THE RISE AND RISE OF THE SELF-TEST
Actor Aaron Tsindos interviews McGregor Casting’s Daisy Hicks about how casting was affected by COVID-19 and the dos and donts of self-testing.
How did you get your start in casting?
I started as an office assistant at i4 Casting and worked my way up through becoming a Casting Assistant, then a Casting Associate and then a Casting Director. I fell in love with casting and decided that it’s what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I threw myself into it and worked hard, and spent seven years at i4, then moved over to McGregor Casting in the middle of the pandemic. Hashtag blessed.
How was the casting world affected by COVID-19?
Hugely. Productions got shut down and no one was working. For about two months, I didn’t do anything. There was a lot of uncertainty for a while but, in my opinion, it’s changed for the better. Because we’re not back in studio yet, we get to see more actors.
We’re doing everything online and on self-tapes, which actually gives us the opportunity to see more people, including some we might not have met before.
How did you navigate the change and what processes did you put in place?
A lot of self-tapes. We have an online wardrobe form, then we do self-tape guides for our TV commercials, so that’s Stevie [McGregor Casting’s Senior Casting Director] or me recording ourselves saying hi to the actors and explaining how we want them to film what they’ve got to do. Which, for the most part, actors seem to appreciate. It also helps us because we might think of an actor who is perfect for a role and then the self-tape they do misses the mark. We find that with the self-tape guides, they know exactly what we need them to do, how to do it and how to upload and send it to us.
What’s the usual series of steps, from when you get a job to when it’s cast?
It’s different for each project but we bid on the job. For a TV commercial, we usually help the production company out by providing a quote, telling them how much we think the actors should be paid based on what the release is, what media it’s being used in, how long it’s being used for — all the stuff that happens with advertising. We talk about the roles, the character, the project and then, once we get the green light, it’s all about briefing it out, finding the actors and constantly having conversations with creatives. Then we cast it! We do the auditions, the callbacks, for commercials we knock up a deal memo, then hand it over to production and that’s our job done.
Is most casting now done by self tapes? Do you still get people in?
We’re not seeing anyone at the moment because of COVID. Occasionally, callbacks are in person, but it’s different for every casting company.
I do miss being in the room with actors.
You understand how to work with people when they’re there in front of you, how to communicate with them and then give notes in a specific way that’s suitable to them and their personality.
Can self-tapes be as memorable as in-person auditions?
Absolutely! We still keep all of them — we don’t just delete them at the end of a casting.
Some callbacks are through Zoom or Skype. What would be your recommendations to help prepare for that?
Test your internet connection, even if you have to Zoom with a friend half an hour before your audition. There’s nothing worse than getting your lighting and sound perfect, then all of a sudden realising that, even though you look and sound amazing, we’re losing every five seconds of you because your internet connection is awful. It’s pretty easy to tether your phone to get a more stable connection. Make sure you’ve ironed your shirt and your background’s clear and Mum’s not vacuuming upstairs. Ideally, have a plain background — a blank wall is fine.
How important is it to have balanced lighting?
Very.
The main thing is to see you clearly. The second thing would be to hear you clearly and the third would be to not have anything distracting in the background.
What can you use if you don’t have professional lighting?
Natural light is always great. But if it’s midnight, you’ve just checked your emails and your agent has sent you something, lamps are fine and you can use a white bed sheet to diffuse the light. I would recommend investing in good lighting equipment if you can. You don’t need to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars ꟷ you can buy pretty cheap ring lights from, I think, Kmart for around 20 bucks. You can also find them online. Make sure it’s an even tone and there’s not a light with a blue tone on one side and a yellow lamp on the other.
Do you need an amazing camera or is an iPhone/Android good enough?
You can definitely do it on your phone. If you want to invest in a camera, then sure, but I find it leads to people sending me 700 megabyte self-tapes. Whatever smartphone you have is fine. If you’re recording on your phone, shoot in landscape.
I’m still baffled over how people are shooting in portrait mode. How many TVC’s, Films or TV shows do you see in that kind of ratio?! Put your phone on its side….please!
What are you looking for in a slate and what are some of the DOs and DON’Ts?
