Ask Me Anything

Time Management Class

What to get Casting Directors, Managers, and Agents over the holidays.

This year I'm suggesting one of two things: a thoughtful gift card or a charity donation.

So a thoughtful gift card would be that you contact someone else in the casting office or agency and ask what their fellow employees like.

"Hey, are they a Starbucks person, or are they a Costco person? Are they a McDonald's person or a Dunkin Donuts person?"

And then, you can send them an electronic gift card.

If you're booking a lot. Yes. You want to be thinking more $50, $75, $100.

But if you're a new client or you haven't been booking that year, or there's a casting office that has maybe thought of you a few times throughout the year. A simple $20 gift card. A $25 gift card is fine.

Defaults:

• Amazon, you can buy anything there.
• Starbucks, you can get food, you can get coffee, you can get tea

Or, the charity donation, which, again, you could ask someone in the office or even ask that person, "I'd like to make a donation to a charity of your choice this year. Would you please let me know what charity you support?"

And then you make a donation in their name.

Or you could choose a charity yourself. The Actors Fund or Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS are wonderful charities that the industry recognizes.

The gifts are just tokens.

A well-written card, something that says something from the heart, is also a wonderful, wonderful way for you to show your appreciation.

You're not going to buy your way into that casting director's heart. You're not going to buy your way into that agent or manager's heart.

You're just genuinely letting them know that you appreciate how they have thought of you this year.