What casting directors want to see

Sending your CV to casting directors can be pretty much like sending it off into a black hole. Once it’s gone it’s gone. That can be frustrating and cause constant ruminating for many actors. Today we’re going to explore what casting directors want to see to stop you going round and round in circles with the questions/worries below (and maybe some others too).

Did they receive my CV?

Did they even look at it?

Was it good enough?

Has it ended up in the bin?

Maybe they’ve kept it on file? 

Will they ever call me in?

When should I next send it?

If I send another will they think I’m harrassing them?

Should I even bother sending another?

It can be very frustrating when you hear nothing. A tiny speck of feedback would be great, but as we know casting directors are very busy and there are literally thousands of actors, if they spent all their time giving feedback they’d never be casting anything. Whilst we need to execute a little patience and keep plugging away, there are certain things you can do to tweak your CV to avoid it ending up in the bin the next time you do the rounds.

What casting directors want to see

You may have heard me speak about the know, like and trust factor on previous blogs. Well it has never been as prevalent as it is now. If you’re not sure what that is, it is an unspoken recommendation or testimonial (in a nutshell). When we know and like someone we are more likely to want to work with them over someone we don’t know as it’s a safe bet, it’s familiar. We can trust that this person will deliver and to a very good standard. Whilst lots of casting directors do actively try and push through new talent, they also have a reputation to uphold and will very much be interested in you if there is some familiarity.

What are they looking for?

Something they recognise on your CV – the familiarity.

• A full time/part time drama school you have trained/are training at
• A production company you have worked with
• A director you have worked with
• a unique skill that piques their interest (if relevant for the project they are casting)
• A production they are familiar with

What can you, the actor, do?

You need to make sure your CV SELLS you. This is so important because if it doesn’t you’re in big trouble. You’re not only an actor but a brand, a sales person, a business, your own CEO and your CV can be one of the first things a casting director sees. As Casting directors only skim read them due to time constraints their eyes are on the look out for something they know (like and trust).

How will you shake up your CV? If you don’t have much or anything on there that will pique a casting director’s interest, make it a priority to be finding work that will, so you are more likely to get your foot in the door!

 

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