But, I need to say this up front. This blog is not meant to be an excuse to run around Hollywood burning bridges. Many bridges, once burned, are very difficult to rebuild. So, proceed with caution. You only burn a bridge in the most extreme cases. You want to burn a bridge when someone behaves unprofessionally towards you. Not rudely, abruptly or harshly. I mean that they spoke to you in a way that made you feel threatened, or if they proposition you in exchange for a role or representation. Perhaps they encroach on your physical space consistently despite warnings. Things that clearly cross a line. If an agent doesn’t pay you or a casting director screams at you then you are not going to want to see these people again.
Here’s the best news of all: you can absolutely burn a few bridges and still have a career in Hollywood. Take it from me.I have burnt a bunch of bridges over the years without regrets. Many of the worst people are horrible to everyone, not just you, and so they can’t really blackball you because they are kind of unofficially blackballed themselves. I knew a guy who used to try to ruin people’s careers and it basically led to him losing all credibility with the legitimate industry and he lost all his influence.
How do you burn a bridge in Hollywood? Pretty simple stuff. You can burn the bridge by deleting them from your world. You will not respond to communication and you will avoid them at all costs. Once a person shows that they cannot treat you professionally, you want to stay away from them no matter what they may promise. I’ve met a few of these gems and they rarely keep their promises. Their behavior would be unacceptable in any other business.
The best way to burn a bridge is to take the high road. Don’t make a scene. Don’t throw your drink in their face. Just get up and walk away. The moment someone is inappropriate with you, just leave their office and don’t look back. Don’t ask for parking validation. Just go. And then take them off of your list. Don’t contact them again. Move on.
Believe it or not, we don’t have some widespread network for talking about actors behind their backs. Yes, friends in the industry do share information sometimes, but if a producer hits on you and you walk out of their office, I won’t know a thing about it.
And don’t be afraid of blowing the whistle on truly awful people. I am not talking about rude people or someone who says something inappropriate. Again, I am talking about people that cross the line.
Don’t burn a bridge lightly. And please don’t make the rookie mistake of burning one because someone doesn’t seem all that important. A casting assistant today is likely to be a casting director in a couple of years. Don’t fear them, but also don’t antagonize them needlessly. You will work with some great people in this industry and you will work with some stinkers. Choose your battles and choose your bridges. Everyone working in this industry has to put up with a variety of personalities. You may work with a director that doesn’t understand acting or actors and masks this shortcoming with a difficult attitude to keep you at a distance. It shouldn’t keep you from working with them.
Each of you will determine which bridges you burn. I don’t want actors to be afraid to do it, but I do want them to pick and choose carefully and try to avoid quick, emotional decisions. Relationships are so important if you want to have a long, successful career. But, just like in life, the best thing you can do to a bad relationship is end it.
About Mark:Mark Sikes began his casting career in 1992 for Academy Award-winning filmmaker Roger Corman. In the past 25 years, he has cast over 100 films as well as television series, commercials and web series. He has cast projects for Tobe Hooper and Luke Greenfield and many others. In the past few years Mark has also produced four feature films.
Based in Los Angeles, Mark has cast films for many markets including the United Kingdom, Peru, the Philippines and Russia. Domestically, he has cast films that shot all over the country in Texas, Ohio, Massachusetts, Virginia and multiple projects in Colorado.
He currently teaches three weekly on-camera, audition technique classes in West Los Angeles. Follow Mark on Twitter @castnguy.