2021: The creators of actor marketing tool CastingAbout — Blair Hickey and Brian Wold — sit down with author and Emmy-honored casting director Bonnie Gillespie to talk about technology in the casting process, targeting your storytelling collaborators, and bringing your YOUness to every audition.
2021: Here is the chat from our live session!
2020: The creative business brains behind CastingAbout (a MUST for actors) Brian Wold and Blair Hickey jam with author and Emmy-honored casting director Bonnie Gillespie about the value of research, what casting directors are really looking for, and how to stay focused on the long game.
What are your key takeaways from the CastingAbout interviews from the SMFA Summit? Share below in the comments! 🙂
In 2004, Blair Hickey and Brian Wold developed and launched CastingAbout, the online casting guide and marketing resource for actors. A few years later, the site was acquired by Breakdown Services, where the guys continue to work as managers and consultants.
Blair has been a working actor for almost 30 years, starting on stage and in daytime TV in New York, then continuing in Los Angeles with television and commercial work. Highlights include The Big Bang Theory, NCIS:LA, Heroes, Medium, How I Met Your Mother, Ghost Whisperer, Ally McBeal, The Practice, and Chicago Hope.
Brian is an internet and website consultant with more than three decades of experience — specializing in marketing, public relations, and business communications — with clients ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations and educational institutions.
CastingAbout’s Twitter .:|:. Blair’s Twitter .:|:. Brian’s Twitter .:|:. CastingAbout LA’s Facebook .:|:. CastingAbout NY’s Facebook .:|:. Blair’s IMDb .:|:. Brian’s Instagram .:|:. website
Thanks so much! I really loved the part about simply acknowledging that our negative self thought is there instead of trying to totally get rid of it. But, always flip it around and add a positive comment so that you are starting to move towards a positive mindset. Great talk!
Been wondering for years about using Casting About and glad you had Brian and Blair on to explain how it’s another tool in how to better manage my submissions and job search. Thank you!
Wasn’t it just wonderful? So glad you now have a better idea about how this can help you target. 🙂 Woo hoo!
Absolutely, Bonnie!
“Know yourself” and focus on service. I love that. Focusing on embracing who we are and how we can best tell that story is so empowering. I love how, through experience, Blair has learned to tune into that authenticity intensely. “What if?” definitely helps shift the energy and pronoia is healthier and more effective than the disempowering thoughts that come up. Thank you for this wonderfully enriching talk!
Hearing that other people lost parts of themselves and had to excavate as well made me feel less lonely and less beat myself up-y. So much of this video resonated. Thank you for continuing the good fight Bon!!!!
🙂 We’re all always excavating our enoughness! Stay strong.
Absolutely true!
Loved flipoing negative thoughts instead of getting totally rid of them…I use them to develop a character I am portraying…each lesson learned in this life, even negative ones, can always be used!