Confessions of a Casting Director

by Jen Rudin

  JEN’S LAST WORD ON NEW YORK CITY

  Broadway does not come ringing your doorbell in Kentucky. You have to put on your comfortable city walking shoes and pound the pavement to get there. The city is your playground to pursue your dreams.

  Los Angeles: You Need to Have a Plan

  When I moved to L.A. in 2002, my dear friend Lori Schneide Shapiro offered to pick me up from LAX and take me to my temporary house right near the Disney lot. When I arrived at baggage claim, I was a disheveled mess: clutching duffel bags, a lunch box, two ten-pound weights, my childhood stuffed animal Boubi (the same one who’d played Sandy in my fifth-grade production of Annie), and way too many carry-on bags. Lori took in my chaos, then gave me wise advice that I now impart to you: “Welcome to L.A. From this moment forward, you need to have a plan.”

  Finding Representation in L.A.

  The first step in your plan is to sort out representation. If you’re thinking of going out to L.A. for pilot season or to simply test the waters, you need to line up your team of representatives. The whole point of going to L.A. is to actually get in the door to meet casting directors, and you can’t get in the door without a good agent or manager to open those doors for you.

  If you’ve already been working with an agent in New York, meet with them in person. Tell them you’re considering spending time in L.A. Open up a dialogue to get their opinion. Perhaps they can recommend an agent for you to call or casting directors to meet. Some agencies have offices in both New York and Los Angeles, and the New York agent can introduce you to their L.A. colleagues. If your agency isn’t bicoastal, ask if they share clients with an L.A. agency. This is a great option and the agents involved can figure out a commission spilt. I’m all about inclusivity. If you include your New York agent as part of the L.A. conversation, they’ll appreciate it and advise you wisely. You certainly don’t want to drop your current agent in a delusional fantasy that a big agency like CAA* will sign you when you step off the plane.

  If your current agent doesn’t work with any agents in L.A., consider a preliminary trip to L.A. to meet with some agents. Actors Connection and Talent Ventures Inc. have locations in L.A. so you can network with agents and managers out there. I suggest that you take your preliminary trip in the summer, when agents have more time for meetings. Of course, there’s always a catch-22. An agent may not want to take a meeting if you aren’t available immediately to start auditioning. Every agent will have a different opinion. Get the agent plan sorted out a few months prior to arriving. Then go out in January for pilot season with your teams in place.

  Finding a Place to Live in L.A.

  You get more for your money in terms of apartments in L.A., especially if you choose to live in the valley (Studio City, Burbank, Valley Village) instead of the more expensive real estate near the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica and Venice. “Many apartment complexes in the valley are very affordable and even come with a pool,” says Stefanie Kahn, a Realtor with Bill Toth & Associates. Kahn suggests asking a parent to cosign your lease if you don’t have good credit. Some challenges that are unique to L.A. apartments: parking spaces may be limited or not included with an apartment. There’s more street parking in the valley neighborhoods than congested Hollywood or the more expensive Westside. Kahn cautions to tread carefully when sizing up potential roommates in L.A. “When interviewing potential roommates, try your best to pick a good one. You want to make sure your home life is stable. There’s enough drama out there in the business. Actors should live in a peaceful, supportive environment. Save the drama for the stage!”

  Your Car Is Your Mobile Office

  When I moved to L.A., I was more afraid to drive than I was to start my new job at Disney. Over the years, I became a more experienced driver. While New Yorkers depend on public transportation every day, there are many parts of L.A. that the metro and bus systems just don’t reach. If you don’t drive, L.A. will definitely be a challenge.

  Rent or lease a car that gets great mileage. If it’s an option, choose one with a sunroof so you can get some air and see the sky when you’re stuck in traffic. Your car is essentially your mobile office. You will be in this car for hours every day, driving to numerous auditions all over town.

  Your Trunk

  In New York, your purse or bag acts like a portable trunk that you carry our around with you all day. You’ll need to find a good structured bag that’s also somewhat stylish. One of the benefits of L.A. is that you can leave all your stuff in your car and just go to your meeting. So take advantage of your trunk. It’s cleaner, classier, and more civilized to show up with just your car keys, cell phone, and audition sides then it is to haul your literal baggage into the audition room.

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  How to Stay Zen in Your Car

  When I moved to L.A., Lori gave me her Thomas Guide, a spiral-bound street atlas. Frequently lost, I’d pull over, thumb through the Thomas Guide, and try to find what street I was on. Life is easier now that we’ve entered the twenty-first century and the GPS was invented. When I asked Lori for some current tips, she said: “I suggest plugging all of your appointments into your GPS before you start driving. If you are privileged to have a car with Bluetooth, make sure that the car and the contact numbers/GPS addresses are connected and up and running before you back out of your driveway. Don’t forget a caddy placed in your backseat, and easy to reach, filled with water, snacks, and tissues. Finally, use your time on the road wisely. Find some podcasts or audiobooks you like to listen to, invest in satellite radio for your car, or keep your iTunes on shuffle if you just need to relax with some feel-good music.”

