The 40th annual Atlanta Film Festival was a huge success, highlighting the best and the brightest of Atlanta’s thriving film scene in 10 days of creative conferences, film premieres, and fun.
On April 6, actor Carrie Anne Hunt moderated “A Working Actor: What It Takes,” a panel for performers based in the Southeast. On hand were casting professionals Adam Hochfeld (Central Casting Atlanta), Cheryl Louden-Kubin (Atlanta Casting, LLC, “True Memoirs of an International Assassin”), Rhavynn Drummer (Tyler Perry Studios), and Jen Kelley (Big Picture Casting, “Vengeance: A Love Story” starring Nicolas Cage).
Here are five points from the panel that all working actors should keep in mind.
Make yourself stand out.
Drummer said, “We have unique opportunities where locals have had heavy recurring roles or have become series regulars. But those actors were ready, having done so much work before then. It takes years of dedication and training and theater. Every working actor I know of is someone who has put in so much work to get to that point that when the opportunity comes you are ready.”
Kelley agreed, stating, “There is so much work you can be doing on your own to fill your day to try and move yourself forward. Don’t sit back and wait for other people to give you the opportunities. Grad films and indie films are a great way to get tape and credit and set experience. I always recommend grad film: they have to get it done to get their grade. It’s a good way to sink your teeth into larger roles. When you are starting out, you are not going to get those opportunities for those lead roles. It’s a way to practice your craft. Read and learn. When you do get those opportunities, put in the work before your audition, memorize your lines, and research the role.”
Louden-Kubin suggested, “If you have a camera, put yourself on it. That’s something you can do at home by yourself! That way you learn how to deal with a camera and you learn what looks right.”
Present your best self.
Kelley stressed the importance of good sound, decent lighting, and proper framing when it comes to self-taping. She also recommended having a great reader (but not one who is better than you!) and to follow instructions. Actors should get their self-tapes in on time and label specifically according to the instructions provided.
Louden-Kubin also advised actors to strictly follow directions. “Have a backstory, but don’t go overboard,” she added, bringing up an example George Clooney gave on “Inside the Actors Studio.”
“Clooney said on one of his first gigs he was a pizza delivery guy with one line. The backstory was his dad is an alcoholic and he had to sell pizza to pay for bills and told the director all about it. The director said, ‘Don’t do that, George. Just read the line.’ ”
Drummer emphasized that your job is not to book but to be remembered. “We do a lot of co-star, under-five-type roles and a lot of actors treat it as such. They don’t take the time to put in the work. If it’s a cop, what’s his background? Is your character a veteran cop, a rookie cop? What’s his experience in his neighborhood? That’s the kind of work that will give you a memorable audition.”
Be aware of your social media presence.
Since Drummer works for Tyler Perry Studios, a family-friendly studio, she stated that inappropriate content on any of an actor’s social media platforms could prevent him or her from booking a job.
Kelley recently completed two projects, one with Ron Howard’s company, that required researching social media influencers. It’s a trend that’s not going anywhere, she said.
Work with what you’re given in an audition.
Kelley said actors make the mistake of turning their two-line audition into a monologue. “That’s not the kind of thing you want to be remembered for. The director wants to see the material they have for you work. So stick to it as much as you can. For me the one- or two-line roles are some of the hardest to cast and watch and pick. For example, your line is only, ‘Can I get you another water?’ You don’t have a lot to work with. The mistake self-tapers make is they rush the moment. Set up the environment. It’s not like we’re creating ‘Ben Hur’ out of a two-line environment. Approach the person, see them, ask the question—make a choice about how your day is going and who your character is.”
Inspired by this post? Check out our Atlanta audition listings!
