By Robyn Holdaway
Before you contact a Casting Director, ask yourself the following questions:
Why am I contacting them?
What do I want to achieve?
What do I have to offer them?
You only get one chance to make a first impression; so it is important that any contact you send is clear, concise and professional.
Why am I contacting them?
Are you contacting them in regards to a specific role? Are you contacting to introduce yourself? Are you asking for advice? Make sure you are clear in your mind about your reason for getting in touch.
What do I want to achieve?
What are you expecting to happen as a result of your email? Do you want them to call you in for an audition? Do you want a reply? Do you want them to keep your CV on file? Once you know your goal, you can make it clear within the contact.
What do I have to offer them?
Casting Directors get a great deal of correspondence in a day, and if you are asking them for something (a role, a meeting etc) consider what you can offer them.
- Do you have a showreel you can share?
- Or headshots?
- Are you appearing in a show they could watch?
The industry is built on people making connections with others that they wish to work with - if you turn up empty handed, it won’t make a great impression.
Once you have these answers, it’s time to research.
Look at the Casting Director you wish to contact:
- What do they cast?
- Are they known for big Hollywood films, or for independent TV pilots?
- Have they cast anything that you have seen and could speak well of?
- Even better, have you worked with an actor they have cast who could give you a recommendation?
Next thing to research is how the Casting Director wants to be contacted (if at all). Many Casting Directors have websites with their contact information - be sure to follow it. If they have an online form, or ask for emails, do not send them something in the post and vice versa. If a Casting Director does not have their contact information accessible online, it often means that they do not wish for unsolicited contact. It can be worth contacting your agent/manager for their opinion if there is a specific person that you wish to contact, but be prepared to be told no.
Now you should have:
- Why you are contacting them (your reason)
- What you want to achieve (your goal)
- What you have to offer them (your offer)
- Information on the Casting Director
- The knowledge of how to contact them
Now it’s time to talk about the contact itself. While you may have different reasons/goals/offers when contacting a Casting Director, some tips always remain valid:
Keep it short. No one has time to read an essay detailing your greatest achievements and how much you loved the last film they cast. Introduce yourself, make your points and move on.
Be polite and professional. Casting Directors are human and there is no need to treat them like untouchable gods, but it is vital to remain professional. Think about how you might email your boss at work - great spelling/grammar, full sentences and probably no emojis.
Keep any attached files small. Don’t send a massive headshot that downloads the moment you send your email - if you want to send a headshot, resize it until it is small.
Check your links. If linking to a CV/Website/Showreel make sure the link works and doesn’t require any further authentication/ provide all necessary passwords.
Include your preferred contact details. If you want to be contacted directly, include your email/number etc, or make sure you have provided details for your agent/manager.
Don’t expect a reply straight away, or at all. Once you send your email/letter/etc, try to forget about it. You may get a reply, however it is more likely that a Casting Director has seen your email and hopefully added you to their list of actors. Casting Directors are very busy people and do not have time to reply to every email they receive, but it is their job to remember actors - so if your contact was good, then you will be remembered.
Do not contact them on social media unless specifically asked to, especially if it is a personal page. Doing so can be rude and invasive. It is fine to reply to posts where appropriate, but direct messages are rarely well received.
Here is an example of a less than ideal email.
Dear Casting Director,
Hello, how are you? Hope you’re doing well and not going too mad with the current world. My name is Joan Smith, I am twenty eight years old and I am a really big fan of your work. I loved your casting on Big Film and think that I would be good in Big Film Two. I have always loved acting, since I started as a child in my school plays. Growing up I had many positive reviews of my work from both teachers and friends, which led me to study drama and to become an actor. When I was 21 I graduated from Drama School with high marks and started making work with my friends. I play flute and guitar, I also love to dance and stage combat. I have not worked recently, but I have appeared as a guest star in Big TV Show. My Spotlight is here: SPOTLIGHT LINK, my showreel is here: YOUTUBE LINK , I hope you like it. It means so much to me that you have read my email.
Thanks!
Joan.
This email isn’t terrible; it includes links, it’s personal and gets some points across. However it could be much better.
Dear Casting Director,
I hope this email finds you well. My name is Joan Smith, I am a graduate of Drama School, and I wanted to contact you as I would love to be considered for any future roles you are casting that I may be suitable for. I really enjoyed your work on Big Film, especially the diverse nature of the actors involved.
I am a grade eight flutist and have trained for many years in ballet, jazz and contemporary dance. My most recent work was guest starring in Big TV Show.
My Spotlight is here: SPOTLIGHT LINK,
My Showreel is here: YOUTUBE LINK
If you wish to contact me, please email my agent Bob at Bob@agent.com
Thank you for taking the time to read my email, have a lovely day,
Joan Smith
Actor
SPOTLIGHT LINK
Contact Email
This email is much clearer and easier to read.
The intention of the email is stated straight away,
You never need to state your actual age; Casting Directors will make up their own mind about how old you appear.
There is a personal touch in mentioning their work, with a specific compliment that makes the email less generic and more memorable.
The links are separate from the main body of the email, making them easy to read and click on.
While it might feel good to talk about how you became an actor, it adds unnecessary fluff and is something that a Casting Director has probably heard before.
It is normal for actors not to work for a while, but you don’t need to say it. Mention your most recent/most impressive role and leave it at that. Make sure you send a link/copy of your CV/Spotlight so they can look you up if necessary.
If you are talking about your skills, make sure to mention any salient qualifications - specificity is really helpful in making you stand out. If you would not feel comfortable performing a skill professionally, do not list it.
Make sure you put your contact information
An email signature is a great and simple tool to make your email more professional and accessible. Include any important links, contact details, pronouns etc. You can even put a miniature version of your headshot here.
Once you have your email ready to send, consider the time of day. Emailing someone in the middle of the night/outside of working hours is not advisable - Casting Directors have normal lives too! Before you send your email, check it for any spelling/grammar errors (it can be helpful to send it to a friend if you aren’t confident). Send it and then let it go. Do not expect a reply, and do not send further follow up emails (unless you have reason to suspect your first email didn’t send correctly). If you wish to contact the same Casting Director again, wait at least six months and make sure you have something new to offer (new headshots, new showreel etc).
Robyn Holdaway is a nonbinary actor with a passion for creating diverse and engaging work that explores the boundaries of the human condition. Most commonly found on Twitter @Robynholdaway, or Instagram.
Robyn was also a guest of The 98% podcast where they spoke about their experience of being a non binary actor. You can find it here on the website under ‘Listen’ (It’s Series 2 Episode 6) Or you can find it on Spotify here https://open.spotify.com/episode/1qDiwzqw5tagqgOF4P5dJL?si=zjJuFqhJR2CGlyKYC0JwUA