It’s easy to understand why students keep wanting Seth to return to Acting Circles. Not only does Seth have an amazing resume, with projects such as Emmy nominated Netflix series GLOW, What/If, and Siren, but he gives each actor so much attention and advice on their scenes. His energy is absolutely infectious, and his advice never fails to impress.
We’re grateful Seth took time to answer some questions provided by our Acting Circles community, and we promise this isn’t a post you want to miss!
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your journey in casting.
I started my journey in casting as an actor. And while I was pursuing that career, I was fortunate enough to be able to intern in a few casting offices - predominantly as a reader, but also as an office intern. I found that I really connected to (and enjoyed) the casting process. It also made me pretty good at auditioning - because I just understood the "room" so much better.
A couple of years into that, and after some deep soul searching, I realized that I no longer really had the drive and passion to pursue a career as an actor - so I made the decision to leave the business for a while. But in the time I was gone, I kept feeling called back to being involved in the industry somehow. And casting for me felt like the logical fit and route to explore.
So in 2015 I was fortunate enough to be sharing some co-working studio space with Liz Barnes who gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, and hired me to be her assistant on a commercial she was casting. It was an exhausting, but exciting "drop in the deep end and learn how to swim" moment, but I finished that week knowing this is what I was supposed to do. (And the first actor I suggested booked the lead role.)
I've been working with Liz ever since and have had an amazing opportunity to work on some fantastic projects.
You are based in the LA area. Do you have any advice for actors looking to possibly relocate to this market?
The choice to move to LA (or really any market) is a personal one. Depending on where you are coming from - understanding that it's a major city. It's more expensive, it's more populated...it's just more. It will take a minute to get used to how things are "done" in LA. (Why most apartments don't come with refrigerators is still bizarre to me.) And an important thing will be finding a community here. Whether that's in a class, alumni from a school, friends from back home - etc. It can get lonely, so having a support network is going to be important.
In terms of work, there are a lot of opportunities here - there are also a lot of actors. It's competitive, and everyone (including casting folks) are hustling for their next job. But if this is what you want to do, there's no place like it (in my opinion) and the weather is fantastic - for the most part. :)
Your video quality is always AMAZING! How much do you think actors should invest in their self-tape set up, and how much does that play a role in casting choices? For example, if two actors gave a solid performance but one had a better set up, would you be partial to that actor?
Thank you for the compliments on my camera / home studio setup. I confess to being a little bit "extra" so knowing that it's a little over the top. That being said - I love camera gear and it is something I wanted to invest my money into (and time learning how to use it). Actors do not need to worry so much about creating a whole studio set up for their self tapes. Every actor should absolutely have good lighting and good sound - a non-distracting background, shoot horizontal video (if you're using your phone) and a live (or virtually live) reader. Other than that, it is so much more about the performance than the technical stuff. I'd much rather advocate for a really great actor with a "fine" self tape setup than a "meh" actor with an amazing set up. Invest in the gear you need to get a good tape, but spend more time and money investing in your craft to really deliver on the work.
What’s the one thing an actor can do to make your life easier as a casting director?
Be a good actor - ongoing training is so important for an actor to invest in. Understanding the "new" way in which we are auditioning actors now. Practice getting your set-up ready for Zooms, and understanding how to act in that environment - so that our sessions can run smoothly. And SUPER basic - follow the directions and respect the deadlines. Auditions & self-tapes are professional job interviews, so approaching it with that attitude and mindset helps everyone.
Where do you find new talent, and how often do you see unrepresented actors?
At the beginning of the pandemic we did an open call, so added a bunch of "new" actors to our database from that. Pitches from reps. I've attended a couple of online film festivals and theatre productions in the last year and remember actors from those. I watch A LOT of TV (with IMDb open on my phone) and make note of anyone who stands out who I haven't met before. I also teach some classes, so actors who I meet through that process.
We have a pretty good database of represented and non-represented actors, and always love to try actors we feel are right for the role - whether represented or not.
What are your biggest pet peeves from actors in the room? What about on self tapes?
Actors who are unprepared, or don't take it seriously. And then actors who take it way too seriously and have a "pick me, choose me, love me" energy about them. The actors who really stand out are those who are grateful for the audition/self tape and understand that they've already "booked the role." They got the appointment or self-tape over other actors who didn't. We want them there, we want them to do a good job - and just come in (or tape) showing us your version & understanding of the character. Be open to an adjustment if we have one, and then let it go as you leave and go about the rest of your life trusting that if it's your job, you'll get it.
If you’re interested in taking classes with Seth, or any of our other teachers, head to www.actingcircles.com to see our full line up and get signed up right away!
The Acting Circle provides both actors and industry leaders the unique opportunity to work with one another in an educational, virtual environment. Being an actor is already so expensive, so one of our main goals is to keep classes affordable to actors so keep our classes affordably priced at only $35/class.