Ah! The New Year…Well, I decided to clean out my office. I got it painted as well and put up some more posters. I realized that the paint color I chose is the same color as my childhood bedroom: should I be worried?

Now I have to figure out how to hide the mass (and mess) of wires that connect to my wireless router and computer and back-up thing-y. I got the new Nikon camera that Ashton Kutcher sells so well on the TV. I actually like the camera and it is nice to have a real camera and not a camera in a phone. It does a lot. Almost too much and I have to spend more time with it to understand it’s features.

I love new technology, especially when it comes to making my job easier. The only problem is, is that I feel like everything changes so quickly, that by the time I use the “new” stuff, it is already a year old and I am behind the times again. I still use the same digital camera for casting that I bought 5 years ago. In fact, I bought another one on ebay because they don’t make them anymore and it has a setting that the newer cameras don’t have. It records on a setting that makes streaming and uploading really simple. The newer cameras sometimes add steps, or you have to have a program that converts and zips or bundles or whatever.

All of this is, truthfully: ANNOYING! I just want everything to work and for me to be able to concentrate on the part this job that I love, the casting part. Worrying about if the camera is going to work, or if I have enough bandwidth (which I probably don’t) is just so tedious and inevitably expensive. As I type this on my ancient MacBook Pro, knowing that soon, a new computer will have to come into my life, I marvel at how fast things change and how adaptive I have to be to stay current. I have an ipad 2 – I love it. It has made my life better. It’s so cool to take to meetings and I am constantly comparing apps with friends. But I am sure, that in a year, or less, a new Ipad will come out, and my joy and marvel I have with my current Ipad will be erased. I won’t be the cool kid on the playground anymore.

Back to work: Now casting a film in London. Starts shooting on the 19^th, hoping that all the deals close and that the actors confirm. It’s amazing to me how many times I hear, “She likes the role but wants more money.” They always want more. Heck, I want more. The tough part about what I do is that if you want or need a name or a perceived “star name” in a role, the Producer, especially a first time Producer or Director, ends up paying to have them in the film – unless it’s the most amazing script ever – then, that can be a game changer. So, for the New Year, I would like “the most amazing script ever” to cast, please…Happy 2012!

When I get approached to cast a short film, the first thing I always say to the producer is: “Just because it has the word ‘short’ in it’s name, does not make the casting process any ‘shorter.’ In fact, short film casting is often the toughest part of the work that I do. Inevitably, the budgets are low and the fees for the actors are low or deferred. What makes a short so difficult to cast is that, in just a few minutes the actor has to be able to embody, with great emotional depth, all of the back-story that most likely is being presented on camera. It is a great challenge for an actor to pull this off.

I have cast many shorts and many of them have gone to major film festivals. The most successful ones have the following ingredients:

1) THE SCRIPT: Clearly written, original, thought provoking, has a point of view and is unexpected and not cliché.

2) THE ACTORS: Committed, thoughtful, professional and most of all PREPARED!

3) THE CREW: Professional, considerate of the actors and the actors needs for space and preparation, but most of all, extremely knowledgeable in their field.

4) THE DIRECTOR: Communicative, passionate and a leader with a distinct point of view and voice.

5) THE PRODUCER: Dedicated, organized and considerate of everyone’s dedication effort and time.

When I look for a cast for a short film, I will admit, that the first actors I go to are the ones I trust implicitly, the ones I know personally and the ones who I know are right for the roles. If they are not available or not interested in the project (which happens and I totally understand when they don’t want to do it), I think about my wish list and then the reality of who I can get on that wish list and then I start looking at agents and managers whom I love to work with and pitch the film to them and ideas are generated and the casting begins. Many times, actors that I approach have a large body of work, so there is no need to audition them (especially when the are getting a deferred or low fee for their couple of days of work). I will show the director reels and say, “Why don’t you meet this actor and see what you think?” I don’t like offering a role to an actor in order to get them to meet a director. I understand that sometimes I have to do this when casting a low-budget film, but it limits how quickly I can cast the film and makes the process more complicated.

If we set up auditions for a short film, the challenge is often that the shooting script doesn’t have a lot of dialogue. If this is the case, I ask the writer to write a new scene for the role that may have limited dialogue in the script. This way the actor can get a better understanding of what the writer & director are looking for in a character. Sometimes, I will also encourage the director to allow the actor to improvise a situation that the character may be in.

In Los Angeles, the challenges of casting a short film are to convince the actors, the agents & managers that the team that is putting together the short is skilled and at the end of the day, the actor will benefit from his or her experience with participating on the film. This is why I am very selective about whom I work with on a short film. I have to trust that their previous experience will satisfy and bring confidence to the actor so that they feel that what they are about to embark on will be worth their time.

Many of us, at one time or another, have gotten in the way of our own success. I know that I can point out several times in my own career where I have learned a lesson the hard way or thought to myself, “I could have probably handled this situation a little better then I did.” When you work for yourself you tend to live in a cone of isolation that can contribute to a funneled and often skewed version of a reality on what is actually happening to you when it is happening to you. Actors have an especially hard time with this, because everything they do (being truly emotionally available) can become emotionally exhausting. Being judged on a daily basis by others, clearly manipulates ones mental health and the business of being an actor can alter that persons perception of themselves to such an extent, that an actor can often get in the way of their own career growth. I applaud those who are constantly working and able to grow as actors. I know how tough it is.

But fear not actors! You are not alone. As a casting director, I too get judged. Producers and directors look at my work and meet with me to decide if they want to work with me or not. It is part of what I do, I go out into the marketplace and make myself available to judgments about my ability, work and vision on of a film. Sometimes I get the job, sometimes I don’t. And yes it sucks when I don’t get it.

