Open Casting Call Tips

Tips for Open Casting Calls?

On your resume include information in this order:
Name, Address, Phone, Email... have some spaces, then your sex, date of birth, height, weight, hair color, eye color (say this preface before each one).... have some spaces, then list your experience from the most recent. INCLUDE EVERYTHING! State the play or job, where it was at and the character you were or the role you had. Last, state your education including any training, also from most recent. Make sure you include the year next to each item! That's all that should be on your resume

For your head shot, it does not matter if it is B&W or color, if I were you I would bring both and let them have what they want. Print your resume on the back side of your head shot. Your head shot needs to be professionally taken or at least by a VERY nice camera and printed on high quality paper.

As for tips: look your best! Dress appropriate for the job, if you know the part, try to look like yourself, but at the character. Don't act nervous, be as confident as you can. Also, be very down to earth. Try to be yourself... as corny as that sounds. Be the best you! And last, get there early! If the audition is at 2, they will start at 1:50, so you should arrive by 1:30.

Break a leg!

Do you need a resume for an open casting call?

Of course! I think you should always bring a resume and your headshot to a open casting call even if you never had experience before in acting . It doesn't hurt to seem professional. Resumes are needed for actors because the director will need to know certain things about you for the role like your eye color, hair color, height and weight to see if you match the descriptions they are looking for and if they like you see what they can change about you with makeup and other costume needs

@ Erin: How is my comment not true? From MY experience, directors need something to hold in their hands for when its time to cast the part. If you don't bring the resume and no picture its almost like you never auditioned at all. Don't get me wrong there are situations where inexperienced actors with no resume or headshot have auditioned for an open call and STILL got the part, but those situations are rare and it depends on what the director was looking for. Hypothetically speaking You run a 95% chance of not getting the part just because of that and 5% chance of getting it just for being different . How else will you get contacted without a resume? They need to know your name and telephone number to call and say and how much experience you have to see how much direction they need to give you and how much work this actress can do on her own. "Hey, Congrats! You got the role". As I said before, that's from my experience. It's not a mandatory requirement for open call, but if you want to look professional and want them to even consider wasting their time on you then bring a resume. Not having one is ok too, but its a chance. As long as the actor is confident and believes in their talent that should make all the difference.

What do you bring to open casting call for extras?

If it's a union film shoot (especially in Southern Cali): 1. Headshot 2. Resume 3. Dress business casual 4. Patience...these things are like cattle calls. 5. A copy of your drivers license and social security number 6. No expectations

They select background characters like criminal courts choose jurors...somewhat judiciously but usually without a lot of criteria. Just don't be a bug when you're there. Be ready to answer questions. Be brief, polite, and professional. If they do interview you then find a connection between you and the casting director through small talk...see if you can find out who the casting director is and do a little research before going in. It's easy to do this...but it cost a little money. You have to subscribe to local production postings where they will often post the names of key people working on projects.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

How early should i arrive to a general open casting call?

Being early is being on time if your on time your basically late..Just kidding but yeah since you don't have a estimate of what time you will arrive at the destination I will say leave at that time. It's ALWAYS better to be early than late. If you get there TOO early just wait in your car for a couple minutes. But overall, if you KNOW that you have to drive far always think about the traffic. TOO early will be at least a hour earlier than what the time they give you.

What to expect at a casting call for extras?

Extra work isn't considered acting experience, it's more like being moving scenery or a human prop. So, you don't need a monologue or anything. They care more that you look like whatever the director wants to create the atmosphere for the scene they're filming. So it's not really an audition and so there's no need for any acting experience.

Basically you show up with a picture and they have you fill out some paperwork. That's it. You'll be there with a ton of people, waiting in line. But right now all they're doing is collecting pictures and paperwork. You probably won't even find out that day if you made the first cut or not. You MIGHT be able to increase your chances of getting picked if you know what scene they want extras for and dress appropriately. Are they looking for business men? college kids? tourists? etc.

If you do make it, you'll probably get a call on pretty short notice (maybe even the night before or the day of) and let you know when to show up. There's a very good chance that you won't even see Robert Downey Jr. at all. He may not be in the scene, or they will film his part later. And if you do see him, do not approach him, do not talk to him, do not take his picture. (I'm sure they'll tell you all this if you get it.) He's there to work, not to meet fans. And you should be there to work not to try to meet stars. This is a job. If you do get in, get ready for a long day of "hurry up and wait". After the initial "wow, I'm in a movie" feeling wears off, it's boring and repetitive. But it is an interesting experience.

Good luck.

What can I expect at an open casting call for extras?

Hi, Jordan.

Since I assisted in the LA call, I can provide you with the specifics. ;D

So you go to the place either wearing your "trendy executive types" wardrobe, or bringing it with you FULLY PRESSED, ON HANGERS. Getting there early will be better than getting there "on time" or towards the end of the casting call time. VERY EARLY would be best, like at ~least~ an hour.

Bring a PEN, portable chair, UMBRELLA, water, snacks, maybe a book (altho you'll probably end up spending all your time in line, yapping with the people around you).

There SHOULD BE more info on what to bring, like your ID. If you have a VALID passport, that would be best, but whatever kind of ID you have otherwise should be okay.

When you get to the place, you'll get in line. To make things go quicker, a casting assistant may come out with the papers you need to fill out. So if you have a clipboard or piece of cardboard you could bring to write on, that would be helpful.

When it looks like you're getting close to the front of the line, take your wardrobe to the bathroom & change. Then get back in your place in line.

When you get to the front of the line, a casting person will write your name on a piece of paper. You'll be given a confidentiality form & info on how you will be contacted, how YOU should contact casting, etc. You'll be taken to wherever the photo is being taken. You'll stand in front of a white backdrop, hold your piece of paper up, have your pic taken, you'll drop your paper, you'll have another or two pics taken, AND THAT WILL BE IT.

Then you get to go on your merry way & really, really, REALLY hope that you get at least a few days work on the flick.

What to wear to an Open Call for N.A.M?

Similar to what you would wear to church I guess. Something classy and professional. Heres a sample outfit below:

http://www.ae.com/web/browse/product.jsp...

http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?cat...

http://www.forever21.com/product.asp?cat...

Or if you dont want to wear a button down you can always get a cute shirt like this one:

http://www4.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?GrpTyp=PRD&ItemID=1afcc98&DeptID=71275&CatID=71285&SO=0&Ne=5+29+3+596+1031+8+23+591+586+18+904+833+949&shopperType=G&N=4294953552&Nao=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=71275|71285

.....and just wear a jacket over it. Sleeveless stuff is generally not appropriate for "job interview" type dress. Instead of the skirt you could also wear dressy black pants and heels.

Good luck!!