CAN THE CASTING OFFICE TEST YOUR CONCENTRATION?!

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Whenever I’m casting a movie and working with actors I marvel at their sheer concentration. To be able to create a believable character and a “world” around you in a small audition room is always a miracle to me.

When I get hired on a television show or a movie, the production usually has me move in to their offices so that I’m close to the creative team for auditions. It’s often a game of Russian roulette to see if I get the “cool” office space or the crap one. I’ve had some very, shall we say “interesting”, experiences along the way and it’s brought me to share this story as I witnessed actors trying to stay in character through some difficult circumstances at our casting offices.

The last film I cast had a very cool-looking office space. It had been completely redone to look very architectural and quasi industrial. My office was very long and narrow, very hip looking. BUT, one entire wall was floor to ceiling windows, which looked onto, you guessed it, the waiting room. It was like working in a fishbowl. All the actors waiting to audition could look into my office and watch the auditions. Not cool. Immediately we fashioned a “screen” with a sheet that also served as a backdrop for our filming. One problem solved.

Turns out the walls were paper-thin so that when you’re in my office auditioning, you could hear another actor in the next room auditioning with my casting associate Michelle. Again, not cool. There were actually times when they would sync up and would be reading the lines at the same time in two separate rooms. If you’re not prepared and “in your character” and able to shut out all the elements you could be very tripped up by this.

Because this office didn’t have much in the way of natural light, we had to use our professional lights – which are seriously HOT! They didn’t have central air-conditioning - which is usually whisper quiet. There was a built-in wall unit that was very effective, which we had to turn off during the auditions so that we’d get great sound. This resulted in making my office feel a lot like Suzy’s Easy-Bake Oven. Remember those? It’d be freezing cold in the waiting room and we’d have sweat streaming down our faces and would be peeling off our clothes as the day went by.

Just when you think we’ve solved enough problems, in the week that we were doing the final casting where we had our director piped in thru my laptop to direct on Skype from London, they decided to put in a new roof and a new air-conditioning unit on said roof. Banging, drilling, pounding, hot mopping with tar, toxic fumes….you get the picture. And yet, it’s your “time to shine”! It’s your audition. Again, I was amazed at how most of the actors who came in just went with the flow, planted their feet and gave some truly incredible performances in spite of all these problems.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized this was great preparation for when you actually get on set. If you think that once you’re on set, everything will be easier and you can relax, then you haven’t really experienced the full spectrum of what can go wrong while you’re shooting.

Several years ago I cast and associate produced a film staring Cary Elwes and Alicia Silverstone called “The Crush”. We were night-shooting a particular scene where Elwes’ character drove Silverstone’s character up to a lookout point. We had chosen a truly gorgeous lookout point by the bay in Vancouver. Both of them were dressed to the nines because they were coming from a dressy party in the scene. That night, of course, it starts pouring and it’s about 40 degrees outside. Then the fog roles in. Because we had to get our shot, we forged ahead. Then the foghorn starts blowing every five minutes. We call the Sherriff, and the Sea Patrol to get them to turn it off…”We’re shooting a movie here!” we protested. They just looked at us like we were crazy people. “The fog horn is so that anyone out at sea will avoid hitting the light house!!”

So, we did what any smart film company would do. We held umbrellas over their heads and had them do as many lines as they could in between the 5-minute timing of the blaring foghorn. They were shivering, eating ice so that we wouldn’t see their breath, and trying to stay in their character. If that wasn’t a test of their concentration, I don’t know what was!

You’ve got to be able to “bring it” in any given situation and not get caught up in all the external things that you can’t control.

I'd love to hear your stories about concentration (and distraction) in the audition space and on-set. It's always good to share with the community.

Glad you're here!

Marci

SELF-TAPING YOUR AUDITION USING YOUR iPHONE

Having just worked on a feature film where we were asking for actors to send in their self-taped auditions from around the world, I realized that actors are becoming more empowered and self-sufficient by learning how to tape their auditions. But do yourself a favor and make sure you do it well - taping your audition on your laptop should be a last resort. Make sure to show yourself at your best. Lighting, sound, good quality video and a talented reader will help make your audition as great as it should be.

