Casting Actors Cast

Air Date: 12/21/2023 #290 Perfect Pitch

Of all the tools actors can draw upon when working on playing a role, the voice is possibly the least thought of yet most valuable. Sure, we all remember our vocal training and maybe even our singing lessons as being a core component of our education. But many times this is thought of as foundational and not part of our professional journey quite as much as, say, other tools in our acting arsenal. Of course, if you are a singer, this is not the case. Your voice is your money maker and therefore garners a lot of your attention. What I’m talking about is using the pitch of your voice as a way to accentuate the character choices for an acting role. Perfect pitch on this episode of Casting actors cast!

Air Date: 12/14/2023

#289

Change of Pace

Here’s a question for you; Have you ever had a director or teacher tell you to slow down? Maybe it’s something like, “Watch your pacing” or “don’t rush it”. If you have, you’ve probably been annoyed or frustrated at the note because to you, it was fine. It didn’t need adjustment. Or better still, exactly HOW are you supposed to slow down without it be an exercise in mechanics. A switch you can just click and wham, you’ve slowed down the dialogue. It is such a common request by directors and acting teachers that many actors simply ignore the note because they are not sure how to implement it. We’ll dive into this subject so that turns into a change of pace.

Air Date: 12/7/2023

#288

Right Place, Right Time

“Some people have all the luck”. Is that something you’ve said? I know I have. Even in my young acting career, I was always made aware of how hard it was to, “Make it”. Having the talent is one thing but being in the right place at the right time still seems to be the explanation for having a successful acting career. Sure, we can be fatalistic and assume that “everything happens for a reason”. But do we really believe that? Do we really trust the notion that, “We can only do so much”? Let’s talk. It’s time we analyze being in the right place at the right time. This is the podcast for actors, we call it Casting Actors, Cast.

Air Date: 11/30/2023

#287

Get More Auditions

We’ve talked a ton on this podcast about the many layers of being a successful actor.

Sometimes it’s tips about acting, other times it is about the business of show. We’ve

even covered opportunities that are available for actors that don’t include acting! Today,

it’s time we took a realistic approach for the actor to consider. That is, finding more

auditions. With the actors’ strike now over, there is a feeling that the flood gates will

open and opportunities will explode for everyone. Well, that may or may not be the

case. Better to take a moment and apply a practical sensibility to your acting career and

Get More Auditions. This is Casting Actors Cast!

Air Date: 11/23/2023

#286

Turkey Day

I am not a huge fan of turkey-the bird I mean. I have it at Thanksgiving because it is there. But usually, the rest of the year, I skip having the foul. For actors, the word turkey can be synonymous with an inferior show or failure and started in 1927 as show business slang, probably from the bird's reputation for stupidity. I have had my share of experiences with acting in some turkeys and watching a fair amount of turkeys as I recall. So lets take a moment and reflect on some of our not-so-great experiences so we can see how far we’ve come! Turkey Day, on Casting Actors Cast.

Air Date: 11/16/2023

#285

The Agent Interview

You’ve done it. After months of emails, invitations, and research, you’ve just received a call that the agent you’ve been wanting to work with now wants to meet with you! Congratulations! Oh wait. What exactly does a meeting mean? What do they want to know? What if you say the wrong thing? OMG what should you wear? Here is the opportunity you’ve been looking for now turned into a mosh pit of anxiety. Hang on. Help is on the way. There’s no need to sweat. I’m Jeffrey Dreisbach and I am here to hold your hand and get you through this. Oh yeah! This is Casting Actors Cast. The podcast and video for actors from a casting director.

Air Date: 11/9/2023

#284

Finding the Flaws

I think we can all agree with the following statement, “nobody’s perfect”. As much as we like to think of ourselves in a positive light, there is no denying that we possess qualities that need improvement. Be it anger, jealousy, greed or lust, there is always something we think of as a flaw. Some part of us that we wish we could fix. Being self-aware is a good way to keep our, less than admirable, traits from taking over. Well, the same can be said for the characters you play when you are acting. We’ll investigate finding the flaws on this episode of Casting Actors Cast!

Air Date: 11/2/2023

#283

Actor’s Survival Gear

There’s a lot of stress going on right now. It feels like more than the usual, “Day to Day” issues we are familiar with. What’s going on? Well, there’s much we have no control over; conflicts, social unrest, strikes, you name it. We are in a really bizarre space, I think. One of the few choices I have, when I reflect on the situation, is being clear about what I have control over. What options are immediately available to me? I think of it as a checklist. Things I can do to gear up and be ready for whatever is next. You may find this helpful too. “Actors Survival Gear”. This is Casting Actors Cast, the podcast for actors.

Air Date: 10/26/2023

#282

Improvise and Realize

I was asked to workshop a scripted reality show pilot last week. A sort of send-up on actors in an acting conservatory setting. My job was to help the actors connect and relate to their characters and the other cast members in the project. At first, I wasn’t completely sure how to take on such a task. It needed to look and feel natural for the talent and yet was surrounded by scripted elements. I finally figured it out. A skill that every actor can really use no matter what. We’re going to look at an often under-used technique that can make surprising impacts on your acting. Improvise and realize on this episode of Casting Actors Cast!

Define improvisation: Spontaneous interactions from a character under special circumstances. Unplanned connections and reactions from the character you are playing

Air Date: 10/21/2023 #281 Scents of Humor

How much importance do we really place on using our five senses? Most of us know the value of smell, taste, sight, sound but how much do we rely on those senses with our acting? Better yet, can we use our five senses with our emotions? Take, for example, humor. Exactly how does funny smell? Sound’s crazy right? Well stick around because I will take on the important subject of your scents of humor (get it? Not sense but scents) on this episode of Casting Actors Cast!