None of this is about kissing up. It's about the fact that the casting community is small and everyone talks. Treat the whole chain — the casting assistant, the reader, the coordinator — like they're the decision maker.
Before the audition
- Reply to the notice within the day, even if just to say "got it, on it." Reps and coordinators want a yes/no before they want a perfect tape.
- Don't ask if you can move the deadline unless it's a real emergency. You can't.
- Do your homework. What's the show's tone? Who's the showrunner? What have they been cast in before? ProActor's entity detail pages exist for this; use them.
In the room (or on the tape)
- Know your lines cold. Holding your sides is a red flag.
- Don't apologize for a take. Just go again if they give you the room to.
- If you change a line, do it once per take and note that you did.
After
- Don't follow up the next day. Don't follow up the day after. The answer comes when the answer comes.
- If you don't book, don't ask for feedback. The casting office's job ended when they chose the other person. They'll remember you for how you handle the silence.
- Thank-you emails are fine for callbacks, not for submissions. Save them for moments that actually move your relationship.