If you do come across a casting at these events and want to be taken seriously as a candidate for a show, remember to be outgoing, energetic, reliable, and professional.  It’s okay to have fun while you’re roaming around an event, but if you have scheduled an interview for the casting, be sure to show up on time and take it seriously.  If you appear to be flaky, you may miss out on your chance or may be viewed as someone who would be too unreliable to cast in a show.

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

“We are constantly searching for new talent and this official open casting call gives participants the chance to showcase their abilities directly to our casting representatives,” said Judy Taylor, senior vice president, casting and talent relations, Disney Channels Worldwide. “We are excited to help these kids follow their dreams.”

If you’re an actor and you have several TV or Film credits to your name, it’s important to make sure there’s a way for people to find you that may be interested in booking you. 

If you’re in the Screen Actors Guild, make sure they have contact info for your representation.  If you’re not, it does not hurt to have a website with your contact info.  Or your agent and managers contact info if that pertains to you. It’s just as important to find gigs as it is to have the information out there to be found!  It would be awful to miss out on an opportunity because a Casting Director could not find the appropriate contact to book you!

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

Being an actor is a very tough profession: You have to have very thick skin and get used to dealing with a lot of rejection. 

People constantly judge in showbiz. Wherever you go, try to learn from the criticism you receive and let it help you become a better actor.  If you can’t take direction well, you’re not going to improve in the eyes of the producers.  And you will be at risk of losing whatever role they give you.  So really listen when someone is giving you tips and don’t take it as an insult.  How you handle all of the rejection and criticism in this business may make the difference between being successful or throwing in the towel.

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

Who’s funnier than Kristen Wiig AND Ben Stiller?

Ben is directing the film as well as starring in the lead role as a timid magazine photo manager, who dreams of going on an adventure before finding himself involved in one when he goes in search of a missing negative. Kristen Wiig will play the dream girl of Ben’s alter-ego, and Adam Scott, Shirley MacLaine and Patton Oswalt are also set to appear in the production. Click here to join this all-star cast today!

When you go on an audition, it’s obvious that you want to be as charming and personable as possible to the Casting Directors and anyone else in the room. 

Not only is it inappropriate and distracting for Casting Directors, but it’s also just annoying.  We are all at a casting to get a job done.  And on any given day these auditions could involve hundreds of people.  If you push your luck too much by over complimenting, or trying to make a professional environment more personable, you might be remembered for the wrong reasons.

You don’t have to phony or a kiss up to be remembered.  If you have the talent and the right look, you’ll be considered, and hopefully be lucky enough to land a gig.  You may risk your chances if you do anything beyond what are you are asked to do at an audition.  So …stay cool & keep it professional!

Ever notice how a film gives credit to the complete production crew and cast?  Well, it’s time you get acquainted with the duties and responsibilities of  some of the people mentioned.

Art Department: The Art Department works both on the set during the actual shooting process, and “prepares” the sets.
Art Department come all sorts of people, and there may be a skill here you fancy. Painters, Carpenters, Scenic Artists, Construction Foreman, Riggers (Grips),etc..etc.
Set decorator: A set decorator is in charge of the set dressing on a film set, which includes the furnishings, wallpaper, lighting fixtures, and many of the other objects that will be seen in the film
Casting Director. It involves reading the script and understanding which actor would be good for what role. This is not as easy at it sounds as you have to (a) know every actor in the world and (b) know which one fits the role. Once you’ve worked that out you have to find out if they are interested/available/affordable etc. You do all this in collaboration with the director and producer who naturally get the credit – or the grief – for the choices. Curiously you can only offer a role to one actor at a time, so movies frequently get hung up waiting for an actor to accept or reject an offer: naturally they hang on as long as possible to reply, knowing that the Producer can’t move on till they have.
Catering: Caterer get to the set very early in the morning (probably 5am) and never stop working for one moment in the day.. They do Breakfast, then Morning Tea, then Lunch for 1pm which might be 4pm and then Afternoon Tea. Somehow these miraculous human beings remain cheerful and bright and often serve astonishingly good food in appalling conditions.
Costume Department.
It’s not hard to imagine what they do. If you’re handy with a sewing machine or are a Brilliant Costume Designer, there’s a good job at the bottom of the “costume” ladder here. The Costume Designer is working behind the scenes, with an assistant who is actually responsible for the day to day fitting and maintaining of the costumes. Costume and Production Design is sometimes (but rarely) the same person.
Editor: A film or video editor is responsible for assembling raw material into a finished product suitable for broadcasting. The material they work with may consist of raw camera footage, dialogue, sound effects, graphics and special effects. This is a key role in the post-production process and the editor’s skill can determine the quality and delivery of the final product
The Sound Editor is also a crucial part of the editing process (there’s an Oscar for this too!). All those sound effects that are added are sometimes very subtle and you’d have to turn the picture off to hear them. In this department all kinds of people contribute both in terms of recording effects for post-production use, and also skillfully blending the final music from the composer into the movie, so that it balances well with the dialogue and effects. It can be a technically very complicated job (lots of nobs and dials!) but also very rewarding if you like listening very hard and are very smart.
Key Grip and Grips: This title seems to baffle the public more than any other – along with Best Boy. The Gaffer and the Key Grip both have a Best Boy.. Sometimes the Best Boy is a Girl but she’s still called the Best Boy. The Best Boy is simply the next one down the line in Seniority from the Key Grip or the Gaffer and is usually responsible for the paper work and liaison with the Production Office. The Key Grip accompanies the Gaffer and the DP
The Key Grip makes all the notes about Camera stuff, Tracking, Cranes etc and the Gaffer makes the notes about the lights. In the UK, the Gaffer is supposed to make notes about everything but can’t because it’s too much work for one person.

