Interview with VP of Casting at Nickelodeon, Sharon Chazin-Lieblein.5 comments

I ran into this interview with Sharon Chazin-Lieblien, VP of Casting at Nickelodeon on the blog actorslife.com. She gives great insight into acting for kids and intriguing advice to parents. Check it out:

As VP of Talent and Casting for Nickelodeon, what does your job entail? What’s your favorite part of the job?
I cast or supervise casting for all of our live action pilots, supervise episodic casting on our live action series’ and oversee the in-house management team for our series-regular talent.

My favorite part of the job is finding undiscovered talent and then watching them grow as actors.

What qualities do you most admire in the actors you’ve worked with?
At this point in my career, the majority of the talent who I work with is young talent. What I admire about a lot of them is their ability to do all of their schoolwork, do great work on our shows, and manage to have fun the whole time.

What is the most effective way for an actor to establish a relationship with a casting director?
The most obvious way is to come in for an audition prepared and give 110%. Whether or not they actually get the role, the casting director will remember them and bring them in again in the future.

Otherwise I would say, taking workshops with casting directors and working really hard and showcasing yourself to the best of your ability. When I say workshop, I don’t mean a showcase where you do a monologue or scene for a casting director and that’s it. I mean a class where you actually get to spend time with the casting director and can hopefully show them more than what they would see when you come in for an audition.

Also, following up with postcards is always good. Although don’t send a post card just to send it. Only send it when you want to let a casting director know to watch you in an episode of something on TV, you’re in a movie, or your performing somewhere that they can come see you do work.

Don’t waste time sending a thank you note after a pre-read. It’s one thing if you’ve been on several auditions for the same role and you really want to thank a casting director for sticking with you and really giving you a shot. But if you send me a thank you note just for a pre-read, the first thought that would come to mind is that you must not go on a lot of auditions.

What should actors consider when getting headshots?
Most importantly the headshot represents you. It’s your most important business tool. You should look like your headshot when you walk into your audition. Don’t get a glamour shot just because you think it looks great. If that’s not who you naturally are, I’d be very disappointed when you walked into an audition.

If you have an agent or manager, make sure that they help you pick out your headshot. They are the ones that are going to be selling you and they have to feel good about sending out your picture. If they don’t like it they’ll either have you get them redone or even worse, just not be motivated to send them out.

Everyone has a different opinion of whether or not photos should be black & white or color. It’s a matter of opinion, as is everything in this business. As long as you and your reps think that your picture is the best representation of you, that’s all that matters.

How often should an actor send you a headshot or postcard? Are blind mailings an effective way for an actor to be called in to audition?
Blind mailings to a casting director are really a crapshoot. If you happen to send your picture on a day that I happen to be looking for someone that looks exactly like you, it might be your lucky day. Otherwise, unfortunately those photos usually end up in the trash. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t do it; just don’t hang all of your dreams of future success on those mailings. For that reason I would say send a headshot to a casting director once a year and maybe a postcard which is less expensive 6 months after you send your headshot. But keep in mind, when sending a postcard, it’s always best to have some kind of announcement on it, as I stated above.

What are you looking for in an audition? What makes you sit up and take notice?
You have to keep in mind when you go in for an audition, there were many people that came before you and will come after you reading the exact same lines. You have to find something special in the scene that makes you stand out. It doesn’t have to be something big. It can be as small as a specific look you give after saying a line or delivering a line a little differently than the obvious choice. Something to show me that you are a thinking actor.

If you have a question about an audition scene, ask it before you audition. Don’t wait until I give you a note and then say “Oh yeah, I thought I should have done it that way, but I wasn’t sure.” Unfortunately, the majority of the time, you won’t be given the opportunity to even get that note. Also, keep in mind that when you do ask a question, make sure to follow through on the answer that you are given. For example, if you ask if the character is really dark and I tell you that actually she is always happy and peppy like a cheerleader, even if you were prepared to play the character dark, you now have to play her happy and peppy. If you don’t, I will think that you can’t take direction. No one wants to put an actor on a set that can’t take direction.

