Weekly Tip: Evaluating Casting Notices

THE WEEKLY TIP

Evaluating Casting Notices

Ever been tricked by a casting notice that sounded legitimate, only to find out it was bogus, or not what you thought or expected? Don’t worry – it happens to the best of us. So, how can you recognize a good casting notice from a sketchy one? Here are some guidelines of things to look for look out for in a casting notice. Hope this helps!

1) Source. First and foremost, evaluate the source of the casting notice. How did you hear about it? Backstage? Email? Through a website? From a friend? From an agent or other industry person? Remember – the internet is an amazing tool and has become an integral part of an actor’s marketing efforts, but it is also free for anyone to post just about anything, so be careful! A listing in Backstage costs about $50, so that tends to weed out more of the tricks, but not all of them. If you hear of an audition through an agent, make sure you evaluate the agent! Is the agency known and respected in the industry? How long have they been in business? You get the idea – be a New Yorker!

2) Read the ad thoroughly. Many actors scan a casting notice, look if the audition calls for their types and fire off a headshot without really reading the notice carefully. Slow down a bit – it’s a long subway ride back to Astoria – you have time to read carefully! Is the casting notice union / non-union? Is it shooting on film or digital? Is any nudity required? Is the address a home address or a business address?

3) When is the audition? Ever read about an audition on Saturday evening at 8pm? Now, let’s be honest here – isn’t the date and time of that audition a pretty good indication that something might not be quite right? Most casting happens during business hours form Monday thru Friday. Why? Because casting is a business! This is not to say an audition on the weekend is not legitimate – just remember to be careful, and think of these things when evaluating a casting notice.

4) What’s the email address? Ever get an online casting notice from a big show like “Law & Order?” Want to know if it’s legit? Here’s a sure-fire giveaway – what is the email address of the casting notice? C’mon – do you actually think “Love Monkey” actually places a casting notice through their Hotmail account? Or do you think “Law & Order” likes to find new actors by emailing from their Yahoo or Aol account? Be smart! Chances are, it’s not legitimate.

So, now that you’re a pro, let’s evaluate this casting notice:

INDIE DV SHORT, “ALL SHIRTS OFF”
Indie dv short filming July at director’s parents’ house in Hohokus, NJ. Seeking 3 sexy females, 18-24, daring, willing to take risks, ‘Angelina Jolie’ types. Tasteful nudity. No pay. Non-union. Send pix and resume to Todd Fakename, 13 Fake Lane, Hohokus, NJ 07042. Auditions are on Sunday, December 18 at 9:30pm.

So, what do you think? Better not fire off that headshot!