woman without a crown upon her head. I am going to leave the throne. I am undone, your Lilibet all undone. I don’t know that you shall ever forgive me.

Now try it again with these specifications, and see how it changes. Can you manage to keep it fresh on the second reading? ●

Who am I? Queen Elizabeth II. (And don’t worry about impersonating the actual queen for this monologue. This takes time. Just play it as yourself and use the “magic if” to imagine yourself in her circumstances.)

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Where am I? In the chapel by the Tower of London.

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Who am I talking to? My dead mother.

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What do I want? I want to abdicate and I want my mother’s blessing for this. I’m looking for a sign, some guidance from beyond.

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What is at stake? The throne.

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Tips for sight-reading at castings ●

Tip #1. Remember that you don’t have to completely cold read if you don’t feel comfortable with it. If a caster thrusts a page into your hand, ask to take it into the hall for a few moments while they see someone else, and then come back in.

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Tip #2. Hold the script high (but not in front of your face). If the shot is in close up, we won’t see the script in the shot anyway, but even if we do, so what? It’s a cold read. If you hold the script low, your eyes have to go further down to find the words, and we’ll just see your eyelids.

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Tip #3. Listen, and don’t read the other character’s lines. We need to see your reaction. That will be the most interesting part of your performance.

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Tip #4. In order to save your place on the page, as you listen, keep your thumb in the margin on the dialogue that is currently being read and keep it moving down the script as you progress.

Dyslexia

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any actors are dyslexic and they tend to be very good at memorizing lines quickly to compensate. If you are dyslexic, let the casting director know in advance so we’ll be sensitive about not throwing you a random text. In the case that you are given a cold script, feel free to ask if you can have a few moments with it.

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26 Scene Analysis

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ou can use these scenes for practice, either in front of the camera or to exercise your written scene analysis. Normally the casting director will provide the agent with a brief plot synopsis. Other times the project is so secretive that you will know almost nothing and have to make choices, based on instincts and the information you can extract from the scene itself. For each scene, ask the following questions: 1

Who am I? Start with the character’s basic identity. I am . . . . It’s OK if you don’t know a great detail about the character. You can get a lot of information from the scene.

2

Where am I? It says this right at the top of the scene. Note whether it’s interior (INT.) or exterior (EXT.). It will affect how you play the scene. Is it a public space like a restaurant or a private space like a bedroom? Are there other characters there watching you?

3

Who am I talking to? Establish what your relationship is with the other character. You need or want something from them. Figure out what that is and relate it to your objective.

4

What do I want? The objective. This is the most important question because your answer will dictate how you play the scene. Surprisingly, actors often neglect to answer this basic question. If you don’t want something, then you’ve got nothing to play. Choose an action verb that excites you.

5

What are the stakes? What risk is your character taking? What does your character have to lose? This gives us the urgency or the tone in the scene. Choose the highest stakes that the context allows.

6

Where does the scene change? The camera loves contrast and change. In any well-written scene, there is at least one transitional moment, something on which the scene hinges. Often, it’s marked by a moment of discovery, when the character learns or decides 267

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something. Choose where that is and mark it on your script. You don’t have to plan how you’ll change but know that there is a change. Here is an opportunity to play opposites. For example, if the scene is about attraction, it is also about repulsion. 7

What genre is this piece? You should have this information in advance, but when you’re not sure, ask. I was casting a black comedy once, and a number of actors who came in weren’t aware that it was a comedy. When the actors were missing the jokes, so were we. If it’s a comedy, find the punch lines and punch them. If it’s a historical drama, do some research on the period. If it’s based on a comic book, read it and then don’t worry about doing a long, thorough, Freudian analysis of your character. The bad guy in these films is just the bad guy. If you’re a vampire, then your objective is to suck the other character’s blood. Don’t make it any more complicated than that.

DEVISED SCENE FOR TWO WOMEN. INT. POLISH BAKERY Agnieszka is just finishing with a customer when she notices that Pavla has been waiting in the back of the bakery for the other customers to clear. AGNIESZKA Pavla? What’s my little sister doing here? PAVLA We all need bread. AGNIESZKA But. . . you live nowhere near here. AGNIESZKA (sees that something is wrong.) AGNIESZKA (CONT’D) What’s the matter? PAVLA (moves closer to the counter and leans closer) I’m pregnant. AGNIESZKA What? PAVLA You heard me. Pause I don’t want to keep it.

SCENE ANALYSIS

AGNIESZKA What about the father? PAVLA He forced himself on me. AGNIESZKA Why were you with him then? PAVLA I don’t need a lecture from you. It’s no secret that Petra was conceived before you got married. I can count the months. AGNIESZKA But. . .Marek and I kept her. PAVLA Please help me. You know how Mom and Dad will react. . . AGNIESZKA You know that abortion is illegal. And I don’t work at the hospital anymore. PAVLA But I know that you have the contacts to make it happen. AGNIESZKA Yes. . . illegally, and it’s very dangerous. I don’t want you exposed to those conditions. I remember one woman whose womb was shredded and the fetus came out like mince meat. PAVLA says nothing but her stomach is turning. AGNIESZKA Many of those women will not be able ever to give birth. Can you cope with that? PAVLA I know about the risks. The alternative- I’ve tried to picture it. Marrying the father, how the baby would look. But this man is violent. . . it would be a life of hell.

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AGNIESZKA Marek and I worked it out. PAVLA Oh stop with it. You can cut the hostility with a knife when you two are together. AGNIESZKA looks away. She knows Pavla is right. PAVLA Please. Help me.

Scene analysis for Agnieszka ●

Who am I? A Polish woman, who used to work in a hospital but now works in a bakery. I’m in an unhappy marriage and am the mother of one child.

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Where am I? In the bakery where I work. Public space.

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Who am I talking to? Pavla, my younger sister, who is pregnant.

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What do I want? I want to protect her from suffering. I love her. I also need to protect myself since I know that helping her to get an abortion would be a crime.

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Where does the scene change? When I realize that she’s right. Although I love my daughter, there is part of me who wishes I didn’t have her because now I’m trapped in an unhappy marriage. Maybe I could save Pavla from this.

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What are the stakes? The stakes are high. If I am caught breaking the law, I could go to prison. But if she turns elsewhere for help, I may not be able to protect her.

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What is the genre? Drama.