A slate should be like you’re meeting the director and the producer for the first time. It should just be friendly and not over the top. A lot of people think they need to inject personality into their slates, while with other people you can tell they hate doing them and that’s fine — we hate having to get you to do them because they’re awkward and uncomfortable, but they’re not for us, they’re for our clients. These people don’t know you, it’s about them meeting you for the first time, so keep it simple — don’t act like you hate us and don’t want to be there. Give us and the client a reason to want to get to know you. Always include a long shot. Always be honest. Don’t try and be funny or quirky — just be yourself.
Sometimes briefs are confusing and there can be miscommunication between actors and agents. What are some good ways to ensure that you give the most accurate audition possible?
If I wasn’t given a self-tape guide and I read the brief a thousand times and looked at the script a thousand times, I’d do something like — say, it was a KFC commercial ꟷ go and watch a bunch of recent KFC commercials because there’s a pretty good likelihood it’s gonna fall into the same campaign that is out at the moment. Look at what the vibe is in those commercials and maybe take an idea from that. You can look at the Director’s previous work and that could give you an indication of what style they might be looking for in your performance. The glaringly obvious answer is to clearly write out any questions to your agent and then get them to ask the Casting Director. Help us understand specifically what it is that you’re not getting.
Are there any policies in place if someone cast gets sick and the shoot’s postponed?
There are a bunch of protocols in place. We are still looking at casting COVID backups and those people are paid a fee to be on standby. Often, everybody rocks up to set and the lead actor is temperature-tested. If it’s high, they immediately get sent home, and the backup person’s called to duty. They also have COVID testing and isolation before shoots. There are plenty of protocols in place to keep everyone safe.
What are some tips for actors who are at home, with time on their hands?
Put your CV on Casting Networks. Update your headshots. There’s nothing worse than trying to pitch an actor who hasn’t updated their CV since 2008 or since they graduated drama school.
Because so many breaks are being cast with self-types, are you seeing more actors for roles?
Yeah, lots more. I tend to overbook, to be honest, but it’s good because I want to find new people. That’s what I love about my job, that’s why I do it.
How do you make sure actors of different sexes, looks and backgrounds are being seen and represented?
When we put casts together, we end up being really proud because there’s such a massive pool of actors we can choose from. Whether they be multicultural or gender-diverse or ability-diverse, we just end up casting a really awesome group of people. We’re open to seeing actors who are right for the role, not because of their sex or ethnicity or if they have a disability, but because they’re the best person for the job.
What production did you cast that you’re most proud of?
Ooh, it’s so hard to answer that question! I would say it’s The Dismissal for Squabbalogic. I was proud of that because I didn’t have a script to cast a show from, so that was one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever had as a Casting Director. Also, trying to pitch actors I really wanted to bat for but having nothing to back up the reason, other than the fact that I thought they were talented and would work well with each other. I’m also proud of Bump, a series I worked on with Kirsty [McGregor] recently for Stan. We went out to the Latin American community in Sydney and found all these folks, some of them had never acted before. There are some great young performers in the show who are all so exciting! There’s a great short film called Way Out Assistance I worked on with Bus Stop Films Directed by Stef Smith. I got to cast that graduating year group in it and we had beautiful Kate Box on board too. It was a real labour of love for everyone involved. But with all of that said, I’m proud of every project I’ve worked on! I could list every single one of them and why I’m proud of them, but who has the time?!
A proud member of the Casting Guild of Australia, Daisy’s credits as a Casting Director span film, TV, theatre and musical theatre along with many, many television commercials and music videos. Daisy is among the Casting Directors who participate in the Equity Foundation’s Self Test Project.
Aaron Tsindos is an actor/filmmaker, who has been living and working in Sydney for the past 10 years.
The Equity Foundation is committed to equipping all actors with the resources needed to self-test anywhere, any time, with confidence.
The Self Test Studios in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland are designed for Equity members to record a self test in a professional environment. Equity members can make an online booking to use the studios free of charge. Studios re-open in January.
The monthly Self Test Project emulates a self-test request with a quick turnaround or last minute call out. This is a chance to practice your self test audition and technical skills then receive personalised feedback from a top casting director. The Self Test Project resumes in February.
The Self-Testing Essentials Video runs you through the most important basics including how to set up your equipment, lighting, sound, editing, uploading and the major dos and don’ts.
