DeafCasting.com

Below is a posting I got from a well known CSA (Casting Society of America) Casting Director. The CD gave me permission to post it here and I think its time for deaf actors to wake up and see the reality of acting…we are not going anywhere if we don’t shape up, take classes and train as much as we can-before, during and after we do an acting gig. This is something I have KNOWN for YEARS!

Please consider how much work it takes to become an actor. Just because one can sign beautifully, doesnt mean they have any acting abilities. Basically there is the IT factor, and many people dont have it. 1 on 250 people may have it, which is rare. Thousands of hearing actors want to act, but not having the IT factor they either get overlooked or rarely get good roles. Its a tough business.

IT Factor simply means the aura surrounding your face, your body and how you carry yourself. It has to be innate and natural not to mention the ability to be TOTALLY open from the inside out. No amount of training will create this.

Good Luck ALL!

Vikee Waltrip, CEO, DeafCasting.com
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Ok, it’s time to get realistic and in your face….it’s time for a reality check. This tip stems from way too many experiences I have meeting actors in person, auditioning them, seeing their posts on our group’s wall and the dozens and dozens of emails I get daily.

My apologies if this comes across as mean or angry. It’s just meant to be direct because there are too many actors who approach the business in the wrong way and it can be career ending before you even have one.

Here’s the problem: there are way too many actors who have an over inflated self of entitlement, actors who feel that simply because they have a passion for the craft and think they are incredibly talented that work and opportunities should just fall in their lap. This, of course, does not apply to all actors, but it’s unfortunate that it does apply to many, many actors. Part of the issue is that colleges don’t prepare actors for the real world. But the large part of the problem is that actors don’t understand that this industry is a business just like any other. And with that comes the necessity to act like a professional in your field, to learn the right and wrong way to do things, to learn how to speak with and network with others, and to learn how to market yourself or represent yourself in the best possible way.

Actors are not immune to bad first impressions. Actors are not let off the hook from making some stupid comment simply because they “love acting and want to make it big”. In fact, because your reputation is a huge part of your career and can make or break you and like it or not, you are held to a higher standard than anybody else. Look at any public figure, like Michael Vick. He’s a huge football player who basically lost his career from something as stupid being involved with dog fighting. Once the public, your fan base and those who pay your salary, lose faith in you….YOU ARE DONE.

I get dozens of emails every single day from actors. Some of them are quite legit and are seeking advice, which I am happy to dish out. But so many of the emails will say something like, “Hey, I’m a really talented actor and I so wanna make it big one day. You should cast me in your next movie.” Or, “Check me out on IMDB. I could be right for your next film.” or, “I’ve been acting for 25 years. Please contact me for your next film.” People, you have got to be kidding me. Is this how you want to be portrayed? Do you really want casting directors and agents and managers and directors and producers to think of you this way? There are huge industry people as members of our group and I am telling you from our side of the fence, we run the other way from those types of comments. We laugh, we poke fun, and we throw away your headshot and then lose respect for you.

There is only one person responsible for getting work for you and that is YOURSELF. It is neither my job nor anybody else’s who has the contacts. If you have an agent or manager you pay, it’s partly their job but MOSTLY YOUR OWN responsibility. If you are the type of actor who sits on your ass hoping your passion and talent will get you through, you’ll be sitting on your asses for 30 years instead of actually booking jobs.

Networking is not an easy thing to do and you need a certain amount of intelligence, finesse and common sense to come out ahead. Meeting a casting director and 5 minutes later asking them if they can cast you or get you a job or an audition is NOT networking. That’s called begging and when you beg you make a fool of yourself. You get one chance with most people. You want that one chance to stop us in our tracks and say, “Holy shit….this person is amazing. They really have something and I want to see how far they can go. I want to bring them in to read or call my friend who is casting this movie she is perfect for.” I have no desire, nor should I, to help or do a favor for an actor I just met and know nothing about. Networking takes time, sometimes years to build up a rapport enough so that you can call in a favor. I don’t think an accountant would walk into a huge CPA film and go up to the human resources director and say, “Hi, I’m a talented accountant, hire me!” They would be escorted out of the building.

There are aspects of representing yourself in a positive way that you can learn, but most of it is good old common sense and when you don’t show that you have it, you are saying that you are lazy, talentless or both and you are relying on favors to help you get ahead.

You might think I’m overreacting and just putting up some little comment on the group’s wall that says, “Cast me, cast me!” can’t possibly have the effects that I am talking about. I’m here to tell you that you are wrong. We have over 4300 members – actors (some of them are name actors), agents, managers, casting directors, producers, directors, DPs, etc. that are all part of this group and all read the posts. Then all the others that have not yet joined but read the wall to see if this group is something they are interested in…don’t you want to give off a good impression so that they WILL join?

Casting directors, in particular, have great memories. I remember the actor that auditioned for me years ago that was unprofessional and wasted my time and I have denied them recent auditions. On the flip side I remember the actor that impressed me so much that I brought them back in and cast them in a film.

Think. That’s all I’m really suggesting here. Think before you speak. Good luck with your careers!