The entertainment business has many rules, some known, some unknown and some, only learned about when you succeed or f**k up. The way Hollywood says “yes” to anything, could cause you to have a stroke, because often a “yes” is code for “maybe” or even if the “yes” comes on a Monday, by Friday, “it’s a big ole “no” and you just have to deal with that fact. You have to learn to be able to file these experiences away and find solutions to moving on from the negative. In casting, this means moving on very quickly. By building momentum on a project, getting people excited about the script and the elements attached to the script, a project that seems hopeless can quickly become hopeful. Even the best scripts have many opportunities to collapse and my job is to keep these projects from just that: collapsing!

Casting a film is all about living in the ‘no.’ I have written in the past that I learned early on that “actors say ‘no.’ ” Here are some additional forms of ‘no’ I have experienced over the past 13 years in casting: No, the actor liked the script but not the role. No, the actor would do the role but wants more money. No, the actor doesn’t like the director and wants to change him and re-write the script. No, the actor will only do the film if he flies Air France and not Air Canada. No, the actor will only do the film if he has a 4-week vacation in between certain shoot dates. No, the actor will only do the film if his chef can come. No, the director only wants this specific A-List actor in this role or else what (dear God!) is the point of doing the movie at all! No, the producer now does not like the director anymore because he insists on having a specific A-List actor in the role. No, Iowa no longer issues tax credits and the film will not be shooting there or anywhere – ever. No, the director doesn’t like the producer anymore and fires her and then hires a new producer who fires me (that was a harsh one).

With all of this negativity, how do I function on a daily basis in casting? At the core of it all, I realized it is not about me. Yes, you need a PHD in psychology to navigate agents, managers, actors & producers. Yes, I have to anticipate every permutation on every ‘ask’ that I make. Mix in the desire and the creativity of what I do, what an actor, writer, producer, costume designer, cinematographer does and throw in a corporate-type structure around that, and you are bound to have a gigantic storm brewing in a very small teacup. A producer needs a casting director who understands the big picture of how a production comes together. It’s not only about knowing actors; my job has become that of a producer on so many levels. I am the conduit for discussions about the business of the film, the actors’ deals, the maintaining of information to flow between the production and accounting. Making sure the contractual aspects of the actors are being upheld and agreed to by the producers. I have to know what is going on globally in casting and also in the local markets so that I can (for example) go to Ashville, NC and cast 6 speaking roles in three days, when I have never been to that city before. The key is to remain professional: professional in your attitude, work and behavior. Maintaining situational awareness of, well, the situation and not freak out when things don’t go the way you want them to go.

Realizing these aspects of my work have made it a little bit easier for me to hear “no,” because when you get a “yes,” it can be a truly wonderful moment…and then your car battery dies and you owe Toyota $600 dollars. Tangential (or is it?), but it is my blog…

Happy Thanksgiving!

I got a request from Mr. Wayne Olsen in Minneapolis to answer some questions about what I do. So, I thought I would share with all of you my answers:

How does someone starting out get a foothold in this business?  If you could do it over from your start, what would you tell yourself then to do?  What would you tell yourself not to do?

The most common way for someone to get an entry level job in casting is to be an intern (paid or unpaid, depends on if you are in college and getting credit and different states have different employment laws regarding the status of “intern.” In California, an intern must either be receiving college credit or be paid minimum wage. There are other specific laws about this and you should look them up and know them. Or, you get a job as an assistant. Here’s the catch-22, when I look for an assistant, I am looking for someone who has at least 1 year of experience in a casting office. This way, I know that they have been exposed to actors, agents, managers, they understand what “lists” are, they have experience on the phone and also know about breakdowns, castit, etc… Another great way of getting experience is to work as an assistant at a talent agency or a management company. This way you are exposed to the entire casting process and you get a good idea, very quickly, about who the busy offices are, what their personalities are like and you may even make some good connections this way.

My path to casting was not the normal path. Normally, you start out as an assistant. I kind of jumped in headfirst and said, “I am going to do this.” But saying that, I had been a professional actor for 8 years and I had a large network of experience with agents and casting directors, so I kind of knew what I was getting into. Friends of mine were producers and directors & stage managers, so it was not like I was blindly starting from zero. I did work for a few months as an assistant to a very well known casting director and I quickly knew that this was what I wanted to do. I won’t go into the details of why I am where I am, and I am sure I made some mistakes along the way, but, so be it, here I am…but to your question, I would figure out who the busiest offices are and aim to work for those casting directors. If you are good at it, you will become a commodity that is highly sought after and you will be able to gain experience quickly.

What I would tell myself not to do? To be totally honest, fear is what will strangle you in anything you do. There were times where fear got the best of me; fear that I didn’t know what I was doing, or not smart enough to do what I was doing, but I hope and think that I am not alone in this and over time you start to loose that fear, probably because over time, experience hardens you and that experience is invaluable to the work you produce.

 What are the networks to tap in to?

You need to know the industry and what is happening in it. You need to read the Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Deadline Hollywood, etc… You should go to the Casting Society of America website and sign up for emails for when casting directors are looking for staff. You should be going to see every film, watch as much television as possible (without alienating your family) and go to the theatre. You need to know people in these circles so that you have a resource to reach out to when you are looking for talent.

What’s the best way to get experience in this industry? 

Offer yourself out as a production assistant (PA) on a film set. Volunteer to be another hand on a low-budget film, short film, etc… see what goes on behind the scenes. This will give you an idea of what your place is in the process and may show you what you may be passionate about besides casting.

