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Ever since the industry made a collective pledge to do better when it comes to hiring POC voices, I've seen a quick increase in the diversity of VO casts and I think that's awesome. But I've noticed that many black and indigenous actors are still being left behind.
There's a bunch of you out here thriving (which I am here for), but many still struggling to get themselves heard and get the opportunities they deserve, which causes a Catch 22 problem where they don't have the resume needed to apply for bigger jobs, despite being ready.
So, if you're an up-and-coming director, I thought I'd slap together a quick set of tips for hiring to make sure you're not accidentally leaving anyone out in the cold. (And quick disclaimer that I'm pretty white, so take what I say with a grain of salt--)
(--And if a bunch of black or indigenous actors contradict what I say here, be sure to LISTEN TO THEM and disregard me. I'm talking from a place of best interest, but also a place of potential bias, and as much as I try to look at truth through my lens, they know better than me.)
Tip #1: Keep your database constantly growing. Seek out black & indigenous actors to send auditions to. Keep in mind that this DOESN'T mean hiring underqualified actors-- far from it. It means finding professional actors who you just currently don't have on your list yet.
A good way to do this is to look back on things you've watched, played, or heard that had great VO work, and checking to see if there's anyone on the cast who's work you loved, but who you're not hiring yet. Some may be retired or impossible to contact, but surely not all!
Tip #2: Send your actors ALL characters to read for, not just the ones that match their skin tone. You never know who's going to be the perfect fit for a role, so there's no sense artificially limiting which roles these actors get to read for.
ESPECIALLY since & this one's important: Tip #3, don't try & "save" actors to use on potential upcoming roles that MIGHT fit their background. Firstly, because even if a POC role does come down the pipe in whatever you're working on, that DOESN'T mean actors you know will fit it.
And second, because if that role never comes, you've now squandered the chance to use that actor at all. Instead, cast actors where they fit & keep your database full of other actors who can fill in spots that you're worried about having proper rep on. More actors, less problems!
Representation is important but not just for the roles where an actor's background can inform the character. It's important for our black & indigenous peers to thrive at the same rate as the other talented actors in our industry, the rate that their individual talents deserve.
One addendum: Beware "good enough" casting on projects where you haven't cast any black or indigenous actors at all. Not everyone needs to 100% match the roles they're playing, but if you haven't cast any actors from that background at all, it can seem insulting to overlook them.