Scene analysis for Pavla ●

Who am I? A young Polish student.

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Where am I? In a public place. A bakery where my sister works, not close to my home.

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Who am I speaking to? My older sister, Agnieszka.

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What do I want? I want to convince her to help me get an abortion. The man who impregnated me is horrible. I can’t start a family with him.

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When does the scene change? When she tells me about the risks. I’ve heard it before, but the image of a fetus of mincemeat is so revolting I want to throw up. Maybe I should keep it? She almost convinces me.

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What are the stakes? High. Possible jail time if we are caught. Fear of guilt. I was raised to believe that abortion is wrong. But if I don’t have it, I will endure a life with a violent man.

SCENE II. Remarkable Power, By Brandon Beckner and Scott Sampila INT. BEACH HOUSE LIVING ROOM — LATER Ross takes a swig of beer as he looks around the room. PRESTON Make yourself comfortable. ROSS Cool. Thanks. Without Ross seeing, Preston picks up a large HAMMER and runs his finger over it. Ross peeks through the shutters. The boardwalk is packed. PRESTON You mind keeping those closed? Ross quickly turns. Preston stands in the darkness. ROSS Oh. Sorry, dude. Ross closes the shutters and sits down at a long table. ROSS (CONT’D) Hey, you mind if I roll a spliff?

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PRESTON Be my guest. The HAMMER is in the back of Preston’s pants. He walks behind Ross to a bar. Ross pulls out weed and rolling papers. ROSS So what’s the big secret? You bought the tapes and then what? Preston fills a glass with whiskey. PRESTON I told you. I just followed the simple step-by-step instructions and voila, look at my life now. Preston moves towards Ross, pulls out the hammer and raises it. Ross, his back to Preston, rolls the joint obliviously. ROSS See, that’s what I’m saying. Why’s everybody so obsessed with this gettin’ a job thing, man? Like that’s all life is about. I’m telling you, work’s overrated. It’s a crutch for people who can’t just chill. Preston holds the hammer frozen above Ross’s head. A bead of sweat trickles down Preston’s face. ROSS (CONT’D) I mean, yeah, everyone needs money, except monks or whatever, but there’s ways one can deal with that dilemma without wasting away in some cubicle. I mean look at you. You’re a living example of what I’m talking about. I knew there was something different about Remarkable Power. Preston’s hand is shaking. He can’t do it. Ross lights the joint and takes a big drag. ROSS (CONT’D) So was it two weeks from when you actually finished the program, or from when you buy the tapes?

SCENE ANALYSIS

PRESTON Goddamn it, son of a bitch! Preston slams the hammer down on the bar. Ross turns. ROSS Whoa. What happened? PRESTON Just shut the fuck up for Christ’s sake! Preston winces and holds his back. ROSS Uh. . .what? PRESTON Don’t you fucking get it? There is no Remarkable Power. It’s bullshit. ROSS What do you mean it’s bullshit. I’ve been . . . PRESTON Don’t tell me you bought those tapes. ROSS Yeah. So what? Preston plops down at the table across from Ross, exhausted. PRESTON I’m an actor you moron. They hired me to say all that shit. The whole thing’s a fucking scam. ROSS Whoa, hold on a second. What the fuck are you talking about, man? PRESTON Dude, come on. Did you seriously think buying a bunch of tapes was going to change your life? Are you that fucking stupid? Ross’s face starts to turn red

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ROSS Don’t call me that, man. PRESTON Oh, sorry. How about complete sucker then? That fit the bill a little better? Seriously, have you taken a look in a mirror lately? I mean look at you. You’re a fucking loser. ROSS Dude, chill out with that. I’m serious . . . PRESTON Look, do yourself a favor. Keep the mullet, go back to whatever redneck town you came from and stick pigs or whatever it is you do there because you obviously aren’t gonna make it here. Jesus. Ross’ fists start to clench. Preston swallows a couple pills. PRESTON (CONT’D) Go on, get out of here. Seriously, get lost. Go home. Did you hear what I said? I said get the hell out of here, you stupid fuck!! ROSS I said don’t call me that!! Ross ERUPTS. He shoves the table knocking Preston back over with his chair. He lands with a thud, disappearing. SILENCE. . .then the sound of GURGLING. Ross gets up. Preston lies there, eyes wide open, convulsing. The sharp SPEARHEAD of the andiron from the fireplace is stuck three inches into the back of his head. BLOOD starts pouring from his mouth. ROSS (CONT’D) Oh shit! Dude, are you okay? Preston continues convulsing. Ross stares at Preston. Blood oozes out of his mouth.

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Scene analysis for Ross ●

Who am I? I’m Ross, a young American man in my early twenties from an unsophisticated town in the Midwest. I wear a slightly out of style haircut, and came to LA to “make it” as a rock star, but without any skills to do so.

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Where am I? Preston’s Beach House. I just met him on the beach and he invited me in.

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Who am I talking to? Preston, the man from the Remarkable Power TV show.

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What do I want? He’s cool and successful, so I want to hang out with him. I want him to teach me how to make it with the Remarkable Power program.

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When does the scene change? When he starts insulting me. It seems out of the blue. He’s really pushing my buttons and I can’t help myself. I want to hurt him. It changes again when I realize that I have accidentally killed him.

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What are the stakes? In the beginning of the scene the stakes are about social acceptance in a new town. Can I be cool enough to relate socially with this successful guy? In the end, when I realize I’ve killed him, the stakes are a possible prison sentence for me.

Scene analysis for Preston ●

Who am I? A struggling actor in LA, whose best career days are behind me.

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Where am I? In my beach house.

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Who am I talking to? This loser kid, who I met on the beach. He’s stupid enough to believe in the Remarkable Powers scam. I picked him up on the beach when I realize he just got to LA and no one knows he’s here. No one will miss him if he disappears.

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What do I want? I want to kill him and take pictures of his newly dead body for a website that collects these photos. This is my new scam and it’s very good money, and I’m in debt with no easy way out.

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When does the scene change? When I realize that I’m not a murderer. (The actor can decide himself if the problem is that he has a moral

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conscience or if it’s a lack of courage that prevents him.) It changes again when the kid comes at me. ●

What are the stakes? I need to pay my debt or the mafia will come after me. Can I commit a crime and get away with it?

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What is the genre? Black comedy. The scene will be funny when played well, but both actors should take it dead seriously.