Most importantly. Always be prepared and make strong character choices. Otherwise you are wasting your time and the casting director’s.

What are you looking for on a résumé? What impresses you?
With kids, I don’t really care about past credits. Most importantly, I look to see what acting coach he/she is studying with, or has studied with in the past. I don’t think that anyone – child or adult – is above training. Even if you’ve been told that you’re a natural, there is a lot that you can learn from an acting class. Plus, even if you aren’t employed as an actor on a full time basis, when you are in a weekly class you consistently get the chance to work out. That is very important for an actor.

For adult resumes, I look for training and previous sit-com work, since the majority of projects that I cast are comedies. I also look to see if their work is current. Someone who has “Golden Girls” as their most current job, hasn’t worked in a while and I have to question why. It doesn’t mean that I won’t bring them in, but I will talk with the agent about it before making that decision.

When called in for an audition, what can an actor do to be well prepared?
Spend as much time as you need to spend going over your scene and your lines. Do it lots of different ways until you find the one that clicks for you. Make a strong character choice. I would rather see someone make a strong character choice that is wrong, than no choice at all. If I see someone make a choice and stick to it, even if they were going in the wrong direction, I can tell that they are a thinking actor. I will give an actor a direction to change the read and if they can take it and make the appropriate changes on the spot, I know that they are someone that I can count on.

At Nickelodeon, you’re no doubt working with children and teens. In your opinion, when is a child ready to enter the world of professional show business?
A child is ready when they go to their parents and say that they really want to do it. It can’t be the parent’s decision. If they aren’t passionate about it, they shouldn’t do it. I had a parent ask me once, “How do I motivate my child for an audition?” If you have to motivate your child, they shouldn’t be doing this. When kids enter into this business, they end up losing out on a normal childhood. Successful kid actors are okay with that and have figured out how to enjoy their childhood. Unsuccessful kid actors spend their days going from audition to audition, don’t book any jobs, don’t get to hang out with friends after school or play soccer or take ballet. A lot of them are even home schooled and miss out on the social aspect of school so that they can be available to go on more auditions. They are missing out on a lot for what they eventually will learn was a dream that really wasn’t theirs. Or in some instances they don’t fully understand the sacrifice that they were making until it’s too late. That’s really tough for a kid.

This is an amazing business for a talented child that is passionate about acting and enjoys what they are doing. A child actor learns discipline, how to take direction while getting to delve into their imagination. They make great friendships and bonds while on sets with other actors as well as other staff and crew. It could be a lot of fun if the child is guided well by their parents and representatives. Even if a child actor’s career doesn’t continue into adulthood, they will hopefully have had a great education and will be successful adults in whatever industry they choose to go into.

It’s the parent’s job to listen to what their kids say and how they act. Don’t concentrate on the dream of your child becoming a star, the most important thing is that you pay attention to when acting is or is no longer the right choice for your child. This is a tough business for adults to be in, and it’s even harder for kids to have to face rejection again and again. A child that still has many life lessons to learn and many experiences yet to experience, doesn’t really know if he is going down the right path or not. They need a parent to guide them.

Do you ever encounter parents who seem to want a career for their child more than the child does? If so, how do you handle this situation?
That’s a very hard situation. There isn’t much that I can do since it isn’t my job to interfere with the family. If a child comes in for an audition and I can tell that they really don’t want to be there, I just tell them that they don’t have to do their audition and they should go back out to the waiting room and tell their parents that I said they did a great job. Later on I’ll probably call the agent and let them know about the experience and that they should probably look into whether or not this business is right for that particular child.

