Casting Frontier Blog

With literally thousands of competing actors out there… What makes you stand out? What gets you the audition? What gets you the callback? What gets you the avail? What gets you the booking? It sounds complicated, but, in fact, the… Read More

The Full Metal Jacket actor Ronald Lee Ermey died on Sunday at the age of 74 due to complications of pneumonia. His longtime manager, Bill Rogin, made the announcement via Ermey’s Twitter account, writing: “It is with deep sadness that… Read More

As actors, we audition, but we don’t always get the role. This is part of the job. Sometimes we may not even be in the running, and other times we get so close we can smell craft services. The director,… Read More

Kimberly Jentzen, the author of Acting with Impact, discusses nine “power tools” for developing actors in her book. Two of the tools she explores are objective and obstacles. In two video lessons, the Los Angeles-based, multi-award-winning acting coach succinctly shares… Read More

The phrase “independent film” is a curious item. To some, indie film involves a gaggle of bona fide Hollywood stars and celebrities featured in a weird or unlikely movie, either an unforgiving drama or a surreal mind bender; think The… Read More

The ability to evoke powerful, authentic emotions in front of a camera or live audience is the holy grail for actors. Doing so draws viewers more deeply into a character’s struggles and the heart of the story, and it results… Read More

A well-written script with compelling characters on a worthwhile journey … it’s what all actors are looking for. Unfortunately, excellent scripts are not so easy to come by–nor are quality, challenging roles for that matter. If you’re an actor who… Read More

Between working a regular job, going on auditions, and being on set, it can be hard for actors to find the time to learn new skills. But the importance of acquiring additional abilities can’t be underestimated because each new skill… Read More

Game of Thrones’ star Maisie Williams will soon be launching a new mobile app alongside movie producer Dom Santry. The app is called Daisie (D for Dom + Maisie – the M) and it serves as a career-focused social-networking platform for… Read More

From playing beloved SNL characters like Devin and Stefon to starring as a hitman in his HBO dark comedy series Barry, it’s fair to assume that Bill Hader is a confident and comfortable performer. But that would be a mistake!… Read More

Tomb Raider actress Alicia Vikander grew up watching action and adventure movies and always wondered what it would be like to act in such rigorous plotlines. Well, now she knows! Playing the iconic character Lara Croft has given her the… Read More

Have you ever had your acting hopes and expectations crumble due to disappointment? Maybe you didn’t land a desired role, or after being cast, you were informed you were being replaced? Indeed, an actor’s journey is naturally full of disappointments,… Read More

  Use what you know. Don’t worry about what you don’t know. —Michael Shurtleff, playwright, casting director, and author Maybe your friends tell you, “You’re so attractive, you should be in commercials!” Or perhaps you’ve been approached at the mall… Read More

When I began to study screenwriting with Syd Field, one of the major principles that he taught me was Dramatic Need and it really struck a chord with me. Below is a discussion of how now, years later, I teach… Read More

In this TEDx event, actress Naomi McDougall Jones describes her disenchantment with Hollywood after graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York at the age of 21. Instead of being called in for auditions for layered and… Read More

For almost 40 years, Larry Moss has directed numerous theater productions and coached countless thespians for stage and screen. The legendary acting coach worked with Helen Hunt on her Oscar-winning As Good As It Gets role; Hilary Swank in her Academy… Read More