During the last few weeks, I’ve overheard some folks misusing terminology, so I thought I would offer an informal glossary for all to reference.
agent: an individual who, through contractual agreement, is empowered to act on behalf of another such as an actor, singer, dancer, writer or other talent, and who coordinates auditions, call backs and meetings with casting directors, producers and production companies, serving as a representative on the part of the individual signed to the contract. The agent often collects a percentage of the earnings of the individuals whom they represent.
casting director: the person responsible for identifying and selecting actors, singers, dancers or others for roles in a film, play, television show, commercial, or other production. S/he is typically hired by a producer and/or production company to conduct auditions of talented individuals and suggest or appoint people for those roles to be filled.
casting agency: a company, often a collection of individuals, that specializes in identifying people with specific talents in various fields, including … Read more »
As a witness to the state of the economy these past three years, I feel confident saying the American unemployed now understand what it is to be a performing artist. I hear from friends who are responsible for hiring at various companies that for every position they list on a job board or employment web site, they receive hundreds, if not thousands, of submissions during the first 24 hours, many of which come from people who are “highly overqualified” for the role. More importantly, they say it is nearly impossible to objectively review and assess every application for employment and its associated materials. For those who have made application, I’m certain they are constantly wondering, “How can I set myself apart? How can I get my foot in the door? How can I get the job?” I am also certain they find it spirit-crushing to repeatedly receive no response confirming their application, and never receive a request to interview, much less a job offer.
This, too, … Read more »
 One of my favorite motivational quotations is known by many and comes from American transcendentalist author and poet Henry David Thoreau. It reads:
“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost;
that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”
What I find inspiring about these words is the inherent notion that dreams and goals need not remain ethereal things, but that their existences can be affirmed by making concerted efforts and taking practical steps towards realizing them. These past few months, I’ve been taking time to evaluate where I am currently in my career, where I would like to be, what I would like to be doing and, more broadly, who I am as an individual and who I would like to become. I’ve been engaging in a few activities as I move through this liminal phase to help define and achieve the required foundations:
I am somewhat of a nonconformist. At the same time I am a rule-abiding traditionalist, believing rules are in place to provide structure, consistency, regularity and safety. This past Sunday, my good friend (and fabulous tenor) Julius gave me a kick in the pants.
“What I want to know is why you aren’t auditioning more. For singing, I mean.” he stated directly.
I reminded him of the various negative experiences and comments I’ve received from a variety of voice auditions, indicating that I find acting auditions to be much more open-minded and less judgmental affairs.
“It shouldn’t matter what I wear or what I do in these auditions,” I protested. ”I’m there to sing and they should only be considering my singing. I’ll wear whatever they tell me to wear when they hire me!” I think adhering to the well-known but unpublished parameters of classical music auditions (e.g., wearing a dress or skirt when singing “female roles”; wearing a skirt or dress when auditioning because I … Read more »
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