Some are still stymied by the process and our guest bloggers Tara Tomicevic and Leslie-Ann Huff are here to explain an easy and very inexpensive "work around" using your iPhone. Yes, your iPhone!

When we started noticing how often self-taped auditions are requested (a friend booked a pilot through a self-tape this year!), we figured there had to be a way to get it done that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. We discovered that there is!

Taking matters into our own hands, we started meeting twice a week, practicing and playing around with equipment. Since we weren’t working on an actual audition (yet), this gave us some room to try things, both technically and with our acting. Then, when it came time to send one in, we knew what we were doing.

The following tips are meant to add to Marci’s blog entry How To Self-Tape Your Audition Like A Rockstar, which already covers all the important basics. Hopefully these tips will help to make it even easier.

JUST USE YOUR PHONE: 

The camera on the iPhone 4 or iPhone 5 records considerably high-quality video. No fancy, expensive cameras necessary.

YOUR TRIPOD CAN WORK:

Just as Marci pointed out, the tripod is very important to a professional audition tape. To hold up your iPhone on a tripod, you can purchase an inexpensive iPhone mount, like the one we used: Studio Neat Glif Tripod Mount. If you don’t have one, these little guys are a great option to explore.

SOUND IS CRUCIAL: 

A directional mic can be hooked into the iPhone via the headphones hole. The one we purchased was about $40. This kind of mic cut out the white noise and clearly picked up the actors voice. The difference was very clear: good sound helps pick up all the nuances of an actors performance and gives the tape a more professional feel. A side note on sound: the reader’s voice should not be louder than the actor’s. This tends to happen as the reader stands next to the camera. A directional mic and a mindful reader can help with that. If you still experience some background noise, it can be eliminated in five seconds on iMovie or similar basic programs (YouTube tutorials rock!)

LIGHTING:

We are lucky that one of our apartments has a spot lit by two windows, which provides great natural light. Find the spots in your home that face windows. Use blinds and curtains to increase or decrease the amount of direct light. Try using the different lamps in your home. Experiment. Much to our surprise, we noticed that a fluorescent kitchen light actually enhanced the look of the natural light. Be resourceful and use your judgement. If you have a dark place or have to shoot at night, Marci’s lighting suggestions in her original post are spot on.

TRANSFERRING FOOTAGE: 

To get your video (regardless of its length) from your phone to your computer, connect the two via a USB cable. If you’re on a Mac, open the app Preview. Then click File, Import from iPhone, and all your iPhone files will be listed. Select your video and click Import.

IF YOU NEED TO EDIT: 

We recommend stopping after each take so that you can select the take you want and send that one only without having to edit at all. But if you need to edit we learned iMovie quickly and on our own (again, YouTube tutorials!)

COST COMPARISON: 

We paid about $60 (in addition to the price of our phones) to get this system working. We’ve seen companies around town charge $25-$100+ per self-tape. So invest in yourself and a couple self-tapes in you’ll be happy you did (and feel extra savvy too)!

Here's a video sample:

If anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out. We are both on Twitter: @TaraTomicevic and @Leslie_AnneHuff.

Tara Tomicevic is an actress, writer, and producer. She is Croatian born, Italian raised, and Berkeley branded. 

http://taratomicevic.com

Leslie-Anne Huff is an actress, Los Angeles native, and lover of pugs. Credits and more info can be found on her website: http://leslie-annehuff.com

I'd love to hear about any hot tips you've discovered while self-taping your auditions. It's always good to share with the community.

Glad you're here!

Marci

SELLING AUDITIONS: IS NOTHING SACRED?!

UPDATE 2:30 pm PST April 2:

As of 2:30pm PST we have word that the Casting Directors have taken the audition tapes off the auction block and instead are donating them to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. You can read the story first reported on Back Stage Magazine here. This addresses the "for profit" issues on these tapes, but donating them to the Academy still doesn't address the privacy issues of these auditions. 

The Daily Variety article quotes SAG-AFTRA as saying “Auditions are not public performances, and under SAG-AFTRA collective bargaining agreements performers are entitled to expect them to remain private,” said SAG-AFTRA General Counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. "Our collective bargaining agreements include protections for performers against exploitation of audition and interview tapes, which must be erased upon performers’ request. Failure to comply with such a request will result in formal legal action pursuant to the agreements. Unauthorized use of audition and interview footage may also result in claims against producers and casting directors under right of publicity and/or privacy laws.”   

