What does that mean in practice?
- Decide who the person is before you start, and play that.
- Use your time. It is your time in the room or on the tape.
- Ask questions if something in the scene is unclear.
- If it goes wrong, stop and start again.
What if it is a small role?
If it is a small role, do not play the "job", play the person. No character should be purely functional.
What matters less than people think?
Where you trained, who represents you and where you come from. They matter far less than whether the casting director believes you.
Is a self-tape judged differently?
No. Casting directors watch tapes because they need actors and want to find them. On tape the technical bar is low: being seen and heard clearly is nearly all that is needed.
Last checked 11 October 2026. Answered by CW Casting. Tell us if something here is out of date.