Do’s and Dont’s of Picking a Good Scene for a Casting Director Workshop or Showcase

I don’t know about you, but a lot of my clients panic about picking a good scene for a CD Workshop or Agent Showcase.

Picking a scene can be stressful – I know! I’ve taken many of them myself throughout the years. Not only have I taken them, I’ve worked as a reader at two of the premiere casting workshop studios in Los Angeles. I’ve seen scenes that really work and get amazing feedback and scenes that totally bomb.

So, I’ve come up with my own short list of Do’s and Don’ts for Picking a Good Scene and I thought I’d share it with you. Let me know what you think!

Do’s and Don’t of Picking a Good Scene

DON’T pick an iconic scene that we’re all familiar with – that scene from Winter’s Bone is just distracting.

DO consider changing the names of characters if they’re well known. We don’t need to know we’re paging “Dr. Meredith Gray” – “Dr. Andrews” will work just fine.

DON’T pick something that hasn’t aired yet!

DO pick something from a current tv show or film.

DON’T pick something from a pilot of a famous show.

DO consider scenes from pilots that didn’t get picked up.

DON’T pick a scene with a million different characters in it – it can be confusing for people who don’t know the story and difficult to play multiple eyelines.

DO pick a scene with characters who have interesting relationships to one another.

DON’T feel like you have to show them everything you can do in this one scene.

DO pick a scene that has a bit of an arc.

DON’T pick a scene that you’ve worked to death in class.

DO pick a scene that you’re excited about!

Above all…

DON’T PANIC!!!

DO come in with an open mind, ready to play and have fun!

Let me know what you think and if you found this helpful. Of course this is just my opinion and at the end of the day, you do you and whatever you trust in your gut is going to showcase you the best.

Also, make sure the scene is on brand for you and a role you could be cast in TODAY – not a role you aspire to play years from now. If you’re confused about your casting or how to articulate that in your scenes, footage, headshots, etc. – that’s something I work with actors on allllll the time so hit me up so you don’t waste time with materials that aren’t working. Let’s get you booking more work today!