SCENE III FIVE AND A HALF LOVE STORIES IN AN AIRBNB IN VILNIUS By Tom Vengris INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT MacKenzie falls onto the couch, pulls Philip down on top of her as they passionately kiss. MACKENZIE Ow. Fuck! A plastic hanger cuts into her back. She sits up, turns on the light. She pulls a CRUMPLED LA PERLA bag from behind her. MACKENZIE (CONT’D) Is this lingerie? Philip can’t come up with anything, gives her a drunk smile. MACKENZIE (CONT’D) Well, you’re full of surprises . . . She gazes around the now-illuminated room, the GUCCI and DOLCE & GABBANA gift bags . . . MACKENZIE (CONT’D) So, either you were expecting someone else . . . or you like to be really prepared for overnight visitors. Philip’s mind turns. PHILIP Or I’m a crossdresser?

SCENE ANALYSIS

She smiles, sympathetic, but not about to let it go. MACKENZIE Are you married? PHILIP No. He tries to kiss her, she pulls back. PHILIP (CONT’D) Look, it’s nothing. I promise. These . . . were a mistake. MACKENZIE Ok. But maybe you could tell me more about this mistake? Because I like you. And I really would like to keep kissing you because you’re a really good kisser. But I feel a bit uncomfortable right now. His mind turns. PHILIP (seductively) How about we just say the universe wanted you to have these . . . You deserve them more anyway. MacKenzie’s expression shows it’s too late for flirty jokes. She picks up the bottle of scotch, empties the dregs into a glass. MACKENZIE What’s her name? PHILIP Sima. Simona. She’s from here. MACKENZIE And she stood you up so you went skirtchasing? PHILIP No. I realized that she wasn’t worth it and she’s sleeping with another man and I didn’t want to see her anyway.

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MACKENZIE (flat) I’m sorry to hear that. PHILIP You know when you’re with someone and everything is going right. It’s like they make you a better person? That was her. MacKenzie takes a long sip. PHILIP (CONT’D) And you don’t realize at the time. But then you look back and it’s the happiest you ever were. . . but you didn’t appreciate it, so you just left like an asshole and broke her heart and then it’s too late? He drifts off in thought. MacKenzie downs the glass. MACKENZIE So she made you happy? PHILIP I don’t know. No. She made my life good. Everything was working. My career, my music, my friends. Everything was working. MACKENZIE Ever think you may be giving her a bit too much credit there? Philip catches himself. PHILIP Yeah. Yeah totally, you’re right. Anyway she’s sleeping with someone else so fuck her. He goes in for another kiss, she pulls away. MACKENZIE Maybe she doesn’t want to risk her life for someone so — PHILIP (cuts her off) Who doesn’t live here? That’s what I thought. Like she’s worried about the security?

SCENE ANALYSIS

MacKenzie shakes her head. MACKENZIE I should probably go. PHILIP Wait. What’s wrong? I honestly don’t care about her. MACKENZIE I’m tired. Like, super tired. She gets to her feet. Philip tries to kiss her. She gives him a charitable peck on the lips. She shakes her head at him. PHILIP You want to take this stuff? MACKENZIE Are you serious? Philip pulls open the bag from La Perla. PHILIP I bet it’d fit you! Sima certainly isn’t getting it. Here. Try it on. He rips open the bag, pushes it toward her. MACKENZIE Woah, woah. That is not appropriate. PHILIP No, try it on. I bet it’ll be sexy. He saunters forward to kiss her again. MACKENZIE I have to go. He looks at the crumpled LINGERIE and hurls it against the wall.

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Scene analysis for MacKenzie ●

Who am I? A woman who has just met a man at a nightclub and has come home with him. (We know very little about this character in the script. So the back story is up to the individual actor.)

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Where am I? In the rented flat of a stranger in Vilnius.

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Who am I talking to? Philip is a fun, sexy stranger, who I’ve danced with all night.

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What do I want? At the beginning of the scene, I want to have sex with him.

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When does the scene change? When I discover the bag of lingerie. Clearly, from the scene, we know this is what makes her change her mind. He is still obsessed with another woman. (This is where the reasoning for the actor can become more nuanced, and the more specific your choices, the easier it will be for you to play the scene convincingly. If all she wants is sex, Philip is still offering that. So why does she let the ghost of another woman get in the way? Possible reasons: she was hoping to have a deeper relationship with him? She just came from a relationship wherein the man was always obsessed with his former girlfriend, and this triggers her into sadness? Or another possibility.)

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What are the stakes? Ego and affairs of the heart. Am I attractive? Am I sexy? Can this man love me? In any intimate scene, even if it’s just an ostensive one night stand, the individual will experience vulnerability.

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What is the genre? Drama.

Scene analysis for Philip ●

Who am I? A drug-using DJ in my forties, who frequently works in Vilnius.

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Where am I? In my AIRBNB flat in Vilnius.

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Who am I talking to? MacKenzie, a sexy, fun stranger who I’ve been dancing with all night.

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What do I want? I want to have sex with her.

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When does the scene change? When she discovers the bag of lingerie that I bought for Simona. This night, the spread of good food

SCENE ANALYSIS

281

and alcohol, was meant to be a way for me to reconnect with Simona. I’ve been obsessed with her. Last night I managed to get Simona drunk and sleep with her, but she left angrily this morning. She agreed to have dinner with me tonight but cancelled at the last moment. She’s with another man. If I can’t have her, then I want someone else to confirm my attractiveness. MacKenzie will make me stop thinking of Simona, at least for tonight. ●

What are the stakes? Ego and affairs of the heart. Am I attractive? Am I sexy? Can I seduce this woman?

●

Further consideration for both actors. The scene mentions plenty of alcohol and drugs. This can add an edge and intensity to the emotions of the characters but be careful not to fall into the trap of clichéd drunkenness.

Scene from the play Rotterdam, by Jon Brittain, pp. 19–111 Alice has just had intimate relations with her colleague Lelani in Lelani’s flat in Rotterdam. Alice gets up. (from the bed) Alice Right. Y’know what, I might actually just head. Lelani Why? Alice Well, Wouter’ll be back soon. Lelani He won’t be back for hours. Alice Yeah, but I think I just need to collect my thoughts. Lelani You can do that here. Alice picks up Lelani’s laptop and opens it. Alice I’d really rather just – Is it alright if I use this? I just want to find the nearest hotel, I . . . She looks at the screen. Beat. Alice Why are you logged into my email? Lelani It was a surprise. I was going to tell you in the morning. Alice Tell me what?

