2nd Post in #GoodToKnow series
YASSSSS!!! You had your callback and it felt Good! You were in the zone, reactions from the Director and Agency were positive, everyone was smiling and you had a little pep in your step when you left the room! You Know you did a great job because you Got Put on Hold!! Congratulations! But the big question is always…what happens now?? And when the heck can you breathe again?!
Knowing how it all works may help to settle your nerves a wee bit.
First a little background. While the callbacks are happening the director/agency are taking notes. They are deciding in real time who is a No and who is a Maybe. At the end of the session they will have a stack of choices - often with notes attached ie: “loved the energy”, “great smile!”, “would he shave?”, “maybe try for husband role as well?”. These notes will usually be made directly on your headsheet (or copy of your headsheet) and will help to remind them of what you looked like and what was special about you.
There is usually more than one spot per commercial project. There is a very clear vision of how the actors in each spot should look and ‘be’. There is a wish list for the age, ethnicity, energy level, and acting ability as well as any skills required. The team will then pull from the maybe piles and build a selection of who they think is the best actor for each spot. Usually labeled something like 1st Choice, 2nd Choice, 3rd Choice, Backup. The callback auditions are reviewed multiple times before choosing. There is a lot of mixing and matching! They may be trying to build a family and need to find a mom,dad and kids that look like they could actually be a 'real family'. They could also be putting together a believable couple, office workers with interesting cross demographics, or actors with special skills that meet the requirements for a specific spot. It is tough going! Everyone will have their favorites and will fight for them – but the fit has to be just right and everyone has to agree.
YASSSSS!!! You had your callback and it felt Good! You were in the zone, reactions from the Director and Agency were positive, everyone was smiling and you had a little pep in your step when you left the room! You Know you did a great job because you Got Put on Hold!! Congratulations! But the big question is always…what happens now?? And when the heck can you breathe again?!
Knowing how it all works may help to settle your nerves a wee bit.
First a little background. While the callbacks are happening the director/agency are taking notes. They are deciding in real time who is a No and who is a Maybe. At the end of the session they will have a stack of choices - often with notes attached ie: “loved the energy”, “great smile!”, “would he shave?”, “maybe try for husband role as well?”. These notes will usually be made directly on your headsheet (or copy of your headsheet) and will help to remind them of what you looked like and what was special about you.
There is usually more than one spot per commercial project. There is a very clear vision of how the actors in each spot should look and ‘be’. There is a wish list for the age, ethnicity, energy level, and acting ability as well as any skills required. The team will then pull from the maybe piles and build a selection of who they think is the best actor for each spot. Usually labeled something like 1st Choice, 2nd Choice, 3rd Choice, Backup. The callback auditions are reviewed multiple times before choosing. There is a lot of mixing and matching! They may be trying to build a family and need to find a mom,dad and kids that look like they could actually be a 'real family'. They could also be putting together a believable couple, office workers with interesting cross demographics, or actors with special skills that meet the requirements for a specific spot. It is tough going! Everyone will have their favorites and will fight for them – but the fit has to be just right and everyone has to agree.