  And though many people text and read e-mails when stopped at a red light, don’t. Practice safe and cautious driving skills.

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  Traffic: Meandering Your Way Through the Land of L.A.

  When you look at a map, you’ll see that L.A. is very spread out. There’s the San Fernando Valley, which feels like a regular suburb. The valley is a great place to rent a house. You’ll feel more at home and not like you’re in a huge city. NBC, ABC, Universal Studios, Warner Bros., and Disney are all located in Burbank, also in the valley. When you leave the valley to drive “over the hill,” you are in Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Then as you head west toward the ocean, you drive through the neighborhoods of Century City (20th Century Fox lot), Culver City (Sony lot), Westwood, Brentwood, and finally Santa Monica, Venice, and Malibu, set right next to the glorious Pacific Ocean. My friend Lori has lived in the Santa Monica area for twenty years and always says: “Why live in the valley when you can drive twenty minutes to paradise?”

  Studio lots and casting offices are spread out all over L.A. It’s impossible to attempt more than two or three meetings or auditions a day unless they are all in one area. I always warn people to manage their expectations. And to leave two hours ahead of your scheduled audition time to give yourself time to handle traffic and parking, especially if you have to travel from one end of the city to the other. It’s hard to believe this until you spend any time in L.A. But after one day you will be shocked at the number of cars on the freeways at any given hour. It can sometimes take two hours to get from Venice to Hollywood. If you spend enough time in L.A, you’ll soon discover shortcuts. Patience is not only a virtue but also a much-needed survival skill.

  Everyone in L.A. thinks they’re an expert on the traffic patterns. I actually think sometimes that it’s easier to drive from New York to Philadelphia or another nearby city than it is to get around L.A. in a reasonable amount of time!

  Parking in L.A.

  When you get an audition appointment, always ask where you are supposed to park. In L.A., you need a “drive-on” to get through security at most major studios. Your name will be at security. They’ll ask for identification, then advise you where to park. If you are parking on a studio lot, allow extra time, as you will often be directed to the guest area, which can be many levels down in the parking garage. If you are told to find street parking, allow y
ourself extra time to find a spot. Read all parking signs, as many neighborhoods in L.A. require special parking permits. I’ve gotten one too many tickets for parking without a permit.

  Plan to arrive promptly for any audition or meeting. Anything can happen on the road—accidents, lane reductions, overturned vehicles. Better to arrive early and sit in your car in the parking garage then stress out over traffic that you can’t control.

  * * *

  Take Fountain

  Johnny Carson once asked Bette Davis for advice on the best way a starlet could get into Hollywood. Ms. Davis replied without hesitation, “Take Fountain!” (Fountain Avenue runs east to west through Hollywood, paralleling busy Sunset and Santa Monica Boulevards.)

  * * *

  Sushi Power Lunches

  When I first moved to L.A., WME Entertainment agent Tim Curtis invited me to lunch. Since we New Yorkers are notorious for eating lunch at our desks, the lunch concept was totally foreign to me. On the day of our lunch date, I left my office in Burbank at noon, and drove to Hollywood for our 1 P.M. lunch. By the time we finished and the valet guy brought me my car, it was 2:20. I was back at my desk in Burbank at 3:00. It seemed like a huge time sink in the middle of the workday, but my colleagues assured me I’d get used to lunch. And I certainly did.

  Producer Beau Flynn once told me, “When you share a meal with someone in L.A., you can do business with them for the rest of your career. Some people will become friends, and others will remain professional colleagues.” Angelenos in show business love to lunch almost as much as they love to complain about the traffic. During my five years in L.A., I indulged in so much mouthwatering sushi that my mercury levels rose. Though I now must refrain from my sushi lunches, I still believe sharing a meal is one of the best ways to network in any business.

  Human Contact in L.A.

  In New York City, human contact is thrust upon you the moment you leave your apartment and step outside. We hustle and push onto packed subway cars, fighting every moment for personal space. L.A. is the complete opposite. You have to create your human contact. You can’t just pound the pavement and knock on a casting director’s door the way you can in New York City.

  L.A. can often feel very lonely. It’s important to have other interests and hobbies besides your acting aspirations. Perspective and balance are essential!

  * * *

  Holiday Weather

  One can easily get seduced by L.A.’s sunny, warm weather, open blue skies, and stunning views of palm trees, ocean, and mountains. My friend the legendary director Peter Bogdanovich put it perfectly: “It’s holiday weather, but no one’s on holiday.”

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  How Long to Stay in L.A.?

  If you’re shooting a film or a series, then you’ll relocate to L.A. for a set amount of time. If you’re giving pilot season a try, everyone’s experience will be different. How long you decide to stay in L.A. will depend on your finances, your personal life, and if you’re going on any auditions. I’m all for giving L.A. a try, but only when you are ready in all ways. It’s not an easy place to navigate if you’re floundering around aimlessly. You may wake up one morning and realize that a few months have gone by, all the freeways look alike, and everyone you meet wants to pitch you their screenplay. Be clear about your goals and manage your expectations. I know many actors who have relocated full time, others who are bicoastal, and some who will only show up for a specific job.