AUDITIONING FOR FILM AND TELEVISION

282

Lelani I really like you, Alice, I just want you to be able to be honest about who you are. Alice

I don’t understand.

Lelani Now, you might be shocked, but I really think it is better now. Alice I don’t know what you’re talking about. Did you log in? How do you know my password? Lelani You gave it to me. When your phone was broken. It’s your name. Alice Yeah, but—Lelani, why are you in my email? Lelani Well, I knew you wrote to your parents, but never sent it. Alice What? Lelani So I searched in your drafts, when you were in the bathroom – Alice

No.

Lelani And I cut some stuff out. Alice You didn’t. Lelani And then I sent it. Beat. Alice laughs. Alice It’s a joke. Right? You’re joking. Lelani No. Alice stops laughing. Alice No. You are joking. Lelani No. I’m not. Alice This isn’t funny. Lelani I’m not joking. Beat. Alice Sorry, you . . . I mean, I . . . I . . . I mean you – what have you . . .? What the fuck have you done? Why did you – ? What were you thinking? Lelani No, listen, I am trying to help you. Alice

Help me? Help me? What about this do you think is helpful?!

SCENE ANALYSIS

283

Lelani It’s what you wanted. Alice What I wanted? You think I wanted you to out me to my parents? Lelani I didn’t, you wrote the email to them, I just gave it a push. Alice A push? You think that was a push? That was not a push! A push would have been – I don’t know what a push would have been but this was not a fucking push! She bends over, breathing quickly. I’ve got to get out of here.

Scene analysis for Lelani ●

Who am I? A young Dutch woman, and assistant to Alice.

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Where am I? In my flat in Rotterdam.

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Who am I talking to? Alice. You can probably surmise that she has been in love with (or at least obsessed with) Alice for a long time, and that she works below her in the office.

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What do I want? I want to keep Alice close to me, and I want to change Alice. I want her to be more open about her sexuality. She will feel better if she tells her parents.

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Where does the scene change? When Alice realizes what I have done.

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What are the stakes? If she is really angry at me for exposing her to her parents, then maybe she won’t like me anymore, and I’ll lose the relationship. This is a risk worth taking because I believe it will work out better for her, if she comes out to her parents.

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What is the genre? Drama.

Scene analysis for Alice ●

Who am I? A British woman living in Amsterdam.

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Where am I? In the flat of my assistant, Lelani.

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Who am I speaking to? Lelani, We’ve had a flirtation for a while and have finally consummated it.

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What do I want? At first, I just want to escape the situation. (This isn’t part of this scene, but if you read the play we know that she is involved in a serious relationship.) Once I realize what has happened, I want to confront and reprimand Lelani.

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When does the scene change? When I realize that Lelani has exposed me to my parents.

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What are the stakes? High. I’ve been extremely nervous about the reaction of my conservative parents. I’m not ready to talk to them about this. Also, I’ve just spent intimate time with a woman who is not my girlfriend. I feel guilty about that as well.

Index 9½ Weeks 84 AAEA (Australian Entertainment Agents Association) viii A Best Practice Guide to Sex and Storytelling (Bucher, 2018) 61–2, 82, 107 A Million Little Things script excerpt 25 accents 149, 200–1, 233 acting coaching 94, 120, 194, 199, 203 Acting in Film (Applause, 1997) 252 action verb 23, 28, 32, 257, 267 Actor Prepares, An (Stanislavski, 1936), 17, 32, 247 Actors Access 151, 156, 161, 217–18 Actors Equity 206, 221–2 Actors Gang (LA) 42, 255 ADC (Asociación de Directores de Casting) viii ADCQ (Association des Directeur de Casting du Québec) viii adjectives 31–2, 201, 208, 257 Aduba, Uzo 242 Affleck, Ben, 53 AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) viii, 58, 68, 85, 114, 194, 221 age on IMDB 172, 182 not mentioning in introduction 190 older actors 242 vs playing ranges 148, 172, 190, 194 agents vs casting directors, difference, 212 finding out about casting calls, 155 helping select showreels, 151, 169 and making your own work, 52–3, 223 vs managers, 219 on your website, 158

Akoto, Adwoa 139 Alien vs. Predator 191 Allan Siegel Entertainment 236 Allen, Woody 18, 259 America viii, 1, 15, 94, 107, 112, 114, 120, 124, 133, 147–9, 195, 205, 212, 218, 220, 227, 231, 239, 243 Anderson, Paul 191 Anne Frank (ABC) 200 archetypes as branding v, 132–4, 136 and headshots 137, 145, 159 ARDA (Association des Responsables de Distribution Artistiques) viii, 89 Ascott, Percelle 54 Ashford, Annaleigh 242 associates and assistants 220 ATA (Association of Talent Agents) viii, 114, 224 attitude, importance of 14–15, 49, 71, 75, 214 Audition (Shurtleff, 1978) 10 Australia viii, 107, 157, 206, 218, 237 Avedon, Richard 135 Backstage 157, 206 Backstage Casting 157 Bamboozled 119 BAME 60 Baryshnikov, Mikhail 53 Basic Instinct 84 Basinger, Kim 84 Beatty, Warren 206 Beckner, Brandon Remarkable Power script excerpt 271 Before Sunset (Linklater et al.) script excerpts 45 Bennett, Beck 54 285

