Tips for Attending Open Casting Calls at BET
Casting Directors Want Team Players
To a casting director, one of the most important things they’ll be looking for is how effective you are at working within a team. That means that they’re always respectful to others, an avid listener and someone that’s generally bringing a lot to the team as a whole. This is why it’s essential to let your casting directors know that you’re able to do more than just show up your fellow actors.
Bring The Essentials
Ensure that you’ve got your resume package and an up-to-date head-shot. Always bring two copies of these. Also ensure that your training’s fully up-to-date. If you can, gather any information you can from connections that you’ve made within the industry. When available prepare yourself by reading through the script that you’re going to be performing. If you aren’t able to do this, try and get all the information you can about the important players: producer, writer, director, etc. When you know more about these things than other actors, you’re going to make yourself stand out among the crowd.
Empathize With The Casting Directors
Try to see things from the perspective of the casting director. They’re going to be under a lot of pressure to assemble the best cast possible – a selection of actors who aren’t solely skilled but also have the ability to form good chemistry when they’re put together. Not only do they have to work as quickly as they can, they’ve got to be making the best decisions possible at the same time. If they make an error in casting, it could result in the end of their career. They’ll usually make a list of their preferred actors that they’d like to work with, so ensure that your talent management has got you very close on this list.
Be Proactive
Ultimately, you are the only person that’s going to be able to make yourself look good in a casting call. Show up when you’re supposed to. Prepare yourself for any readings that you’ve been set to carry out. Take a couple of copies of your head-shot/resume package. Demonstrate to everyone you interact with that you’re a professional, respectful actor that’s able to effectively work with the casting director and fellow actors alike. Follow up the casting call with a small mailing the day after you show up.
Behave Appropriately Toward Casting Directors
Don’t beg for any breaks, don’t be whiny, don’t be needy and don’t be annoying. Nobody around you will have time for it and it’s not anybody’s job to cater for any of these things. What you’ll want to be doing is to be as respectful and confident as you can at all times. Just be yourself, improve on your interactions with everyone and remember that you can’t ever go back on your first impression. Also bear in mind that you only have a certain amount of time to spend with the casting director; they’ve been tasked with sitting there throughout the day to audition people, so be respectful of their time and job. It’ll definitely pay off!
