Acting Tips: 8 Strategies for Handling the Call-Back Audition

So, you've had your initial audition and now Casting has called your agent to schedule a second look. Congratulations! You've made the first cut in the often complicated process of casting a role. Depending on the size of the project and its budget, there may be 6-50 actors called back for a second look, and there may be multiple rounds of call-backs before all of the people who have to sign off on an actor reach an agreement.

Take it in stride. There are only so many things you can control in auditions. At the call-back, here are a few:

1. Don't change your approach to the scene: There is a temptation at a call-back to make your performance bigger or different. Don't do that! You were called back because Casting liked what they saw in your initial audition....your choices, your look, your personality. Do the scene exactly the same way unless you are asked to do an adjustment (and be mentally ready for that to happen.) If you have an acting coach, by all means have them help you prepare. They will spot any glitches.

2. Wear the exact same outfit:  If you get a lot of auditions it can be hard to remember exactly what you wore to each and how you did your hair and make-up, but your look can be a deciding factor in whether you book the job, especially in commercials. Get in the habit of having someone take a head-to-toe photo of you for each audition. If you get a call-back it will save you a lot of time recreating the look.

3. Who's in the room: At an initial audition you may only have one or two people in the room in addition to any other actors; that would be the Session Director, who may also do the taping, and a reader or camera person. At a call-back, you may see 6-10 people, which may include the producer, the client (if it's a commercial), the project director, the head of Casting, the session director, the camera person, secretarial support, and others. Stay focussed. Unless you are spoken to, ignore everyone except the person doing the directing.

4. Introduce yourself to those in the scene: If there are other actors in the scene or you're responding to a reader, introduce yourself before you start. Doing so will help you mentally create a relationship and be more specific in your reactions to dialogue.

5. Be specific in your actions: If you take some action in a scene, if you pick something up or move from here to there, you'd better know why. Otherwise it's just random shuffling.

6. Can you ask if they'd like you to do the scene slightly different?  Well, yes and no.  If you do your audition and they say "Thank you very much," you're done. They've likely decided you're not right for the part for some reason. Say "thank you" and leave. If they're giving adjustments to the other actors in the scene, however, and it's clear there's going to be another take, it's okay to ask if they'd like you to do the scene a bit differently as well.

7. Keep mum: It can be tempting to tell friends that you're up for a big part, but the best policy is to keep quiet about it. That's obvious advice if you've signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), but even if you haven't limit discussion to those who need to know, your agent and acting coach, for example. Your chances of booking, even after a call back, are still small so it saves you from any embarrassed explanations later about why you didn't get the role. Wait until you've signed the contract and been announced in the trade papers to share the good news.

8. Don't fret over roles you didn't book:  Yeah, I know, we all fret over roles we didn't book. I've been at auditions where several actresses up for the role looked exactly like me and at call-backs where every actress had a decidedly different look. Sometimes the client and casting are narrowing the field and trying to decide who has the right look and the right sound, and sometimes they don't know themselves until they see it. You have absolutely no control over that part of the decision.

Lately I've been working with veteran actor Rob Brownstein at An Actors Space in West Hollywood and his perspective, from more than 30 years in the business, is often invaluable. An actor may only book three out of ten auditions (even call-backs), which doesn't sound like much. But as Rob points out, if you were a baseball player getting on base three out of ten times at bat you'd be considered a baseball superstar!

To continue the metaphor, if you're getting a lot of call-backs, it means you're connecting with the ball, so try not to feel frustrated. It's just a matter of time before you hit one out of the park.

Acting Tips: When to Stay in LA and When to Go

The great thing about acting is you have a lot of free time; the worst thing about acting is you have a lot of free time.  

Ah, but which is when? Because let’s face it, actors still have a life filled with places to go, people to see, things we need to do, and things we want to do. Those who book a lot of roles often can’t wait to get out of town. Actors who haven’t been booking are often afraid to leave lest they miss their big break. 

