Casting During COVID: Interview with Liz Fraser
Happy fall from all of us at On Location Education! This month we interviewed Liz Fraser, who is a member of the Jonathan Strauss Casting office and works on shows including FBI: Most Wanted, Chicago Fire, and more. Liz is here discussing how her process as a casting director has changed throughout COVID-19 and providing some insight to those in the industry who are submitting for work.
About Liz: Liz is currently an Associate Casting Director at Jonathan Strauss Casting in NYC working on CBS’ FBI: Most Wanted. She began her journey in high school at Barbara Ingram School for the Arts and received her BFA in acting from Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia. She quickly understood that she wanted to apply her knowledge and love of acting to another realm of entertainment. After a casting internship in NYC, she found her love of working in television and has since worked on FBI: Most Wanted, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and Chicago Med for Jonathan Strauss. Though Liz’s passion lies with TV, she has worked on various short films, commercials, and with theater companies such as Mason Street Warehouse in Michigan.
What was your casting process like before the shutdown, and how did the shutdown impact your work in March?
Almost every audition we processed prior to the pandemic was here in NYC unless we saw tapes from LA, as we love and prefer the directors to work with actors in person for callbacks instead of viewing tapes from out of town actors. Our office would see hundreds of actors per day in a few small rooms, filtering through our space across the six shows we work on. Once the pandemic became apparent, we had hand sanitizer all over the office and had actors cancelling auditions due to preexisting conditions and feeling unsafe. That lasted about 2 weeks as New York quickly lost control. The shutdown in March caused all our shows to stop work - we ceased shooting in the middle of episodes, some actors auditioning for roles that never went to air!
How has your process changed and evolved since the pandemic began?
We see no actors in person for auditions, not only for the safety of the actors and ourselves, but at the direction of our network and studio. Safety of the actors is paramount. Everything is on tape in the actor’s home and we are all working from home as well. There is no reason any actor should be meeting in person with casting or otherwise production at this time prior to booking.
Has switching to video submissions provided you with the same level of quality in auditions?
Unfortunately, it varies quite a bit in terms of quality. Some actors aren’t able to acquire readers for their auditions or are unable to have proper lighting. Though we have the time to audition more actors in general, we aren’t able to quickly adjust or direct actors as easily in the room (because there is no room!). Bringing actors onto Zoom callbacks is also a fun adjustment. Internet connections can cause some problems and it’s not always easy to relate to someone or assess their personality in a Zoom session. Part of the importance of callbacks with directors is compatibility with actors and they are not able to get that same connection in a Zoom, much less just viewing over tape.
Is there the same kind of turnout for auditions or has the search for actors become more difficult?
We are overjoyed at the passion actors have been putting into their auditions because they have been unable to work for the past handful of months. It feels as if more actors are willing and able to audition at this time. That being said: we do not blame or discount anyone who is turning down work because they feel uncomfortable traveling or being on set at this time. The only other issue with turnout would be factoring in the ever changing quarantine rules varying by state and extra accommodations/costs in regards to how actors travel to set. Not everyone is willing and able to take our previously used public transit! In general, it’s great that we are able to audition more actors at a time as we aren’t confined to office hours to watch videos or set appointments.
Moving forward, do you think your office will attempt to return to the pre-shutdown processes or will you utilize any of the practices you’ve established during this pandemic?
I believe we (and our team of producers and directors) will be more willing to accept taped auditions for actors who are unable to come in and audition in person - especially as we’ll get more accustomed to this in our ongoing pandemic. That being said, I’m sure our teams will be anxious to get back in a room to work with actors on callbacks in person and it’s always better to audition in person. Personally, I’ve enjoyed being able to focus on the tapes and invest time that is spent directing and reading during auditions into viewing and processing auditions, but I’m also excited to get back in a room and interact with the actors. I miss being able to help them feel comfortable or direct a portion of the scene that can add to the nuances they already bring with their individuality. Sometimes a subtle adjustment is all we need, and it’s difficult to translate that over email and have the actor retape.
Any advice for those that are currently auditioning for shows or out of work?
I recommend that all auditioning actors watch their tapes and ask themselves if they think it looks professional enough for a producer or executive to view! I think sometimes actors forget that we send these auditions directly to the top. Don’t overthink it - We don’t mind if your background is your kitchen cabinet, your mom is your reader, or if you cut between takes. You don’t need a fancy ring light or tripod, but we DO need to see and hear you clearly do the work. If the tape is difficult to view, we won’t enjoy viewing it - and we want you to book the job!
Additionally, I think the most important thing for performers to remember is that this pandemic is hurting ALL entertainment workers. You are not alone. Even those working are at risk of suddenly losing their job if production shuts down. We will all make it through this because the world does need the arts and entertainment to survive, whether we choose to believe it or not!
Check back over the coming months as we speak with more industry professionals on how they’re adapting in these newly challenging times. Like Liz, we’re thrilled to be returning to work in film and television, and are eager for live theatre to reopen when it is safe to do so. For now, be sure to book Production Services through OLE, explore our Private Learning Offerings for your children, and keep following our Industry Updates page to stay current on what’s happening in entertainment and education.
We continue to wish you health and happiness during these difficult times.
-The team at On Location Education