  JEN’S LAST WORD ON LOS ANGELES

  •Arrange your agent meetings in advance of moving to L.A.

  •Become familiar with the layout of L.A. Study maps and do research.

  •Get a car with a GPS system and Bluetooth.

  •Use a broker or helpful sites like www.westsiderentals.com or www.craigslist.org to find apartments and shares.

  •Allow plenty of time to get to meetings and appointments.

  •Create a portable office in your car.

  •Schedule only a few meetings per day. Unless you’re flying in a helicopter, you will quickly realize how long it can take to drive just a few miles.

  •Seek out community: join a book club, hiking club, yoga center, or pottery class. It’s hard to make friends, so it can’t hurt to find an activity that you already enjoy doing and meet new friends that way.

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  CHAPTER TWELVE

  * * *

  YOU GOT THE JOB! NOW WHAT?

  W hen I was a child actor and didn’t get the part, my manager would usually call, especially if I’d gotten to the final round. “They’re going a different way. Someone shorter, thinner, older.” Or: “They didn’t respond. It’s not going any farther. You didn’t get it.” So imagine my shock and surprise when she’d call with the magic words: “You’re hired! You booked the role! You’re getting an offer! You got the part!” In ten seconds, all my years of hard work and talent were validated, immediately erasing the shadows of rejection poking out from beneath my sunny disposition.

  After the initial excitement came the reality: details about contracts, shoot dates, and rehearsal schedules. The audition phase was over. I got the part. Now what?

  Contracts and Unions

  Productions work under different union contracts depending on the budget and scale of the film, TV show, or musical/play. When you get an offer for a role, your agent or the producer will go over the terms. Usually the type of contract is listed in the casting breakdown (SAG low budget, SAG scale, AEA LORT contract, etc.) so you should familiarize yourself with the pay scale before you audition. Arming yourself with as much knowledge as possible will save any embarrassment and surprise down the line when it comes to dates and pay rate.

  Go to www.sagaftra.org or www.actorsequity.org to read about the various types of contracts offered. If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, pick up the phone and call the union. You must continue to be smart and proactive, especially now that you’ve gotten hired for an acting job.

  When Should an Actor Join the Union?

  Actors often ask me whether or not they should join a union. The answer really depends on how much work you are booking. To join Actors Equity or SAG-AFTRA, there are initial union dues that can be hefty to a struggling actor. To join Actors Equity, you must pay a $1,100 initiation fee, which can be paid for over a two-year period. Basic dues at the time of this publication are $118 per year, split into two payments of $59. SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and AFTRA (American Federation of Television and Radio Actors) recently merged to form one union (SAG-AFTRA), and you can visit www.sagaftra.org to read about their membership and dues policies. If you work a certain number of hours and earn a certain amount, you can also qualify for pension and health insurance. Again, check union websites for the most current information.

  I am a huge fan of unions and a proud member of the casting directors union. Remember that unions protect their workers!

  Nonunion Acting Jobs

  In today’s market, more and more production and advertising agencies opt to hire actors for nonunion jobs. This means that the contracts and working conditions are not covered under any union contract, which saves the production money. They don’t have to pay pension, health, overtime, or residuals to the actors. In these cases, the production company will likely pay actors a certain flat fee, stipend, or buyout rate for the shoot dates.

  If you are going accept a nonunion job, ask as many questions as you can and make sure you’re getting answers. Here are some questions to keep in mind:

  •What do I need to do in order to get paid? Do I need to fill out a W9 and/or additional paperwork?

  •What hours will I be expected to work?

  •Do I bring my own clothing, or will I have a costume fitting with the wardrobe department?

  You should also request a deal memo, which will detail the role, shoot dates, and performance details. Get as much as you can in writing! This will protect you later on if you need to track down payments or invoice the production company.

  Earning Money


  When I got my first paycheck for an acting job, my father photocopied the check, and he continued to do so over the years. Those check stubs are still in a scrapbook. They represent validation, employment, and satisfaction. If you’re working with an agent or manager, the check will be mailed to their office. They’ll take their proper commission (10 or 15 percent), and then cut you a new check. If you receive a check directly, it’s your responsibility to pay your agent or manager (or both) their proper commission. Remember, your agent or manager spent a lot of time working for you before they earned a penny. Their commission is valuable to them. It doesn’t matter if it’s $60 or $6,000.

  Always Act Like a Professional On Set

  Now that you’ve got the job, you have to show up on time, organized, and ready to work. My father always reminds me to “Keep a good name.” Since all you have is your name and reputation, remember that show business is a small world. Reference phone calls and e-mails are easy to make to colleagues. I’m never afraid to call a former employer and check in to see if there were any issues with an actor (or their parents) on the set or backstage. If you misbehave or do something unprofessional, trust me, someone will notice, and this can cost you a future job down the line. I want to hire the best actor for the role, but I also want to hire a professional one. Don’t be stupid. Showing up late, intoxicated or hungover from the night before, or with a bad attitude is not the way to start your acting career. If you don’t act like a professional, someone else is always ready and waiting in the wings to jump in and take your part.