So it seems the noise we made about making sure Netflix and Baz Luhrmann get their new series about the South Bronx set in the 1970s, ‘The Get Down’ accurate is off to a decent start by issuing a casting call to Bronx residents (and the world) — which has a deadline of March 10, 2015 March 17th (Now extended!) .
According to DNAinfo:
“Luhrmann said he was very enthusiastic about casting actors and actresses from the borough.
“Nothing would make all those involved in ‘The Get Down’ more thrilled than to find cast members from The Bronx itself,” Luhrmann said in an email. “So I can only encourage anyone who fits the criteria of the auditions to audition. You never know until you try.”
The casting page says of the series:
“1970s New York City – broken down, beaten up, violent, cash strapped, dying. Told through the lives and music of a ragtag crew of South Bronx teens – from Bronx tenements, to the SoHo art scene, CBGBs, Studio 54, and even the glass towers of the just-built World Trade Center – The Get Down is a sweeping saga of loyalty, love and betrayal, and the transformation of New York City.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEbRXzKu__8
We’ve made things easy for you by providing as much information as possible but you MUST go directly to their website to fulfill all of these requirements!
Casting information is as follows:
Seeking males and females ages 18-
The site goes on to state:
YOUR AUDITION SHOULD INCLUDE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:
- 1. Introduce yourself – tell us your name & where you are from
- 2. Tell us a story about yourself
- 3. Perform a song, rap, or poem of your choice
- 4. Perform a short dance (any style)
If you have creative questions about your audition, please contact THEGETDOWNCASTING@GMAIL.COM
If you have technical questions, please contact talentsupport@castitsystems.com
Cast It Talent FAQs
Is there a fee to submit to an online search role?
No, there is no credit card information taken and no fee to submit for this online search.
Can I submit if I am a different age than the age requirement for the character?
If the role description on the website says: ‘you must be at least x years old’, it means the studio has set an age minimum for legal reasons so you MUST be the minimum age at time of audition. If an age range only is provided, then this is a guideline for the age of the character. Ideally you should be within that range, but if you are not, you may still audition if you can believably play someone within that age range.
Do I need to memorize the lines in the audition scene?
You need to be exceptionally well prepared for an audition. You should find out what you can about the story if possible and learn about the character. You should try to have the lines memorized so you can deliver them naturally and present your best performance. However, it is OK to hold the audition scene and refer to it if necessary – what matters is your performance.
Detailed info on the Cast It Talent blog: http://www.castittalentblog.com/blog/?p=33#more-33
Do other people need to read the parts of the other character(s)?
You will need to have a “reader” if there is another character with dialog in the scene. Your reader reads the part or parts of the other character and should always be off camera.
If there are props mentioned in the sides do I need to include those props in my audition?
If you find that using a prop that is described in the scene is helpful to your performance, you can do so, but you should be careful not to do anything that is too distracting. Generally in auditions people will pantomime the props since your acting is what is being evaluated, not your ability to stage design.
Unless the instructions specify some type of dress, you should choose something that looks good on you on video. Do not wear anything with visible logos or team names. Otherwise, it’s not particularly important.
More info on the Cast It Talent blog: http://www.castittalentblog.com/blog/?p=55
Has the casting office received my audition?
Login to
www.castittalent.com and go to “Packages” and “Submission history.” If your audition is there, it’s been received! If the casting office feels that you are a fit for the role, they will contact you directly.
What if I have already submitted and I need to change or resubmit my audition?
You should play your video on your computer and make sure it’s fine before uploading to the site. We do not recommend re-submitting. However, if after submitting through an online search you check your video on your Cast It Talent profile and find a significant technical problem, for example if the audio or video quality was degraded once the video converted to QuickTime on our servers and does not play well, then you should re-submit. To resubmit, you log in to
www.castittalent.com, upload the new video, wait until it’s converted (this can take 15 minutes), test to make sure it plays back from your Cast It Talent profile, then resubmit following the instructions on the Roles page.
When and how will I find out if I got the part?
An open casting call is just one step in a complicated casting process – final casting decisions are rarely made based on one audition video. If the casting office thinks you are potentially a good fit for the part and likes your audition, you may be contacted – usually by email — either to submit a second audition online or come in for an in-person callback. If you are submitting for an open casting call, the studio will pay your transportation fees if you are out of the area unless otherwise noted in the audition information. Please note that your email and phone (or that of your parents if you are a minor) are available only to the casting office, no one else will see your contact information.
Will an inexperienced or non-professional actor have a chance?
Yes, the reason studios and casting offices conduct open casting calls through Cast It Talent is because they are interested in pursuing new talent for a film or television show. It is an outstanding way to be seen by legitimate casting offices and major studios. A casting office may “flag” someone viewed during an open casting call and consider them for a different role or for a future project as well. While non-professional, unrepresented actors are invited to participate in an open casting call, there is no guarantee someone from the online search will be selected ultimately for the role. Keep in mind that an online open casting call is not a contest with a “winner”, but part of a complex casting process that is normally open only to professional actors with agents. Many factors go into casting a role and there are many different parties involved in the final decision. Roles that have been made available for open casting calls are also being pursued by professional actors with agents, so you are usually being considered alongside experienced actors. Please be aware that there are always hundreds and sometimes thousands of submissions for open casting calls for studio productions. You should never contact the casting office or studio about your submission or email your audition to them (unless you are asked to). You will only hear from casting if you are selected for a callback or if they want more information from you. You will not hear back if you are not being considered further.
