Audition Advice - Mickie Paskal and Jennifer Rudnicke

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The absolute most frustrating thing to see as a casting director is an actor who shows up to an audition without their sides—especially a film audition. Showing up without your sides tells us you’re not prepared and you’re about to waste our time. At heart, it’s a form of actor self-sabotage that we do understand—the mindset being that if I don’t do my best and I don’t get the role, at least I know it’s because I didn’t do my best. Unfortunately, that’s a mindset that will never help you. As a casting director, we have an enormous challenge for every project: we need to find actors who can make the roles in the story come to life. As an actor, you’re coming in to audition because the casting director believes in you, believes from seeing you in a play or from looking at your resume that you can potentially solve their problem. As an actor, that’s an important thing to remember. You’re there because someone thinks you can play that role in an interesting, original way.

In regards to bribes, our office loves Starbucks cards and iTunes cards. Make a note, people!

Mickie and Jennifer are partners in Paskal, Rudnicke Casting. They are currently deep in casting for the Michael Mann/Johnny Depp project, Public Enemy.