Ok, so I'm honestly not even ready to start out. I'm very young and honestly just studying my craft and doing community theatre (possibly some regional) and hoping to get a few student films or short films under my belt by the time I'm 18. (I'm 14 years old now).

Anyways, I just wanted a little insight on Casting Directors for when I get out into the real world. My question is simple:

Which ones should I submit to?

Should I go for the casting directors that probably get 100+ e-mails a day about getting an audition (Paul Schnee) or should I look at the casting directors who still do amazing work but are less known and work my way up from there?

Also, could someone give me an example of a letter you would send to a casting director

Thanks!

First of all I really like your confidence as you are too young and I really appreciate that you know what you want from your life .Best of luck .

There really isn't a reason to be sending "letters" to casting directors. Unfortunately, it's not like the rest of the world where you can send a cover letter and a resume and request an interview/audition. The volume that casting directors receive is simply preventative.

Most casting is done online. Major CDs post a breakdown online to agents and managers only requesting electronic submissions.

In many cases, actor self-submissions by mail do not get looked at. Especially if you are not submitting for a specific project.

As you learn more about the process and educate yourself, you'll hear from CDs that they get A LOT of mail from unrepresented actors and they simply aren't able to go through it.

Instead of spending money on postage, I think a better investment is to continue taking classes and training and then when you're ready, target specific CDs that are working on TV shows or films that you are right for and attending workshops or seminars to meet them and get your headshot/resume into their hand.

What you can do now is register for Actors Access, and submit for student films or local projects in Pittsburgh or surrounding areas that you are able to travel to to gain experience working on a professional set and building material for your resume & reel.

Marbar is right. Your letter and picture will go straight to the garbage. Spend that money on classes, headshots, and perhaps a trip to N.Y or L.A. to start the hunt for the right agent. They will be the ones submitting you...not yourself.

Thank you!

So the way to go about this is more about finding workshops with casting directors and after meeting them/getting to know them for a little bit, start to give them your headshot/resume/reel. Is it as simple as typing into Google "casting director workshops"? How can I find these workshops?

I'm not sure what's available in your region, but here in NYC, your closest production hub, workshops/seminars/classes with CDs are offered at:

www.actorsconnection.com
www.thenetworknyc.com
www.oneononenyc.com
also check
TVI Studios
The Actors Green Room

You give them your headshot and resume at the workshop. You'll either perform prepared material (monologue, scene with a reader) or be given a scene to do a cold read with. This is the beginning of what will hopefully become a relationship with that casting office. The goal is that after they've met you at the workshop, if you impress them, they may call you in to audition for projects they are casting. This is a great way for actors who don't have agents yet to start getting in rooms with CDs and making some fans.

Thank you so much Marbar and everyone else too!