Is there a steep learning curve? 

Yes. You will be expected to work hard and be allowed to make any mistake one time, but not two times, that’s the best way to not get rehired or fired!

What technical knowledge is absolutely essential (i.e., treatments, blocking, etc.)?  What technical knowledge is helpful, but not required?  What technical knowledge is mostly useless?

You need to be computer savvy. You need to know both PC and Apple. You must have basic word processing skills and you should understand how cameras work, how to edit video on a computer, etc… The more comfortable you are with technology, the internet, software, the better!

What film financing knowledge is helpful? 

If you want to work in feature film casting, you need to have a basic understanding about how films are put together. The reason being, when you are approached to cast a film, there are specific questions I ask in order to assess how real a project is in coming to fruition.

What street smarts do you need for this industry? You need to be able to smell BS.

What SHOULDN’T you do in this industry, at all, never ever?

Never be rude, never lose your temper and never backstab a colleague you are working with.

What’s the basic etiquette rules?

This is the “Entertainment Business,” it has it’s own set of rules. You figure them out as you gain experience.

Who don’t you ever, never piss off?

I try not to piss off anyone. I try to be as formal and professional as possible. But this doesn’t always work. This is a business that is highly emotional, so you are probably going to piss off many people on your path.

What’s the primary difference between LA/NY casting and elsewhere?  Middle North America (Chicago?) for example?

New York has the most theatre casting offices. It also has a high percentage of independent film casting. My clients are on both coasts so I tend to have to go back and forth a lot. LA is where the Studios are based and where a major portion of the Studio Film and Studio Television casting happens. Other markets tend to support local filmmakers, or support the films and television shows that come to it. New Mexico, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina & Louisiana all have steady work because their incentives and infrastructure support film & television.

How much money do you need to start? As much as possible.

What drives you to do this every day? My Toyota Prius.

What qualities are necessary to bring the energy required to do this every day? A good sense of self. A great sense of humor and the ability to let things go.

If you had someone call you and beg you to work for them, what are the top three characteristics you would look for?  Honesty. Excellent interpersonal communication skills and the ability to let things go.

What’s a perfect apprentice look like/do for you? Go to http://www.facebook.com/alexthompson416 - he was great.

What’s the difference among working solo, working for a boutique casting shop, and in-house (like for Idol or X-Factor or CBS for that matter)? To be clear: I am hired by producers to cast their feature films. I do not work in reality television casting (which is a skill set I do not have and I have total respect for what they do) and “studio” casting which is a corporate position overseeing people like myself on film and television that is being produced by those entities. My “agenda” is to service the director’s vision while making everyone else happy with those choices.

What’s the future of the industry that every casting director needs to understand? In independent film, budgets are getting smaller and our role as independent film casting directors is changing as the market changes. We must figure out how to make a living in this climate and be able to do the job we love without compromising the quality of our work.

I just turned 40. Thank you in advance for your birthday wishes and love, but that’s not why I am writing this. I am writing this, because I like to think that birthday’s are a great time to reflect on where we are, or, more importantly, where I am, because this is really only about me. And well, kind of about you, because what I feel, affects how I operate on a daily basis and I suppose in some way, actors, directors and producers (if they care) would like to know this stuff.

I know, if you are an actor and just want to know how to “get a job” or you, if you are a producer, just want to know how you could offer me the lowest possible rate to get your film cast. I get it, and if I sound bitter, I TRULY AM NOT, I get it. Probably better than you think. Hence, why I write this blog, to “reach out” and hope that some of the people that I want to “get it,” will, well, “get it” they get what I am about and that they see that what may seem like cynicism is really just years of, for lack of a better word (my vocabulary is crap – this is a warning kids, study for those SAT tests because at some point in your life you are going to have to come up with a better word then “things”) THINGS…

As you know, I love the South By South West (SXSW) film festival. And this year, I have proposed a panel on casting for low-budget films. The panel is NOT for actors. Sorry guys, you get a lot of advice from a lot of blogs, articles and workshops. This panel is truly for low-budget/no-budget producers, writers, directors to get a sense of what they are getting themselves into when searching for a cast and why, a casting director may or sometimes may not be the right person to turn to for help. So, dear readers of my blog, my birthday wish is for all of you to go to: http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/8960

And vote for me! Please. I really want to do this…

I was just in NYC and I what I love about NYC is the Theatre. You really can’t beat it. Unfortunately, it is so expensive and so over priced and so uncomfortable that once you pay the outrageous ticket prices you then have to sit next to the drooler, or the old man with the dodgy head piece thing so he can hear better, or the woman who sits in front of you and has the largest hair done up in the most anti-gravity force field that you just want to set fire to her hair. I do love the theatre, I think I love it better when I can go to Mann’s Chinese and have popcorn and watch it “Live from the National Theater in London.” It’s way more relaxing and you don’t have to sit on a plane to get there and back with people who clearly have no manners or boundaries or have fostered too many children into this world. I am not anti-child, well maybe a little bit, I am anti-crappy parent.

I saw “Follies,” which I loved and before all you bitter queens who saw the original production comment about it (the NYT already did it for you as a matter of fact), one must say that Sondheim is a genius and even if Bernadette Peters isn’t really 49 years old, a line that made me guffaw in my seat, the show was a who’s who of Broadway’s Dames and I appreciated what it was about and how mind-blowing it must have been to see it in it’s original form. Although, according to the NYT article, when Galt McDermott saw the origional production, he didn’t really see the point of it. Which to me is so ironic, because “Follies” and “Hair” probably have more in common then you think in terms of tone: unfulfilled dreams, longing, passion for a unrequited love in the past or in the future, etc…

I absolutely LOVED “Jerusalem.” And although towards the end of the play I was like,
“if that fairy girl comes out and sings one more time I may swat her!” the acting was flawless and one more bit of proof that Mark Rylance is the Laurence Olivier of our generation. The casting was genius!

