Last summer, I packed my bags and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an internship at Betty Mae Casting.  The busy office is led by Mary Vernieu and works on major projects, like those by director David O. Russell, the Divergent series, and more.  

 

The interns were essentially the face of the office and the first point of contact for visitors.  Although every day brought something new, the interns usually helped actors sign in for their appointment, provided sides and NDA agreements, and then worked with the casting assistants to send actors upstairs for their session.  Interns were trained on how to videotape an audition in case the assistants were unavailalbe or the casting directors asked for extra help.

 

Interns helped with script breakdowns, which list every character in a movie or TV show and the script page numbers on which they have dialogue.  I often helped to prep for auditions.  I would recieve a list of actors coming in and create packets with headshots and bios.  I also made sure that we had all of their information correct in our computers. This required the use of sites like Cast It, Breakdown Express, and IMDBpro.

 

Finally, the interns kept the office running by managing any other tasks the directors and assistants needed.  This meant sorting mail, picking up food or supplies, and occasionally taking the adorable "office dogs" out for a walk.

 

I enjoyed seeing how a major casting office functions as well as learning more about the industry in LA.  I saw the competitive nature of auditioning, but was also welcomed into the city with open arms.  I had the opportunity to ask whatever questions came to mind and get to know the company employees.  I was also exposed to industry standards and the major agencies.  I loved my experience at Betty Mae and can't wait to see the projects I helped with on the big screen!