Casting your Indie Film: Part 3- The Materials & Email
I strongly suggest you review Part 1 & 2 in earlier blogs which will give you a foundation before jumping into the below. Here we go into the materials you should have ready before pitching and really dissect the preliminary email to the talent's reps. Please note there are no rules so this is simply the process I use when I'm unable to work with a casting director and wanted to share in case it is helpful!
WHAT MATERIALS SHOULD YOU HAVE READY TO GO BEFORE STARTING TO PITCH?
- Pitch Deck (more on this next week)
- Script - Make sure this is 100% ready to go as you only have one shot (proof-read, watermarked and sent by request only)
- Email introducing the project to the talent’s reps.
- Letter from the director - Optional, but advised for lead roles when possible.
- Link to any sizzle reels - Optional; mostly for unscripted projects.
ELEMENTS OF THE EMAIL:
I prefer to keep the email short and to the point to maximize the chance they will read it. If an email from someone they don’t know is too long, they may only glance at it!
BODY OF THE EMAIL:
- Keep it short - 2-4 short paragraphs at most. You want to:
o CONNECT: Make a personal connection if possible.
- Did you go to the same college? Have a mutual acquaintance?
It could be as simple as:
- I hope you had a successful and productive Cannes Market!
- Congrats on the many wonderful Emmy nominations your agency got last week.
- I hope you have remained happy and healthy during this crazy time.
o COMPLIMENT: Compliment the talent. Why are you reaching out to them specifically?
- Our team greatly admires XXX’s versatility and the honesty and depth they bring to every role.
- Game of Thrones was absolutely brilliant and the performance of XXX was indeed one of the show's highlights.
o OFFER- What role are you offering and are you making a financial offer?
o ASK- What is your ask?
- Attached please find the deck and a letter from the director. Upon request we would love to share the script.
THE FILM INFORMATION
I keep the basic film information at the end of the email. Like a separate section addendum so you don’t clutter the email body and make it feel too long and fat. On occasion I will cite the logline in the body if needed but I usually leave it for this part. It looks simple, streamlined and easy to read and follow since they are all bulleted.
I often add “********” to divide the body of the email and this next part.
o Title
o Logline
o Link (if you have a sizzle, or IP it’s based on)
o Role
o Location
o Work Days (how long do you need them; ie-3 weeks)
Once you have a template email, it is rather easy to revise as needed moving forward. Just make sure you triple check you've changed all the personalized info. Know the 3 or 4 sections that must be changed each time and triple check each time you send.
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