This is entirely unrelated to my last post. As far as I know, the show I auditioned for a week and a half ago hasn’t done callbacks or finalized a cast.
Okay. So.
Casting for a TV show asked me to keep some dates open, because they said they wanted to cast me in their show.
Neat! I kept the days open, including rescheduling on other work that conflicted.
So they call us a few times to ensure I’m available … and then they just fucking disappear. They drop off the face of the Earth, and don’t make any effort to return our calls or get in touch.
A few days before the days I kept open arrive, I call the other job, which I had rescheduled, and tell them I’m available after all.
I start work on the other job. It’s really fun and I’m enjoying the process.
My manager and I are talking about something unrelated, and I ask him what the status of the TV show is. Like, did they push production by a week or two? Did they change their mind? What’s should I plan for the next few weeks? He hasn’t heard from them in a week, and since it’s two days into the week they asked me to keep open, we correctly presume the job isn’t happening this week. He calls them, and they tell him, “oh we cast the role with someone else,” and that’s it.
These motherfuckers repeatedly asked me to keep this week open, because they said they wanted to work with me, and then when they decide to cast someone else, they don’t even have the fucking courtesy and professionalism to get in touch with us and let us know that they don’t want to work with me after all. What if I had passed on this job this week? What if I lost the paycheck and the ephemeral, theoretical boost to my career that
It’s so fucking rude, so fucking inconsiderate, so fucking CONTEMPTUOUS of me and my team, I will *never* work for this show. I am nobody’s Plan B, and I have too much self-respect to give these fucking people the time of day if they ever deign to reach out to us again.
You know, Casting, it takes literally one minute to get on the phone or send an email and let us know what you’re doing. Roles go to other people all the time, and it isn’t a big deal. What IS a big deal is giving me and my team the impression that we’re going to work together, and then just fucking ghosting us when you changed your mind.
Actors are people, too, and we deserve the bare minimum of respect when YOU reach out to US about working on YOUR show. Sure, we don’t expect feedback on auditions (it would be nice, but we know you’re seeing 20 actors for each role, and maybe you don’t have time to deal with all of them AND make the deal with the person you cast) BUT! When YOU call ME and ask me to clear my calendar so I’m available for you, and then you just fucking ghost me, you are an unprofessional ass, and I don’t like you very much.
I used to take this shit personally, but I don’t any more. This isn’t about me. This is about an industry that is so far up its own ass, the people who cast actors have stopped caring about us as human beings, and treat us like disposable, interchangeable widgets they can pick up and throw away whenever they feel like it. It’s bullshit, and my heart goes out to all the actors who are starting out right now, and have to deal with this shit every day.
This happens to everybody in every industry. It’s rude.
Sidestepping this whole people suck issue, I’d like to know what you actually did work on and when we will see it. People just suck, it’s universal. It’s why I work with animals. BUT WHEN WILL WE SEE YOUR NEW STUFF?!?!?!
I must say I am impressed by your professionalism in not naming the mother fuckers. Though my nosey side wishes you would, just a bit.
Gee Wil,
Welcome to the world the rest of us live in. Pretty trash isn’t it? Actors are no more special than anyone else except you are paid a lot more money for much less work.
Two things.
1) You really don’t need to be so condescending.
2) I forcefully reject, and am profoundly insulted by, the suggestion that actors (and by extension artists) do work that doesn’t matter, is easy, is disposable, or is somehow LESS than other forms of work. There are celebrities who make enormous amounts of money for what they do, and most of them — most — have dedicated their lives to perfecting their craft. They draw ENORMOUS audiences who bring in ENORMOUS amounts of money. As workers who create that value, actors and other artists absolutely deserve to get paid the most money they can negotiate for themselves. In fact, EVERYONE should be able to do that, which is why unions are so fundamental to a good quality of life in America.
It is not okay that ANYONE is ever treated badly by their employer or potential employer. The bad guys in this scenario are NOT your fellow workers, who happen to be in a different industry than you are.
You tell em’ Will, what a jerk!
Wil, I agree with you completely. What’s this “welcome to the world the rest of us live in”? You in no way came off as snooty or privileged. “The world(s) we all live in” require(s) common courtesy. The way those people behaved was immature and insensitive. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Hear, hear, Wil!
Your profession feeds the soul, and it’s a good thing. There’s no reason for people treat someone else that way.
So sorry you were treated so disrespectfully. I loved watching you on BBT and I am really enjoying your audio books!
