6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must Have This Valuable Resource, January 17, 2003
This review is from: Casting Qs: A Collection of Casting Director Interviews (Paperback)
How do you start off a review when you just want to quote every word from the book; to share it with every performer out there...
Whether you're just starting out, or you're a seasoned pro: you simply must have this valuable resource – especially if you want to land that role for your next audition. In fact, you would be best to have Casting Qs long beforehand. It may just help make the difference to earning that desired audition.
Packed, cover to cover, by in-depth interviews with over 70 prominent Casting Directors, Casting Qs takes you right inside the guarded domain of the brilliant, unsung people we, as actors, depend upon yet most often fear. We want to meet them, but our nerves quiver with every audition: the pressures build, knowing that to screw up now may mean never getting a second chance.
Schmoozing, gimmicks, pretentious friendliness and egotistical confidence: these are the things that will kill your chances rather than gaining access to repeated auditions. Casting Directors have seen it all, and they don't like games. So, what do they like? What's the key to grabbing their attention? Professionalism!
The interviews are all directly spoken in the words of each Casting Director, rather than just a compilation of random thoughts. This lends an incredible, and very personal feeling of sitting in the room and hearing them offering their thoughts and advice -- live and in person.
We sit in on very private secrets – likes and dislikes, keys to winning the attentions of both the CDs and the Directors... and, most importantly, how NOT to make an absolute fool of yourself by destroying your chances for more audition calls.
What immediately becomes impressive about Casting Qs is the wonderful variety of specialists interviewed. There's an absolute abundance of information including solid insight to theatre, voice work and jingles, young performers, reality show casting, host casting, soaps, series, films, Indies, etc etc etc – In other words, Bonnie Gillespie has included the full gambit in this amazing volume. Whatever territory of performing you're hoping to work in, you'll find Casting Directors candidly detailing the inner workings of the industry.
One of the greatest accomplishments of Casting Qs is the absolute respect brought forward to the incredible people who grant us the opportunities to be seen. You quickly realize that these aren't flash-in-the-pan egotistical power-hungry terrors – Rather, they are people, like any other, who have spent years learning their trade, training and climbing up with each successive challenge.
Most of all, the Casting Director is not the enemy – They're the performer's biggest fan and supporter. Almost all openly admit the greatest reward of their career is when they can help a performer to get the role.
Though focussed primarily on U.S. based Casting Director interviews (Bonnie has already asked that we Canucks put together our wish list of Canadian based Casting Director interviews), you'll quickly find yourself relating the U.S. names to the personalities and habits of our own locals CDs. Even more, take a close look at the bio credits (such as for Shawn Dawson, CSA) and you'll quickly recognize some very familiar productions.
For U.S. performers; I can honestly state it would be pure folly not to have Casting Qs on your shelf. Bonnie has laid out all the specific information you need to submit and be seen by all the major players – as well as how to best shoot your career in the proverbial foot if you don't following each individual's protocol. If you have an audition coming up, you had better make sure you read the CDs requirements of what they demand for you to be called back again. Without Casting Qs in hand, you'll be walking a fine line blindfolded, and will have nobody to blame but yourself when your career falters.
And Yes, this is a book for we Canadians as well. The key to the industry is learning not just the artistic side (which we performers tend to place all our focus upon), but also the absolute necessity of treating our career choice from a business perspective as well. Casting Qs will provide you incredible insight into the inner workings of our industry.
This isn't a "How To" manual, nor is it a "One Method Fits All" – instead, you'll come away with a true appreciation and understanding in how Casting Directors operate, as well as what leads them to bringing you in on their shortlists for prime roles. You are now armed with the wisdom and intelligence to meet the challenges of your career – to ignore the valuable information deems no excuses: you've only yourself to blame if you fail.
I would seriously recommend every Agent out there insist their Talent read and use Casting Qs – you'll find your bookings so much more frequent.
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