NYC Casting Director Provides Insight for Actors and Productions

Sara Koch grew up around theater and film and didn’t take long to be starstruck. “I saw Les Misérables and knew it from beginning to end by the time I was five,” said the NYC resident. From there, she was constantly involved in school productions and eventually spent summers at a prestigious theater camp. Stagedoor Manor, a career path emerged from going to Broadway shows with one particular affiliated mentor. The grandfather of her camp friend, the industry professional observed that Koch possessed an acute attentiveness to detail, and his suggestion to become a casting director was hard to ignore.

“I think you should look at this side of the industry,” Koch conveyed the words of the one and only Jerry Orbach.

What the legendary New York actor noticed was the way the young Koch could see the whole ensemble, pinpoint what moments stood out, which performers hit their marks, and how well the cast worked together.

The idea planted, Koch started working for the Luedtke Agency at the age of 18. Very familiar with the NYC address from growing up in the Jersey suburbs, and despite the excitement often pulling her in, she still opted to get book smart too. Koch studied Theatre Arts Management in college and word of mouth eventually resulted in her own shingle.

Her college roommate connected her to a filmmaker who was looking to cast some actors. Alongside, he was also trying to get an understanding of “breakdown” and was quickly blown away by Koch’s knowledge. “I will give you a thousand dollars to stop talking. Then I will give you another thousand to take care of it,” she conveyed, “Because you clearly know what all of this means, and I don’t have time to master.”

His name was Andrew Sherwood, and Dirty Hands (2010) became her company’s first credit. So on her way, Koch was soon serving as a CD for six senior thesis films. “I was running this company out of my dorm room,” said the Ithaca College grad.

And her previous NYC connections turned the run into a gallop. “I’d come into midtown to audition people at Ripley-Grier Studios and then drive back four hours to school,” said Koch, whose company lists 16 casting credits on IMDB.

Still, she cannot calculate a total number of parts 14 years later, which includes theatrical productions. Stage left has long been out, though. “I really don’t miss acting,” said Koch.

The previous stage presence, on the other hand, hasn’t been completely left behind. “My acting experience allows me to analyze the craft much better,” she revealed.

Her vast knowledge of the NYC educational and professional landscape also provides a leg up. With a strong understanding of the numerous theatre companies and acting school programs, she can get a good impression of what people are capable of with just a resume read.

However, she might just stop short before ever getting to the meat and potatoes. “Do not have as your first information the number of Instagram followers,” cautions Koch, who also cut her casting teeth working at Bauman, Redanty and Shaul.

Aside from not telling her anything about ability, training or perseverance, the listing does not sit well with many CD’s. “You make social media a priority over productions, which means if I hire you, this is still a priority,” she cited the implication. “So you’re not going home to work on the script and will still make more time for your social media feed.”

So hopefully omitted the next time, she recommends that people keep their headshots up to date. Of course, casting directors don’t expect actors to come in full makeup mode. Even so, the real-time baseline must provide a pathway. “It has to be a situation where we put you in a character, and you can get there fairly easy,” she explained. “If it isn’t, that’s a problem.”

Koch also recommends leading with imagery that is more on the serious side. “It is easier to project onto that whether or not somebody can fit into this world and look like they can be the character,” Koch instructed.

Passing the initial hurdles and getting into the room, Koch quickly knows who’s been there before. “They have a professional presence,” she said. “They don’t have to go through folders, already have their notes on the side and have their shit together.”

So on their toes, a veteran may sense the deciders have been worn down by the day so respond in kind. “Be somebody that wakes up the room,” Koch said.

Little help, though, if the actor isn’t very familiar with the breakdown and the character inspiration, but being malleable is also paramount. “Make sure that you haven’t rehearsed to the point of being unable to make adjustments if asked,” she clarified. “This is something I see all the time, and while that flip is difficult, it is absolutely essential. That flexibility will give you an advantage that cannot be overstated.”

At the same time, an actor can have too much information. In other words, they may infer that their audition should take on the tone or style of the current team’s previous projects, and the candidate can be done before starting. “That is a mistake that is frequently made,” Koch revealed.

The read then on, you still might not get the laugh or verifying reactions. “They have literally gone through this many, many times. So if somebody doesn’t laugh out loud, don’t think that means they are not entertained or that your performance is failing.”

The same goes for not getting the part. So many factors, you could have brought your A-game, she said, there might just be a change in production, age range or a number of other things.

In fact, the CD may already have you in mind for something else, but it’s never really appropriate for actors to seek feedback, according to Koch. Unfortunately, people do follow up, and while most relent with her polite dismissal, some get belligerent. “Don’t be that guy,” Koch implored, and she’ll definitely make a note going forward.

There’s also a relief that she didn’t saddle some production with the wrong type of person. But a production has to be selective too.

Koch recommends that your casting director hire has a collaborative mindset, and even if they are working on other projects, there has to be a sense that your project is a priority.

An attribute that should reveal in the early going. For instance, Koch often receives character and project descriptions that include inspiration from other films. So Koch does her diligence, dials her DVD and gets familiar. Anything short of that is a red flag. “If a casting director or any team member for that matter, is not willing to do their homework during the earliest stages - it is more likely than not - that this will continue to be a problem,” Koch assured.

The CD should also be inquisitive from the outset. “Make sure the candidates you are speaking to are trying to fulfill the team’s idea of these characters, and that they ask the right questions. This helps assure that they are on the same page as the production team,” she said.

Still, the director and casting director might not see eye to eye on every hire. “It comes down to making your case for your artist,” Koch explained.

Of course, she is always open to stepping back and considering director feedback. If agreement is not forthcoming, though she defers to the hierarchy. “The producer signs my check,” Koch stated succinctly.

Never heavy-handed with her directive, the objective is to always get every part right, and when someone doesn’t live up, she in no way just brushes it off. “If we fell short, it’s something I regret,” she said. “Something that will bother me in my personal life. Not just at work, it will hang with me for a while.”

For now, the professional has her hopes hinged on an upcoming feature called Borrowed Plumes. “I am so excited,” Koch said, and the same goes for the festival viewing of The Thaw in Berlin later this year.

Picturesque for sure, it’s her career that lets her see the sights that really matter. “I prefer to be behind the scenes. I would so much rather see my cast doing well as the front people than necessarily going, ‘look at me,’” Koch concluded.