You are so very disappointing. Goodbye.
I am sorry you were treated with such disrespect Wil. Both in your workplace with the lack of communication and consideration, and on this message board. While it is true that everyone can be the victim of poor communication and lack of consideration, I imagine it is felt more profoundly by those in professions that require you to put such emotion, preparation and charm into their work. While some of us have dealt with this as well, we at least get to fall back onto consistency in our work situations (for the most part), where actors are constantly on the bubble in your line of work. I appreciate you, and I wish we would see your talent on the screen and page more often. Steer clear of trolls, and let the nonsense roll off your back as best you can. Those who care are always here if you need.
Keven
I am so sorry you were treated with such disrespect. Our community theatre is more professional. Tell you what, I officially invite you to join the cast of our next local community dinner theatre production. And I will not ghost you. I also can’t pay you, but I won’t ghost you. 😀
I never once received a phone call advising me that I did not get a job. Even calling back and leaving messages or sending emails have resulted in no response. It just happened to my husband. He had two interviews with a company and was very excited because he seemed to fit so well but no phone call. They were nice enough to speak to him and advise they placed someone else in the position after he called. Unfortunately this is the way of the world. It is extremely frustrating that businessowners will not let someone know that the job has been filled. It’s not just the film industry.
This is completely different. Your husband wasn’t told he got the job and then the company never returned his calls. Your husband called and they told him he didn’t get the job. Not even remotely the same as this situation. If someone says “you’re hired” and then disappears, you have every damn right to be pissed. Especially if it (almost) cost you a different job.
There’s a difference between applying for a job and never hearing from the company and being asked to keep certain dates free and never hearing from the company. Especially in this day and age when many applications are processed through the internet and through big job agencies. Unless they have an automated system, they cannot be expected to answer to the dozens or hundreds of job requests.
Those who are discussing going to an interview and then never hearing from the company are closer to what Wil is discussing. If you’ve had a good interview, then there’s a strong possibility that you might be putting off other employment waiting for a response from company A. Still it’s not quite the same. It is however rude and there’s no excuse.
The closest comparison would be being told that you were a prime candidate for a job, then they scheduled an interview (or more specifically said they would be interviewing you on days A,B or C) and then never completing the process: Scheduling an interview and never showing up. That goes beyond rude and is inexcusable. Wil, I feel your pain.
Speaking of professional courtesy…this isn’t like what you just went through, Wil, but…last year, a co-worker and I wrote an article on running and maintaining tabletop game programs at libraries. It took a lot of time and we went through several drafts before we felt good about submitting it. We submitted it to a professional (ahem) magazine and it was accepted and we were told it would run in the spring issue this year. The magazine didn’t send us any more information after that. We weren’t sent a complimentary copy of the magazine, so we had to track one down–and our article wasn’t in it. But the most recent issue of the magazine has an article on board games by someone else. But we’ve never heard anything from the magazine since they first told us they were accepting our article. To say I’m disappointed and frustrated would be an understatement. Again, how hard is it to just send an email saying something like “Sorry, we ran out of room and can’t include your article” or whatever the reason was.
Wow glad to know it is not just my industry that does this. I got laid off about a month ago so I have been going on interviews sending out resumes. I have called on a job that had asked to come in for an interview, but then never sent me the information on when and where. Turns out they filled the position the same day they called me and just did not plan to let anyone know. Sound familiar? I only found out because a peer that works there told me when I called them.
Spot on!
Thank you for speaking out
Unfortunately, it’s not just Hollywood, it’s everywhere. I hate to sound like the old “get off my lawn!” woman, but the younger generation needs to learn how to build relationships. They are just interested in being in the moment and snarky. You pay a mortgage by cultivating a business and a reputation, not by burning and turning.
This is a dysfunction that is prevalent across all industries in the states. Ghosting is the rule, not the exception. it goes beyond that to a broken system in its late stages where corruption, incompetence, and ambivalence become standard. I’m in year three here in China. I’ve traveled extensively in other broken nations. America’s oligarchs aspire to make America into one of these shell republics. It’s systemic. Courtesy and respect are endangered. People need to assiduously adhere to like-minded people of integrity and shun the chaotic. It has to happen on a personal level before it changes the herd.
I’m Senator Mike Spudnuts from the great state of Out There and I approve of most condiments not named mayo.
They should have called you and let you know ,there is no excuse since they were the ones who approached you first.