Winston Churchill once said, “It’s all chance or destiny, and our wayward footsteps are best planted without too much calculation.” Okay, you get it: let go, let God. But don’t forget that there’s another interested party in this equation: your agent. Try selling him/her on “chance or destiny” when they call to tell you they’ve gotten you a big pilot audition for Friday, and that just happens to be the day you’ve booked an early flight out of town. (Whaaattt!!!)

Relax. There is some pattern to this business in Hollywood, even today when projects are casting almost year ‘round. Here are the years' busy times and down times, so you can put your life in order.

Mid-January through March: Busy, busy, busy. Despite all the media focus on films and cable, which cast throughout the year, a huge part of the business is still at the networks, so be on your toes. Most network pilots are cast in late winter through early spring and casting for network episodics, which started back in July, is still underway. Your agent won’t leave town and neither should you! Other opportunities will come up later, but this is the busiest time of the year.  Stay close.

April and May: Take a break. Plan a vacation, plan your wedding, if you’re primarily a film actor take that role in a stage play. There are always commercials being cast and small projects going on, but the pace visibly slows. If you hang around town, you’ll be asking yourself why your agent isn’t calling and why no one loves you.

June: For the most part, it’s still slow. If you’re hoping to pick up a series regular role, know that new pilots going into production make last minute cast changes around now, and existing series sometimes add roles before the new season goes into production in July. If you think you might have a shot at these, it’s best to hang out in town. Otherwise you can let your Alaska cruise drift into June. 

July through November (Thanksgiving): Episodics are casting like crazy and there are still a few network pilots being pitched. Cable shows and films are ongoing. Commercial casting slows during the summer, but picks up again in the fall. Don’t wander far unless there’s an unavoidable personal crisis that you have to deal with. 

But what about summer, you say! Don't I get a vacation? Well, hey, California is where people go in the summer….and you’re already here! Stay flexible, if you can. My husband and I typically stay out in the Santa Clarita Valley during busy times, because we like the hills and my hour and 15-minute drive in is worth it. But summers in the Valley are miserably hot, so July and August we enjoy the sea breezes over on the coast. The beach adds another 15-20 miles to my drive, but since it’s not a daily commute and it’s just for a couple of months, we make it work. 

Wherever you are, see if you can make staying nearby seem like a vacation. Also, I hear from my friends in production that work slows down a bit in August, so that may be a time when you can feel less guilty about moving your base a little farther out.

November (Thanksgiving) through mid-January: The holidays are the slowest time of the year for actors. Commercials are still casting, including some of those Super Bowl wonders, but after Thanksgiving most other productions slow down until everything grinds to a halt completely just before Christmas. Work doesn’t pick up again until the second week in January, so attend those family get-togethers, go skiing, plan a winter vacation, enjoy yourself. 

And that’s it!

Throughout the year, the important thing to remember is to book out with your agent whenever you’re away from LA. You and your agent have to work as a team and you don’t want them blind-sided to find you out of town after they’ve spent hours pitching you for a project. Sure, you can often self-tape auditions or sometimes even fly back to be considered for a particularly lucrative project. But if you consistently show up for the auditions your agent has worked hard to get for you during the busy times, they’ll be understanding when you need to take a break or attend to personal business during slow times. Just let them know.

Acting Tips: Headshots

Tying up a few loose ends before heading to Palm Springs for the weekend and that includes making a final decision on hundreds of headshot proofs. If you're thinking about coming to LA, wait and get new headshots here. It's a very different look casting is after (interesting settings with lots of light)...and, oddly enough, it's often less expensive to get a top photographer in LA than in other parts of the country. Perhaps there is just more competition.

Out here casting often asks for something called "lifestyle" shots, which I can only describe as professional candids. These are often playful and fun, sometimes with you and others in the shot. Even "headshots" are becoming more half-shots so casting can see more of you.

I'd had my photos done in Baltimore before coming out to California and the "dark and dramatic" just wasn't working, so here we go again.

