Casting Directors

B.C. abbr. Beef Cake. Big, burly, talentless studs who are better seen than heard.

bread-and-butter client n. a constantly working character actor.

breaking top phr. when a producer pays more money for an actor than the standard allows. “His read blew me away! Let’s break top.”

casting by the pound phr. when producers ask to see an unfiltered group of actors instead of letting the casting director narrow down the list.

day player n. actor cast in bit part, cameo or supporting role on episodics.

demo reel n. videotaped compilation of an actor’s scenes. “We don’t need to screen that bread-and-butter’s demo reel. She’s straight to wardrobe.”

name n. star.

no warmth n. actor who reads without emotion.

read n. audition.

reading the contract phr. actors more concerned with what’s in the contract than what’s in the script. “That guy thinks he’s a name--he’s actually got the brass to read the contract!”

sides n. script excerpts of scenes from previous shows that actors use in auditions.

straight to wardrobe phr. when someone who auditions aces the read and gets the role.

submissions n. actors sent by agents to read for casting directors. A.k.a. subs

T.O.Y.S. abbr. Take Off Your Shirt. Auditions for a role that requires brawn over brilliance. “The lobby’s knee-deep in B.C.s. Are we holding T.O.Y.S. today?”