how to get noticed in an ‘open call’

You know the drill. A major film or series is having an 'open call'. 

But today, instead of the pre-pandemic open calls where you line up around the block to be considered, it’s virtual and via self-tape.

Instructions are given, you send in a self-tape, then nothing, nada. No closure, no fan fare. Not even the chance to walk away from the crowd still waiting to go in. Just an empty room after hitting send...another audition in a vacuum.

How do you matter? How can you stand out? 

Is it even worth your time doing it? I mean, imagine how many others are applying and sending in tapes...why even bother?

Because, YOU MIGHT GET THE JOB.

After 30+ years as a film/tv casting director I've seen it happen many times.

Here’s one:

In 1997, I was working at a casting office in Los Angeles, and was in charge of finding a kid who could ride horses, lasso, and act, for a large role in The Horse Whisperer.

Back in those days a nationwide search meant boots on the ground in many cities and VHS tapes, and we had hundreds of them. One day, I answered the phone and it was a kind mom who said she hadn’t heard anything about her son’s audition in nearly a year. I assured her we were going through all of the tapes but if she wanted to send a new one since so much time had passed, I’d be sure to look at it. (Aside: a rewrite of the film took about a year, hence the casting process was delayed quite a bit.) Sure enough, a new tape arrived addressed to me the following week, and I took it into my boss, Gretchen's office. We watched it, it was incredible, and immediately called Bob, the director. We sent him the tape, and the rest is history. Ty Hillman was cast. Why? Because all of the below tips were used.

Here’s what will help you stand out:

1. Follow all instructions (where to send it, how to label it, what to say in your slate) exactly as requested

2. Be yourself - really. Open calls exist because the traditional casting avenues are not garnering exactly what one is looking for. Many times a unique non-actor feel is desired, so don’t try to be an actor, be your authentic self.

3. If there is a scene, understand what it is really about and what your character is trying to communicate. You don’t have to play that emotion at all, you just need to know what the through line is. Acting is ‘being’.

4. Make sure when you say the lines, it sounds like how you speak in real life, conversational.

5. Ritualize the audition. Treat it as if you were going to meet and audition in person.
   •Prepare before you walk into your self-taping area. 
   •Record the scene no more than 3 times.
   •Choose 1 take that is the most natural and that feels like you. 
   •Push send, do a celebratory dance, and forget about it. Really, move on to something else because you’ve just done your work. The job (for now) is complete.

6. Be proud of trying, putting yourself out there. It’s worth it just knowing that you’ve shared your talent, your craft, your skills with others. We are all connected after all, and I promise you that the time you took is appreciated.

7. BONUS: If there is a special skill needed, communicate your qualifications but also your enthusiasm or love of the sport/skill/talent. Honest passion connects you to the viewer. It also relaxes you into your authentic self. You know, when you get someone to start talking about something they love or an exciting trip they just took, they light up and share easily. This happens on tape too. 

Yes, you can do this. Go for it!