Finding New Talent

You are putting together auditions and discover that you just don’t have enough actors to bring in for a specific role. How do you find new talent, you ask. Let me give you some tips.

Once people know you produce anime for American television, you will be surprised how many actors simply manifest as if by magic. You should have a place in your office for demo CDs and a folder on your computer for mp3s that people send you, because obviously people will send you materials all the time, not just when you are running auditions.

I don’t rely on my memory for anything. That CD you got in June when you have nothing going on might be long since forgotten by October when you’re racking your brain for some new voices. I also hate having a lot of “stuff” around. So if someone has an mp3 demo they can send me, I’m grateful. I don’t need a groovy package and a picture; I just want to hear your voice and if you can act.

But what if your files of CDs and mp3s just aren’t enough?

When I was in television series development, I often went to theatrical workshops where actors performed short skits. This was an easy way to become familiar with new talent. In the voice acting community, there isn’t that kind of venue. So producers and casting directors have to be a little more creative.

Sometimes I simply call other producers and ask if they’ve come across new talent. I talk to my voice directors. This business is like a soap opera where everyone knows each other and tends to help each other. Really. But sometimes these calls don’t turn over anyone new.

Another great way to find new talent is to ask your old talent for recommendations. I know this sounds a little unlikely. Why would someone introduce you to someone who might get a job they wanted? Well, you can’t hire the same people for every single role or after a while, all your shows will start to sound alike. 

I have been blessed with generous actors who are willing to open their phone books and give me new people to bring in for auditions. Actors tend to hang out with other actors and they network relentlessly. Always be sure to give credit where credit is due: “Hi, Joe. My name is Rita. Robert Jones gave me your contact info because he thought you might want to come in and audition for one of our projects.” Now all the dots are connected and everyone is happy.

Most actors are very willing to come in for auditions, even if they have no idea who you or your project are. An audition is their opportunity to come in, shake your hand, be charming and, hopefully, leave you with a good impression.  Actors want to meet producers/casting directors and show them what they can do. This is how they get work. 

If someone is coming in to the studio that I’ve never worked with, I make a point of introducing myself. The acting community in anime is very small. I will probably know these people for the rest of my producing career.

Don’t forget that in most anime series, there are plenty of guest roles that will be paper cast. These roles may extend over a number of episodes and even appear in a videogame (imagine a cash register sfx here – caching!). Actors know that just because they don’t land a role off an audition doesn’t mean they won’t get a tasty role later in the series. When someone reads well at an audition, they just got their foot in that proverbial door. This is obviously good for them, and it is also good for the producer, too.

Next time, I'll go over who to book for what role and what information you should have ready to reveal about the project.