The Studio goes Eye-to-Eye
Just last month the Studio was honored to have the entire Casting Company - Jane Jenkins, Janet Hirshenson, Michelle Lewitt Ward and Michael Hirshenson, as our guests for one of our “Eye to Eye” round table talks.
Jane Jenkins and Janet Hirshenson have worked along with Michael for more than twenty years casting an extraordinary list of films too numerous to put down here … but including everything from, “Stand By Me” to “The Da Vinci Code” with “Jurassic Park, “Harry Potter” and “A Beautiful Mind” thrown in there in the middle just for laughs. Joined now for the last six years by Michelle, they are without question the most respected and sought after casting directors in the industry.
They don’t do seminars or workshops; in fact they’re clear that they don’t think those workshops are a very good idea. They believe that the actor lives an actor’s life, and when they’re good enough the actor will find his way to them through his or her work. They stressed over and over — the work is the thing!
They were funny, provocative, and deeply informing; the Studio Members’ questions were typically smart and to the point. We spoke about the meaning of what we do, how to do it, and how that effects our work and our lives — in sum:
“This is serious, this is your life. Work hard and sacrifice. We’re looking for you, but we won’t find you unless this is all you do and you do it like your life depends on it … because it does.”
We want to thank the Casting Company Gang for taking time out of their busy schedule to come down and visit with us; it was a rare treat. And to express my deepest gratitude to the vibrant and creative actors, writers, and directors that make up the The Carter Thor Studio — it is their energy and love that draws such extraordinary guests to our stage.
Jane had just rushed in from a late casting session for the new Nancy Meyers film, and in response to a question about what makes a great actor, she smiled and yelled out …
“I just came from an audition, and I can tell you. Daring! Preparation! Originality! EMBRACE IT! OWN IT!!”
In response to a question about what you should never say after you have read for a part Janet shared what one actor had said to her …
“I could be better if you need me to.”
To which Jane added …
“Oh, honey, I don’t need you to do anything. There are a hundred actresses right behind you, and one of them will do it better. Do YOU want to do it better? Do YOU want the job? Then come in as if you are the person we want to hire. Come in as if we should spend money on you … Come in and do it.”
In response to a question about what matters in the room Jane shared …
“You have to listen. Listening is so important. Listen to whatever advice any casting director gives you because they’re trying to get something out of you so they can stop looking at a thousand actors and just cast the part already. And listen to what the scene is about.”
Michelle added …
“It’s also being able to access what you can do. You know, if you’re brought in for a part and maybe you’re not exactly that part, don’t try and be something you’re not. Bringing what you are to that part”
Janet jumped in …
“You’re either going to come in and show us something we’re looking for, or show us something that we didn’t know we were looking for.”
Asked about what holds an actor back when they read Jane said …
“There’s a thing that actors do because they haven’t made a commitment to it, because they don’t know what it is … People talk like the Stepford Wives because they haven’t made a commitment. I would rather see audacity and daring and something interesting so that I can say, “That was entirely wrong, but could you try this?” so I can see that somebody has a place to go because they had a thought. They lived the character. I’m just looking to see people bring something — yourself — to the movies, and the films, and the television shows that are out there that you want to participate in."
When asked what kind of mind set wins at this Jane said …
“You chose to do this – take it seriously! This is a tough, competitive, killer business. There is no easy, short route that I know of.”
Someone asked about nerves, and how they can drag you down in a reading. The gals, everybody overlapping, had this to say …
“Just say 99% of the time, you’re not going to get the job…because only one person can get the job. So why waste all that time being nervous and hysterical about the audition? …Just take the opportunity to audition and show somebody what you can do. And then, if you’re really terrific, even if you don’t get the job, six months from now, I’ll be saying, “Remember that guy that came in, he was from Cameron’s class, wore that blue shirt? He would be right for this.”
What seems to make the difference between the Day Player and the Great Actor? Jane answers …
“We all bring to the party some essence of who we are. And finding a way to explore that essence so that there are more permutations of what it is makes an actor really interesting. But you have to go with the core of who you are and find a way to make that — your being — come alive. I think that’s what all great actors do. I think trying to figure out who we are as people is a difficult process. For some of us, it takes an entire lifetime. Whoever you are today, bring that with you. You all have an idea of what it is that you’re doing in this universe, why you’re here, why you’re taking this class, and why you’re pursuing that, what your interests in the world are. You have to bring that quality of who you are. If you’re a funny person, that always helps — a sense of humor. If you’ve got sexuality…I think sexuality’s really hard to explore…You all chose to be in this world where you expose all these things about who you are and what you aren’t. You can’t do it really well unless it is in your heart."
Asked to tell a story about an actor that is a good example of what works and why …
“We talk about Phillip Seymour Hoffman frequently because we met him years ago when he was a fledgling actor. He came in for some little tiny part in a Wolfgang Petersen movie and we wanted to hire him, and then he said, “Actually, I don’t think so.” He came in and he auditioned and then he decided with three jobs that he came in and auditioned for … that he didn’t want any of those jobs. They were all for big important directors, by the way. He decided that it wasn’t really the part that he wanted. But clearly, he took command of his own career…in a rather extraordinary way, so that he turned down a Wolfgang Petersen movie, a Ron Howard movie…I always looked at that as he has some real vision of what it was that he wanted to get to and the kind of parts that he thought…I always thought that it was really interesting that he had the chutzpah, the temerity and the balls and the faith in himself to keep his eye on the big picture that he wanted to get to. And he always brought a really interesting person into the room with him, which is why I kept trying to hire him. Even the little parts — there was always an interesting person that came with him."
And finally, asked to sum up what will make the difference between success and failure, Jane shared that it was as much the nature of the person as their skill level …
“I just look for you to give me the confidence to hire you, and the only way you can get that from me is if you come in not being cocky and arrogant about it, but letting me see that, clearly, I’d be a fool not to bring you in to the director.”.
