Episode 122: Interview w/ CD Mary Egan-Callahan
How does a casting director get hired?
By reputation. Selling themselves and working with them and getting rehired.
How does the process work?
Ad agency hires the director
They will send scripts, usage, when it’s shooting, the boards, and conflicts, character breakdowns.
CD sends them out to agents-- to their favorite agents (about 10).
Agents send a list with pictures and CDs send back a list of who they want to see/ self-tape.
CDs send the auditions to the ad agency and the director.
Ad agency and directors send back a list of callbacks.
The client decides who gets the role.
Commercials are 50% unions 50% nonunion
Qualities of actors you love to have in the room:
- Show up on time
- Have other lives outside of acting
- Put the work in to get to know you as well
Mistakes actors make in callbacks: They go into the callback putting too much pressure on themselves.
“You don’t go in asking for the job, you go in the room doing the job.”
Go in knowing you got the callback so you’re right for the job.
Advice for beginner actors:
- Get in class!
- From a reputable person
- Come in prepared
- Google any class. Knowledge is power
Self tapes are here to stay and every actor needs a good self tape setup.