I'll say again: these audition tapes were not meant for public consumption or scrutiny by people outside of the production. Period.

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The casting community has been swirling with outrage the last few days over the news that two of our own are auctioning off several lots of audition tapes they've made through the years in Los Angeles on April 4th. Here's the story.

Personally, I think the audition space is a sacred place and should be treated as such. When an actor comes in to audition, there's an implicit agreement that the work they do in an audition is a work-in-progress and is only meant to be seen by those directly involved on the production in a contextual manner. It is not, and has never been, meant for mass consumption, sale, or distribution for profit. I have been asked countless times for audition footage - I'd never do it - and believe me I've got some doozies! I can only hope, and depend, that actors who come in to audition for me trust my discretion to not sell these work sessions.

I've spent the last few days alternately nauseated and enraged by this. Talks on Facebook within our casting community largely echoed sentiments of disgust and most were appalled. There were a few, however, who felt that by exposing these audition tapes to the public it had educational value and shows the public what we, as Casting Directors, really do. I agree with the "teaching moments" - just wish it had been approved by all concerned and if there's profit to be made...then everyone deserves a piece of that pie.

Casting Director Matthew Lessall suggested that tapes like these should be archived and exhibited in a museum environment. I love this idea! Again, let's get everyone involved to sign-off first and if there's profit to be made everyone should share in it.

  

My contracts say that all work (including lists, videos, everything emanating from my office) belongs to the production and/or studio. Since this is all older footage they seem to be selling, perhaps the contracts didn't have that clause in it yet? One can only hope.

Back Stage Magazine wrote a piece last night about this. The President of the Casting Society of America, Richard Hicks gave this statement:

"Richard Hicks, president of the Casting Society of America, condemned the auction in a written statement to Backstage, saying the organization “does not condone in any way” the sale or distribution of audition videos. “Actors who audition for the projects on which we work should have the reasonable expectation that their creative efforts during the audition process are treated with respect and used only for their intended purpose,” Hicks wrote. “Legal and rights issues aside, there is an ethical understanding among casting professionals that actors' auditions are private.” He added that CSA “has always promoted and expected the highest of ethical standards of our members and will continue to do so.” Jenkins and Hirshenson are both CSA members."

Many of the actors I spoke to were furious and worried about the future in terms of what rights they have over their audition footage. Will this be the new normal? I certainly hope not and judging by the CSA's swift and harsh statement condemning those involved, people will think twice before doing this ever again.

I keep reminding myself that this is (hopefully) a "one-off". This can't happen again. I don't know what the circumstances were that brought this casting team to think this was appropriate. I know there are two sides to every story. As of this time, Jane Jenkins and Janet Hirshenson have not weighed-in yet. I have always held them in such high esteem for the countless movies they've cast so beautifully. I'm trying not to be judgemental but I'm losing the battle. I still can't wrap my mind around this one.

Do you have any questions for me? Feel free to ask them here!

Want more tips and general thoughts on life? Be sure to bookmark my blog and follow me here!

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Glad you're here!

Marci

 

THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN'

I’m going to give you the secret to really feeling your character when you’re on stage, on a set, or in an audition. It’s so simple you’ll kick yourself that you didn’t think of it. Shoes. Yes, shoes! The right shoes will plant you so deeply in your character; it’ll be hard to walk away. The wrong shoes will screw you up so badly you’ll fall on your face – literally!

Recently, I was casting the leads in a feature film, "Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters", and the scene we chose had the character in a training session. She was sparring with her teacher. Most of the actresses who came in really “got it” and wore either sneakers or flat boots with no heel. Some, inexplicably, came in wearing thigh-high boots with platforms and 6” heels. One poor gal tried a kickboxing inspired move and landed on her ass. We change the appointment sheet to instruct actresses NOT wear high heels or any kind of heels. Still, several actresses still came in wearing the thing we specifically told them not to wear. What does this signal to us? Unfortunately it shows us that you are not able to take simple direction and aren’t thinking. It’s such a small thing, I know, but if you aren’t paying attention to the small details you can’t grasp the bigger stuff. I take great pains to help you so that when you come in for an audition for me you’re prepared, informed and there’s one less thing you have to worry about.

