I have NEVER taken a penny from an actor and never will.
I think the production value of the tape matters to some producers at least.
In my personal experience, Ive been told a better tape helps on multiple occasions, Grayden told Deadline.
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These are requests to up our production values and are difficult for many actors to fulfill at home.
They dont have to, a number of casting directors insisted to Deadline.
And, and Ive never asked an actor to rent a space.
And to have no distracting noises behind them.
Thats not an impossible task.
While being careful not to criticize her peers, we shouldnt be taking money from actors, she added.
Zane echoed Hirschfelds sentiment about expectations regarding self-tapes production values.
I can speak for myself, and I can speak for a lot of my studio executives.
No one is expecting world-class tapes, no one is expecting expert lighting sound.
Were expecting a decent reader and making you look and sound okay.
This has been another hot-button issue for actors who, when in-person, know that they are being seen.
I have no proof that casting offices watch my tapes, Sprague told Deadline.
Actors feel like they are sending our work into the void.
Its a lot of work.
I dont know any casting directors that request self-tape auditions and dont watch them.
I watch every one.
And that takes a lot of time, Hirschfeld said in response.
I do it in my pajamas at midnight when Im trying to slog through all the auditions.
Im working longer hours, watching self-tape auditions.
A casting director admitted that there are some in their midst who are hoarding projects.
In a statement to Deadline, CSA addressed the ongoing controversy.
The Casting Society and its members recognize that the pandemic has changed the way auditions are conducted.
The bottom line is that CSA stands in support of actors.
The acting will always be more important than the production quality.
Most importantly, we are here to listen.
That puts an unnecessary burden on actors as well as on casting directors.
Its too much, and I agree with that in-person and watching tapes.
That is something that theyre fighting for and I support.
Callbacks and chemistry reads are done often live via Zoom or in-person.
Hirschfeld feels there are advantages to self-tapes that outweigh the shortcomings.
So its not as if theyre falling into some black hole, never to be seen again.
Zane has a similar approach.
What I would do in the room ordinarily is make an adjustment.
Self-tape has made auditioning more democratic, Hirschfeld argues.
I can see a lot more actors, he said.
I think thats leveled the playing field in many ways.
Actors are the answer to the problem we are trying to solve.
Lynette Rice contributed to this report.