This summer was busy for me. I finished up casting “Saving Lincoln” and because contractually I can’t talk about it in a blog, I won’t, I’ll just say this…actors really love to do period pieces. I was genuinely happy and surprised with the quality and level of actor that was drawn to doing this low-budget feature film. My director & producer were happy and that’s what matters to me. I am also about to finish casting “The Healer.” I am off to North Carolina on Tuesday to cast the remaining day-player roles. I love going to a location, because getting to meet local talent is always exciting.

So, now that I am 40, you may ask do I have any wise words to share? But of course I do!

Just do your best, go easy on yourself, don’t be sad if your make-out idol is Adam Levine and you know that you will never ever get to make-out with him. Be thankful for what you do have and try not to be bitter. It’s hard, I know, but (a) there is Xanax & (b) there is Xanax. And of course Yoga, Pilates, spin class, blah blah blah…..to help with the anxiety. Be thankful for your friends, your family (even if they drive you crazy and I bet we can all relate to that) and remember, your DOG is GOD. And I am sure if you have kids you are really happy that you have them too…just please, please teach them not to kick the seat in front of them when they travel. And I promise, no one will question your parenting skills if you give the screaming baby in row 22 a few drops of red wine to make him go to sleep.

If you are an actor: BE PREPARED – for everything. If you are a producer: BE PREPARED – for the rejection, the ups & downs of casting, the emotional wreck that you will become over the next few months and try not to take it out on your Casting Director. If you are a director: LISTEN TO YOUR CASTING DIRECTOR.

Most importantly, maintain a sense of humor, smile & dream bigger and when you ask for stuff from the Universe…be specific.

All of the above were themes of a Sondheim show. Wow, I am that gay.

40 is great…I think I am going to like it here (not meant to be a reference to “Annie”).

I am now on twitter and facebook. On Twitter you will find tweets from me pertaining to auditions coming up where I may need something out of the ordinary, or maybe a great film or play I saw. Not sure how I will use it, but I know I won’t be Tweeting during an audition! I feel it will be an organic process.

Same thing with my facebook account. I have a personal facebook account and I do keep that private for friends and work-friends and in general, if you are an actor you should sign-up to the “Matthew Lessall Casting” Facebook page (see below). When I am auditioning actors for upcoming films, I send a breakdown out to agents & managers via breakdown services, because it is the service I am most comfortable with and like to use. There are a few exceptions: If I am casting a commercial (which happens every now and then) I use LA Casting to send out a breakdown to agents & managers. I do this for various reasons, but mainly because, the casting studio I use for commercials (I don’t cast commercials out of my ghetto office) is tied into LA Casting and it makes the casting process easier for me. Something else I am exploring to use is LETITCAST, which is a worldwide casting service and it allows actors to upload their own auditions to a site set up for a project. I am going to use this system soon on an experimental/arty film I am casting that shoots in (of all places), Indonesia, and for various reasons, LETITCAST feels like the perfect fit for this specific project.

I don’t always make breakdowns available to actors, but if I do they will be on Actors Access, my FB page and there will be a Tweet about it.

Most of the time, I send a breakdown out only to agents & managers. It’s not because I don’t want to let actors have the breakdown, but mostly it’s because I need to control the incoming calls, emails, etc… and it can cause the workload to become overwhelming to let everyone in the world know what is going on. I try to create lists first of who I want to have come in or offer roles to and work that way, then call the agent or manager for avails and interest. This can be a looong process. I release the breakdown because I am having to search deeper, or my brain is fried and I want to make sure I am not missing anything. It’s a good way to communicate what I need to the representatives as well. If I had a huge staff (or even a singular staff), I could maybe be more selective about how I go about things, but usually, it’s just me, so I need to be as efficient as possible and sometimes a solution to streamlining this process and casting the widest net is to release the breakdown.

I encourage you (actors) to look at all of these sites and be familiar with them (most of you are, I know) but it in case you aren’t…now you are!

TWITTER: @lessallcasting

FACEBOOK:  Matthew Lessall Casting ….  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matthew-Lessall-Casting/44041770524

BREAKDOWN SERVICES/ACTORS ACCESS: www.breakdownexpress.com

LA CASTING: www.lacasting.com

LET IT CAST:  https://letitcast.com/en/

Casting - I love it, I love the discovery, the putting together the pieces of the puzzle, the magic of seeing a cast come together, it’s all an amazing thing to see and watch conjure up in front of you. I could live without the following:

1) Actor is cast, deal is closed. Actor forgets that he needs a passport to travel to Canada but still thinks that the check-in agent at Air Canada will simply “let him on the plane because OF COURSE they know who he is” …

2) Actor is cast, deal is closed. Actor gets another offer for more money and decides not to do my film. Not fair, not nice, it happens. What are we supposed to do? Sue him? Take him to court? When casting a film that is already functioning on spit and glue, you just recast. Hopefully the producer doesn’t have a heart attack (probably won’t because he is 20 years old anyway) and just go with the flow, because they have been beaten down to a pulp on other “issues” with the production.

