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audition rejection letter?


Jason Hinkle RIP

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Do you send a rejection letter to actors who audition but did not get a role? If so, what is the tone and/or do you have any sample text?

 

Typically, no. If they are professional actors, going to auditions is a way of life, and they expect that they will not get the majority of roles they audition for.

 

R,

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Do you send a rejection letter to actors who audition but did not get a role? If so, what is the tone and/or do you have any sample text?

 

I only once contacted an actor who I was turning down for a role, and it was because she truly was wonderful and I wanted to ask her about what other sorts of roles she would be interested in. (I subsequently wrote a role for her.) In general, if you contact a professional actor telling them they didn't get the role, you're likely to confuse them. If a professional actor gets a call regarding a role, they're going to expect that it means they're getting a callback at least.

 

Now, working with amateurs in an entirely different ball game, especially if the actors are friends of yours. If you do decide you need to tell them you're not casting them, I'd suggest a simple "Thank you for auditioning. While I don't have a role that's right for you in this project, I do hope to see you again in the future."

 

If an actor is a personal friend and asks for more information, never, ever criticize their acting. Instead, focus on things they can't change. "She just looks more like the kid we cast as her son" is something no actor can argue with. "We decided the character really needed to be older" is in the same category. If you've gone with someone who is genuinely the exact same type as your friend, make it about personality. "She got along so well with the rest of the cast and the crew, they couldn't imagine working with anyone else." Obviously, I try to avoid getting myself in this situation whenever possible, and the real pros don't ask.

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What ever happened to the stock phrase "Don't call us, we'll call you?" :-p

 

Seriously, though, the only people that, as a life rule, get letters are generally the ones who get the job/part. Very seldom do you get a letter telling you that you haven't gotten the job, unless you are bidding on a job.

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Personally, if I audition someone - I tell them If I'm not going to use them. If they made the effort to come to the audition, its the least I can do. If it were me, I wouldn't want to be sitting by the phone waiting.

 

I usually just send a stock email - "thanks for coming, but this time its a no", There's not point giving more information then that, otherwise you might get into the messy world of giving feedback. Avoid giving feedback at all costs, on something as subjective as acting it can only get messy.

 

If I'd interviewed for a Job, I would like someone to give me the cutesy of putting me out of my misery. So I aways do the same to actors that are interested in my productions.

 

It might not be the done thing, as its true actors don't expect top hear back. So its not bad form to not send rejection letters. But it takes a few minutes to knock up a stock email and send it out - so why not. I always set up a new email address for the casting of each production - so if you do get any crazies that won't take no for an answer, its easier to block/ignore. Obviously never let prospective actors get your phone number...

 

 

Also it stops Agents hassling you to find out if you've made a decision yet.

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thanks for the suggestions, it sounds like the standard thing is no reply. i told a few people i'd let them know either way so i suppose i owe them an email. it feels a little weird not getting back to people but i guess in the scheme of things they probably have lots of auditions going on and my project isn't as big a deal to them as it is to me!

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Well, I don't want to come across, as I apparently have, as saying you CAN'T send a letter, just that you don't HAVE to.

 

I suppose if people were calling back to confirm (which does happen occasionally), then you can politely tell them at that point.

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In my experience, I've only informed actors with a rejection if they got a callback for a second or third reading. Otherwise, a single casting for even a short film might see hundreds of auditions, I just don't think it's really reasonable to send out rejection notes or phone calls to every single person who didn't make it. It's standard practice.

 

But I consider it a common courtesy for actors who HAVE been called back for further readings. They deserve to be let off the hook I think, once a decision has been made.

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  • 7 months later...

Do you send a rejection letter to actors who audition but did not get a role? If so, what is the tone and/or do you have any sample text?

 

My experience has been that most don't want to hear it. If you got your actors from a website, like www.castingnetwork.com, you can post a results notice. Some will want to keep in touch with you for your next project - some might be right for your next project. Still others audition so often that they can't remember your project, so I wouldn't sweat it too much. The real go getters will keep coming back no matter what - Craig

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