Laine Monica Baker is Brains of Minerva’s Marketing Intern. She was born and raised in the tiny town of Webb City in Southwest Missouri. She began acting at age eleven in a local production of Annie and continued throughout high school. Her favorite roles include Jo in Little Women, Dory in Merrily We Roll Along, and Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing  Technicolor Dreamcoat. Although her resume consists mostly of musical theater credits, her true passion lies within the film industry. After attending Missouri State University for one  year, Laine transferred to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles where she is working towards her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Acting. Laine resides in Hollywood and expects to graduate from AMDA October 2011.

When my friends found out I landed an internship with Brains of Minerva, one question kept popping up: How did you do it?! The answer: I asked around and started networking. I was taking an acting class my second semester in college, when my professor booked a gig. His substitute for the week was actor/director (and Minerva contributor) Ian Forester. When the week was up, something about Ian stuck with me. I told Ian that I was searching for an internship, and he led me to Sarah Sido and Claire Winters. Just a few weeks later I was offered an internship with Brains of Minerva.  Sarah and Claire gave me a series of marketing tasks but also wanted to know what areas of the business I was most curious about. When I said I wanted to learn about casting, Claire suggested I write an article focusing on interning in casting offices and led me to actor/intern for Shaner/Testa Casting, Rachel Kanouse, and renowned casting director Risa Bramon Garcia.

Weaving the Web

Last week, I sat down with Rachel, a bubbly, redheaded LA native. Rachel has interned in several offices, though she primarily considers herself an actor and occasional producer. But currently, she is committed to an internship at Shaner/Testa Casting. I asked Rachel what her advice was to students (like myself), nearing graduation or perhaps newly graduated from acting school, who are considering a casting internship as a means of getting a leg up in their acting career.

First off, how does one go about gaining internships?

“It’s all about relationships,” Rachel says. “It’s best when it comes up in casual conversation—talking with friends who are also in the business, and getting acquainted with as much of the industry as you possibly can. I’ve never had it happen any other way—friends, or friends of friends—whatever. Don’t worry about networking with everyone—network with people who you genuinely like and genuinely connect with. If you spend your time sucking up to someone you don’t like or respect, people will read that from a mile away. Be yourself: Know who you are and what you want. Only stick around as long as you’re enjoying yourself and benefiting from it somehow—if you aren’t getting anything positive out of it, then it’s best to move on to a new opportunity. And another thing to remember is that it’s a give and take process—once you’ve got an internship, keep the ball rolling—return the favor.”

Sometimes when you’re interning it’s easy to fall into a bad attitude—“I’m not getting paid, so it’s not THAT big of a deal.” WRONG. “You have to treat this like a real job,” Rachel says. “Be clear about your commitment from the very beginning. Work out a time schedule from day one—if you’re in school and can only commit to 5-10 hours a week, it’s important to be upfront so there aren’t any miscommunications.”

Actors have to understand it’s a process that is all inter-related. When it comes to trusting people in the industry, regardless of their title, “Go with your gut,” Rachel says. “The same as in your personal life… You’ll know whether you like someone or not, and most people you’re going to like enough to be professional with—but don’t get involved in a situation that makes you uncomfortable.”

How does interning benefit young actors? It’s simple. Rachel stressed that continually learning is a major part of  having a long career in any industry—anyone will tell you that. She said you should never turn down an internship or opportunity working backstage or in production because you’re afraid of being pigeon-holed, or fear people won’t take you seriously as an actor. It’s important to understand every facet available to you. Rachel emphasizes that it’s just the smarter way to operate in order to be well-rounded. Ask questions—not favors, be genuine—not insincere, and most importantly, never take advantage.

“It’s useful to see the other side of casting. It can be a double-edged sword because you can see breakdowns going out that you aren’t asked to audition for—and you think ‘I could do that…’  But on the plus side, it’s great to see the auditions, it shows you more accurately where you are as an actor [talent-wise], and what the casting people are looking for and why they act the way they do. Once you get a good relationship with casting directors, they know you, and if you keep them aware that you are first and foremost an actor, not just in casting, you can get lucky (with audition opportunities) and it will happen.”

Becoming Part of a Team

On the other side of the spectrum is a name a lot of you will know, and if you don’t, you’ll surely know many of her credits. Risa Bramon Garcia is an accomplished woman in the entertainment industry. You may recognize her name from casting credits such as TV’s Roseanne and CSI:NY and the movies Sweet November, SLC Punk, Twister, Speed, and a little film called Fatal Attraction. She’s also an accomplished director and producer and gives master classes in Los Angeles, New York, and throughout the country.

I was humbled by Risa’s interview—it isn’t every day you get to speak with the person responsible for casting some of the movies in your top 10 list. But thanks to my internship, I got to speak with Garcia and find out just what her day to day life as a casting director is like.

“If I’m deep into the eye of the storm on a project my work day is six AM to midnight—once things even out the day is more manageable…The good news is with technology you can work anywhere, but people are on their Blackberries all the time. It’s overwhelming—and no rest—people don’t stop.   I do a lot of things, and casting is one of them. I’ve always been a director but I’m good at it and I’ve done it a lot and so I’m balancing a lot. Actors are typed and people pigeon hole you and tell what you can and cannot do—which you cannot do with me. Recently I’ve become a teacher as well—for about four years but much more intensively in workshops at different theatres and sort of taking the show on the road—Canada, Ohio,  New York, Chicago, private coaching… I produce, I write, I’m a mom… so I wear many hats, sometimes more than one at a time.”