286

INDEX

Berkoff, Steven 53 Bertolucci, Bernardo 16, 90 Bewitched 77 Big Little Lies 78 Bigot, Georges 255 Billings, Alexandra 83 biography on your website 159 Bird, Brad 192 Biskind, Peter 191, 206 Black and White Minstrel Show 119 Blackface, why actors should never do it v, 117–20 Blackish 115 Blade II 197 blank scenes 29, 249–51 blinking 43–4 Bloom, Rachel 54 Blumenthal, Amanda 94, 96, 107 body double 71, 85, 88, 103 body parts 82, 84, 85, 248 bombing the audition 209 Borg, Flula 54 Boy Meets Girl 84, 121 branding across social media 130 archetypes and branding v, 132, 134 and headshots 145 Brando, Marlon 14 Breakdown Services 67, 145, 157, 159, 206, 223 breakdowns 57, 67, 89, 98, 112–14, 145, 151, 155, 166, 170, 207, 218, 240 on IMDB 170 responding to (on social media) 207 showreels and video clips 151 Breaking Bad 125 Brosnan, Pierce 14 Bucher, John 61–2, 71, 82, 107 Burgess, Tituss 242 Butler, Gerard 53, 236 Caine, Michael 41, 43, 134, 252 Calcaterra, Brad 120 Call My Agent! 189, 243 callbacks 64, 69, 91, 192–3

cameo roles 40, 198 cameras, 252, 257 for self-tapes, 53, 178 Camp, Colleen 197 Canada viii, 107, 156 Cannes Film Festival 54 Carlyle, Robert 32, 204 Cast Connect Pro 157 Cast Connect Pro.de 157 Cast Forward 157 Casting About 156 casting agents (don’t exist) 220–1 casting boards 146 casting calls, finding out about 19, 165, 206 casting directors in auditions 208 contacting 212–13 meeting, even if you are wrong for the role 204 networking with 166 position in the production 6 regional casting directors 166, 217–18 remembering 161, 165, 192–3 what casting directors want 7, 135 workshops and classes 8, 29, 214, 250 on your side 6 Casting Director’s Guild of Great Britain (CDG) vii–viii, 67, 110, 114, 124, 205, 214 Casting Frontier 157 Casting Networks 153, 156, 170, 206, 218, 233 casting search engines/websites 114, 156 casting sites vi, 155 Casting Society of America (CSA) vii–viii, 8, 59, 63, 67, 114, 122–5, 135, 144, 171, 173, 183, 206, 214, 218, 224, 231–2 Casting Workbook 157 Castit 156, 218 Castupload 157, 206, 232 “cattle call” 189 cell phone see mobile phone 145, 155, 198

INDEX

CGI, and “playing the space” 19, 105 Chan, Jackie 64 changes and nudity 106 spotting the 18, 25, 180, 250, 252, 261–2, 275–6 taking risks at the 50, 200 character archetypes v, 132–4, 136 finding a way to connect with 204 identity of character 19, 267 judgement (of characters) 32, 44 listening as character 51, 251–4 objectives 23, 31–2, 37–8, 48, 200, 247–84 Charles II 192 Chaudhary, Luc vii, 224–5 Chekhov, Michael 8–9, 16, 249–50 chemistry 8, 16, 38, 64, 66, 69, 136, 144, 193 Churchill, Winston 50 Clark, Kenneth 79 classes and courses 2, 5, 6, 13, 18, 33, 43, 45, 63, 149, 154, 156, 165, 194, 200, 214, 216, 223, 229, 236, 241, 247 clips as marketing 54 self-taped auditions vi, 129, 151, 153, 159, 178, 182, 232, 234–5 close-ups about blinking 43–4 clothes without clothes on 75–6, 78, 81, 84, 89–90, 184 Clue 197 Coel, Michaela 81 cold reading skills 41, 43, 259–61 see also sight reading Coleman, Lucas 82 color color-conscious 115 people of 59–60, 115 photos 144 skin color 119 colorblind casting 114–15

287

comedy 31, 37, 48, 134, 153, 159, 234–5, 242, 268 stand-up 7, 194 commercial work archetype headshots 134, 137, 140, 143–4 commercial casting 189, 207–8 confidentiality on social media 167 conservatory training 193 Contacts 223 contracting 92 contrast, playing the 253, 255 contrasting choices 25, 31 objectives to play 257 photo 140, 149 Coppola, Francis Ford 7, 43, 192, 205–6 Corleone, Michael, 206 Cox, Laverne 121 craft 2, 52, 99, 192, 199 Craig, Daniel 14 Crawford, Caprice 224–5 credits CV and résume 147–9, 158 and IMDB 169–73 Cruise, Tom 192 CSA (Casting Society of America), vii–viii, 8, 59, 63, 67, 114, 122–5, 135, 144, 171, 173, 183, 206, 214, 218, 224, 231–2 Cusack, John 42 CVs/resumés vi, 129–30, 143, 147, 149–50, 213, 236 D’Antonio, Ivan 183 DailyGrace 54 Damon, Matt 53 DANC (Disabled Artists Networking Community) 124 Danes, Claire 152 Davis, Bette 197 Davis, Leo 195 Davis, Viola 81, 237–8 Day, Doris 205 DCS (Dutch Casting Society) viii de Niro, Robert 44, 49 dead face 44, 47, 247, 254 Deadwood 71, 124

288

INDEX

Del Toro, Guillermo 41, 216 Delpy, Julie 45 Dench, Judy 134 determine the stakes 13, 18, 33 Dewitt, Deborah 158 dialect coaching 200 DiCaprio, Leonardo 194 Dickinson, Emily 147 Diesel, Vin 53 Dihrberg, Anja 195 Dinklage, Peter 125 directors at auditions 14, 16, 32, 41, 49 finding out about what they want 209 working with 71, 76 disabilities actors with v, 57, 59, 123, 124, 206 diversity casting 205 DJ Nash 25 Draper, Don 15, 133 dressing at auditions 69 room 83, 121, 224 Duff, Maureen 191, 196 dummy scenes 198 dyslexia 263 Easy Riders, Raging Bulls (Biskind, 1998) 191, 206 Eco cast 218 Edinburgh Fringe Festival 53 editing 38, 43, 53, 151–3, 181–2, 208 editors 38, 43, 48, 152–3 Educating Rita 134 EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) 206 Effertz, Julia 75 Eisenstein, Sergei 38 Eklöf, Isabelle 72–4 electronic auditioning 177 Emerson, Ralph Waldo 13 emotion 17, 33, 42, 44, 63, 70, 74, 81, 101, 109 203, 210, 235, 248, 281 ‘over there’ exercise 255–6 putting emotion before objective (mistake) 31–2, 42

