Can You Directly Reach Out to Film/TV Casting Directors?
By The Up-To-Date Actor, June 20, 2022
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The life of an actor requires continuously putting yourself out there to gain visibility and recognition. To get cast in a production, it used to be par for the course for actors to send general submissions to casting directors via mass mailers with their headshots, resumes, and cover letters enclosed. Casting directors and agents would then sift through the mail, select the actors they were interested in, and invite them to perform as a means of getting to know this new talent.
The “general submission†practice has since fallen by the wayside, especially in New York City and Los Angeles, and has been replaced with the rising success of paid networking seminars. While this was the norm for a while, the pandemic uprooted things once again, making it all the more important to understand how to navigate the nuances of “Specific General Submission,†as well as proper etiquette for crafting a cover letter, whether to mail or email a submission and how to follow up with casting directors at networking events.
Specific General Submission for Actors*
While the “general submission†as we once knew it is now antiquated, the Up-To-Date Actor has a reimagined concept known as the “Specific General Submission.†Rather than casting a wide net and sending your information amidst a large pool of other talent, get specific. Do your research so you have a solid understanding of which casting directors are working on projects in production and what/who they might be looking for. That said, submit when you are right for the total project, not necessarily one particular role. Your skills, including language, sports, dancing abilities, and more, as well as your demographics and life experience may correlate to the specifics of the project as a whole. Be open to whatever role comes from it. The main thing you are responsible for is introducing yourself to the right people. If you are right for the project, it is your job to introduce your talent. From there, the casting director will make their decision.
Crafting the Email Submission / Cover Letter
These days, more and more agencies have adopted a remote-working approach. Your best bet is to email your submission cover note and only mail in hard copy materials if you are certain that the casting directors are in the office. The Casting Director submission cover letter/note should follow a simple format. In the opening paragraph, explain why you are a perfect fit for the world of the show and why the casting director needs to know about you. What language skills do you have? Do you dance? Do you play sports? What is your ethnicity? What are your demographics? What specific life experiences do you have that could help you stand out from the rest of the competition?
Most General Film/TV Submission project cover letters will also include your unique type (how you are most often cast), and who recommended you (if you have a referral). Make sure to include links to recent work, reels, training, who you are currently or have previously worked with/studied with, reviews, and other relevant information that will put you on the casting director’s radar. Also include links to your marketing materials, including your headshots, resume, online profiles (Actors Access & Casting Networks), website, and recent self-tape audition samples. Close with a brief line about how you are confident in your future success and look forward to hearing from the casting director.
As for the subject line, this is critical for getting your email opened in the first place! If you are already recognizable in the industry, putting your name in the subject line could help. If not, it’s best to use creative words to highlight your unique talent.
For example: CREED III Casting /35-45's SAG/Bilingual/Athletic/Boxer/Gritty/Sensual/Sassy
At the very end, create a professional signature including your name, phone number, headshot, website links, IMDB link, and representation contact information.
Mailed Submissions Vs. Emailed Submissions
It used to be standard to mail submissions and cover letters, but these days everything is digital. In the post-pandemic era in which we live, COVID has made it even more important to adhere to a contactless system. Respect this and email rather than mail in your materials.
Follow Up at Networking Events
The old saying, “It’s not what you know but who you know,†rings true here. Yes, actors must have veritable talent and skill, but they must also know how to make the right connections. It is not enough to send in your specific general submission to casting companies – you also have to make an effort to follow up and meet them in person at networking events. Mark up your calendar with events where casting directors are either confirmed or likely to show up and make it a point to connect with them there. With the Up-To-Date Actor, you can receive notifications of upcoming networking events for specific casting directors on your target list to simplify the entire process. No more guessing when and where you can meet a casting director at a networking event. The Up-To-Date Actor combines the schedules of the major bi-coastal networking companies.
Gain access to the latest casting calls, auditions, and networking events when you sign up with Up-To-Date Actor today!
* The Up-To-Date Actor is not a submission service. We do not post breakdowns or specific submission requests. Our list of projects now casting is for information only.