From her side of the table, what makes people stick out? When she’s seeking interns, what sets one person apart from another?

“When I look for interns, I post a request through CSA (The Casting Society of America) and will get emails from interns who are looking. I like to get back a resume, and a condensed but accurate and clear identification of what they’re willing to do and the time they have,” Garcia says. “I weed through emails before meeting with people and sometimes I work through colleges if people are eligible for school credit. I like enthusiastic people who are there to learn—not to be discovered as an actor. I was an intern, and I feel it is a valuable part of the process. Unfortunately, we don’t get enough money to hire proper staff in the work we do. It’s a great opportunity to teach, and for interns to figure out what they want to do and learn. I treat interns as if they are responsible members of the team, and they can grow however they want to. You get fired when you don’t take initiative and don’t take it seriously. You have to commit yourself to the work…(If they’re effective) they can ‘work’ for pay—eventually. Be a fly on the wall- realize what goes on, and you’ll find that on the other side it is mind-blowing.”

Sometimes, people are too shy to ask a question because they feel silly or perhaps fear they’ll annoy their superior. How does she recommend one ask a question so as not to be a pest?

“I think if you’re really in tune with what is going on, you can ask anything as long as you commit to confidentiality and aren’t interrupting the work. I’ve had a couple of really great interns—and I would turn to them and ask who they like and what they thought because all these actors come in unprepared and fifty girls start to all seem the same and my brain gets fried. Not everyone gives interns the same respect—walking dogs, dry cleaning, making beds—I don’t do that. My point is, I got an intern this year who made coffee for everyone, was always here early, knew the schedule, and did whatever possible to make things run smoothly. That stuff makes a huge difference. She was smart and intuitive and together, and when I asked her what she thought it engaged her more—allowed her to ask more questions. It came organically since we are both involved in the process. And it’s all about the process.”

A reoccurring theme among my friends is the fear that if they intern they’ll never have access to a “real” acting gig. Risa couldn’t disagree more.

“Every actor should intern. It shows you what happens on the other side—shows mistakes actors make, and teaches you how to do YOUR work at an audition and what to expect. It’s good to know other alternatives to acting —writing, directing, producing. There’s never been an actor that I’ve known who has not grown from the process of interning. I audition all of my interns at some point in the process and help them where I can—it’s essential to broaden your scope—to take note of what actors do that are right AND wrong. It’s better than going to any college acting program— and I’m a big believer in college. But it’s unbelievably important for every actor to get hands-on experience, and interning is never something that is looked down on.”

Here are some great interning tips straight from the casting director’s lips:

“Work in a good casting office that does good work—work you love. Don’t go to a reality show or some office that does things you disagree with—it starts with a level of work you respect, admire and adhere to. By doing that, you’ve already given yourself a higher standard.”

And when you’ve come to the end of the road, how does one make a smooth transition and gracefully leave an internship with out burning any valuable bridges?

“Give people notice! Be straight up—if you’ve done it for a month and really just can’t do it, tell them. My pet peeve is when someone disappears. If you can’t make it, replace yourself with someone else. Take responsibility for your time. Most offices have limits—a movie shoot for four months, a hiatus at Christmas, you have finite amounts of time. Adhere to certain times of schedules—I always work with people if they’re straight up with me. You don’t bail on that—you do it the right way. It’s part of being responsible—it is a job. If you’re babysitting and go make out with your boyfriend in the car, you aren’t doing your job. I’ve had great interns who look at their work as a commitment and a real job and those are the people who have done well for themselves. Once you commit you must take it seriously. You can do well and grow and really do a lot—a whole career can be built on just a six month internship. You can learn a tremendous amount of things, it’s informative and useful and you will become a better actor and a better professional. And learn the technology! If you know technology you are GOD. Be efficient and savvy—it is invaluable to have those qualities.”

A couple weeks ago a line on my new favorite TV show (Ron Howard’s new series), Parenthood, Lauren Graham’s character, Sarah Braverman, said something to her mother, Camille (Bonnie Bedelia), that I found not only to be true, but quite possibly my new motto: “You do not need an invitation to your own life.” I think Risa and Rachel exemplify that statement. You cannot sit around expecting things to happen to you—you must go out and get them. Make choices that have the ability to advance your own career. Take initiative—make the time to understand the industry so that you will feel less intimidated by the professional world. Don’t waste any more time waiting for that invitation – you’re the guest of honor!

Resources for Casting Internships

As Rachel said, start with who you know. Mention your interest to friends, family, networking groups, acting classmates and alumni associations – you never know who’s got a great connection.  Ground zero for the casting industry is the Casting Society of America. Log onto their website and sign up for their email list as an Intern to receive notices when members have spots available. Casting directors will also sometimes post internships through Actors Access…As Risa said, look to the offices whose work you love.  Rediscover the lost art of letter writing -find out who’s casting your favorite shows and films (Casting About is a great resource) and reach out directly.

For more information on Risa Bramon Garcia and learn about her upcoming workshops visit her Group on Facebook.

For more information on Rachel Kanouse, check out her website www.rachelkanouse.com.

Photo by Jsawkins