The Unknown Side of Auditions. Insights from Casting Director John Frank Levey
They're not really accidents at all. It's not some lightning strike of good fortune that's bashing you in the head; it's a result of your being on a journey.
John Frank Levey didn't know it, but his life was about to radically change the afternoon his mother took him to the theatre. He was a confused 12-year-old boy, unsure of his role in his family, school, and friendships, and emotionally unstable as he helplessly saw his parents' marriage falling apart. When the curtains opened, and the lights hit the stage, he knew he wanted to be part of the storytelling art. Fast forward many years, John became a four-time Emmy Award-winning casting director; he worked in iconic TV shows like China Beach, ER, The West Wing, and Shameless. He is also a five-time winner of the Casting Society of America's Artios Award, the recipient of its prestigious Hoyt Bowers Award, and recently published his debut book, "Right for the Role."
Throughout our conversation, John gifted us a casting director's perspective on live auditions, self-tapes, and demo reels, and he also shared his thoughts on the pros and cons of technology for auditions and how self-tapes transformed the casting process. John also talked about his journey in the industry and how learning the language of actors, directors, and playwrights helped him hone his craft as a casting director.
Additionally, you'll hear how he handled the process of writing a book, the importance of headshots, what every actor should bring into an audition, the things that turn him off as a casting director, and much more.
Tune in to Episode 96 of Hollywood Dream Maker and discover what happens on the other side of an audition.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
- It's not just dreaming about it; you must put the work in (2:20)
- How John figured he wanted to be a casting director (10:10)
- Don't bring your needs into an audition (22:20)
- People have fun playing the darkest roles (27:00)
- How self-tapes transformed the audition process (32:10)
- Let your performance surprise you (42:00)
- How important is a good headshot? (49:20)
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