3) Actor is given an offer. I call, and call, and call (JUST PUT ME OUT OF MY MISERY ALREADY) and call, etc…to get an answer, a peep, and a “thanks Matt but it’s not happening, something, PLEASE GOD, to say to my producer. But, alas, nothing. AND PS – why is it whenever I need something from an agent, it’s like pulling teeth, but as soon as that same agent needs me to see their client, they are begging me, pleading with me to have them meet or read? (I am sure agents feel the same way-in reverse)

4) Director wants to see if Gerard Depardieu will work on his 400,000-dollar budget movie in Nova Scotia (it’s close to France, right?) for $5,000 dollars. Really? Deep breaths….REALLY? Seriously, shoot me now. How can this even come up in conversation? Aside from the fact that 5k is 1/100th the price of the jet fuel it would take to fly him to Nova Scotia on a G5, because, yes, that’s what it would take… and when you said you needed a French speaking actor and were shooting in Canada, whatever happened to the dozen or so amazing ideas of FRENCH CANADIAN SPEAKING KNOWN WORKING ACTORS that could do your movie? But no, you want Gerard Depardieu and it’s my fault that he doesn’t want to do it? REALLY?

5) My assistant has shown up to work today in a bright yellow 1970’s inspired tank top and short shorts and looks like an “angel” from CHARLIE’S ANGELS….he is a boy.

6) The Internet can’t handle the uploading. The Internet is down. The Internet is up, nope it’s down, nope it’s back on…

7) Breakdowns is down. Gmail is down…Why do I think the world is ending when Gmail goes down?

My assistant’s computer won’t connect to the printer…AGAIN…for the 40 millionth time.

9) Auditions! Actor just got the sides. Actor has had the appointment for FIVE days. Actor has the wrong sides. Actor went to the OTHER 5225 Wilshire Blvd and is running late. Actor just flew in from Texas for the pre-read with his mother, father, twin baby brothers, half sister, three cousins, an aunt and their dog, Spike. They are all staying in one bedroom for the night at a hotel near the Ontario airport, because it was cheaper to fly there and take 4 busses and the metro into LA to get to me. This audition is the biggest thing that has ever happened to him. He could have self-taped.

10) All of the light bulbs in the office are not working. Call the building manager. He tells me they are raising my rent.

Thank God it is the weekend.

