|lisa.miller.katz|

Pilot season is not for the faint of heart and if you’re a casting director, you’re right smack in the middle of the chaos. The pressure to deliver the best of the best in the midst of everyone battling for the same high caliber talent? Don’t get me started. You may have an idea as to what actors you have in mind for the role(s) in your show, but you have to be able to roll (pun intended) with the punches. Rarely do you get your first choice, sometimes not even your fourth, but take comfort in knowing that more times than not, you get who was meant for the part.

For as long as Lisa has been doing this job, you’d think she’d be cynical. Some CD’s have a reputation for turning a tad bitter, but not Lisa. She’s the opposite. She’s not only warm, calm, patient and professional, but she also has a genuine enthusiasm and passion for what she does.

Writers who are lucky enough to see their shows move forward have a grace period before the first table read — to see what’s working and what isn’t — just by going through the casting process. When actors come in to audition you’re hearing the scenes come to life. It’s helpful to hear what jokes are landing (or more importantly, what’s not landing). Are the emotional stakes present? Is there subtext in the scene? Are the character’s motivations clear? Lots of food for thought…

RS: How have you changed as a casting director from when you first began? What’s easier and what’s more difficult?  

LMK: The business has changed & evolved so many times since I started! Casting during Covid is easier because you can see more people than I ever could if we were able to have in-person auditions. A normal pre-read session day for me would cap out at probably 40, 50, 60 actors, but now we can ask more actors to self-tape, which allows us to consider a wider talent pool to put forth. Taping all pre-reads and producer sessions has helped streamline the casting process from top to bottom. Also, we can easily access prior auditions when we’re considering actors for other roles beyond what they initially read for, which is so rewarding to be able to remind a producer about someone who maybe wasn’t right for something they initially read for, but now considers them for this new role. Those are the aspects where the technology informs and impacts our job on a daily basis.

During Covid we’ve only been able to watch table reads/run thru’s via Zoom – the collective experience, with the entire cast & crew on the set, that’s what we’re missing terribly. I do miss being in the room and working with actors in person, to help with direction; give an actor multiple takes to find collectively our favorite take on the scene. I hope we’re back to that norm soon, it’s what I miss the most.

RS: When deciding on taking a casting job, what are you looking for in a script, in a project? 

LMK: As someone who primarily casts TV comedy, I really hope that the premise feels fresh, and that I find myself laughing out loud several times within the first ten pages or so. If there aren’t funny moments where I know talented actors can make us laugh during auditions, then I know that the casting process will become more challenging. If comedy for the character exists on the page initially, it’s then super fun to watch dozens of actors land the jokes; then the process becomes about finding the most interesting, fresh, unlikely, surprising talent.

If there’s not jokes for actors to land, that audition process becomes much more difficult

If there’s not jokes for actors to land, that audition process becomes much more difficult, and therefore much less fun for everyone involved. It’s also critical to know where this pilot is heading, especially if it’s for broadcast TV. Is it on brand with other similar shows or is there a time slot that seems to be a good match for the project? You want to know you’re working on a project that threads the needle in the right way.

RS: Before you begin every job, do you start with a strategy?

LMK: Yes: work with wonderful people who will be fun to sit with on a shitty couch for ten weeks looking for the funniest people we can find. Strategy isn’t always something that you can control during pilot season. Often it’s more triage than anything else. I do love the moment where the 100th actor comes through the door, (who comes in to read sides we all now know by heart), and reads a line in the freshest, funniest of ways – that’s gold. When that actor, within that moment, teaches me how the joke should have been read all along? That’s just my favorite moment ever.

RS: When casting, what is your definition of thinking outside of the box? 

LMK: I think it’s about surprise. A writer often writes a description of the character, but often it’s about what more can be learned when we’re chatting about the role. I like to ask who the writer had in mind when writing the script – their prototype – because it’s often a good starting point and can help open up the process for both of us. When I cast the pilot of EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, Phil Rosenthal had written the Robert character to be modeled on Ray Romano’s real life brother, who was shy and on the shorter side, possibly rounder… and so we started the process heading in this direction, until I thought about Brad Garrett. I knew he wasn’t what Phil had in mind, but I knew Brad would be super funny, and happily he was.

Think outside of the box

That’s got to be the best example of outside the box really succeeding and also informing who that character was for nine seasons.

RS: What do the best crafted sides include? What do they need to entail? 

(Side Note: If you don’t know what “sides” are, they are scenes pulled from the script in order to use during auditions — the various roles — for the pilot and in series)

LMK: Together the writer and I can whittle down which scenes will make the strongest audition scenes. You want to be able to understand the character, learn about who they are within the story, and laugh while doing it. Hopefully, those pages exist within the script, so they’re easily pulled for actors to use. Scenes that are written only for audition purposes, which don’t come from the existing script, can sometimes feel less organic and natural in auditions. Everyone who is working on this pilot knows the script top to bottom, so a new scene (contextually) can be an added challenge.

RS: Dialogue notes are the hardest to give to a writer. Have you ever had to tell EP’s or Showrunners that the dialogue isn’t working? If so, how do you let them know?  

LMK: On my end it’s about comedy not hitting where it needs to. I’m happy to mention this if needed, but usually it’s evident to everyone in the room who is sitting through the same auditions together. If we’ve had several days sitting through casting sessions that were laugh free, it’s likely the other producers on the show will be the person to share this with the writer. And honestly, the writer probably knows this as well. It’s a group process, so there are lots of hands together stirring the same pot, and with the same goal.

RS: What does specificity look like for you?

LMK: Actors who bring their own unique qualities to the role. Someone who looks like a real person. Someone who is interesting and makes us all lean in and want to learn more about them. I love to open my door and see a waiting room filled with wonderfully varied actors. They’re going to all read the same scene – but I come away with loving a handful of auditions that surprised us. They found comedy where we didn’t think it existed before or showed us an “aha!” moment that was a lovely, unexpected button to the scene. Those are the moments of specificity that still give me chills.

Worth Repeating: Specificity IS key

RS: We tell writers to listen to their gut. Has yours ever betrayed you?

LMK: Sure. I’ve read a few pilot scripts that didn’t feel like the right choice or project for me at the time, that went on to be big hits. It’s all subjective, and you need to connect with the project as well as the writer and producers… on every level. What can you do, other than hope you’re in it for the long game. But you also have to listen to your gut for many other reasons as well, whether for good or for bad.

RS: Ok. Last question. What is your proudest moment as a Casting Director?

LMK: The pilot of Everybody Loves Raymond was 25 years ago at this point, and that show still makes me laugh like it did then. Same with King of Queens, which was now 23 years ago. The fact that these shows still air and so many people know and love them to this day is very rewarding. And I’ll always stop flipping when I run into Easy A. It’s wonderful that these projects remain so beloved by audiences and that makes me the happiest.

and there you have it. Sage words from the lovely Lisa Miller Katz.

If you enjoyed this post, you might like: https://rebecca-stay.com/the-importance-of-voice-from-writer-aadip-desais-perspective

LISA MILLER KATZ CREDITS:

TV: THE NEIGHBORHOOD, CAROL’S SECOND ACT, DUNCANVILLE, 24: LEGACY,
EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, KING OF QUEENS, DON’T TRUST THE B**** IN APT. 23, THE LOOP

FILMS: EASY A, FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, FIRED UP