Casting and Shoe Shopping . . .
What do they have to do with each other? How about EVERYTHING. Huh? You say. We’ll let’s think about it. The average actor gets terror struck into their hearts when they walk into an audition, right? In fact, they probably get terror stricken about the moment they get the email from their agent with sides for the audition, usually twenty four hours to (if you’re lucky) three days before you are standing in front of the casting director in their office sweating bullets and PRAYING they pick you for the job.
But why? Why does that three day or so plague of horror have to strike us? Probably because of the way in which we think of the casting process. Such as: 1. If we get cast we will suddenly have all of our dreams come true (which can be exhilarating, but scary too . . . are we REALLY ready for that Oscar?) or 2. If we don’t get cast we truly are the losers we suspect we might be and we might as well become a stockbroker because this whole acting thing is for the birds anyway. And 3. That if we can just be who they want us to be we MIGHT just have a chance at it, although we don’t really know just who that “who” is that we should be being . . . And most likely 4. That what’s the use anyway, it’s all a crapshoot and if we were taller, shorter, skinnier, beefier, blonder, darker, smarter, dumber we might actually be in the running!
Whew! No wonder we end up shooting ourselves in the foot.
What If Instead We Looked At It Like This:
Casting is like shoe shopping. And nothing more. Certainly we’ve all shopped for shoes, so we have a little bit of experience with this. Imagine you were going to some big event . . . say, the Oscars, every actor’s dream, so why not? And you have the PERFECT dress, or tux or kilt, or whatever really brings out the inner you. The perfect accessories, earings, necklace, cufflinks, top hat, walking stick, or what have you. You even have the most fabulous pair of panty hose or silk socks, but to complete this exquisite ensemble you will need . . . the perfect pair of shoes.
Do you see where I’m headed here?
What is a casting directors job? To help the director/producers find, assemble, congregate the perfect cast for their film, series, play, etc. Generally they start with the lead actors—who usually don’t have to audition at all. So if you are at this point, you probably don’t need to be reading this blog post, unless you’re bored and/or find the plight of the struggling actor amusing or at least affirming to your position of power now that you are no longer one. Lead actor is cast. Lead actor probably gave the whole project the green light, so everything is going to revolved around him/her. I.E., if he/she has piercing blue eyes, they are probably not going to cast anyone else with the same—it will pull focus from the lead actor/actress who green lighted the whole thing and who might get pissed off by a casting choice such as that and leave the project and then nobody will get a paycheck.
Next they have to find the “accessories” that go with the lead actor/tress. This would be the hat, walking stick, nylon stockings, earrings, jewelry . . . kind of characters and of course the shoes . . .
These roles must be filled by actors who, of course, not only can believably portray them, but by actors who fit—in look, tone, temperament, and vibration—perfectly into the supporting ensemble that will make the show, and especially the lead actors shine. In other words, the casting directors are very much like Prince Charming looking for the perfect fit for Cinderella’s shoe.
So you can go in there and you can give them your best black, strappy Prada, or your flashy gold Versace, but they might really just be looking for that super pale pink Jimmy Choo with the leather tassels. They may LOVE your Prada or Versace, and WISH they could use it in the show, but they know it just won’t quite go with the ensemble they already see falling together. Think about it . . .
Put Yourself In Their Shoes
So to speak . . . When you’re out shoe shopping, for that important event (I’m not talking about getting a new pair of sneakers for the gym), don’t you kind of know what you’re looking for? You have some sort of gut feeling about what would really bring your outfit together? Maybe you don’t know exactly what it is, but when you finally see it, you just know that it’s a perfect fit. Yes, you saw A LOT of amazing shoes out there. And maybe you even wanted to buy several dozen of them, but when you lay eyes on that one special pair, when you slip your feet into them and it’s a perfect match, you know you’ve found what you’ve been looking for and your ensemble is complete.
That’s all they are doing. So don’t take it personally. Be prepared as heck, and I repeat, but don’t take it personally.
So, what do you do? You focus on making yourself into the best darn pair of shoes you can be and strut yourself into those auditions, trusting the universe that the right dresses or tuxedos are out there just waiting for you.