What Do You Submit To Casting Directors?

The question that I'm going to answer today is, what do you submit to casting directors when you’re casting for a project? Do you need to follow the guidelines specifically or should you show them more materials, so that they really are sold on you?

Now, this is a tough one for me because I don't want to get into a rant space and get on my soapbox. I have cast a lot in the past and produced a lot in the past and I’ve been a media trainer and a coach for a really long time. We think as talent, that the more we give, the more they're going to see how wonderful we are. But really what you're telling casting and producers, is that you don't know how to follow instructions. If they ask you for a bio of one to two paragraphs and you send them seven paragraphs because you really want to sell them on you, you're just frustrating them. They want the two best paragraphs, if they ask for two pictures, they didn't want five, they wanted two. And if they wanted a reel, they didn't want to see a clip from everything you've ever done.

I can't emphasize this enough, especially in this age of technology, we don't have the attention span for it, and we don't have the time.

Give us exactly what we want. Give casting exactly what they want, and you're going to have a better chance of getting that job!

For more on the main areas of what to submit to casting directors, check out the all-new book, "The Ultimate On-Camera Guidebook" by Jacquie Jordan and Shannon O'Dowd.

Shannon O’Dowd is an on-camera host, commercial spokesperson, & media training/on-camera instructor. Shannon has been working on both sides of the camera for well over a decade. I eat, sleep, and breath on-camera training and coaching. I literally wrote the book on how to prepare and embellish your on-camera performance. Finding talent managers and eventually, agents means focusing on building out your resume, headshots, and sizzle reel. Having on-camera training can get you ready for the audition. I go above and beyond for my clients and teach up and coming professionals and established talent all over the Los Angeles area. Reach out! I want to continue to build a thriving community of entertainers.