Encast 157 enjoying auditioning 14 enthusiasm 13, 53, 191 transforming nerves into 15, 204 equal opportunities 114, 123 Equity associations 221–2, 224 Espinosa, Daniel 33 Essell, Eileen 191 e-TALENTA 157, 206 ethnic 60 background 114, 205 identity 116, 206 ethnicity 57, 59, 113, 204–5 Europe 5, 19, 76, 88, 105, 107, 112, 114, 119, 144, 148, 157, 178, 189, 194, 205–6, 216, 218–19, 221, 227–9, 231, 241–2 European casting directors 89 Everything is Illuminated 203 eyes and close-up 43, 45, 202, 257, 263 “over there” exercise 255–6 playing in the 259 sight-reading 199, 263 Facebook media 111, 162, 209, 225 see also social facial expressions 254 fake genital parts 104 nipples 76, 104 Falk, Peter 47 fan page 165 FAQs, about auditioning 189–211 Fassbender, Michael 82 feedback on headshots 146 (post-audition) 210 on a showreel 153, 213 fees 221, 229 Fey, Tina 53 Fichtner, William 199 film festivals 6, 42, 53–4, 80, 230–1 Filmmakers.de 157 financial 71, 207, 210 Five and A Half Love Stories script excerpts 20, 24, 276

INDEX

flexible, be 40–1, 49 frame 9, 159, 162, 180, 202, 247, 252 Frears, Stephen 16, 190 Frederick, Alexander, exercise 248 fringe festivals 52–3 From Hell 200 Gadot, Gal 82 Gajevic, Anila 224–5 gallery 137, 140, 143, 158–9 Game of Thrones 71–2, 125, 133 genre 29, 151, 268, 270, 276, 280, 283 Gerlich, Sophie 51 Gervais, Ricky 53 “get out of the chair” exercise 259–60 Gillespie, Bonnie 135 Girls (HBO) 80 “giving stage” 39–40 glasses (not) wearing 43 globalization 214 Good Will Hunting 53 Gosling, Ryan 205 Graham, Lindsay 195 Grant, Cary 205 Grant, Hugh 53 Grbic, Miraj 192 Great Expectations 132 Greenaway, Peter 76 Grey’s Anatomy 115 growing #MeToo 81 guest characters 39 Hackman, Gene 44, 210 Hamm, Jon 15 Hanks, Tom 153 Harrison, Pippa 130 Hart, Miranda 53 Hawke, Ethan 45, 209 Hayek, Salma 84 headshots and archetypes 159 attaching to CVs 130, 143 and marketing campaign 143 matching across all social media platforms, 162–3 separate headshots for commercial work 144 on your website 143, 146, 162 height 148, 180, 182, 184, 190, 255–6

289

Helbig, Grace 54 Hellboy 19, 41 Hendley Michelle, 84, 121 Hitler: The Rise of Evil (CBS) script excerpts 30, 32, 51, 204 Hoang, Junie 194 Hoffman, Dustin 16, 47, 195, 204–5, 209 Holiday 72–4 Hollywood (as place to live) 214, 216, 218 home auditions 68–9, 91 Homeland 152 Hopkins, Anthony 33 Host, The 40, 198 House of Cards 32, 133 How to Get Away with Murder 81 how to report abuse and harassment v, 109, 111 Hubbard, John 190, 196 humor 16, 31, 54, 159, 166 Hunt, Helen 194 Hunters 17, 76 I May Destroy You 81 ICDN (The International Casting Directors Network) vii–viii, 89 audition location 68 guidelines for nudity and sexual content 62, 69, 88, 90 reporting abuse 67 IMDb vi, 151, 156, 159, 161–2, 168–73, 194–5, 229 IMDbPro 156, 169–72, 206, 223, 237, 239 imperfections, actor’s 16 improvisation exercise 256 In the Blink of An Eye (Walter Murch) 43 in the moment, act and react 13, 40, 51, 184, 252 inclusive 1, 112, 114 independent film festivals 53 India 112, 190 individual atmosphere 16 inner monologue, exercising 44–7, 251–5

290

INDEX

International Alliance of Casting Directors (IACD) 206 International Network of Casting Directors 212 internet, important of 53–4, 155–6, 177, 201, 214, 218 Jackson, Michael, 117 Jackson, Peter 190 Jackson, Samuel L. 20 Jaffe, Sheila 192 James, Bradley 49 Jaws 191 Jewell, Geri 124 John, Priscilla 191 Jones, Orlando 207 Job.book.fr 157 Joon-Ho, Bong 40, 198 Jones, Janet Dulin, The Elizabeths script excerpt 109, 111, 261 Jung Carl 132 Keitel, Harvey 15 Kidman, Nicole 78–9, 194 King Kong 191 Klapisch, Cédric 189 Kostov, Julian 162 Krizan, Kim 45 Kruger, Beatrice 69, 206 Lair, Jonathan 15 landscape vs portrait shots 179 language 32, 48, 60, 114, 157, 205, 208, 253 auditioning in other languages 149, 154, 159, 190, 228, 232–4 on nudity rider 102–3, 106 Law, Jude 53 Lawrence, Jennifer 205 LGBTQ+ 57, 60, 120–1, 24 Lee, Spike 119 Leibovitz, Annie 136 Lenox, Luci vii, 18, 224, 232 Lessall, Matthew 173 Letterman, David 8 Levinson, Barry 8 Lewis, Meagan 218 liberal arts education 193 Liberator, The 33, 49, 260

Liberman, Meg 52, 192 lighting 38 grip 71 in nudity rider 86, 104, 154 for self-tapes 179–80, 183–4 LinkedIn 162 see also social media Linklater, Richard 45 links, on your website 160 Liroff, Marci 94, 96–8, 100–8 listening and reacting 51, 165, 180, 251–4 to directors 41 exercise 251–4 Liu, Lucy 205 Lobel, Lisa 124 local actors 216 agent 223 cast 170 hire 170, 217 market 217 location of audition 68, 69, 91 of scene 86, 91–3 of your home 214, 216, 218, 227 looking at page number 23 someone without clothes 78, 80, 82 Los Angeles (as place to live) 216–18 love (as a high stake objective) 20, 25, 28–31, 33, 280 Lucas, Coleman 82 Lucas, George 7, 148, 192, 205, 208 MacPherson, Barry 236–43 McQueen, Steve 218 Mad Men 15, 38, 133 Madden, Richard 83 Madsen, Ole Christian 8 make-up 6, 105, 117–18, 137, 196–7, 205, 220 Make your own work 52, 223, 236 Malick, Terence 242 Mamet, David 38 managers 8, 98, 207, 212, 219–20, 228

