Andy
Remember a few years ago when everybody had to switch their headshots from black and white to color?
Why did they do that?
To make things as difficult as possible, that's why.
You know when theatre companies switch Artistic Directors or even cast a new show, and they don't keep your headshot on file so you ALWAYS have to bring a new one, even if you have auditioned for the same company 40 times?
Why is that?
Eric
Well, it's because acting, while a noble profession and worthy of the highest praise, is also a cesspool of the worst people in the world who think they are important.
Andy
Could it be because everyone is just too lazy to go through their files to find the same headshot you have given them over and over again?
Andy
Is it possible that since everyone in ANY position of power in this business has a cell phone that can bring up any picture of you ever taken that they could do just a LITTLE bit of work and find your headshot?
Eric
In this day and age, I'm only assuming that they must exist in the past and the only way to get a headshot to them is mailing it through some kind of wormhole.
Andy
Could it be because the system has no reason to change, because they are in charge?
Eric
Anderson, I believe you are a bit too close to the truth.
Andy
Have you ever heard of an awesome job come up that you would be perfect for? I mean, just the perfect one, but you hear about it from a friend who is an actor at your same agency and not from your agent?
Eric
Yes, this happens a lot. I will hear about people going to auditions for funny big guy roles and I look at them and say "But you are skinny, and a GIRL."
Eric
This is such a depressing state of affairs. First, you have to exist in an old world of admin work just to get an agent. Then you realize that your agent will not work for you, because they seem to care about the people that might make them money.
Eric
Arabian Goggles, brah.
Andy
If you would do that for them, then why won't they send you out for movie roles?
Eric
I'd be so good as a creepy basement dude who kills and eats nubile boys from the local frat house.
Andy
If we are going to be taking 10% off the top, just to read a fax and call a few dudes to go into a room where they have no idea what to expect, have taken off work for the day, and are absolutely wrong for the part, that seems like the least we could do.
Eric
Right? The whole thing is unfair anyway, so why make people buy stamps?
Eric
Nope...but we WILL scan it into our awesome computers so we can search for it later...even though we really won't do that.
But do you have any idea how powerful it makes a person feel to spread out 200 headshots on the floor, match them up in different funny combinations, tape some to the wall, put some in the trash, and walk on the rest, knowing that all those faces in all those headshots are checking their phones every 10 minutes for a call from YOU? It is intoxicating. That is why directors love piles and piles of expensive, earth-wasting paper headshots. And addicts never change.
ReplyDeleteCan you please let me know how to propose a show for Eric & Andy's Theatre Company? I can send it through the snail mail if you want. Or I can come to a meeting with beer.
ReplyDeleteI sent in my info via snail mail to an agency last year. Like Roach said, it took ten minutes to put the packet together and then obviously a couple days to actually get to them. Then I waited a long six weeks or more for a response. When I didn't get one I sent an email inquiring. The response to my email came in 5 minutes stating that I needed to send a self addressed, stamped envelope with my packet because "that is how they respond". Seriously?
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I would like to add that I find companies that ask for more than one H/R at an audition to be greedy.
Good use of Arabian Goggles.
ReplyDelete