I’m sure your manager and agent will be discussing this with them and their peers. Onward and upwards.
Unfortunately, it’s everywhere. Spent 10 years working in university career centers (before jumping ship to work as a QA analyst for a software company). I saw this day in and day out. Ghosting has been a thing hire-ers do to hiree-ees since long before it was a dating concept. Yet another way people are dicks to one another.
Happy birthday sir. I hope it was a great day for you. I am heading to Gen Con this week. I hope you get to play some games soon with friends and family.
Happy Birthday Wil. I know that you stay off Twitter and I followed Anne’s advice to come here and wish you a most excellent day and year ahead.
As a casting professional, I must say…that’s not cool what happened to you. We always unpin actors who don’t end up getting the part. ALWAYS. And that’s just a pin. We don’t necessary prime our pins that they’re going to get the part because that isn’t always the case. But the fact that they strung you along and didn’t even tell you that they went with someone else…NOT COOL. Please know that what happened isn’t the norm in the casting world. Sorry you had to experience that.
One thing I want to correct is that casting does not make the final choice in who gets cast. There’s a whole team of people who need to weigh in: producers, directors, studio, network, etc. But yes…that was totally the casting office’s bad.
You got ghosted. That sucks donkey balls. I’ve been looking for a job for sometime now, and I get the same kind of shit. Oh. we’d love to have you, when are you available, and then nothing.
I just discovered your blog recently, and it’s been sort of jarring to read – in a good way. You’re so… normal. And open. It’s really cool. I could almost believe this was the blog of a, well, not incredibly famous person if I didn’t scroll down to find pages and pages of some pretty obsequious (but I am sure well-meaning) comments. Please continue to be so genuine; your candor has been weirdly motivational to me as I am starting my freshmen year of college in a few weeks and I needed that cliché but important reminder that being yourself is always the best plan of action. Have a great weak! You’re a good person.
Shit heads. Any actor deserves the respect of an answer in a timely manner. You too the time to audition, they need to take the time to respond with a yes or no. Sorry for this.
I agree that professional courtesy has gone down the toilet but I don’t think it’s just Hollywood that’s affected… It’s happening all over the place…
Next time that happens, send them an invoice for “Services NOT rendered”… and if they don’y pay, send them to collections…
I like that idea. Such people never learn until you push back hard, that’s my experience. Of course, you need to be in the position to so. Bide your time…
Wil, I hope it turns out somehow that the other job is a far, far better choice anyway.
I hope I am not taking the wind out of your sails, but it is nice to hear someone as upset as me over something FAR more important.
See I run weekly “D&D games”*, and my number one rule is “Please let me know if your going to be gone, or if you are not going to play any more.” I think in nearly 10 years of online games I’ve had maybe a dozen people do either of those things (and I’ve had to have played with 100s of people).
It really hurts to have taken the time and effort and then have folks disappear. Why just a month ago, a player who had been in my game for nearly 2 years just disappeared. I thought we had built a bit of personal rapport. But nope. It doesn’t floor me like it used to, and I’ve decided to not even reach out. The players know what time and day we play, if they aren’t there, they are gone.
Not the same, it would be even worse if I made my living off of this. Your blog post really resonates and makes me feel less alone in the matter.
Darrel
*I think in that 10 years I have maybe ran D&D once (and it was Moldvay – Erol Otis cover) the rest of the time it has been other things.
Good rant! You know how the acting business behaves and I’m sure the behavior is not surprisingly new. Now, in general, people watch. See how they behave or how respectful they are. I think society has caught up to the acting business….
Why are any of you on Bob’s case? He’s totally right and Mr Wheaton can take it or leave it. (I’m pretty sure he would say WORSE!). I’m not in the industry but been around these people a lot of my life. It’s not for the faint of heart and can be soul crushing. Unfortunately, this career (artists in general) is not “chosen” but is something that just IS for some people. (And I only just read that Mr Wheaton did not choose this career at 7). Bob’s comment was on the money. Remember that you can do something different – anything you want!
Unfortunately this is just not in your industry…. people have lost the art of common courtesy… sad.
Reminds me of a job interview. Not getting back to you if you got it or not.
My niece is an actor and she is still young. 15 now but I bet she could use your mentoring growing up in the business.
Reminds me of my life … husband of 29 years didn’t bother to notify me … just disappeared. But now I have something to blog on WordPress and Twitter about. It does seem to be an increasing phenomenon that serves the ghoster’s purposes quite well, eh?