Los Angeles actor and teacher Jeffrey Marcus says, “Taking the time to choose a pair of shoes that my character would wear usually sets off a domino effect of conscious and unconscious revelations and discoveries that further enhance the characters' life for me. Shoes tell a lot about the man (or woman) and assist me in moving into the walk, talk and backstory. As an exercise, observe the shoes of those around you, and create a detailed biography. Shoes tell more about a person than any other article of clothing. The Native Americans say to “Never judge a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes.” Since actor rule #1 is "don’t judge your character", I take that literally and believe that by putting on a special pair of shoes, you can enter into an imaginary world with compassion. Don't forget the appropriate socks!”

The same is true for wearing the right clothes for an audition. Years ago I was casting the film “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” – which largely took place at a rehearsal dinner and a wedding. Most actresses were so smart and came in wearing cocktail dresses and heels, and the men in suits and ties. I was shocked when a couple of actresses came in wearing jeans shorts and flip flops – for one of the leads in the film – to read for the director and myself. What does that tell me? How an actor dresses for an audition indicates to us how you’re thinking. Now I’m not saying you have to get “costumey” – far from it. Remember, we take these audition videos to our filmmaking team who isn’t in the room. If you already look like the part because you’re dressed so convincingly, half the battle is won.

Hot tip for the ladies: Because our casting office may be on one side of the lot and the parking lot may be miles away sometimes  - bring a pair of flip flops or flats with you so you can make the hike to our office and not hurt your feet!! Also, batting your eyelashes and flirting with the guy on the golf cart and asking for a ride is totally acceptable!!

Do you have any questions for me? Feel free to ask them here!

Want more tips and general thoughts on life? Be sure to bookmark my blog and follow me here!

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Glad you're here!

Marci

ARE YOU YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY?!

Last week, after an excruciatingly painful day in Hollywood where my ass was kicked to the ground and stomped on – I realized I was stuck. Stuck in the morass that I had made for myself. “People are horrible!” kept running through my mind, along with various versions of “Woe is me…!

The doorbell rang and I peered out my window to see a man standing there with a leaf blower strapped to his back. “What does this guy want?” I came out to find a pleasant looking guy in gardener gear. He explained that one of my sprinklers was leaking below the ground. “It’s either a broken pipe or it’s the actual sprinkler.“ Aargh!” I said to myself. “Can nothing go right in my life?!” Then he said something amazing. “Well, I’d be happy to dig it out and see if I can fix it for you.” “Sure!” I said. He proceeded to dig out the sprinkler about a foot down into the soggy earth. Turns out it was a cracked sprinkler unit. I was on my way to Home Depot (one of my favorite stores btw!) and I told him I’d take the broken sprinkler and replace it.  Then he said something more amazing. “I have one in my truck. I can connect it now and you can just give me the replacement next week when I come, or whenever.” I ran into the house to get some money for his trouble and work. When I came outside he was just finishing up. We tested it and the sprinkler worked great. Then something truly amazing happened. I offered him the money and he simply refused to take it. I kept offering, “C’mon, you really helped me and I SO appreciate what you did – I’d love to pay you for your time and your work.” He was firm. “No Miss – it was no problem.” What a nice guy. My current gardeners have not been so great lately. “Are you available to work here on Tuesdays?” I said, hopefully. Nope. He’s way across town on Tuesdays and booked up completely. We shook hands, introduced ourselves and I said I’d see him next week with a new sprinkler to replace the one he gave me. Jaime walked away, soaking wet and covered with mud.

I went back into my house and was walking around in circles kind of stunned. People don’t do nice things just for the heck of it. They just don’t. I was sure. I was positive. Then I realized I had created a self-fulfilling prophecy - the exact thing I always call out my coaching clients and students about. I work with so many actors who are positive they won’t get the job, they never get "these kinds of roles", “I’m not good at comedy”, “I won’t be able to cry in this scene at the audition”…the list goes on and on. We all want to be right don’t we? If our inner voice tells us these things, we pretty much make sure it happens by the energy we put out and by our sheer will because, at the end of the day, we want to be right. "See? I told you so! I told you I’d never be able to ______ " - fill in the revolving door of excuses.  Our ego gets involved and wants to make us right and thus begins the never-ending cycle of the self-fulfilling prophecy. 

