KW: A typical day is, well, basically we come in, check our e-mails and respond to any clients that need casting. What we do is we formulate any casting into what’s called a breakdown format of exactly what the client is looking for. We send out the breakdown to the different agents and managers by way of e-mail, and then the agents and managers will recommend names of actors that they feel would be great for the roles. But it’s my job, as the Casting Director, to be the filtering system; to only select those actors I feel will be right for the roles. I’m hired by the production company or ad agency, so I work for them. So I have to make sure that they don’t see anyone that wouldn’t be right for the project. The breakdown that we sent out could either to schedule actors for an audition here at my studio or for actors to submit their headshots for a particular project. A lot of the work today is either by audition or it’s casting by way of headshots through the different Internet systems. We collect headshots and submit them to my clients, or sometimes the client will just want for me to make a selection of actors that they feel would be right for the role.

CNY: And you make these selections based on what?

KW: The selections are based on what the specs are. For example, if a pharmaceutical company would want someone to do different role plays: say doctor and pharmaceutical rep. So what I need to do is to book actors that could read pharmaceutical copy, medical terms.

CNY: What would you say is the hardest aspect of your job?

KW: The hardest aspect is when we only get about one or two days turnaround to find a real specific type. We were looking for senior citizens for a local foundation for aging (i.e. senior citizens) commercial and it was very difficult to find older actors. What the client was initially looking for was actors and real people that were 80-years-old. When the 80 yr olds weren’t old enough (looking), we ultimately had to look for 90 yr olds. The challenge was what 90 yr olds want to trek into a casting office. Yes, that was indeed challenging. The other toughest part is when an actor will confirm for an audition and they do a no-show.

CNY: Really? You would think something like that is hard to come by, and yet they’re not showing up…

KW: Yeah, it does happen. I usually bring in 15-18 people per role for an audition. If I have a few actors that do not show up and my client is here, doing a ‘no-show’ is a kiss of death to their integrity. I’m going to think twice about bringing that actor into any future audition.

CNY: Would you say big challenge is met with a bigger reward?

KW: Yes, sometimes. The first thing that comes to mind are reality shows I’ve worked on

. CNY: Which?

KW: We actually did some for “Average Joe” and something for Verizon ‘Realize’, a campaign where they put someone in a store-front window and they had to live (in the store-front) for a week only using Verizon products. It was really very interesting. CNY: Any advice for the hopeful looking to get commercial work?

KW: The advice I have for actors is sometimes they’ll stop training. They may do a few classes either on-camera or in theater. However some have an attitude i.e. “ok, I’ve taken a few classes now, I’m ready.” In this business acting is always a work in progress. You really need to continually keep growing as an actor. We have open calls here every month and I always give feedback to actors. I also offer private consultations (info on website).

CNY: And most importantly: show up.

KW: Show up, that’s right. (laughs)