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COMMERCIAL AUDITION PROCESS
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As a casting director with more than 27 years experience, I frequently audition
talent, that have little or no knowledge of exactly what is expected during the
audition process. I highly recommend that every talent both actors and models alike
take a commercial workshop that teaches commercial audition. There is a world of
difference between the talent that has been exposed to formal training and those
that have had no training! In most cases it is not good enough to be “just another
pretty face.”
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THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR BEING LATE
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Auditions are not always a one-on-one process. Often talent are paired with other
talent for the audition in advance. By being late, you may lose your opportunity
to audition or will most probably cause the casting process to get backed up . Be punctual!
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THE ROLE OF A CASTING DIRECTOR
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The producer hires a casting director to find the talent, for commercials, film,
TV series music videos etc. The casting director prepares for the casting audition
in what is known as the "Prep Session." If the client is a SAG signatory (required
to use union talent, when available) the casting director will make every attempt
to interview all suitable union talent prior to interviewing any non-union talent.
Only after all available and qualified SAG (union) talent has been seen, will the
casting director interview non-union talent. If the client is not a SAG signatory
only non-union talent will qualify for the audition. Read:
"What Casting Directors
Look For"
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PREP SESSION
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The agents may submit photos and resumes of their talent (actors
and models) or
the casting director will request specific talent for a casting. The casting director then looks over all the
submissions and calls the agents to provide "time slots" for the various talent
the casting director feels are right for the part.
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TIME SLOTS
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(Call Times) are time assignments granted to an agent for the purpose of auditioning
their selected talent. One or two time slots are generally provided. With hundreds
of agents throughout each state, casting directors provide few time slots per agent.
Occasionally, a casting director will provide additional time slots to agents who
have convinced the casting director that he / she has a new talent, which the agent
feels is right for the part. Time slots are literally, "valuable moments of time,"
sought by agents and talent alike. Union castings require the casting directors
to adhere to assigned times slots. If you, the talent, are running late, notify your agent. A good casting director will run very close to
schedule. Talent should be punctual.
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THE AUDITION PROCESS
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ALWAYS BRING 2 HEADSHOTS OR COMPOSITES WITH RESUME ATTACHED. When talent arrives
at the casting location: Sign in on the Audition Sheet Review the posted information
informing you about the casting (distribution, callback date, shoot date, location
of shoot etc.) See "What Casting Directors Look For"
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CALLBACKS
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The casting director first sees many actors for each role he / she is casting. Casting
directors then makes a choice of which talent they will bring in to meet the producer
and director. This is called a callback, generally the final audition prior to talent
selection.
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UNION Vs Non-UNION
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The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) represents actors. SAG is the union which
negotiates the standards and working conditions for professional actors. You must
qualify to become a union member. All talent who are not union qualified are considered
Non-Union. |
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Union members are NOT eligible for non-union work.
There is no union restriction
on Print work.
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UNION QUALIFICATION
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Any company, advertising agency, production company, etc. who has previously signed
a labor agreement, is required to use SAG talent. Non-union talent may only audition
for a union project after the SAG talent pool has been exhausted. In certain instances
the client, advertising agency or the director many not find who he is looking
for within the SAG talent pool; in which case non-union talent may be considered.
If selected for a principle role in a union production, the non-union talent becomes
“SAG-Eligible,” and is faced with two possibilities: (1) immediately join the union
and pay the initiation fee (2) if possible, be granted a one-time waiver.
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RIGHT TO WORK STATES
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Florida and North Carolina are Right to Work States which means that you do not
have to be a member of any union or other form of labor organization. As a result
of this state law, numerous production companies film through out these states
to take advantage of the lower talent cost. . As a union talent (member of SAG) talent
payment is according to a negotiated "scale" rate. On the other hand non-union talent
are generally paid less... clients dictate prices. …
Note:
In California and New York there is limited commercial or film work for non-union
talent.
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