Self-fulfilling prophecy is defined as:

A positive or negative prophecy, strongly held belief, or delusion - declared as truth when it is actually false - may sufficiently influence people so that their reactions ultimately fulfill the once-false prophecy.

An hour later the doorbell rang again. It was Fed Ex. Oooh, a package! I opened the package to find a gift from an actor student of mine. I taught a class last year and was particularly taken with this particular actor. Early 20's, handsome, and he just totally “got it”. Meaning, he sat in class and nodded his head to whatever I was saying and I could tell that whatever I was saying was completely resonating with him. We worked on one scene throughout the three 3-night classes. He was spot-on in the first class, and just kept getting consistently stronger throughout the process. Several months later he reached out to me for a career consultation – being new in L.A. and to the business he was having problems with patience. He was really good, having successful auditions and getting great feedback but not getting jobs fast enough for his taste. “Why isn’t it happening for me already?!” We had a long talk about the acting journey and how it takes years to build a career. I checked-in on him several more times over the ensuing months and never heard back from him. What a slacker I thought. I gave him my very best – I had even taken the time to check-in with him several times and not even a response to my emails! Not professional!!

He finally contacted me a few weeks ago through an email to tell me that he was battling Stage 3 melanoma. Cancer. And, no medical insurance. He’s home with his family and going through surgeries and treatment and fighting the good fight with this wicked disease. He reached out to tell me that he thinks about me all the time and that some of his best work was done in my classes. Also, he’s a whiz at Photoshop so if there’s anything I need…he can help me out. Anything I need?! Incredible. OK, back to the package. He sent ME a gift. A few gifts actually. He explains:  “A deck of cards. The cards were from the first Casino I ever went to and won $500 from a BlackJack table...the best of luck to you! The Shakespeare book is part of a collection of notebooks I own. The cover picture is also printed on the pages and when they're stacked up all 12 books form the Shakespeare picture. I put all of my audition sides in the book and write notes and flesh out the beats and stuff when I audition. And finally the magnificent picture of you!”(he had reproduced the photo of me from the ArcLight Cinema series of filmmakers posters and made a smaller poster for me).

So here I was after receiving some terribly disappointing news about my job, convinced that people are shit and horrible, and within one hour of that the Universe sent me not one but two incredible events to kick me in the ass and remind me that yes, some people are horrible, but most people are actually pretty great if you just open your eyes and your heart to see it. Stop focusing on all the crap, shift your mindset bit by bit and the good will come. Surround yourself with healthy, happy and loving people who have your back. Let me know if this works for you.

Now go out and do it! 

Do you have any questions for me? Feel free to ask them here!

Want more tips and general thoughts on life? Be sure to bookmark my blog and follow me here!

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Glad you're here!

Marci

8 Ways To Survive The Dreaded Waiting Room

You’ve prepared. You’ve rehearsed. You’ve worked with your coach and picked out the perfect outfit to wear on your audition. You’ve even arrived slightly early and found “Doris Day” parking right in front of the casting office. You’re all charged up and ready to go and you turn the corner to find 10 people sitting in the waiting room for the audition. Aargh!

I know exactly how this feels because I have to interview/audition like you do for a job sometimes. When I come to an office to meet a producer or director and I’m all pumped up and have to wait awhile, I get totally deflated.  All my energy and enthusiasm gets sucked out of me. Here are a few things you need to do to protect yourself from the elements and stay in your creative zone to do your best work.

1. Be on time and expect to wait.  Many times, the director/producer will show up late and screw up my meticulously scheduled day. Or we get stuck on a time-sensitive phone call about securing financing for the project. You may have to wait a long, long time and we get behind. Sometimes we get WAY behind and you have to wait an hour.  It’s horrible. It’s important that you do what you need to do to keep yourself from losing your energy and it doesn’t affect your attitude – whatever it is that works for you. I recommend using headphones or earbuds because it drowns out what’s going on in the room. Furthermore, if you have your earbuds in, no one will talk to you! It’s like your own form of privacy.

