Acting With Integrity...Casting, that isby Giovannie Pico

“Did you remember to staple your resume to the back of your headshot?” the receptionist inquired for what seemed to be the twentieth time in the last ten minutes. Yet amazingly, she always smiled at each person that approached her and spoke without even a tinge of boredom or annoyance in her voice. Other staff members at Integrity Casting directed actors into different waiting rooms and patiently answered questions about the project at hand and even discussed details of the actual audition itself. Unlike some casting offices where those behind the desk manage to grab your headshot, toss it into the growing pile, and mumble something about the sign-in sheet and sides with nary a glance in your direction, the staff at Integrity go that extra step to make each auditioner feel welcome…wanted, even.

Toni Suttie, casting director and head of Integrity Casting, feels that creating a comfortable environment is essential for talent to do his or her best. “I try to always have people around that are positive, kind, and patient…[I know] how difficult it is for actors to market themselves,” she says. This month she spends a few minutes with FaithFilm.com to tell us a little bit about herself and help actors put their best foot forward:

GP: So how did you get started in the entertainment industry?
TS: Well…by the time I was twelve, my mom (a single mother) told me that I had to start working for my school clothes, so I went ahead (I remember this like it was yesterday-it was summer) and got my prettiest dress on and curled my hair and popped on my ten speed bike down to a hotel in Santa Clara on El Camino that I had heard was hiring maids. So I interviewed with the husband and wife owners and was ultimately hired…part of my job responsibility was to clean eleven rooms each day. One of the rooms – room 17 - there was an agent who would live at the hotel three months out of the year. It was a husband and wife team and they were so intrigued by this little girl who had the gumption to get up each morning and do the job…after several weeks they asked me what I wanted to do and I said something like “become a veterinarian” or something like that and they said that they would pay me 10 cents more an hour to work at their company…they had at the time one of the top talent agencies in the area and so I accepted, gave my two week notice, and started working for them – emptying garbage cans, filling coffee cups, and once in a while answering the phone. Finally, I worked my way up and by the time I was 16, I was the head booker at the agency. By the time I was 18, I had my own talent agency. It was because of these two people that really believed in me that I am here today. It was something that I never thought about doing.

GP: Why did you make the transition from being an agent to becoming a casting director?
TS: Hmmm…I was an agent for about eight years and I enjoyed it – I owned a company called Integrity Talent Agency and it was wonderful and very lucrative…but eventually I found myself not wanting to get up in the morning. I felt unappreciated. It seemed if I got one of my talent five jobs a month, he would want ten or if I got someone $150.00 and hour, he or she would want $200.00…it got to the point where I was either going to get out of the business altogether or move up to the next step. There was a casting director that I worked with a lot in San Francisco who was my mentor. Her name was Joan Marishall of Casting Works (she has since sold it) and she gave me my first break as a talent agent. She had so much integrity and honor that I wanted to be like her, so I opened up Integrity Casting in 1994 and I love what I’m doing again! Now I work for the producers and directors.

GP: …so you wake up each morning going “YES! Another day!”…
TS: (laughing) Most days! I’m a joyful person anyway, so even on days that are difficult or if I have clients or talent that is grumpy, I find joy in all that I do. I’ve always wanted to be a light in whatever I did…[I feel that my purpose] in this industry is being able to touch people that have no idea that there are positive lights in the business that can really direct them in a true and honorable way.

GP: How do choose the shows that you cast?
TS: I am kind of picky regarding the projects that I work on…I was not always this way. When I started in this business, I have to admit I compromised my integrity and there are projects that I look back on now and say “My goodness!” They weren’t of the values and morals that would have chosen…but the projects that I work on now are family oriented. I rarely work on anything that I would feel uncomfortable bringing my children to. I want to bring my children to the premiere of the film or movie of the week and enjoy it. The print ads, training videos, and other media are like that as well…

GP: Do you think that casting directors can be overlooked at times the way agents may be unappreciated?
TS: Yes…sometimes. I think that in the business people forget the kindness part of professionalism. I think that it is so important to follow up with thank you cards…a little postcard saying thank you for the opportunity to meet you, thank you for the opportunity to audition. I do it myself as a casting director because I so appreciate the fact that my clients picked me to cast their project. When I get a postcard or note myself, I always remember who sent it – they took the extra time to sit down and write a little note of appreciation. It’s a good marketing tool and a great way to build relationships. This business is all about relationships – not political, but I think that ones needs to be able to be liked and feel comfortable and have other feel comfortable around him or her…if there’s a attitude or lack of humility at an audition, people aren’t going to want to be around that.

GP: What is the difference in the California and Nevada markets? (Integrity has an office in San Jose, CA and one in Reno, NV)
TS: I’ve had the California office since the eighties and that market has been very wonderful to me, and I will keep it always, but due to the dot.com crash the past few months in that market has been a bit slower. In the Reno market, there are really only two of us that do what we do. One specializes in extras, and the other in principals. I specialize in principal casting. Literally we always have a lot of work since there are only two of us. Right now, the Reno market is very busy and I invite my California Talent to reap the benefits of all the projects here. Hopefully, the California market will pick up as the economy picks sup.

GP: What do you foresee in the industry, especially after the 9/11 events?
TS: There’s always going to be a need for talent and people are always going to need professional people to promote their products – so I see a wonderful year. And I think that people really want to pick themselves up from the whole situation. When Nash Bridges finished in San Francisco, it was difficult on a lot of talent and casting directors and agents, but I always like to remind my peers that when a door closes, a window opens. There’s going to be a lot of other opportunities. In fact, a wonderful film company in San Francisco called WYSIWYG Filmworks that they will be producing locally and airing nationally. That should bring in a lot of business for actors.

GP: What advice would you give actors that want to read for you?
TS: I just think that they should feel comfortable to call and make the appointment to meet the casting director. I think that the talent out there is afraid sometimes to make that call because maybe they weren’t treated right in the past and they are shell-shocked. As for my company, I like to meet talent before I actually audition them…with Shadowlands (the television series she is currently casting) there are 132 speaking roles that we will be casting in the weeks following January 21st. So I encourage talent to be brave and give us a call!

GP: Can you tell us a little bit about your book Slate Please?
TS: Sure…it’s basically about great tips for auditioning, so if you are finding yourself not landing a callback or the actual job, this book will help you with insider tips on everything from walking in the door at the beginning of the audition to the time that you leave. A lot of people don’t know the details that the casting director looks for: the client actually asks the casting director what time the client came in, were they late, did they wear read, white, or black…part of our job as casting directors is not just to see the talent’s on-camera ability, but to actually critique his or her professionalism. I go over that in the book. It’s really fun reading and has a lot of testimonials, stories and pictures.

Toni also invites readers to visit her webpage at www.integritycasting.com and sign up for her Topica email list. It is free and readers will get a first look at audition notices and projects – even before the agents!

You can comment on Giovannie's article in the message boards.