So you want to be in pictures?
BY SUSAN LaHOUD SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Tuesday, February 3, 2009 2:17 AM EST
Fiona Oztan of Brooklyn, N.Y., holds her casting number in the Quiznos 'Go Hollywood, Baby!' casting call in 2005 in New York. (AP file photo)
NORTH ATTLEBORO - Anne Mulhall recalls working with a producer with a very thick Irish accent as he was interviewing an actor trying out for a role. The actor started speaking with an Irish accent, too.
"He was Lucky Charms-ing him," said Mulhall.
Needless to say, the actor didn't get the part. "He had blown it," said Mulhall, indicating it was an obvious blunder by any prospective candidate. Not so obvious, though, is what it may take to land a role in movies, commercials or other acting jobs.
That's where Mulhall, owner of LDI (Let's Do It) Casting in Providence, R.I., can help. She spoke recently to a group of aspiring actors and others during the first of three winter guest lectures at the downtown SOTP (Speed Of Thought Players) Playhouse and Cafe. The lectures are being sponsored by the North Attleboro Cultural Council.
"Prepping, prepping, prepping," Mulhall emphasized to her audience, reciting the mantra for any actor hoping to land a part.
Mulhall's casting credits include the films "Something About Mary" and "27 Dresses," and the Showtime television series "The Brotherhood." She provides local talent for extras, along with local productions and commercials, including those for Cardi's Furniture.
Mulhall has been in the business since 2001, previously working in community theater with stints in production for Mad TV, VIBE Television and several pilots for DreamWorks.
She said her qualifications for the job consisted of being "intuitive" and able to match people with their needs.
But one of the tips she gives people going for a role is not to obsess about questions like "what does he want, what does he need" when it comes to answering a casting call.
"I think the actor's job is to definitely bring something to the table" and to be flexible, Mulhall said.
People preparing to read for a part should rehearse it two to three different ways before they go before a producer or director. Practice delivering the lines while sitting, standing up, and at a table, she suggested.
Mulhall often has an actor read for her, offering advice like, 'Can you do it a little sadder?'"
It gives the actor some preparation and confidence in case a producer wants him or her to do it a little differently.
People who have been in theater are generally more prepared than those who, for example, read strictly from the script for commercials because they are likely to be better at thinking on their feet, Mulhall said.
"If you're not willing to be flexible, if they feel one little bit that you'll freeze up, you've lost the role."
Mulhall noted that one aspiring actor she called back for a role in turn called her back "about 70 times" with questions ranging from what he should wear to what approach they were looking for.
"Time is money," she said of the industry. Producers and directors are not going to put up with a ton of questions.
"I have to inform the producer and directors what kind of person you are."
Mulhall also stressed the following advice:
Always be on time. That can be a deciding factor.
Always bring a head shot and resume to an audition, even if your representative sent one in ahead of time.
And don't fret once you've left an audition. "If you have not been told to leave the scene or 'that's enough,' you're doing well," Mulhall said.
"Once it's over, there's nothing you can do," she said, adding that not getting a part may not be a reflection on the actor. They simply might not have been the right type for the role.
The economy and the state's cap on tax credits have led to a slow down in the film industry's interest in Rhode Island, but there are still opportunities out there, Mulhall said.
Along with adult actors, she casts children and dogs. In the movie "Underdog," for example, there were quite a few children and Mulhall called the local Animal Rescue League to find dogs. A principal actor in the film actually ended up adopting a Rescue League dog and made contributions to the organization as well.
Many times, Mulhall said, directors and producers "like children to be real, not so polished - like 'Children of the Corn' freakish."
In response to a question from the audience, Mulhall said she never tells an aspiring actor why he or she did not get a part, nor do directors.
She said the film industry is the only one that technically can tell a person "you're too tall, you're too fat..." because the job is defined by the role in the script.
Even if you have no acting experience, it doesn't mean you can't get a part in a film. There are any number of student films "dying for people to work free," Mulhall said.
"You do free stuff until you don't do free stuff," she said. "You just don't want it to cost you."
SUSAN LaHOUD can be reached at 508-236-0398 or at
slahoud@thesunchronicle.com.