2. Don’t get caught up in the “scene”. There’s always that one guy/gal who’s bragging about all the auditions they’ve been on lately. It can sometimes make you feel “less than” if you’ve only had a few in the last several months. This is where the earphones come in handy! Don’t get sucked into the weird energy that sometimes exists in the waiting room. Concentrate on your scene and your character.

3. Stand up if you feel like it. For me, sitting too long just drains all my energy and I leave it on the couch or chair. Stand in the hallway (don’t go to far so that we have to come hunting you down when it’s your turn though!). After auditioning for years, you’ll know what works for you in terms of preserving and protecting your energy and state of mind.

4. Be careful not to diss the material – you never know who’s in the waiting room. It could be a friend of the writer or the producer’s wife.  You literally never know. 

5. Try as hard as you can NOT to listen to the other actor’s audition thru the door.  It’ll make you rethink your own choices and destroy your own reading. You’ve worked hard on your audition with lots of preparation. Stick to your choices.

6. Be nice to the casting assistant.  They are my eyes and ears.  If you’re rude or abusive to them, believe me I will hear about it and not be so inclined to bring you back. This would seem like common sense, but you’d be so surprised of the stories I’ve heard from my assistants. Believe me when I tell you that they will, one day, run a studio or direct your next film!

7. Check in with the assistant when you arrive and check to see that you have the correct set of sides.  Better to find out BEFORE you come in the audition room and hopefully you’ll have a few extra minutes to get up to speed if the version of the sides has changed. 

8. Bring comfortable shoes. This one’s for the ladies. My office moves around from project to project and we sometimes get offices that are buried deep into the studio lot and parking is miles away. If you’re in high platform heels, your “dogs are gonna be barking” by the time you get to our office and all you’ll be able to concentrate on are your aching feet! Throw a pair of sneakers or flip flops in your car for the walk.

I'd love to hear what other ways you cope with the waiting room in the comments below. It'd be great to share with each other what works for you!
  

Do you have any questions for me? Feel free to ask them here!

Want more tips and general thoughts on life? Be sure to bookmark my blog and follow me here!

We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Glad you're here!

Marci 

 

(you can also read this article on Back Stage Magazine by clicking here)

WHY ACTORS NEED TO GET ON TWITTER

Twitter, you ask? Do I HAVE to?! Yes, you do and I'm gonna tell you why.

I came to Social Media kicking and screaming in 2009. Being an extremely private person, I was deathly afraid of opening up too much of my life to the public. My friend Angela Shelton just about chained me to a chair and taught me what to do. Dragging my feet and protesting, she made me sign up for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, a YouTube channel, and a Vimeo channel. I knew I had to make the leap of faith because if I didn't jump on this Social Media train soon, I was going to be dragged down the tracks by the upcoming newbies in the business. I was not prepared for how much I love it! OK, truth be told I'm addicted to it! Not only do I use it for work (I interact with my community of actors and find new talent), I learn about all the breaking news on Twitter. Being a news junkie, that's music to my ears!

A couple of years ago I was asked to speak at the #140 Conference in NYC on the topic of Social Media and the Casting Director. Here's my short speech:

 

Truth be told, initially my main reason for getting on Twitter was to sell my DVD. Much to my chagrin, I quickly learned that Twitter is not a place to sell yourself. I got my head handed to me on more than one occasion by angry Twitter followers who didn't like that I was trying to sell them my DVD. I thought, "But, you're following me! Obviously you want to hear what I have to say!" Turns out that couldn't be further from the truth and that's not at all what Twitter is about. I decided to sit back and LISTEN and learn. My friend, actor Ben Whitehair, says that in the beginning you should "use Twitter as a listening device, not a megaphone." Sound advice indeed! Once I stopped squawking about myself and started listening to the folks I was following - a world opened up. I learned that Twitter was a place to CONNECT to my community - a place to learn from those that I'm following, hear their needs, and contribute great content. Since I've been in the biz for over thirty years I realized that I have a lot of great info to give. I've become quite the "content curator" over the last few years. I’m finding some really interesting stuff for actors—from other people’s blogs or other casting directors, producers and directors I know, or open calls that I hear about across the country—and mostly posting useful information that has nothing to do with me but will be helpful to actors. It's about sharing great content. Twitter is limited to 140 characters, so you have to be concise and to the point. You basically want to give a headline and a link to something.