For children and teens “between the coasts”, it may seem that opportunities for professional work are limited. What advice do you have for children and teens who really want careers in showbiz, but don’t live in one of the “major markets” like LA or NY?
Take classes, perform in school plays, try to get a local agent and work locally wherever they live. Before making a big move that will affect the entire family, you should see if you are successful in your local market and if you are comfortable with the audition process. It is possible to come out to LA for “pilot season” and get work, but the chances of getting work are obviously greater if you are out in LA full time. But that is a commitment that the entire family has to weigh in on. Sometimes families have to split up, where one parent stays with one child while the other goes to LA with their other child. It is also a major monetary commitment. A family has to be stable financially in order for one parent to not have to work because they need to be available to take their young actor to and from auditions, acting classes and hopefully sets for work. If you’re an actor at any age you can’t be in this business for the money. That is especially true for children. By the time your child’s paycheck gets to you, taxes have been removed (about 50% of the salary), your agent’s 10%, manager’s 10-15%, Coogan account’s 15%. If you are lucky you are left with 5-10% of the salary. And then you have to pay for gas, acting classes, pictures and resumes, etc. Definitely not a money-making business for an average child actor.

What do you wish more children (and/or actors in general) understood about the casting process?
The most important thing to realize is that this is a business full of people with many different opinions. You can read for me one day and I’ll think you’re great. The next day you can read for someone else and they can think that there is no reason for you to even be in this business. As long as you are passionate about it and are really giving it your best shot, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. Just keep plugging away and the right role will come. Even if you are fully prepared for your auditions and give 110%, the majority of roles that you end up not booking have nothing to do with how well you did in the room. It could be that you are not the right height, you look like the girl that we cast for the other role yesterday, we really want a blonde, the role was just cut but the casting director didn’t have time to cancel the auditions so she sees you anyway, and the list goes on. Each one of these things is completely out of your control. So you shouldn’t even worry about it. Once you walk out of the audition room, you have to leave that audition behind you and move on. If you get a callback, great. If not, on to the next.

What impact has the popularity of shows like American Idol and reality television in general had on the industry? Have you noticed any change in people’s expectations about show business?
Reality TV has had a major impact on the TV business. Every 1/2 hour slot that is filled by a reality show means one less sitcom. Every hour-long reality show means one less drama. That means lots of actors that would normally be employed as regulars or weekly/day players now have less of a chance to get a job. The competition is much tougher.

Reality TV fits in with the current “Now” generation. This generation that was born with cell phones in their hands. They have a sense of entitlement without understanding what it means to pay your dues. I find that because of reality TV shows, everyone thinks that they belong on TV and don’t realize that being an actor is actually hard work.

At ActorsLife.com, the majority of children who write seeking advice wish to become stars immediately with little or no regard for the craft of acting. In your opinion, which is more important for success and fulfillment: A passion for stardom, or the desire to be a great actor?
As I said earlier, the desire to be a great actor is key. A passion for stardom might be enough to propel someone into initial success, but it won’t help to sustain someone for a career full of successes.

Being cast in a Nickelodeon show will often result in stardom at an early age. What, if anything, does the network or the production team do to prepare children and their families for the changes that will occur if a show becomes a hit?
We support and train all of our series regular talent. All of our talent goes through a presentation we call our “Talent 101.” This basically teaches them about our network, what they can expect to happen when their show hits the air and they start getting more well known, how to answer common fan and press questions and in general how to conduct themselves on and off the set. Unique to our network, my team also serves as in-house managers for the kids. They are free to call us with any questions that they have and working with their representatives we try to help them navigate their careers while they are with us. We work hand in hand with the press representative for the show and make sure that the talent is prepared for interviews and appearances, and someone is usually with them during those events. They eventually grow up and move on either as actors or into other careers, either way, after their time on our network they usually have a great foundation for a very successful future. And because of how closely we work with them while they are on the network, we continue to have great relationships with them as they move into adulthood

Read also

• Backstagemom Exclusive Interview with Photographer Robin Lorraine
• Stan Carlson of ActorsWest gives Backstagemom the scoop on Casting Director Workshops
• Backstagemom Exclusive Interview With Tania Gunadi, Star of Disney's 'Aaron Stone'
• TV: Sorority Wars, the Definitive Lucy Hale Interview
• An Interview with the Creators of 'Glee'