| If you've been around Hollywood for more than a | | | | marketing, repetition is king. |
| month, you've probably heard that you have to know | | | | 3. Attend paid casting director workshops in L.A. |
| someone to have a career. However, what people | | | | There are many companies around Los Angeles that |
| don't say in the same breath is that you can get to | | | | offer workshops where you pay to meet a casting |
| know someone - in this case, casting directors. Casting | | | | director. In them, the casting director assigns you a |
| directors being the people who give you a scene from | | | | scene to read with a partner, you go practice for a |
| a movie or TV show and have you read the "sides," | | | | while, and then you come back and read it as you |
| to audition for it. | | | | would for an audition. At that point, the casting director |
| The casting directors are the ones you have to get in | | | | may give you a little feedback about how you did, and |
| good with and have them get to know you so they will | | | | then they go on to the next scene. |
| call you in for the all important audition for the hot TV | | | | They also usually comment on the head shots and |
| shows and movies. | | | | resumes, holding up ones that are the best and the |
| So here are four basic ways to get to know casting | | | | worst. Although they aren't legally allowed to hire you |
| directors from scratch - meaning you don't know | | | | for at least 6 months, by that point, you are at least on |
| another soul in Hollywood. | | | | their radar for casting in the future. |
| 1. Send your head shot and resume to them with a | | | | 4. Stop by a busy office looking great and drop your |
| cover letter introducing yourself. | | | | head shot off or try to get in on an audition while |
| If the casting director doesn't know you, you can | | | | you're there. |
| introduce yourself to them by sending them your head | | | | There are some offices around Hollywood that house |
| shot and resume with a cover letter telling them about | | | | quite a few casting directors in one office. This is |
| yourself. They will sometimes keep a head shot and | | | | definitely true of a handful of commercial casting |
| resume in their files and when there's a role that your | | | | director offices. You will also find some bigger casting |
| look and level of credits is right for, they may consider | | | | companies that have not only the main CDs, but |
| you for the role. | | | | several assistants. If you stop by these offices, if you |
| 2. Keep in touch with them by sending your photo | | | | look like you are there for an audition, they won't |
| postcard on a regular basis. | | | | question you at first. You can try to crash an audition, |
| Get a 4X6 postcard made up with your picture and | | | | although that can be difficult and potentially |
| name on the front and blank on the back. Write a | | | | embarrassing if you get called on it, but you can at |
| personalized message on the back and put their | | | | least drop your headshot off and let them see how |
| address label to send it to them. And send one to the | | | | great you are. |
| same casting directors every 4 to 6 weeks for as | | | | So there you go. A few ways that you can get |
| long as you know they are casting projects you could | | | | Casting Directors to know you from scratch. Starting |
| be right for. It's like a McDonald's commercial. Once is | | | | with nothing but a head shot and a commitment. |
| not enough. Twice is not enough. In any kind of | | | | |