Casting Directors used to be an elusive and exclusive bunch. That business model is outmoded these days and I think you've noticed the abundance of Casting Directors who have made themselves available to teach/coach/and advise you on the acting business. You may hear on Twitter that they're casting a project - but follow their lead and go about the usual channels to procure your audition. Here's a list I put together of CDs who tweet. You're welcome! Here's another list from Wayne Chang (@wonderfulcow on Twitter) of CDs who have websites.

Last year when I was casting my movie The Sublime and Beautiful  I was contacted by an actress in Los Angeles who had been following me on Twitter and Facebook. She said she could be considered a local hire and were there any roles for her? (We were shooting on location in Lawrence, Kansas and had no money in the budget to bring actors from L.A. except for the lead characters). She sent her demo reel, which was very good, and I sent her the sides for the role I thought she'd be right for along with our script. Within the week we had auditioned her and hired her for a pivotal role in the movie. I had not even known her work before she introduced herself on Twitter. Here's what she did right: she used good Twitter Etiquette. She was polite and had already established somewhat of a "relationship" with me already on Twitter and Facebook before tweeting her request to me about the role in my movie. 

A couple of years ago I got a tweet from a woman in Akron, Ohio who was in charge of hair and makeup on a theatre production of A Christmas Carol for a charity which sends kids fighting cancer to summer camp. She was put in a bind by the producer when she was told (two weeks before their preview) that he had NO budget for hair and makeup and that she would have to get it herself…somehow!  She tweeted  asking for donations of hair and makeup for her play.  I contacted her to make sure it was legitimate, then reached out to my makeup connections from my movies and TV shows and in a few days I received a GIANT box from one of my makeup artist friends full of make up, wigs, and facial hair.  Another makeup artist friend hooked up the Ohio woman with a deal from MAC makeup.  Everybody came together in a matter of days…all through the power of Twitter.

OK, so I was now officially hooked!!  Hey, this thing really works! I love how a very large community of strangers became a small community of friends, helping each other. Twitter just made my world a little smaller and I loved it!

Many people mistake Twitter as their own personal P.R. firm and they talk about "me, me, me" all the time. Isn't it boring to hear someone talking about themselves non-stop?  

Don’t repeat the same EXACT tweet. It’s against twitter rules and you could be reported & kicked off for spam. For example I always get these kinds of tweets: "@marciliroff are you casting anything?" Then I check the tweeter’s feed and see that they have asked this same question to 50 people. That is considered spam and I block and report them. OR – if you get a tweet like this from someone you don’t know –
"@marciliroff check out this link http://blahblah.com"- BEFORE YOU CLICK THE LINK – check out their twitter feed and you will probably see that they’ve sent this same link to hundreds of people. This is spam and you should block and report them. 

Think about Twitter (and all Social Media for that matter) as a cocktail or dinner party. Would you barge into a stranger's house and scream, "Watch my short movie! Here's the link!" So when you're approaching a casting director or ANYONE on Twitter and in Social Media, get into the conversation and establish a relationship first before asking any favors. It's just good manners.

Another gem I want to share that many twitter users don't seem to know is this. I blogged about this a few months ago and it is hands down the most viewed blog I've written. What Everybody Should Know About Twitters Dirty Little Secret. I won't go into detail here, but as I mention in the blog, you may need to read this a couple of times to fully understand the concept.

In the beginning you'll notice that you don't have many followers. Don't worry, your twitter follower count will grow when you start following people and get in the conversation. You should also retweet (RT) content that speaks to you and that you think others might benefit from. Thank people for RTing your tweets – it’ll encourage them to RT for you in the future. But it's really not about your "follow" count. It's about interaction between you and your followers. It doesn't matter if you have thousands of followers if you're not responding to their questions or RTing their content. It's about joining the Twitter conversation and content is king. I'm not interested in following someone who just blasts out tweets and doesn't interact with their community.

If you want to learn from some of the best on Twitter, here are some good people to follow to learn more about Social Media.

I'd love to hear (in the comments) how you're using Twitter (and other Social Media platforms) in your work. Let me know what's working and what's not working!
  

Do you have any questions for me? Feel free to ask them here!

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We welcome your comments and suggestions.

Glad you're here!

Marci