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Should I send gifts to casting directors?
Answer: After an audition, or a booking, it’s a nice gesture to send a note or small gift to a casting director. It’s not… (continued in David’s answer below)
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Answer: After an audition, or a booking, it’s a nice gesture to send a note or small gift to a casting director. It’s not required, nor would you be remembered and graded down should you forget – but if you feel strongly about it, feel free to do so.
It’s challenging enough for most of us to get an audition, let alone book an actual acting job. Many times, getting called in for an audition, or going straight to producers, and even getting booked is not a matter of being found via a search for your type on Breakdown Services, but by maintaining a professional, memorable relationship with all of your customers, whether they be casting directors, directors, writers, or producers.
I often look to other non-acting businesses and the examples set by salespeople and how they treat their clients to help guide my behavior with my clients. By drawing parallels between the rest of the world and our sometimes very strange and insular world, we can often come up with similar and effective creative paths to success – in this case, maintaining that memorable relationship with our customers.
If we weren’t actors, and we were, say, plumbing supply salesmen, I don’t think any of us would hesitate to take a plumbing supply buyer from the local hardware store out to dinner to thank them for an order, or send them a thank you note for seeing you and showing them your line (and asking for the order) But somehow, when artists get involved, and we actors start thinking about how we should treat casting directors, whether or not to send a thank you note, or give a gift, requires an article on what to do on ActingAnswers.com.
Of course you should, especially for a booking.
I will tell you that every casting director who’s ever booked me for a role has received my gift of choice, a Plantronics 975 Bluetooth cell phone earset. At around $70, it’s not extraordinarily expensive, but it makes a big impact, especially when everywhere, laws are being passed banning using your cell phone in your car without a handsfree device. Here in California, I started giving them as gifts when the new law was passed, and the response I got was amazing.
To be clear: I am not saying that giving a gift when you get booked on a show is a requirement, nor is sending a thank you note after a call back or a producers’ session. I just am advocating that it’s a nice thing to do.
One thing to avoid: homemade food like cookies, cupcakes or brownies. Most CDs are careful not to extend themselves too much to shake hands, if at all, during casting sessions to avoid contact illnesses, and the same holds true for your baked goods – they’ll usually throw them away. You also may not know that the CD has a food allergy, or is the rare bird that simply doesn’t lie chocolate. If you’re going to send food, do so from a reputable bakery or restaurant.
Do not go crazy and try to out do your fellow actor on expensive, outlandish gifts. It’s a bit embarrassing for the CD to accept something in the $100 range and up, and it’s not going to be any more effective than a nice thank you card or a small gift. It may even be against the law is some jurisdictions to buy something that costs an amount that approaches your net on the job.
On the other hand, surely you can think outside the box and give something more inventive than a Starbucks card. Remember – other actors are going to come up with that as their choice – what will you do to separate yourself from the crowd and really stick in the casting director’s memory?
What’s your answer to this acting question? Let me know in the comments below.
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LikeDislikeDavid has it precisely right. A small gift when you are booked is the NICE thing to do. The more thoughtful the gift is, the better – the cost is pretty much beside the point.
Actors get into a problem area when they believe that a gift given to a CD is a route to being called in or being ‘favored.’ Doesn’t work.
And comestibles are always to be avoided for the reasons listed.
I advise actors to get in the habit of sending a ‘thank you’ note every time you get called in. It’s not only nice, it helps people to remember you. Again, the thought that goes into the note is of utmost importance – people like to feel special.
Excellent piece. Copy, print, save.
Bob Fraser
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LikeDislikeThis an interesting perspective and different from what I heard in the past. Previously, I’d heard that a gift to a casting director might be frowned upon or viewed as a bribe, but that a thank you note was essential for a booked job. My daughter’s manager encouraged us to send a thank-you note after every audition (though I confess we did not always do that). I can see that a gift given after a booked job is much different than sending a gift before an audition. Nice post.
