Pam Dixon works alone. She has never had a partner in casting and truly loves the title of “independent” casting director. Her film credits include the Robert Altman films Dr. T & the Women and Cookie’s Fortune, many Alan Rudolph features, the action flicks Vertical Limit and Striking Distance, and cult classic The Craft.
Those who employ her services as casting director trust Dixon’s instincts, knowing she’ll deliver the actor who is best for the role – and one whose name we’ll all know once the film opens.
First Casting Job
As a trainee for CBS Television in 1982. “We were casting the two-hour movies of the week.”
Road to This Position
Head of Talent and Senior VP of Casting at ABC, then Production VP at Paramount Pictures. Next up, Production VP at Lorimar. “I started my own casting company in 1989,” Dixon recalled. “I’d gone away from casting and into development, had two children and knew I couldn’t do development with two kids.” Dixon joked, “Since I wasn’t handy and couldn’t sew, I thought, ‘This might be a good idea.’ I was having lunch with Brandon Tartikoff who was thinking of bringing me to NBC and he said, ‘You were always good in casting. You should start your own company.’ He really did influence me,” she remembered.
Coolest Casting Gig
“Zorro is definitely one of them,” Dixon said. “That was due mainly to the search for the girl; having seen over 3000 women, and really looking at the whole world, not just going along with the stereotypical confines of the role as written,” Dixon recalled.
Also on her coolest list, the Alan Rudolph film, Investigating Sex, starring Nick Nolte, Neve Campbell, Alan Cummings, Jeremy Davies, Julie Delpy, and Robin Tunney. “I had a great time. I had to cast the fourth lead from London so I had John Light call the director in Brazil and speak to him in an American accent,” Dixon explained. “The director took him sight unseen, based on the phone call and my recommendation, and now he’s been signed by CAA, and he’s starring in a film.”
Key Things She Looks for in an Actor
“A sense of confidence, honesty, and a sense of humor about life.”
Her Favorite Audition Tale
Colin Farrell auditioned for the lead in American Outlaws, the role of Jesse James. “I brought him in to meet with the president of Morgan Creek, Jim Robinson. Mr. Robinson hired him for the role based on one meeting, having never seen him do anything. He was just very real,” she said.
A major highlight for Dixon was reading in the trades that Colin Farrell got $2.5 million to star with Bruce Willis in Heart’s War. “I think that’s great,” Dixon said with a smile. “The same thing happened with Matthew McConnaghey. He did Angels in the Outfield for scale plus ten and three months later was making three million,” Dixon recalled. [Note: Farrell was reported to earn $8 million for S.W.A.T. in 2002.]
Pet Peeves
Unpreparedness. “Not that one has to memorize the scene, but an actor has to take the time to decide on choices before coming in,” Dixon explained. “An audition is not an attempt. You need to make a choice and go with that choice, right or wrong.”
Advice for Actors
“I’m still a believer that training is important; whatever training that is right for you,” Dixon said. “I think casting is about more than a look and that really good actors will succeed.”
“Don’t get discouraged,” Dixon continued. “Anything you really want is hard to get.” Being prepared and doing your best keeps you from getting discouraged. “You just may not fit that part. Step back from it. Try again. So much of it is timing.”
Best Way to Get Seen by Her
“Have a really good picture,” Dixon said. And what’s that? “A picture that looks like you.” Dixon doesn’t worry too much about what’s on your resume because, “I don’t know how true a resume is. But if a picture intrigues me, I’ll bring you in. I go through every piece of mail personally. If you send me something, I will see it, that I guarantee. Whether or not I’ll call you, I won’t guarantee,” she joked.
“Using different paper is nice. It attracts my attention when the presentation is neat and looks as if it took some effort, or the letter says something interesting.” So, is a cover letter really that important? “If you send a picture with no cover letter, it’s just like every other picture that comes across my desk,” Dixon shared.
One major point Dixon made: “I do not attend [pay-to-play] showcases in any way. Never have, never will. I do go to theatre, but I won’t do anything where actors have to pay to be in something. I have strong feelings about that.”
Her Opinion on Alternative Submission Methods
“I think [Internet services] are basically a waste of time. A good 8×10, with a nice cover letter will do much better with me,” Dixon shared. She does use The Link, since agents submit using it. But, again, Dixon stresses that she will use “no online casting that costs the actor money.”
Her Operating System
Pretty unique. “There are maybe ten casting directors like me. I do everything myself. You read with me. I have no associates. My assistant does not preread. The organization is in my head.”
An encouraging note from Dixon: “I hold generals two times each week. Half of the actors I see come in from agents, the other half from unsolicited submissions.”
Trends She Has Observed in the Casting Process
“I’m not crazy about the trend where you’re good looking and there’s not a lot of attention paid to how good an actor you are,” Dixon complained. Farrell, Dixon’s find for American Outlaws had strong theatre and training credits from Europe. “He may have been unknown to the world, but he’s not unknown in terms of craft,” Dixon explained. “I’d like to think we’re now reviving the trend of good acting coming first.”
What She Would Change About the Casting Process
The committee aspect of it. I’m on my own and have worked for seven years as a consultant [to Morgan Creek]. That I love! In a studio, everything is on committee,” Dixon said. “Try to get ten executives sitting in a room together to agree on [lunch], let alone the same actor!”
Most Gratifying Part of Her Job
“Fighting for what I believe is right. Taking a chance on new people and having them do a great job to prove me right. That’s the fun of casting, when your instincts are confirmed.”
This interview was conducted on November 9, 2000, and it originally appeared in Casting Qs: A Collection of Casting Director Interviews by Bonnie Gillespie, available at Amazon.