You can find scores of opinions online about what makes a good shot. I think looking straight into the camera with emphasis on the eyes is important. Show a little personality. If you're over 40, be sure the camera lens is at your eye level or just above, and lean slightly forward into the shot. That way you'll avoid looking like you have three chins. I also like lots of light on my face.

A headshot should also hint at the kind of roles in which you are typically cast. I often get senators, attorneys, detectives, business executives, so I want to show that I can play those roles. I also want to show that I'm a nice person who's easy to work with and flexible enough to do commercials that may have a lighter tone.

Decisions, decisions. How do I choose one as my primary shot?  How does one shot convey all that a person is? Smiling? Whimsical? Confidant? Daring? Below are just a few of the "suit" shots. The photographer made it fun.

Besides the "suit jacket" shots, I had four other outfits. Dresses. Slacks. I looked gorgeous! Even sexy! In the end my agents went with this one. Not too dressy. Not too casual. Not too sexy. Not too young. Not my favorite. But as an actor friend recommended, take the photo you like best and tape it to your refrigerator. The agent is the one who has to sell you to casting.

Kathryn Browning 2019

Acting Tips: How to Spot Dangerous Advice

Busy this week sorting through 1,350 new headshot proofs. Whew! More on that later, but I wanted to quickly share this video by Charlie Houpert of Charisma on Command on how to spot dangerous career advice. (I mentioned Charlie in my last post, because I’m a huge fan.)

Anyway, few career paths are more risky than acting, and unless you’re lucky enough to belong to a family of distinguished actors, expect to get bombarded with tons of bad advice and negative opinions about your (lack of) potential for success.

YOU know, however, that you already possess the most important attribute: desire. So if acting is your passion, how do you learn to recognize advice that will make you miserable and find instead advice that will help you advance?

Watch on:

Acting Tips: A Little "Charisma" Can't Hurt

A surprising number of actors in Hollywood (along with 2.3M others) are familiar with the YouTube channel "Charisma on Command," which posts scores of videos on how to improve your people skills and encourage others to like you.  And let's face it, in the entertainment industry, like-ability is a strong suit.

The two co-hosts present some great ideas and illustrate their points with profiles of Hollywood personalities, well-known celebrities, and even characters in popular series, like Game of Thrones.

I'm a fan!

Here's a video they posted on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, one of my good-guy favorites, that shows such an amazing transformation that it's hard to believe he was ever so shy and awkward. Take a look:

The Kominsky Method, a Terrific New Show on Netflix

My brother put me on to this this terrific new show on Netflix.  Oh, rats! I'm traveling! I didn't renew my Netflix account! Renew it, he said. I did. The show is The Kominsky Method, from creator Chuck Lorre and starring Alan Arkin as Norman, a newly widowed Hollywood agent, and Michael Douglas as Sandy Kominsky, a once-famous actor now making his living as an acting coach. Some of the show takes place in Kominsky's acting class and the banter between the two principals is clever and funny. Watch for appearances by Danny DeVito, Ann-Margret, Elliott Gould, and more. Check it out:

Acting Tips: Bryan Cranston on Auditions, Actor Jealousy, and Working

I'm a firm believer in learning something from those who are successful at doing it. ("Those who can, do," as the saying goes.) Actor autobiographies are tremendous resources of information on how an actor achieved success, as are the many bon mots that turn up in actor interviews posted online.

Very often, or so it seems to me, the breakthrough occurred not with some change in technique but with a simple change in the actor's way of thinking, as multiple Emmy-winning actor Bryan Cranston demonstrates in this slyly recorded snippet posted on YouTube.

Going into an audition to "do" a job rather than "get" a job can take a lot of pressure off of your performance and enable you to "let it go" when you finish the audition.

By the way, motivational coach/speaker Evan Carmichael posts the "Top 10 rules for Success" for various actors, which always have some positive takeaway. Here's what he posted for Cranston. It's well worth watching.