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LikeDislikeThank you for the information on sending gifts to casting directors. It has helped me in terms of protocol/etiquette, etc when working with CDs. Yet, I still have a question that I hope you could shed some light on. I meet with a casting director once every 4-6 weeks for a coaching session. It’s not an audition, it’s audition coaching. My question is do I need to send a thank you note after every coaching session? I am a little confused on how to navigate this because I am paying him for coaching me to help improve my skills and I am starting to see him on a regular basis (every 4-6 weeks)…but I don’t want to be rude by not sending a thank you note after every session either. On one hand, I view him as a teacher like I’ve had in the past with all of my other acting teachers (improv, scene study, etc.. .yet he is also a casting director too, which separates him from other coaches/teachers that I have studied with. Any advice you could give would be helpful. Thanks so much for your time and words of wisdom that you share with all of us actors out there!
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LikeDislikeIf you’re paying him, that’s thanks enough, IMHO – unless something really unusual comes up. If not, an occasional Starbucks or something small might be in order. Whatever you’re comfortable with. And thank you for the kind words.
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LikeDislikeDavid, Thank you for an insightful post. I am an actor in the very beginning of my career and I am not getting in the CD rooms I need to be in to work in TV and film in LA. After gathering information like sponge, the general consensus is to build relationships with CDs on my own. These relationships are the foundation of a career and will book me the job, not waiting for an agent to do so.
That being said, I agree whole heartedly on thank you notes and gifts. I do so in my career, but it’s not been enough…
What if there is nothing to say “thank you” for? What if I just want to get an audition? What if I want to leave nothing up to chance, create my own opportunities and make sure I am seen?
I have a working actress friend that swears she got her start by doing workshops nonstop- and sending thank you gifts after.
She also suggested to send thank you gifts occasionally to stay fresh in the CDs mind. Her advice was that cookies, cupcakes (from an LA hot spot) to the office brightens up a day like no other- and while all the other postcards and head shots are being thrown in the trash, your edible arrangements put your attached postcard to the top of the list. Not only are you jolted to the top of the list, but you went above and beyond to form a relationship and showed you are serious about getting work.
I think this is very thoughtful and a brilliant tactic to get ahead, but part of me finds it on the verge of desperate.
What are your thoughts on sending small gifts after workshops and for occasional checking in?
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LikeDislikeThis is exactly what a lot of actors do – I think casting workshops are great, and a follow up note or gift is not uncommon. I would avoid food, as many of the casting offices have been upping their game on avoiding certain types of foods due to diet restrictions or allergies. I’d also consider something other than Starbucks (I had a CD open her desk drawer and show me the pile of $10 Starbucks cards she’s yet to get to) – maybe Amazon?
Finally, this should never be a move of desperation. This should be pure appreciation, not trying to buy someone’s attention. Your acting is what you should be relying on the build the basis of that relationship. Make sure you’re ready and able to artfully ply your craft – nothing you send the CD as a gift is going to replace not being ready.
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LikeDislikeFor small bookings I gave a thank you card and for larger deals I sent over to the CD on the project a bottle of wine.
Both sentiments have gone down very well.
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LikeDislikeHi David – I’ve taken your VO2GOGO classes (which were awesome!!) so you may remember me. I just shot a commercial over the weekend that was non-union and paid only $250 for what would be considered a principal role. I had a lovely time and the production company was amazing. I wondered if you knew of a gift that would be appropriate but not overly expensive – and should I send a gift to the director, producer and casting agent? Anyone else? I was thinking I would at least send thank you cards to the make-up artist, wardrobe, the AD and the client who was there on set and very helpful communicating his vision. I had originally considered a gift card – but after reading your post it seems like an uninspired choice that may not be well received.
Thanks very much for your feedback!
-Erin
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LikeDislikeIn this case, since the payment was so low, I wouldn’t buy a gift. I would send each a very nice thank you card ONLY, personalized and signed, thanking them for the opportunity to work with them and how you look forward to it in the future. Maybe design your own Luxe postcards over at MOO.com – that’s what I use. They are nice and thick, and they really go over well. I get calls from people thanking me for a thank you card! Make sure you go with the Luxe line – it’s 3 times as thick as the normal postcard.
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LikeDislikeI was wondering how long after you book should you take before you send the gift. I always thought you would wait till the end of year but thinking differently now. Would you send a gift to head CD and then maybe something to the director that you worked with. What about you manager and agency should I be sending gifts at the end of the year. Just booked an episode on NCIS and wanted to be sure to send the right thank you gift.