Ramani Leah, CSA What does that even mean? Headshots are not supposed to pop. They are photos. Of your face. All joking aside, we hear this… a lot. Sometime’s it’s another version, like, “what stands out to you in a headshot?” First, let’s take a moment to remind ourselves the purpose of a headshot. Its sole purpose is to show us what you physically look like. Sometimes you fit into what we’re looking for, sometimes you don’t. …
A “button” is a tool actors sometimes use in their (mostly comedic) auditions to help close out a scene in a unique way. It’s created by the actor and is usually in the form of an ending line or action. Sometimes they’re funny. Sometimes they’re awkward. Sometimes they aren’t appropriate. And they are certainly NEVER required. Here are some things to consider when deciding on whether or not to add a button to your scene: 1. Keep …
NEWSFLASH: You are not an Apple product. If you cringe thinking about marketing yourself as anything other than “actor,” read on… We’ve heard this a lot. Things like, “I need to figure out my brand”, “What would you say is ‘my type?’”. Yes, there are going to be roles that you are more right for than others. No, this does not mean you should pigeon-hole yourself to one specific type of role. In fact, tailoring your …
This has been a common term used lately and we’ve noticed some confusion floating around. So let’s break it down. What EXACTLY is a general meeting and what are they used for? ⤵ A general meeting is a very CASUAL “meet & greet” between new talent and someone in the industry. For actors, it’s generally between an actor and casting director but generals can also be held with studio and network executives. What can you expect? …
Guess what? You’re human! We’re human! Humans have off-days. And if you’ve somehow beat the odds of not having one already, know that you’re going to have an off-day in the future. and THAT’S OK. It wouldn’t be normal for every day to be perfect and to go exactly as you had planned. Sometimes things happen either physically or mentally and it hinders your ability to focus and be “in it”. The good news? We generally can tell the difference …
When a deal is “pay or play”, it’s an agreement in which an actor gets paid whether or not the project is made. For example, if you were guaranteed a certain number of episodes and your character has been cut from one of those episodes, you’re still going to get paid with this deal. Although it’s not often referred to as “pay or play”, another instance where you might get paid without actually working is when your role gets cut …
Many people swear that 2 minutes is the “industry norm” but there is no actual right answer here. There is no world in which we’d be able to watch the entirety of someone’s reel when going through thousands of submissions. But most casting folks do skip forward and watch a few seconds of each clip. Because of this, it doesn’t really matter how long your reel is. Have a 10 minute reel? Sure, maybe that’s a bit long. But don’t …
What exactly does it mean to be “pinned”? Sometimes being pinned is also referred to as “on avail” or a “watch and advise”. All of them essentially mean the same thing: you’re “in the mix”. As for why exactly you’re pinned? There could be a few possibilities… ⭐️ Maybe you are exactly who they want, but the shooting schedule hasn’t locked yet. We can’t send out offers to day players without a locked schedule. Maybe you are the producer’s choice …
This is just not true. And if you’ve ever had this thought, please, keep reading… It’s true that having a healthy resume is helpful, but if you 1) have a solid reel that shows what you are capable of 2) you’re physically right for the role and 3) your reps are submitting you on time, chances are that you will go in for all sizes of roles. If you had a great guest star audition but didn’t get it, it …
A 10/13 series regular is a term that is used to describe a specific type of SR role. Although a 10/13 role is still considered a series regular, they are only guaranteed to be in 10 (out of 13) episodes. 10/13s typically get paid less than an “all shows produced” (ASP) series regular since they are working less episodes. However, a 10/13 SR role is still considered a contracted role, meaning (in most cases), they become ineligible to go out …