INDEX

Mandela, Nelson 113 Mandem on the Wall 54 Mandy 157, 170 Martin, Steve 53 Meade, Emily 66 meditation 249 Meisner, Sanford 194, 203 Merchant, Natasha 136 Messing, Debra 84 Metamorphosis (Berkoff) 53 #MeToo 1, 5, 61, 68, 72, 74, 81, 89, 94, 109, 222 microphone projecting 201 for self-tapes 179 Miltner, Andrea 197 miming 203 Mission Impossible—Ghost Protocol 192, 198 mistakes headshot no-nos 135 making the best of 48, 209 playing a character before an objective 32 putting emotion before objective 32 with callbacks 193 with reels 152 with self-tapes 181 mobile phone as versatile props 203 Momoa, Jason 71 money as high stakes 30, 33, 38 montages 152, 234 Mooney, Kyle 54 Moore, Demi 197 Moreau, Jeanne 45 Morgan, Peter 48 Morse, Adam 123–4 Mugging (making faces) 42 Multi-Facial (Diesel) 53 Murch Walter 43–4 My Beautiful Launderette 190 My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 54 NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) 115, 205 naked vs nude 79

291

names and IMDb 171 NCOPM (National Conference of Personal Managers) 220 NDA (non-disclosure agreement) 220 Needham, Col 168 nerves transforming to enthusiasm 15, 204 networking 2, 129, 154, 166, 223–4 see also relationship-building Netzer, Patricia 51 New Crimes of Chicago 42 New Zealand 107 Nicholson, Jack 15, 44 non-white actors 113, 124, 204 Now Casting 156 Nowag-Jones, Veronika 17, 76 nudity v, 17, 61–2, 64–8, 70–2, 74–80, 83–5, 88–94, 96–8, 100–2, 106, 121 nudity garments 85 nudity rider 72, 84–6, 88, 93, 100, 102–4 objective, character’s exercises 247–84 O’Brien, Ita 62, 64, 81–2, 86, 94–108 O’Neal, Ryan 206 One False Move 10 online presence 155 Orange Is the New Black 83, 117, 121 other actors launched their career creating original content 53–4 on nudity 64, 72, 74 and their sexuality 58 trans-identity 121 in your showreels 152, 159 “over there” exercise 255–6 over-acting 247, 254 Pacino, Al 50, 205–6 page number 23 pandemic vi, 2, 42, 54, 178, 183 Parker, Sarah Jessica 84, 204 period drama 196–7 personal managers 219–20 personal taste in casting 8

292

personality in the audition 16 bringing with you 16 in headshots 136 in self-tapes 190 photographs see also headshots choosing a photographer 135, 144–5 composites vs headshots 146 as gallery on website 143 identification photos at castings 143 nudity (never) 67 Pielmeier, John 30 Pilot Season 218 Pine, Chris 82 Pitt, Brad 220 Pitt, David 119 Piven, Jeremy 42 playing the space 19 plot synopsis 267 Plutarch 51 PMA (Professional Managers Association) viii, 114, 224 Pope John XXIII 43 Portman, Natalie 194 Pose 83 power abuse of 109, 118 high stakes 30, 33 imbalance 64, 90 and nudity 72, 79, 81, 90, 96 Power, Derek vii, 195, 219 Power, Ilene vii practicing 2, 52, 250 preparation for self-tapes 179–80 pressure and nudity 70, 72, 79, 84, 86, 104 primary types (archetypes) 134 producers 14, 39–40, 49, 54, 90, 99, 101, 115, 130, 152, 155, 163, 166, 169–70, 173, 198, 205, 214, 220 236, 239 professionalism, importance of 130 pronunciation, not worrying about 48 props 72, 93, 104–5, 143, 182, 202–3 Pryor, Andy 201 Puro, Manuel 184

INDEX

quality, individual 16 questions, importance of asking 18, 166 for a simulated sex scene, 49, 71, 78, 91, 102 Quicktime 159 racism 58, 114, 117–18, 204 reacting acting and reacting in the moment 181 exercise 251–2, 255 and listening 51 in self-tapes 182 Realism 198 Reality TV 206 Red Tails 205 Redford, Robert 206 reels 151–2, 156, 159, 209, 234–5 see also showreels rehearsal, treating audition as 30, 50 relaxation exercise 248 research finding out about the project 19, 198, 209, 213 importance of pre-audition research 268 researching agencies 223, 225 researching directors 129 researching photographers 145 using IMDb to research 170 on who will be at audition/callback 192 resumés vi, 129, 147–59, 151–2, 158–9, 170–1, 190, 194, 200, 217, 223, 239 Richardson, Ian 200 Robbins, Adele 43 Robbins, Tim 42, 255–6 Robinson, Danielle 236–43 Romanoffs 38 Roos, Fred 192, 205 Rosen, Tammy 219–20 Ross Reports 223 Running Scared 202 Rust, Anna vii, 14, 137 SAG (Screen Actor’s Guild), 8, 59, 62, 65, 68, 71, 75, 86, 102–3,

INDEX

110–12, 114, 125, 148, 205, 216, 221, 224 Samberg, Andy 54 Sampila, Scott, Remarkable Power script excerpt 271 Sanford, Meisner 203 Saturday Night Live 54 Saving Private Ryan 53 scenes see also character blank scenes 29, 249–51 committing to the scene 48, 50 dummy scenes 198 scene analysis vi, 18, 267, 270, 275, 280, 283 Schiller, Friedrich 52 Schneider, Maria 90 Schreiber, Liev 203 Schwimmer, David 195 Scorsese, Martin 154 scripts page numbers 23 secrecy 92, 198 sight reading 51, 199, 259–60, 263 using dummy scenes 198 search engines vi, 152, 155–6, 158–60, 206 casting search engines 155–6 Secrets from the Casting Couch: On Camera Strategies from a Casting Director (Bishop, 2009) 1 Secrets of Screen Acting (Tucker, 2003) 51 Seinfeld, Jerry 17 Self-Management for Actors (Gillespie, 2009) 135 self-tape vi, 2, 5–6, 51, 63, 67, 69, 91–2, 112, 177–8, 217 semi-nudity 66–7, 91–3 Sergebayeva, Saya 166 sex and gender identity 57, 61 as objective 29 scene 61, 64, 67, 70, 81, 90–1, 96, 106 sexy clothes in audition 69, 185 simulated sex 61, 62, 64, 67, 72, 91–3, 96, 102, 105–6 simulated sexual acts 62, 67

