Daniel Edwards CDG

Yellowbelly: What’s the best way to get seen for a project if you’re without representation?

Daniel: “EMAIL EMAIL EMAIL! Don’t call casting offices (they are very busy) send a short email with a brief introduction and only one photo. Make that email personal to an individual casting Director, don’t send in bulk and copy in all the CD’s you are sending it to! You want to be taken seriously! We don’t think you are if you don’t even know how to send an email to what is effectively a job application.”

Yellowbelly: How often do you contact actors you’ve previously auditioned, who were unsuccessful for roles that come up in the future?

Daniel: “ALL THE TIME! I have cast many actors who didn’t get the gig on the first couple of auditions but nailed it on the 3rd or 4th project I bought them in for. If a CD likes and champions you the likelihood is you will be bought in (for appropriate roles) all the way through your career……and theirs!”

Yellowbelly:: Do you find yourself taking a tape more seriously if the actor has a professional set up?

Daniel: “ABSOLUTELYNOT andwhatisprofessionalanyway?Formestandinginnaturallightonyour face, shot with clear picture and sound, I don’t care if you have a studio set up or it’s in your kitchen with a bed sheet behind you, its about the performance NOT the backdrop.”

Yellowbelly: If you had one piece of advice for recent graduates facing the industry, what would it be?

Daniel: “KNOW YOUR SHIT! You’ve just had 2 – 3 years of training and during that time you should have not only been absorbing what they teach you at Drama School, but you should have utilised that time to explore and educate yourself on all the other aspects of the industry that they don’t teach! Knowledge (as in all life) is key. And as an actor you have to keep education yourself as the industry changes …and there are major major changes coming down the track!”

Yellowbelly: When skimming through a directory of headshot thumbnails for a casting, what sort of shots stand out to you the most?

Daniel: “IT NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE YOU ! Good photographers manage to capture the essence of someone’s personality and the image is clearly what the person will look like when you see them IRL. I like photographs that pop, not overly stylised or contrived but have a filmic dynamic quality…. with a relaxed actor.”