Looking for talent, but really looking to rediscover my passion for independent film, I went to SXSW 2011 in Austin, Texas. For the past week I have met the most amazing people; filmmakers, actors, internet wizards, marketing gurus and just great people in general. SXSW is more then a film festival, in fact, it has many parts and the interactive and music festival overshadows the film programming. Unlike Sundance, which has grown into a marketing festival for films looking for distribution, SXSW is about the audience. There are film geeks, film bloggers, press and fans passionate about independent film. Standing in line to get into cinemas (something that one does a lot of) I realized how much knowledge this audience has about the work that I am part of and am a fan of. The programmers seem to be keenly aware that the point of this festival is to headline emerging filmmakers with a clear voice and point of view. As in all things, some of the filmmakers make the most of what they are given and some who are given a lot (a big(er) budget) waste it. Filmmaking is a collaborative art form, but the most successful films (in my opinion) at this festival were ones fully realized by the directors. Many of the films did not have a Casting Director. In one case, the Casting Director was the sister of the filmmaker and that film could have really used a professional eye when it came to the acting. Many times, the filmmakers used actors that they saw in shorts or met at other film festivals or went to school with. I had 21 films scheduled to see but due to exhaustion, meetings and wanting to see my friends’ films that were in the festival, I ended up at 18 narrative features and 1 doc. I wish I had time to see the shorts and more of the docs, but I would have to be in Austin for the full 2 weeks in order to see it all. Out of the films I saw, there are clearly some discoveries and future stars in the making. Overall, the quality of acting was very high. So, future filmmakers and casting colleagues, take note: here is my list of who to look out for (film by film) and who my favorite actor & actress overall where: 96 Minutes (Casting by Chemin Sylvia Bernard) – This was one of the best cast films I saw at the festival. Brittany Snow & Evan Ross turned in excellent performances.  A Bag of Hammers (Casting by Brad Gilmore) – I loved this film. It was a little too long, but Jason Ritter was able to show great range and Jake Sandvig has grown into a super cute young man who is funny and nuanced.  A Year in Mooring (Casting by Mary Vernieu, Venus Kanai, Janet Pound) I wanted to like and appreciate this film. From the start the filmmakers wanted to make sure that it didn’t feel “overindulgent.” It kind of did feel that way to me. I appreciate a good “mood” piece, but at some points this just made me, well, moody. Josh Lucas, looking as handsome as ever, turns in a solid and emotional performance. This has a great cast that includes James Cromwell and John Tenney.  American Animal (no Casting Director). The filmmaker, Matt D’Elia, wrote, directed and starred in this intense character study of a man coping with the isolation of a sickness and what that does to him psychologically. I loved this film. Matt’s performance was solid and the rest of the cast worked flawlessly together. The real standout to me in this is the lovely Angela Sarafyan. But all of the cast (Brendan Fletcher and Mercia Monroe) have excellent moments in the film and show that have the ability to do more.  Attack the Block (Casting by Nina Gold) Overall, this was my number one favorite film at the festival. Probably a little bit because it is shot in South London (my spiritual home) but mostly, this film was one of the best cast films that I saw and the talent was all new (except for the wonderful performances by the fabulous Nick Frost, Luke Treadaway and Jodie Whittaker). This film, (a nicer version of Kidutlhood meets Alien in a South London Council block) is exciting, scary and funny. A perfect little film that proves that this genre never grows stale when done right. The standout newcomers (all of whom were great) are: John Boyega & Alex Esmail.  Bad Fever (no casting director) Watching this film made me uncomfortable. Anyone who has a dream of becoming a “star” will know what I mean when they see it. To that end, this was also what I call “a mental health movie.” And while it is clear that the filmmakers avoid the issue of if the main character has some type of medical/psychiatric disorder, the actor playing the lead, clearly delved into the role headfirst and embraced it with skill and reckless abandonment. I love Kentucker Audley’s work on this and his co-star Elenore Hendricks was fully committed to her role as well. Bellflower (no Casting Director) Another film written, directed by, edited, produced by and starring the same person, Evan Glodell turns in a magnificent performance and highly thought out, smart film about the psychology of a breakup. I call this film, “The Straight Man’s Version of ‘Black Swan.’ Jessie Weismann and Rebekah Brandies are total finds and were excellent. I am especially excited about Jessie. She was so compelling to watch on screen.  blacktino (Casting by Angela Burns) This film had a lot wrong with it. A lot of odd choices were made in the making of this film and I think that the Director tried to accomplish many things and forgot that visually you cannot hire actors who look over 30 to play teenagers. It does not work. And he seemed to have a lack of understanding about teen genre films. Also, the dialogue was questionable. The Casting Director is the Director’s younger sister and there were casting choices that did not serve this film and this films potential. However, the positive side to all of this is the discovery of Devyn Rey. She carried the film and was the one part of it, where when she was on screen you were drawn to her performance.  Caught Inside (Casting by Kirsty McGregor) Who doesn’t like to look at hot Australian men surfing and fighting over their women folk? I was into this thriller the moment it started and the cast was well conceived (maybe a little bit too white?) and their ensemble carried the excitement of the film through its entirety. The standouts in this were: Ben Oxenbould and Daisy Betts. I also liked 19-year-old newcomer Harry Cook.  Detention (Casting by Judy Cook) I wanted to like this film, I did, I promise I did…but, I didn’t. From the start, the opening title sequence went so quickly, if I were the CD, or DP or any actor on the film, I would have been pissed off that my name was literally flashed on screen for a second and then gone. The main title sequence was so off putting to me, that it kind of informed me of where we were going with this film. The film seemed rushed. A plush film, with excellent design and potential cast, overall, the film missed its mark to me. It was trying too hard and just became messy and while you wanted to enjoy the storyline, I started not to care about it and the comedy, adventure, time-travel, horror mixed genre, became just that, too mixed and too complicated for the actors to succeed in any way other then just being themselves and hoping for the best. With all that, I am going to surprise all of you and let you know a dirty little secret: I love Dane Cook. I think he has potential as an actor and needs to stay away from this kind of material. He is a stand-up comic, he should do that and then find something dramatic to do and stick to that. That is where he will excel and surprise us all. I have faith in him.  Kevin (Documentary) Go see this. I had a mini-breakdown in the bathroom afterwards. The story touched my soul and anyone who thinks of themselves as an Artist will know what I mean after it is viewed.  My Sucky Teen Romance (no casting director) The SXSW sensation and Austin native, 18 year old director, writer & producer, turned out a cute and perfectly pitched teen comedy. Emily Hagins can tell a story. She understands cinema, timing, acting and writing. She is going to be huge. Overall, I had fun watching this teen, vampire-love comedy. The standout actors are all local to Austin: Devin Bonee, Tony Vespee (who should have his own television series on Nickelodeon) and Sam Eidson.  Small, Beautifully Moving Parts (no casting director) A character study about an expecting Mother seeking closure from her Mother about their strained relationship, this film has a lot going for it. Especially the lead, Anna Margaret Hollyman. I loved watching her on screen. Greta Gerwig better watch out, because this actress is coming after her roles.  Sound of my Voice (Casting by Danielle Aufiero & Amber Horn) I was sucked into this film from the start. A science fiction film that is character driven and smartly written is a winner in my book. The standout here for me is Christopher Denham. He has a lot to cover in this film and he had me totally believing him and his journey in this role from the start. A fully fleshed out performance, he was subtle, complex and utterly compelling.  The Dish & The Spoon (no casting director) A slow paced film, I dug in and let the plot unfold and trusted that I would understand the characters more when the film was over. I did: two lost souls, trying to figure out their lives. Greta Gerwig is seething and upset about finding out her husband cheat on her and Londoner, Olly Alexander, is a love-sick teenager (almost adult) character searching for a connection in this world. Overall the acting was solid, but I do have to wonder why filmmakers ALWAYS shoot Greta with the same close-ups and angles and why she always seems to be dressed in gender-neutral clothing. Maybe her performance in “Arthur” will help me see another side of her. Olly is clearly someone to look out for.  The Key Man (Casting by Ellen Parks) This star-studded cast would hopefully bring the director’s vision to the table. Sadly, the director’s vision is clouded by “technique” and well; it just feels like he is trying too hard to be interesting. I was bored with the plot and was sad for the actors because they were clearly acting their tuchuses off.  Turkey Bowl (no casting director) Shot in 18 days and on a shoestring budget, this comedy showcases LA based actors (some not really actors professionally) who are all terrific. I am a huge fan of Zoe Perry, I think that she has a unique quality to her that other actors only wish they could have. All of the cast in this is fantastic and energized and totally believable. The standouts to me are: Bob Turton and Tom DiMenna  Wasted on the Young (Casting by Gregory Apps) Having cast Australian actor Alex Russell in two features, I was excited to finally get to see this film. I had only seen clips of it from Alex’s reel. This film did not disappoint. Extremely well cast, I was hooked into this storyline and disturbed by it (in a good way) on many levels. Alex’s performance was excellent but I have to give this one to the beautiful and talented Adelaide Clemmens who to me was perfectly cast in this role.  Yelling to the Sky (Casting by Eyde Belasco) I really liked this film. I liked the film even more when I stayed for the Q&A and got to hear the writer/director’s passion for the film, it’s actors and the casting process. Zoë Kravitz did an excellent job and Yolanda Ross and Antonique Smith turned in beautiful performances. But the standout to me in this one is Jason Clarke. Playing an unlikable character but still being likeable on screen to the audience can be a huge challenge. His acting skills were evident here. A solid, well rounded performance by an actor who chose to embrace the good, bad and ugly of who he was portraying. Eyde Belasco did a great job sprinkling this cast with the supremely talented Tim Blake Nelson and Oscar Nominee Gabourey Sidibe.  OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR SXSW:   Matt D’Elia (not represented) for the role of Jimmy in “American Animal.”   OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS AT SXSW:  Anna Margaret Hollyman (Manager: Davien Littlefield) for the role of Sarah Sparks in “Small, Beautifully Moving Parts.”   OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CASTING: Chemin Sylvia Bernard for “96 Minutes” Chemin rocked this cast out! You could tell that she had her hands all over this cast. Her point of view and consideration for the ensemble was thoughtful, creative and nuanced. So much so that Evan Ross won an award for “Breakthrough Performance at SXSW.” Well done and congratulations!

