How to do Profiles for On-Camera Castings & Auditions.
This weekend I attended a casting for the new ‘EE’ Commercial starring Kevin Bacon with one of the biggest commercial casting directors on the planet, in this casting held in Central London for this very good job which promises a large payday but even more than that very large exposure I was pleased we was amongst some of the other leading UK casting agencies based in London and the UK also attending the casting.
Profiles are normally required so that those doing the casting can get a clear look at the side views of the actor. Most casting or auditions especially those with dialogue are done facing the camera but in many commercials like I attended today, actors move sideways or are working or speaking in profile. So, the creatives need to see if actors have: round shoulders, a large or small chest, a belly, a receding chin, a big nose, tattoos, long or short hair, etc.
If actors have any body issues that can be perceived as a distraction in the commercial, doing profiles will reveal them to those doing the casting. Profiles can determine how you are perceived so it is essential to perform them correctly.
The slate is usually done in a close-up or medium camera close-up then the camera zooms out as the actor does their profiles. Simple enough, right? It should be, but many rookies don’t always really understand what is needed and the correct technique, and I have also seen way too many professionals do it incorrectly. Doing profiles unprofessionally can make you look like an amateur. Why would those doing the casting even bother to take the time to watch the audition work of an actor who can’t even do simple profiles correctly.
Here are some mistakes actors often make when doing profiles which I saw today.
1. Turning of the head and not the body. This is technically a ‘profile' but is not what is needed at commercial auditions.
2. Turning ones head and body only to a 45-degree angle. This doesn’t give the casting director what they needed to see, they need to see your full body in profile. You need to be at a 90-degree angle to the camera.
3. Turning your head and body past the 90 degree angle.
4. Being cute, turning too fast or slow, fidgeting, looking angry, confused, bored, or with an attitude. This makes the actor look like an amateur and I saw this on a handful of occasions today.
To do a good profile, these are the instructions of which I urge you to practice before attending a casting.
1. Be relaxed with a positive and confident energy.
2. Turn your body and head to the right at a 90-degree angle, stand for a second, face the camera, and then turn to the left at a 90 degree angle, hold for a second then turn toward camera and smile.
Note: Although you are relaxed, be sure to stand up straight, shoulders back and tighten your stomach muscles.
Simple is professional. You might be thinking, 'How boring’ Well, it is regimented for an important purpose. Your personality and essence will be present in your ‘slate' and your audition. The ‘profile' just needs to be done simply and professionally then it will send the right message about you.
You probably assume now that you have read this that you understand how to do it and will have no problem with doing your own ‘profiles’ Just to be sure, you should film yourself doing your profiles. If it is not clean, practice a few times and record yourself once again. To see how to do professional profiles and get even more information.
Good luck on your next casting or audition and remember the most important thing is to enjoy the whole process.
Men and Women in the Mix
Originally wrote up on 21st June 2011It wasn’t long ago I started out myself as a man wanting a new direction in life and remembered when I was young that I had also enjoyed the freedom that acting and drama had brought me growing up. I found myself compelled to follow my dreams that had been supressed for years as the need for me to pay bills and have a steady job almost made them disappear completely. I was lucky that a business I had invested all my time and energy in had failed but I now know the reason why. For so many years although I had worked hard my heart simply wasn’t in it. I now know that it’s important to follow your dreams and even if you don’t succeed it’s great to go in the direction of them.
When I first started out I found the TV & Film industry a mine filed. I often found myself sat down with an agent been told how much they can help me only to get to the end of their pitch and found out how much they wanted me to pay them for their services. I have since found out it works the other way round. An actor or Supporting Artist (SA) earns for our agents and agencies and they earn commissions on us for securing you work. You may be reading this and think this is obvious but my desire and drive to succeed and be successful as an actor blinkered everything I had learnt in life. Yeah of course I was new and just entering the world of acting so it was just easier to think OH! That’s the way that things are done in the industry. My first few years were a rollercoaster of highs and lows but I never for one minute thought of giving up. I was committed and on track to live my life as I wanted and you couldn’t stop me if you tried. I found myself in some very strange places and strange hours meeting people I had never met in the hope that this appointment, casting, audition or just a meeting a producer, casting director, investor, etc. would secure me work.
Now for the last couple of years my passion for my own acting slightly subsided and I’ve been running an agency placing supporting artists and actors in to TV & Film which I hadn’t originally set out to do but the path is long and I get far more from doing this than I ever did out of acting myself . I wouldn’t say the acting was a phase as I still love it but I know that what I have chosen to do down is more fulfilling to me as a person and wake up every day knowing I have the ability to make someone’s else’s dream come true.
