Monday Myth Debunkers

Monday Myth Debunkers – Casting Directors Don’t Actually Watch Reels.

by

If there was a prize for the biggest #mythdebunker, it would go to this one.  Nothing could be further from the truth. And here’s the why… If you didn’t already know: casting is a LOT of work.  Between the speedy expectations of casting, the multiple projects on our plate, we have to efficiently allot time for: producer sessions, emails, avail checks, breakdowns, script reading, generals, budget crunching, submission reviewing, list-making, reel editing, pitch calls, concept meetings, studio/network calls, director calls, …

Read More

Monday Myth Debunker – It’s Better to Address Conflicts as They Come Vs. Book Out with my Agent.

by

No conflicts are better than any conflicts, right? Well, technically, sure. But there’s a worse situation to be in. It’s the scenario that CDs, reps & actors alike all dread.  That moment when your agent calls to pin you and — 😳😳😳 You have plans. Like, BIG unchangeable plans… right during that shooting period.  𝑮𝒖𝒍𝒑. Gulp is right. To give you an idea, here’s a little sample of what can happen if you’re picked as the choice for a role …

Read More

Monday Myth Debunker – You Should be Constantly Updating Casting.

by

If you missed our @TheCastingDirectorsCut webinar on Friday, we’re going to go ahead and start with a now-infamous quote by the incomparable @somethinglikemike. ⁠ ⁠ “Treat us like you’d treat your gym. How often do you want to hear from your gym? If it’s an amazing 50% membership deal, GREAT! Other than that, you don’t really want to hear from your gym.”⁠ ⁠ So, basically, THAT, but let’s dive a little deeper. ⁠ ⁠ How often are you “updating” casting …

Read More

Monday Myth Debunker – I’ve Had Enough Training

by

You’ve taken all the classes, done all the workshops, seen all the lectures, tried all the coaches. ⁠ ⁠ So you’re ready to move on, right?⁠ ⁠ *cue Wheel of Fortune fail buzzer*⁠ ⁠ Here’s a little secret about being great at what you do:⁠ ⁠ 𝕌𝕟𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕣𝕪 𝕥𝕠 𝕕𝕠 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕓𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕝𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕪 𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕, 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕨.⁠ ⁠ Your training is your only foundation. It must be strong. ⁠ ⁠ You can have the best …

Read More

Monday Myth Debunker – Any Agent is Better than no Agent.

by

Have you ever had this thought? Or at heard another actor utter this phrase? We get it. Getting representation can feel like dating in LA. It can be hard & a little frustrating (ok a LOT frustrating). That’s why actors sometimes think they have to sign with someone the moment they hear a “yes.” But guess what? You don’t have to. AND it will not break your career.  As with anything in life: 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕤𝕒𝕪 “𝕟𝕠” 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕓𝕖 …

Read More

Monday Myth Debunker – Workshops are Pay-to-Play Auditions

by

Workshops are just pay-to-play auditions.  Ready to sing it? 🎶 Nopity nope nope 🎶 Before we dive more into today’s myth, let’s first properly define a casting director workshop: A casting director workshop is a class taught by a casting professional (casting associate & above) with the intent to teach and inform actors of varying casting perspectives. Now, you may or may not remember the 2017 lawsuit. It was big news. And there was a lot of words being floated …

Read More

Monday Myth Debunker – I Need to have a Plan B

by

In the famous words of @prattprattpratt, “I didn’t have a plan B.” ⁠ ⁠ This might be scary to hear, but you don’t need a “back up plan.”⁠ ⁠ It doesn’t have to be THIS or THAT. ⁠ ⁠ You can still pour your heart, soul & energy into your acting and also pour energy right into… anything else. ⁠ ⁠ There is no limit to the number of dreams and goals you are allowed to have. ⁠ ⁠ And …

Read More

Monday Myth Debunker – You Need to be Sending out Mailers

by

*sigh* mailers.  What are mailers? Mailers are anything that actors mail to us or drop off in person (RIP to drop-off days though, at least for now).  They come in forms of postcards, letters, flyers, cards, headshots, stacks of headshots, USB thumb drives, Blu-Rays, QR codes, hand sanitizers, headshots within a retro 90’s View-Master, Starbucks gift cards, post-it notes, bags of candy with your headshot on every wrapper… you name it. We’ve seen it all. But is it effective? And …

Read More

Monday Myth Debunker – You need to live in LA/NY to be a working actor.

by

We’ll just jump right in with a big, fat NOPE!⁠ Let’s start with this fun fact: In 2016, Georgia overtook California as the state location with the most feature films produced 🤯 ⁠ Productions have been venturing out of LA/NY for years and it’s mostly due to the tax rebates and lower costs of shooting. The film/TV world has been surging (during the non-Covid world) in places like New Orleans, Atlanta, New Mexico, and Austin. ⁠ Let’s sweeten the deal …

Read More

Monday Myth Debunkers – It’s Who You Know.

by

Double-tap if you’ve been told this at least once in your career. ⁠ Is there any validity to it? Well, maybe. But let’s sprinkle some truth in there too. ⁠ Nepotism might appear to be your biggest Hollywood enemy. And while it’s not necessarily encouraged, there are definitely times when “knowing someone” might have pushed you in the door or helped you book the job (hence why almost every creative will shout from all angles to network your socks off). …

Read More