before I continue:

- is it weird that The Onion has a little side section on the front page of CNN.com?  

 

Onwards:

 

So, remember the whole audition thing?  How you can find out you are going out for an audition the next morning?  It can also happen as you are driving on your way to work, that you have to be at an audition a few hours later.  Sometimes you luck out and you can wear what you’ve got, other times (and this has happened to me once) you literally have to go home and get new clothes, shave, whatever.  That’s fun.

 

 

 

 

Later, long after you have forgotten about the audition (or not, maybe it’s the next day, like everything else in this life, you never know anything), you may get a callback.  This is one of those purely good things that you can technically be happy about.  This means the producers and director (and maybe the agency and maybe other people I don’t know about) think you might work out and want to see you again to see how you are to work with, what you are like with another actor, that kind of thing.  Your look is probably right, they just want more. This is good because this makes your agent happy, this getting called back.  If you are going to risk hoping for anything, you might as well hope you get called back; it’s a bit of breathing room, it shows your representation that you are working it, and it gets you in front of some more people.

 

The callbacks are much like the first call, but there are less people in the room and the stakes feel a little different.  You rush in, sign your name, but you don’t need (usually) to fill out a size sheet or give them a headshot--they already have the one you gave them before, remember?  You look at the script (there may be changes) and you just hang out.  Often, you will see someone you know in the waiting room, or at least someone who looks familiar. (As you do this longer, this happens more and more often (or it should) and you kinda feel a strange fellowship with these folks--you’re all working it as best as you can, and it’s kind of a relief when you see the others...you’re in the game, right?)

 

You wait a bit (usually not as long!) and the casting associate calls your name, and you walk in the room.  Here’s what you see:

 

- lights

- camera

- computers

- and a bunch of people talking to each other who glance up at you, look at the paperwork on the coffee table, and then either get back to their conversation or hop back onto their computers or blackberries or whatever device they’ve got on their lap

 

The people tend to be the producers of the spot, representatives from the ad agency, perhaps (perhaps?) someone from the actual client whose product your are selling, and the director.  The directors I have met so far, often are very friendly and go out of their way to make things run smoothly for you.  You may also see the casting agent there as well, who will also be really friendly.  Just the friendly conversation and direction make the whole process worth it, really.  These directors are usually very experienced, many of them will also be feature directors, and it’s a great chance to see what it’s like on a movie set.  What also happens is that you will see the same director a few times, and they will often remember you and just that previous experience will make you much more relaxed and ready to work.  It’s awesome.

 

So, you talk a bit, then you re-slate and then you do the spot.  Oh, I forgot--you are wearing the same clothes (or as close to them as possible) as you did for the first call.  I dunno why, but everyone says you are supposed to do that, it makes it easier for folks to remember you from the tape of the first audition.

 

Now, since this is a test to see what you are like on set, you will most likely be asked to do it again, probably a few times. This is the part of acting that you remember, the part you liked (the applause never was the reason).  You get a chance to try new things, work on different takes, finding a common ground between you and the person setting the vision of the work.  In the end, you are just an aspect of a larger piece, remember?  This is the collaboration you’re always telling people you are good at.  

 

Every so often someone else will speak, probably someone from the ad agency, and much of the time you will see a flash of annoyance on the director’s face--I’m doing my job here!--but the note will be taken and you will do it that new way and you will glance at the person who gave the suggestion and he or she will not even be looking at you--they are all looking at the monitor.  Remember, it’s more real when it’s onscreen!

 

After a few times--you’re gonna do it at least twice--the director will most likely check with the other folks in the room to see if they want anything else and then will thank you for coming.  You thank them and leave the room and thank the casting associate, say goodbye to the other folks waiting in the room and then make it back to the car.

 

And now?  You gotta let it go.  This is really the point where you have to completely just forget about it.  Even if the director wants to cast you, the agency or the client might have their own opinion about it.  This has actually happened to me a few times, where I have literally been the top choice and then...nothing.  But still, it’s nice to do a good callback.  The opportunity to work with the director, even for a little bit, is worthwhile.

 

But let’s say that you are one of the people they like.  Like, they think the can cast the role with 2-3 actors, and you are one of them.  So, now they call your agent and put you on “avail” meaning that you have to keep your schedule open for them during the times they are shooting.  This way they can weed out the person who has a trip planned (remember what we talked about earlier).  

 

(Actually, it gets even worse--you can get a third (and fourth and fifth) call back as well.  Same as the 2nd, but this time you get paid and there are less people in the waiting room but the interaction with the director lasts longer.)

 

 

 

So that’s part 2.  You get called back and if they like you, you can get called back again or you can be put on avail or you can book the spot.  Lots of little hoops--and this is just for commercials.  The TV stuff is similar but apparently different, too.

 

The third part is actually going and filming, which I am doing either on Wednesday or Friday, so I will take some notes...

 

have a good week!