Notes from a Casting Director | MATILDA JAMES CDG
2 Oct 2024
Matilda James CDG is a Casting Director and Creative Producer based in the South West.
With more than 10 years' experience working in theatre and film, and a strong track record of inclusive casting and discovering new talent, she specialises in casting, dramaturgy and strategic planning across the creative arts.
She is a member of the Casting Directors' Guild of Great Britain & Ireland and of The Murmuration, a women-led producing collective that brings strategic and creative thinking together to make things happen in a smart, kind, artist-focussed way.
I grew up in Cornwall and Bristol Old Vic was always the beacon of excellence on the horizon, so casting two shows here this year, A Child of Science and Reverberation, has been a real dream come true.
At the Open Casting Meetings later this month, I’m looking forward to meeting lots of local actors, and having the opportunity to talk more transparently about the process of casting and how it fits into the wider ecosystem of making theatre right now.
There’s a lot elsewhere about practical tips (reading the script, knowing who your character is, being professional, taking feedback, being enthusiastic, dressing appropriately etc.), all of which are relevant and imperative to pay attention to.
But I feel that knowing a few key things about the casting process can ensure you a) have a good experience when you’re in a meeting, and b) feel readier and steadier for each opportunity as it comes along.
So, here are a few thoughts to consider:
We're on your side
Firstly, casting directors really do want actors to do well in the room. We think actors are extraordinary and, in all honesty, the reality of a “bad audition” is vanishingly rare. So, any way you can, when you do get a meeting, try to take the pressure off.
Obviously, there’s real world anxiety about what getting a job may mean (and I’m not saying that is a small consideration – bills are real!), but you’ll have a much nicer time – and therefore be much more likely to show a version of yourself that is ready and capable – if you’re able to trust that you’re supposed to be there, and that you’re doing a good job. Because that’s where you’ll feel most creative – and where we get to see more of who you are as a result.
It's like the first day of rehearsals
A director I work with puts it brilliantly, I think: they start every audition by saying “treat this like hour one of day one of rehearsals”. Basically, this isn’t the place to get everything right, it’s the place to show where you’re starting – intelligently, curiously and playfully. Come having had some thoughts and ideas, committing to those with confidence, but knowing that there’s places to go with it. Be ready, open to and up for the discussion and reworking that will follow. That way, you’ll be free to feel what I hope is the truth in the rooms that I run: that you’re working with, and opposite, professionals who respect the expertise that you’ve brought in, and during those 20 minutes or so, there’s a chance for a real and edifying conversation where you’ll be remembered, for this and for other projects.
Let the moment go
And then, go for a swim. Or do whatever you need to do afterwards to let the moment go. As an actor, you’re not in control of the vast majority of the 1,000+ things that come into play when putting a company together. Which, no doubt, is hard to handle. So, you need to work out how to get good at handling it. The same goes for a self-tape: give yourself a dedicated window of time to put the tape together, and then stick to it: don’t let it be a thing that sprawls into all day and affects every waking moment. Do it, trust yourself, and then put it away.
Don't take it personally
That’s especially important, because the other big thing that you have to know is that very often, it might not go your way. Being an actor means getting good at handling rejection. An actor’s life will always include it: nobody can be right for every part. So, learning not to take that personally is a huge part of sustaining a career with longevity (and good humour), and essential to making sure you don’t drive yourself – and those around you – mad with the volatility of things.
On my best audition days, the majority of people we see could play the part impeccably, with sensitivity and wit and genuine connection. Then the team and I get to dig into the minutiae of what is the right decision – who would be the best best – for this particular version of the show. This is because the needs of each project, and then each role within that, will be really specific.
It's not you, it's me
My job is to make sure that the director, producers, writer and I (and often the musical director and choreographer as well, depending on the needs of the project) start off from a place of openness; that we meet as many people as possible within the spectrum of who could be right for those roles, and that we stay wide-eyed for as long as possible as we hone in on creating each ensemble, thinking carefully, creatively and in detail about the implications of each choice.
So, if you walk out feeling like that couldn’t have gone better, and then you still don’t get the part? That’s really not because your feeling wasn’t accurate. You can be really right for it, but just not quite as right as someone else, in this particular moment and in that particular set of circumstances, none of which you could have done anything about. Sometimes it’s alchemy, but it is absolutely never a reflection on your capability or your talent or your worth.
Getting in the room
Of course, getting in the room at all can be hard. There are more great actors than we can possibly see for any part, and even with increased efforts to improve accessibility in every way, every show has a fixed number of roles in it. But opportunities like the Open Casting Meetings this month are great for opening those doors. We hope they are a chance for you to hear about what kind of work Nancy wants to find a home for at BOV, for us to have a transparent conversation about what the process of casting looks like, and hopefully to dispel some of the mystery or frustration that can surround it.
I look forward to seeing you there!