293

sexual content 90, 97, 101 sexual harassment 64, 110 sexual intimacy 110 sexual orientation 57, 113 sexuality 2, 58, 79, 283 Shakespeare, William 19, 23, 53, 133, 152, 159, 194, 238 Sheen, Michael 219 Shooting People 157 Shopmaker, Susan 124 showcase 124–5, 148, 152–3, 190, 206, 223, 230, 241 Showcast.com.au 157, 206 showreel vi, 54, 88, 129, 151–2, 154, 170, 209, 213, 217, 223, 225, 230–1, 233–6 can you get cast from? 209 on your website 154 Shurtleff, Michael 9 sight reading see also cold reading exercise 259–60 tips 263 Sisto, Jeremy 218 skin colour 118–19 Snowpiercer 40, 198, 232 social media vi, 1, 6, 54, 60, 75, 117, 121, 129–31, 155, 161–7, 207, 213, 223, 225, 237–8 Soloway, Jill 83 Sonne, Victoria Carmen 72–3 Sopranos 193 Sorkin Lainie 207 spamming 165 Sparks, Felix, The Liberator script excerpt 49, 260–1 speed dating, networking 124 speedreels 156 Spielberg, Steven 7, 53, 191 spin in CVs/resumés 145, 147, 153, 158, 190–1 spontaneity 40, 162, 209 Spotlight 94, 108, 114, 124, 130, 145, 151, 153, 157, 206, 217, 223, 225, 228, 232, 235, 240 stage directions 28, 63–5, 201–2 Stage Pool 157

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INDEX

stakes 18, 29, 33, 37–40, 48–50, 90, 180, 250, 257–8, 261–2, 267, 270–1, 275–6, 280–1, 283–4 determine the 13, 33 “giving” and “taking” stage 39–40 high 33, 37–40, 257–8, 267, 270–1 staking a claim 48–50 Stallone, Sylvester 252 Stanislavski, Constantine 17–19, 29–30, 32, 203, 247 Star Meter ratings 172–3 Star War 20, 133, 108 starting out 107, 147, 149, 154, 225 Stein, Gertrude 83 stereotypes vs archetypes 133 Stewart, Kristen 122 Stiller, Ben 53, 136 Stone, Sharon 84 stone face 16 storytelling importance of 38 nudity and intimacy 70, 74, 97, 104 and objectives 23, 33 Strand, Paul 146 Strasberg, Lee 15, 76 Streep, Meryl 9 Streisand, Barbra 10, 205 Strickland, John 209 Stroker, Ali 124 Stuart, Jeb 33, 37, 260 student films 107, 148, 154, 191, 237 submissions agents 223, 226, 239 monologues 54 self-tapes 207 supporting actor 40 take a risk 13, 38, 48–50 takes, multiple 30, 178 “taking stage” 39–40 talent agents viii, 221, 224 see also agents TAMAC (Talent Agents and Managers Association of Canada) viii tax withholding 217 Taylor, Napier 141 Taylor, Schilling 117

teeth in headshots 135, 143 period pieces 10, 205 telephone conversation exercise 258 test option deal 192 Thavaud, Norman 54 The Bodyguard 83 The Castlist 157 The Conversation 44 The Cosby Show 115 The Cultural Politics of Colorbling TV Casting (Warner, 2015) 57, 114 The Graduate 195, 204 The Man Who Wasn’t There 47 The National Conference of Personal Managers 219 The Nude 79 The Sound of Metal 124 The Stage 157 “the style” 42 The Wire 115 The Wizard of Oz 132–3 Thompson, Emma 53, 228 Thornton, Billy Bob 9–10, 47 thumbnail size 145, 149 TIME’S UP Guide to Working in Entertainment 62, 64–6, 68, 70, 86, 111, 113 TMA (Talent Managers Association) 219 trade magazines 206 transgender 83, 121 Transparent 83 Treanor Strasman, Ellen 159 True and False (Mamet, 1998) 38 Trust 195 Tucker, Patrick 51 Twitter media 111, 156, 161–2, 209, 238 see also social typecasting 60, 132 UICD (Unione Italiana Casting Directors) viii UK viii, 48, 50, 60, 62, 64, 67–8, 79, 97, 103, 107, 110–11, 114, 117, 124, 143–4, 157, 206, 212, 217, 219, 221–4, 227–8, 232, 236–7, 240–1

INDEX

uninflected performance 38 union membership 221 university degrees 149, 193 Uygur, Harika 249 Van Helsing 195 Veenker, Lana 8 Vengris, Tom 20, 276 Vernieu, Mary 195 Vicky Cristina Barcelona 18 videos, see also self-tapes showreels 231–2 webseries 54 YouTube 54, 162 Vimeo 156 violence in auditions (staging) 202, 64, 91 as objective 29 and sex 29, 64, 74, 91 simulated violence 202, 64 virtual auditioning see self-tapes vi, 69, 178, 180, 183–5 visas 1, 220, 227–8 voice reel 160 vulnerability 16–17, 63, 78–9, 81, 139, 280 Wade, Joivan 54 warming up exercise 248 Warner, Kristen 57, 114–15 Washington, Denzel 205 Watson, Thomas 15 Watts, Naomi 191 Wayne, John 16 We Audition 156, 200, 218

295

web presence 155 web series 53–4, 148, 154, 206 websites gallery photographs on 143 reels on 151–2, 154 your own 156, 158–60 Weiner, Matthew 38 Weinstein, Harvey 1, 61, 89, 94–5, 100 Weisz, Rachel 53 Wender, Wim 47 Weston, Judith 31 whiskers/beards 133, 142, 196 why a new edition 1 Wilder, Billy 9–10 Wilson, Owen 53 Wilson, Rebel 79 Wilson, Ruth 78 Wings of Desire 47 Wonder Woman 82, 133 word-perfect, no need to be 199 working locally 216 workshops 6, 8, 29, 214, 250 Wright, Joe 192 Wright Penn, Robin 32 writers 54, 97, 200–1 wrong for the role (going to audition anyway) 204 youth-obsessed culture 10 YouTube avoid using for auditions 181 being authentic 131 making your own web series 54 reels on 152 as social media 155, 162

296