In response to the criticism about casting director workshops: When I go to give a workshop, which is usually three hours long, I have spent at least half of my day getting organized for the upcoming class. Then once I am in the class, the point of it is to get to know the actors who are reading, point out what I am looking for when they come to audition for me and also give some advice out as to what I do, what I am looking for in an actor and what an actor should be doing in order to get work. I am happy to answer any question. Ironically when it comes to question time, I inevitably get the same questions over and over and over again. Most actors in the workshop only want to get in front of me to show me that they can act and 90% of the time, they are trying too hard, not listening, not acting. So when it comes time for me to make adjustments, I spend time with each individual to show them specifically what I am looking for in an actor. I do this repeatedly during the class and I hope that by the 20th actor, the class begins to see that there is a method to my madness and that my instruction on technique has a purpose and comes from over 10 years of casting, 6 years of professional acting, and years of training in classical acting, Meisner, etc… So, yes, when I go to a workshop, it is about my conducting just that: A WORKSHOP ON ACTING. I want to demystify the casting process and if I can give someone the confidence to keep on acting, then I think it was worth whatever amount they paid for the class. I also look at workshops as an opportunity to meet actors who may be older then students coming out of the elite drama training programs around the world or who have not had the opportunity to go to one of those programs (who, by the way, have all paid a fortune for their education – there are scholarship exemptions, I know that). If I were to only go to the Julliard, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, LAMDA showcases, and not go to workshops, would that be fair to everyone? I go to various industry nights, theatre, see films, watch television, meet as many actors as I can for general meeting; it’s all part of the process of what I do. Casting is global. I say this all of the time, LA actors are competing with actors in every market around the world. Once an actor understands that they also understand that all they can do to get a job, is do the best that they can possibly do at an audition. An actor who attends a workshop is giving himself or herself an opportunity to hear another perspective from a professional who knows what the market is looking for and attracted to. They are using the fact that they are in LA and not Chicago, New York or London to say to a CD, I am here, think about me! Becoming a working actor is about: 1) Actually having talent, (2) persistence & (3) luck. Being in the right place at the right time and actually prepared is all an actor can do. That’s it. Nothing more. The rest is up to the people who are hiring. Workshops are not auditions. Auditions are auditions. Nobody gets a job from a workshop. It’s not possible; one actor is not the only person under consideration for a role. There are at least 10, 20, 30, 200 other actors in consideration. And just in case actors think that it is harder for them then anyone else in this industry, let me assure you that every casting director, costume designer, editor, DP, etc… is out there pounding the pavement every day trying to get a job, secure the relationships that they already have, hoping their agent is helping them be in the mix, trying not to get fucked over by the people they have worked with in the past, hoping that the producers and directors they have worked with stay loyal to them, wonder where the next check is going to come from, etc… The Casting Director-Actor relationship is not “Us vs. Them” we want to hire you, we want you to walk into the room and be amazing. There is an “ah-ha” moment from the Director or Producer on every film I work on. They see an actor and they think, “Oh my God, that’s my actor, I found him.” And that is precisely my job. I have been thanked for my work many times by the actors I have cast. I have been thanked publicly for the work I have done, but this type of work is not about getting thanked, it’s about the process, making something happen and being part of a bigger picture. Sure, casting folk are forgotten about, we are not invited to premiers, award shows, we are looked over in thank you speeches, but I know what I did and I know what I do on the films I work on and that is all I need…ummm…but gifts and a seat at the table are always truly appreciated! The Casting Society of America, of which I am a board member of, is set up and designed to promote “Excellence in Casting.” Every year we have an award show that honors our members. For me, this is a perfect time not only to honor those nominated, but also honor our community. Every year I do feel that with the more CDs I know and am introduced to, the more I feel like I am part of a community and I hope that my fellow CDs feel the same way as well. Casting is an art form (I can tell who cast a film or good television by the way it is cast) and casting directors are required to not only perform their specialty but also have acute business sense and manage a world that they get plopped into the middle of. Casting a pilot, film, television, reality television, short film – we are asked to sort out a shit storm, figure out the answers and come up with solutions, usually in a time frame that would make most people loose their minds. I have had many people who work for me cry at the end of the day, because the pressure can be a lot to take. Hell, I cried at the end of the first week of the first pilot I cast and the fabulous manager, Laina Cohn (if she remembers) had to talk me off of a ledge on a 9pm phone call – I thought I was in over my head! But by the second week I got the hang of it. On a side note, casting a pilot can help you loose weight… So, I hope this explains a little but about where I am coming from and where some of my colleagues are coming from on the current issues facing the casting community. Casting is a unique profession and one comes to it in various ways; like me, a former actor, but I have friends who have never acted and just love actors, or colleagues who were one day assisting a CD and the next day found themselves running a studio (true story), a casting director who used to be an agent or manager (goes both ways), we get birthed in all different ways, but in the end, our job is to find talent, give options to our directors, producers, writers, and hopefully have a successful product come out at the other end… 

