Yesterday I went for a commercial casting, in the west end of London. As I made my way down Oxford Street, having just completed my audition, I got to thinking about the audition process. Commercial auditions in particular. All auditions have a couple of fundamental requirements: 1. You must be able to act. 2. You must be able to convey the material given.
But the Commercial Casting is a tricky beast. You can confidently stride in, armed with the fundamentals, but if you don't fit the look they want, the most amazing performance, still will not get you the gig.
But that goes for any casting, I hear you say.
I personally do not think that is the case. I have auditioned for fringe productions, where I felt there was room to mould the performance, a chance to surprise the director.
But Commercial Castings rarely go on longer than 10 mins. Plus you have to remember you are not playing a role, you are selling a product. It's not a play, it's a presentation, and the look is everything.
However, as actors we must approach this with the same determination and inventiveness, as any other audition.
I went in to the audition room with three other men. This is a usual casting practice when they are looking for a group of performers ( we were to be a group of photographers) It's a "job lot" casting.
When this happens it's tempting to approach the performance with a sense of rivalry.
I defused this in my mind by reminding myself that in these kind of castings, the casting director has pretty much made up his or her mind as soon as they've seen you walk in.
So I psyched myself into the belief that I fitted the remit and ignored the performers around me (we were not here to interact).
Then the camera swept across the four of us and we were instructed to perform individually.
Individual camera time was 10 sec.
Then, with a smile (no matter how you felt it went, always leave with a smile) I hit the pavement.
Theorising, but at this stage, none the wiser.
I got "Pencil".
Still none the wiser.
Hey Joe,
ReplyDeleteThis is sort of similar to I blog I posted called 'the importance of presentation'. I was talking about what was more important the ability to act the role or whether you simply look right. However I didn't think about it in terms of commercial casting against other castings. I think it was interesting what you said about the casting director making up their mind as soon as you walk in. No matter how good you are, will they just not really pay attention if you don't look right?
You know I'm theorising on a topic that is unpredictable. It's subjective. I've been in auditions where i felt I didn't get a fair crack at it, only to get the part. Then I've had auditions where they have filmed six takes, only to never hear from them again.
DeleteThey are always polite, but if you are not what they want, no amount of metamorphosis on your part is gonna swing it.
Remember it's the well established actors that get to "become" a role. In TV and on film most of us are hired as extensions of our own personality.
Just my opinion.
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ReplyDeleteYou take acting castings and put them on steroids and you have the dance auditions!!! This is the most brutal place i have ever stepped foot in! Its like the industry prides itself on having less talent and great looks!! Make up as thick as cement, the glares from across the room, everyone bending themselves all kinds of ways to psych out the competition! Thanks for giving me the opportunity to have that rant Joe B.
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