Attention actors who are heading into audition rooms: Casting directors Alexa L. Fogel and Marc Hirschfeld have some advice for you.
The professionals sat down at ATX Television Festival to discuss their process — along with two actors they’ve cast in projects (Fogel put Dominique Fishback in Show Me a Hero and The Deuce, while Hirschfeld put Taylor Dearden in Sweet/Vicious) — and shared their dos and don’ts for actors who are coming in to read for them.
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The dos: Hirschfeld says brevity is a plus. Go in, read, then “get out gracefully and quickly so we can talk about you!”
Fogel says to treat the audition room as you would a stranger’s house where you’re invited for a party. “Be polite, don’t be overly familiar, do your job then leave,” she says.
When self-taping, make sure your face is visible, and try to get someone else to read with you. “It’s really just about the work,” says Fogel.
The don’ts: Hirschfeld says don’t bring in props, and make sure your outfit is both appropriate and not distracting. Every time you adjust your top, it distracts from your work. If you don’t know how to pronounce a word, Google it.
Most of all, both Hirschfeld and Fogel agree, use common sense. Says Fogel, “it’s really just about the work.”
