When it comes to auditioning, performers should consider the Casting Director to be the most critical person in their room. The impression you make matters! Your casting director etiquette matters from the little things like handshaking to showing up unprepared (HUGE). That’s why we are breaking down why in this week’s blog.
Hand Shaking is so 2019 and Also Never Thing in Casting
While auditions have not fully transitioned back to in-person casting, this should be a no-brainer. Unless the CD initiates the handshake, what you may consider hospitality is a major faux pax. Think about how many performers a CD interacts with every day and how little time they have for each audition. While it matters to be kind and personable, performers should avoid approaching for a handshake.
Be Mindful of E-mail Etiquette
When it comes to casting director etiquette via the world wide web, performers should avoid a couple of things before hitting send. The first ‘don’t do’ of CD email etiquette would be emailing on the weekend. We are not talking about if you are submitting for an audition. We are talking about unsolicited emails. Even if a CD has asked that you email your reel, things like that should not be sent on a day most people use as a reprieve. The second thing to avoid with your email etiquette would be misspelling the CD’s name. Misspelling, in general, should be avoided, so always be mindful of how your email appears. Professionalism is always vital.
Don’t Take it Personally but Never Get Personal
There is a difference between being personable and getting personal. For casting directors, the latter is what performers should be mindful of. While you may be friendly with a CD you have auditioned with before, performers should not inquire about specific details of their life. You may follow them on social media and have seen they’ve recently experienced a loss or made a huge life change. That would be their own business and not a topic of conversation in any audition setting.
Preparation is EVERYTHING
In going along with being mindful of the time and opportunity you have been given to audition, you should always arrive prepared. Even if you received your audition the day before, you should do your best to know your lines. A Casting Director can always tell who is and who is not prepared. When you show up to an audition with minimal effort, it shows the CD that this may be how you are once on set. While CDs want to give everyone the opportunity to succeed, their job is to find the best talent for the role. So do your best and put your best effort in. The results will always speak for themselves.
Never follow-up directly
We get it. You just auditioned for a fantastic project, and you are keen to know how you did. In some instances, a CD will share feedback to your representation, but that is seldom. In 99% of the situations, you will not hear back about an audition unless you have a callback, are on hold, or are booked. What performers should never do is opt to follow up with a CD directly. That means no calls, emails, DMs, or any other form of communication. Unless the CD has reached out to you after an audition, follow the casting director etiquette of NOT reaching out to them.
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