CAZT

Hey guys,  Today I’m writing from CAZT and am quite excited to say we have 5 projects going on. We expect over 300 actors to come into the facility today. Casting directors are calling us left and right excited by the way we are revolutionizing the casting process. CAZT is also excited by an upcoming article in LA Actor. LA Actor is a magazine about the LA ACTOR, for Actors and industry execs. They had heard about us and the innovative approach we have taken to casting - with regards to actors. We spoke with them a bit and they wanted to write an article on the site, they had never heard of a actors being allowed to see their own audition videos, with casting director feedback! The issue went to press today and we look forward to sharing it with actors in the office in addition to the exposure it will give CAZT in the Los Angeles community.   I also wanted to announce that the incredible success of the site has allowed CAZT to significantly upgrade video quality. It will be about a 3-4 week process and should be completed by early September, so look forward to that.  Have a great weekend.  Conor 

Hey guys, More and more actors are coming through our doors every day. It’s amazing how many new projects are utilizing CAZT for their auditions each week. More and more casting directors are using the system to give actors direct feedback following their audition.It’s time to revisit an old idea, CAZT was created with the belief that auditioning is part of the acting craft and is something that can be improved on with practice and training. We want to make sure to reach out to acting coaches that share this belief and teach auditioning techniques in addition to on camera classes.Actors please send in your recommendations for acting coaches. Acting coaches, please feel free to contact me (conor@cazt.com) to discuss potentially using our space for your future classes.  We look forward to hearing from all of you! Conor 

The first week at our new casting facility was a wild success. We had four features casting in addition to three shorts and a music video. We saw over 500 actors come through our doors and the best part is casting directors are more inspired than ever to give feedback via the CAZT message system.Some actors have already come through our doors multiple times and everyone agrees, CAZT is really changing the way the casting process is done.The audition experience is now one that actors know they will learn something from. The experience is no longer dependent on getting the role (though that’d still be great!) but now allows every audition to serve as a learning tool.Space in our new facility is booking up rapidly. Casting Directors are invited to call me at 323-527-5748 in order to book space. Actors, we look forward to having you in the office! Have a great weekend, Conor 

Hey everyone. I’m very excited to tell you about CAZT.com’s brand new casting facility in West Hollywood.We recently finished completion of our new casting facility. I wantedto offer everyone the use of it.Our office is on Formosa Ave right across the street from ‘The Lot’and adjacent to Formosa Cafe.We have five casting units, each is 12×12. Each room comes with acamera, tripod, desk, chairs, sign-in sheets, internet ports and free Wifi.After your audition we immediately upload yourvideos so you and your team can access the auditions online.There is a shopping center right on the corner of La Brea/Santa Monica.thatI think is an hour parking for free (great for actors) and 12 dollarsfor the day for the casting directors etc.I have included my contact information below and I would love to tellyou more about the set up.You can check out our website at pro.cazt.comThanks,Conor conor@cazt.comoffice - 866-925-CAZT (2298) ext. 707  

Whenever I speak about CAZT I am often referring to it as a social network for actors. It allows actors to showcase themselves and also to communicate with one another about their craft. Last week I began CAZT on Facebook and already have been broadening CAZTs network of actors on there. It’s great to interact with interesting people both in and out of LA. The feedback has been great but so have the actors responses to the blog and the idea of ranking photographers/teachers/casting directors etc.One actor, Chris Beaty, recently got in touch. He also has a blog in addition to a website he maintains. It is a interesting concept - another proactor site. http://actorpal.com/ The concept is that every actor in LA needs a confidant - someone they can go to for advice. CAZT hopes to become a central resource for all things actor but there is nothing that can replicate the one on one tutelage of another actor. Great idea Chris. I look forward to interacting with you more as both CAZT and actorpal.com develop.  

At about noon today the CAZT office, along with much of Los Angeles was shook up a bit by the earthquake. I’m happy to report everyone at the CAZT Office is OK. More news coming up later today.   

Last week was a big one, CAZT worked on a couple of feature films and some other exciting projects with some great casting directors. We also opened up our registration so that any actor can create their free profile for the casting directors and producers to see - as they watch the actors audition videos.I also created an account on Facebook, conor@cazt - you can find me by searching Conor Galvin. As CAZT continues to grow and we develop more and more relationships with casting directors, acting instructors and most importantly, actors I want their to be a way to actively navigate the web of networking opportunities that come about. Please feel free to add me. Already we have a number of LA actors and casting directors as friends on there. Facebook groups also provide another resource in finding out about regional acting programs and schools. CAZT has a lot of exciting news in the very near future. Look for it!

BATMAN continues to amaze. I’ve heard few criticisms of Heath Ledger. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him when he was on the screen and thought he was great. I want to see it again to be able to absorb everything. I also saw MAMMA MIA!! which was good. Meryl Streep was pretty amazing. Pearce Brosnan is always fun to watch but in all honesty, he could not sing. Fortunately I’ve read some interviews where he flatly states, ‘I can not sing.’ CAZT’s open registration continues to do well - the response we have been getting from actors is terrific and August looks like it will be a very busy month for CAZT. After having been out here for two Summers now I have learned August is a really slow month so the fact that we are seeing a lot of films getting ready to begin casting is an awfully good sign.Also, student productions, who we love to work with, are gearing back up for the fall semester. CAZT is able to provide a really valuable service for the student productions but more importantly often times the actors that audition for those projects are some of the ones that can benefit the most from CAZT. It is auditions for non-paying jobs that I think sometimes are the most useful for an actor to see. It creates an incentive for the actor to go out on as many auditions as possible because you know you’ll be able to see yourself on tape and study how well you did.  

CAZT has gone live today with its new home page. Now any actor can upload their headshots, reel and resume so they can put their best foot forward for every audition they go on. Now instead of having to be invited to CAZT following your audition, you can leave your audition knowing that as soon as the production team and casting director sign in they will see your headshot, reel and resume. Don’t hesitate, sign-in, create your profile and…. tell your friends! 

One of the first producers to utilize CAZT, Nekisa Cooper, has recently been invited to join the Sundance Producers Lab. CAZT wants to congratulate Nekisa, it’s a terrific opportunity for her and she deserves it.

Unfortunately there does not appear to be any good news regarding the Strike. I will defer to Nikki Finke’s blog for the latest information. I just hope it doesn’t get too ugly.

The CAZT actors are still plugging away - I have been getting lots of responses regarding our CAZT resource list. I have been contacting various industry professionals (Coaches, photographers, reel editors) to try and find those that provide quality services to actors. Many of the conversations have been great and it’s obvious many these professionals truly care about the actors that they work with.  The resouce list is being compiled and I’m hopeful to create a new CAZT resource Page that would appear on the homepage.

CAZT is also going to expand to Facebook, Myspace and some other networking sites - so please look for us there.

The open registration for actors to create their free profile is almost ready. We are looking forward to all of the actors we have yet to work with being able to create their own page.

Keep sending me those emails, conor@cazt.com, with your referrals.

Thanks,

Conor