By Aislinn Ní Uallacháin
www.castingireland.ie
I love working at [Casting] Ireland. I’ve been here almost two years now – how time flies! Having started out as an Extra myself and then working as a professional Actor and Model for ten years, I always admire and respect people who do any kind of performance work. I’ve been chatting to and thinking a lot about Extras this week, so here are a few tips on how to increase your chances of being selected for projects.
1. Ensure your details are up to date.
If you’re a member of a Casting Website where you can log in and update your own photos and information, make sure you do this regularly. When a request comes in for a woman in her 30’s with blonde hair for example, the Casting Team will search the database for someone fitting that description. If you’ve dyed your hair blonde in recent months and nobody knows, you won’t receive an Availability Check. So make sure you keep things current!
2. Use a clear photo with a simple background.
Avoid black and white headshots. And ensure your images don’t have any filters. Avoid eye-catching accessories or those that might obscure your face, such as hats or sunglasses. Try to avoid pictures that feature other people, have been taken from a distance, or that use strange angles. All that’s required is a simple photo, demonstrating how you look on a normal day. You don’t need expensive, professional headshots. Phones work wonders!
3. Be honest.
Don’t be ashamed of looking different or older than you used to! Embrace the way you look now. Be honest with Casting Teams. If you are booked for a job, arrive to set, and you don’t look like your photo, you may no longer be used for the shoot. Make sure your current photo represents how you look now. We want to see the real you! You’re fabulous just as you are.
4. Try to respond quickly.
Extras are often the final piece of the puzzle when it comes to organising a shoot. It’s not because you’re unimportant, it’s because everything else needs to be in place before you can arrive. The Director, Wardrobe and Make-up Departments, Locations, and Crew all need to be organised so that a shoot day goes smoothly. They need to know what scenes they’re shooting and how they’re going to be shot, which takes a huge amount of preparation. As a result, you will often be asked if you’re available at short notice. Production needs to get the extras booked quickly, so the faster you respond to our Availability Checks, the better your odds of being selected.
5. Present your best self.
We recommend Talent based on what the client is looking for, who is available, and who we think they’ll enjoy having on set. Clients choose us because we communicate directly with our Talent Pool and get to know them – you’re not just a number on a website. It’s our pleasure to recommend people who respond quickly, are friendly and polite, who we know will be on time, and who are reliable. We want production companies to have the most talented and kind people on set, so be sure and let those parts of yourself shine through.
Hopefully, these tips have been helpful! Next time, I’ll be giving some tips surround set etiquette. What tips do you have for Extras from your own experience?
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If you’re in need of Cast for your next Production, get in touch. We’d love to help. Simply email info@castingireland.ie or call us on (01) 634 3112.