As a man I have always felt in control of most situations I have been in and never really felt threatened but over the last few months I have been reminded of my early attempts to secure me work as an actor and the extremes I would go to as my motivation for success showed no signs of subsiding. I have many people I call on that are a mentor to me and Its only appropriate knowing I have a close working relationship with our supporting artist and actors that there is a down line to this and I have become a mentor to some of those that work with us and have been with us for some time. This brings me to my point to this note and I would like to explain to you what’s on my mind
Like most of the people I meet day to day we have been incredibly busy this business is not 9-5 and my days/night are spent mostly in front of a computer sending headshots to producers, casting directors, etc. Sending messages to our Supporting Artists with their call times, location, etc, collating all the people that have been on a production so we know who did what and where so they can be credited and production and of course talking with our SA’s about their projects and productions there on. In the last few months though I have been asked to attend some meetings with my actors so slowly I’ve been moving from mentor to agent for them. The reason for this is I’ve become aware of a minority of men out there that seem to get a kick out of preying on young and older women and duping them into liaisons on meetings in the promise of getting them work when as a man I know this is the last thing on their mind. Last week I witnessed first-hand how this works from two of our female actors and was asked to attend to two meetings where there after simply questioning I found that there was no deal, no productions they were working on and nothing in the pipeline or in development. The meetings were obvious to me and that is purely to lure women with their hunger to develop themselves as an actor and to try and achieve success in their chosen profession but for the men it was a chance to meet these women and fill their heads full of spin. Now I know there are people out there In the TV & Film industry that meet every day and whose intentions are honourable and that’s fine but there are some simple rules you can follow to protect yourself and although common sense I feel compelled to remind you.
- Always tell someone where you’re going and who you are meeting
- If you can take someone with you
- Try and found out as much about the person you are meeting in regards to what they have done already and how much success it had. Personal websites are easy to create so check press and official film databases.
- Always try and meet at their office’s and not bars and restaurants
- If they approach you on social networking sites then alarm bells should ring so been extra vigilante
- Make sure you understand what is required of you before attending an audition.
Lastly if you have been affected by anyone you can tell the authorities about it and they take this really seriously and I urge you to do this so these people can be stopped from doing it to someone else. Also if you would like to tell me about it I would like to hear your experiences all information will be treated in the confidence but I would like to get an idea of whom and how wide spread this is. Please don’t facebook me as I get far too many messages to read them all but you can email me at johnny@thelynchmobagency.co.uk in the subject put ‘AWARENESS’
I just want to finish by saying don’t give up and keep at it there are limitless possibilities for you and writers, producers are creating all the time and they need you to bring their visions to life
So what's in for me.
Working as a casting director gets me into all sorts of venues and weird and wonderful locations. I look forward to my waking up every day and seeing what wonderful opportunities bring that manifest themselves in the form of an email to me or a phone call or text. We get around 250 - 2000 emails a day at the agency depending on the time of year and how busy we are. At the peak we will usually be opening our doors to new actors, models, extras, dancers, etc. and also casting for a few films simultaneously we do however gear up for that and do take on more staff to collate and database, spread sheet all the new info coming in so we can maximise our time management.
There is nothing I like more that receiving headshots, showreels and viewing people that I’ve haven’t seen before as everyone that comes into contact with us although it may not be straight away but we do try and our upmost to place you in a film or TV production. I like to think you will work with me at least once and see how we do things but more than that I personally like to build up a strong relationship with all our artistes and think of us more of a family that just an agency where I tell you where there’s work.
Just one case that started off as a small acorn was the chance meeting of former Miss Wales Claire-louise Catterall. I cast Claire in a small low budget film called ‘Terror Nation’ which if I remember I and everyone worked on for free. The director was so enthused that I just had to be part of it. You see the thing with work to me is that and this is maybe why I will never be rich financially I don’t have too much of a plan I know I’m lucky enough to be able to make a living from what I do so my mind is open to almost everything thrown at me. I like to think I get drawn to a production or perhaps more important the people behind it more than the financial rewards. Some pitted out and some make it all the way to the wrap party and then it’s when I realised that what fun but more important what relationships we had forged along the way.
I have since cast Claire-louise in another feature film ‘Screwed’ and has just got the green light on a film working alongside John Hannah on ‘Woodland Crossed’ which is in preproduction. It’s through her own determination and strong worth ethic to strive to be a better actress notice I said ‘better and not famous’ she undertook acting classes and networks with other professionals in the business to make sure gets the chance to show the world what burns deep inside her. Some people are not at home when it comes to being them self’s and I’m not saying Claire-louise is one of these people but if you have that feeling that you need to perform then maybe acting is for you. I know of too many people whose personality his too huge and there voice needs to be heard and this is was acting gives you.
Claire-louise Catterall Copyright Nikki Lyons @ Modelworx
So what do I get out of all this? Well I get an over powering sense of satisfaction of helping anyone follow their dreams. I love it when people get back in contact with me and tell me they got an audition or nailed a casting. That’s in its self is reward enough and I would like to thank every single person I’ve ever placed into any one of the 100+ productions I’ve been involved in since I started 3 years ago. I was at a low ebb after losing a business I had tried to keep a float and its all of you and your spirit that got me back on my feet. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t the energy I get from you. I of course love the industry and its full of people from all walks of life with agendas some good some not so good but I go back to what I said before. It’s the people I like in it and that’s my draw.
Johnny Lynch