Do you ever sit down and think about how you view yourself?  Do you think of yourself as successful, middle of the road, or a failure?  Do you represent yourself with confidence and pride, or do you think you’re just as good as anyone else out there?

If you believe you can do it, you should go for it.  You need to aim high to move up in life.  If you don’t take pride in your skills and accomplishments, no one else will.  There will probably be some rejection along the way, but if you’re an actor, this is something you’ll have to get used to.  Have tough skin and don’t let that put a damper on your passion and dreams.  The more work you put into getting gigs, the more you will get out of it.  So keep trying, keep pushing, and remember that if you see yourself as a success, so will others!

By: Casting Director Courtner Maglione

If you get called for an audition, it means a casting director or producer wants to see you in person. 

1. Be on time. Punctuality shows that you are responsible and considerate of other people’s time and schedules.
2. Always express your interest in the role.  It is good to do this at some point before the audition starts.  When they are mic’ing you up or walking you into the room.  Your enthusiasm will make a great first impression.
3. Send a thank you email afterwards.  I never forget a person who sends a thank you email.  It reminds me of their audition and also reminds me that they’re professional.  It shows that you really care about the role and your career.

So next time you have an audition, use these audition etiquette tips and you’re bound to be off to a good start!

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

In many cases, if I have access to someone’s YouTube videos, I no longer need them to make additional videos.  I am able to tell right away if they’ll be a good candidate or not.  If you have some kind of extreme and outrageous talent or hobby, you should showcase that in a YouTube video.  Casting Directors and Producers are always looking for people who are different than what is already out there.

So, if there is something about you that separates you from the crowd, share it with the public on YouTube.  Make sure your account is set up so you are able to receive emails.  If you are going to put videos out there and hope to be seen, it is important people are able to contact you easily.  If they can’t, they may lose interest and just move onto the next person.

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

There are a lot of agents out there who are more focused on the money they’re going to make rather than on the actor’s best interest.  For example, a great opportunity may come your way that is not the best paying gig, but could be great exposure.  In this case, your agent would be making a very minimal amount off of the job you book and they may try to deter you from accepting the offer.  I have seen this happen before where I have offered great opportunities for the actors with a non-negotiable contract and the agent has said no on the talents behalf.  In my eyes, this was a major mistake and I think the actors really missed out on being part of a show that has great potential for success.

Make sure your agent is looking out for what is best for your career.  If you have a feeling that your agent may be more concerned about the money in his or her pocket…then you may want to find a new person to represent you.

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

The term “Spring Fling” is very popular when it comes to events this time of year: There are often festivals and outings where vendors unite to advertise their businesses.

If you don’t have a business to promote, it is still a good idea to attend events like this….and promote yourself as an actor/model! It’s fun to check out the all the booths to learn about businesses and resources in you city or hometown.

By: Casting Director Courtney Maglione

The great thing about the entertainment industry is that it moves fast: You can be anywhere and a casting director or a producer can find you!

I worked on the Millionaire Matchmaker in NYC last season and some of the people who appeared on the show as dates have made it big! Luke Morganstern, who was chosen as a master date, really stole the spotlight. Now, he’s on another network show as himself and was nominated– and won–at The Soup awards on E!. 

So, you just never know. Put yourself out there full force and the spotlight will follow.

By: Casting Director Jenny Rawdin

Have you ever thought about starting a blog?

One of my favorite blogs is about all the reality TV shows, what will your blog be about? I can’t wait to read about what your adventurous blog will entail… Leave a comment on this blog telling me!

If you don’t want start your own blog and let the whole world know what you are up too these days then write in a journal or your own personal diary. It’s very therapeutic and will help your showbiz career. When you have a chance to look back and read what you wrote and learn from your mistakes and strengths. You can really grow as a person and an actor. Really get detailed and see where you can improve. Write down exactly what happened and what the casting director said. You might be able to change their decision the next time.

By: Casting Director Jenny Rawdin