Happy New Year! Wow, it has already been very busy but to tell you the truth, I was a little bit of a worrywart in December. If I don’t book enough work by October, November to January can really start to suck for me and money can run out. By this October I was on one film and when it ended, well let’s just say your favorite casting director was having a minor melt down. So, I looked in the mirror and said to myself, “Self: YOU LOOK FAT! I mean WTF did you do to yourself? You are overweight, taking Crestor and blood pressure medicine and feeling generally cranky most of the day because you are stressed about work, and let’s be honest, the weight is part of the problem.” After I wrote the blog about Rosario Dawson and the way she perceives herself, I thought maybe it was time to have a reality check of my own. How am I perceived? How does that make me feel? Is it affecting my work? In general (and I know she will understand), I blame my Mother for my weight/eating issues. I love food and I am (I admit this) inherently going to choose the couch over the treadmill. But after I saw a picture of myself at my friends engagement party, I thought, “Wow, who am I? That’s not me.” It was time to do something about my overall health. And what a better time to do it then when I was not really busy, and not because I didn’t want to be busy, but because sadly, I was not busy. A day after my epiphany (after seeing that photo), I had a general with an actor. He was very fit and handsome and after I learned about him and his acting the conversation turned to me (insert joke here) and we started talking about health issues and my weight. Turns out he is also a personal trainer (not surprising) and offered to take me on at a very reasonable rate (I think it had something to do with me being a CD) and he insisted that he could get me to loose the weight. What did I have to loose? So we started training. Ummm…more like torture! I felt like I was in my own personal hellish version of AMERICA’S BIGGEST LOOSER. We ran up Runyon Canyon, ran around parks, did 1.5-2 hour sessions. Yes, I was that person screaming and yelling, “help me, please help me,” to passers-by as I was trotting up Runyon. He told me what to eat and what not to eat. It has become a love-hate relationship: I love to hate him. My friend who is a doctor put me on medical grade fish oils and liquid CO Q-10 and liquid Vitamin D (because apparently humans don’t get enough of it). I took myself off the Crestor, which was making me feel ill (a whole other story) and started on a natural cholesterol reducer recommended by my doctor friend (whom I went to college with). I stopped eating sugar, bread, alcohol, no deserts, not pasta, no wheat…. It was hard and sucked (still sort of sucks), but I have seen the results. When I started this in October, I was 233 pounds (I am 6’1”) my blood pressure was 140/90 and I was feeling like crap. As of today, I am 207 pound, my blood pressure is 120/84 and I am feeling pretty good…I also started seeing a chiropractor (Dr. Matthew Cobb) who has changed my life for the better. This morning as I was walking my dog Zoe on our long walk (2.68 miles), I realized how lucky I am to live in Los Angeles. I have lived in many places and when you stop to think of all of the things that this city can give you, I am truly happy with being in LA. With all that that is going on in the world: nut-bag Sarah Palin, the shooting in Tucson, birds falling out of the sky, fish dying, oil leaking, government not really governing…at the very least, I can be thankful for the small moments I have with my dog, my walks, my husband, and my life (not in order of preference). Notice I didn’t say my job. I love being a casting director, I do, but it is not my life. Although my husband will say otherwise, because it does take up a lot of my time (a lot), I refuse to make it the first priority of my life and maybe that is why I don’t always work, all of the time. So, October-January sucked on the job front, but was great on the looking in the mirror front and now I just have to maintain this. Which really, is going to be a continuous up-hill battle; but all you have is your health. I know I sound like my Grandmother, but she was right – considering she died of pneumonia at 96 years old, I am going to go with that she knew what she was talking about. On December 24, 2010, I got a Christmas present. A job offer. A cool job, casting the web series of Mortal Kombat for Warner Premiere. It is shooting in Vancouver and the scripts are fantastic and the director, Kevin Tancharoen is kick-ass. It is a lot of fun to work on. I also decided, last year, that somehow, I was going to find a way to work in the theatre. Now LA has a lot of great theatre, and the reason I wanted to work in it was to get myself acquainted with more actors, but also work on good material, work with writers and directors who I didn’t know. More fingers in more pies, that sort of thing. I thought it would open up my world and truly, I love the world of theatre because that’s how all of this (me) started. I am now happy to say that I am also working at the Center Theatre Group. I couldn’t have asked for more: theatre, webseries and I am working on a few indie films. I still worry about the money and where it will come from, I don’t think I will ever be able to not worry about that, but at least there are things happening, there is movement in a positive direction. So, it seems, that when work was slow, working on myself was the right thing to do - for me. I hope, that with all of the craziness that is going on in the world, we can all have the luxury of trying to take a little time out for ourselves and make ourselves a little bit happier: Maybe it will rub off on someone else…