Former Big Brother Houseguest Matt Hoffman offers his advice and Big Brother casting tips as part of his series on “Confessions of a Layman: How a Regular Dude Can Get Cast on ‘Big Brother.'” Read on to learn how he did it.
2. MAKE A VIDEO
I’ve never been to an open call, but I’ve heard plenty about them. And none of it really seems to win favor over applying with a video. I’ve been told that you oftentimes meet the casting person in a group with others and have to compete to talk. Your time is limited, and the pressure is on. With a video, you can re-shoot it if you don’t like what you did or said. You have infinite attempts to get it just right. However, with that being said, my #1 piece of advice with making a video?…
…DON’T get it just right.
These casting people are trained to see through B.S. And they’re stellar at it. Believe it or not, they do like to see real people. The “human” aspect is compelling. So if you are doing a take on your video where you’re walking and you end up tripping and falling, leave it in! That’s gold! If you swear in your normal day-to-day vernacular, swear on your video. Don’t censor yourself. The things that you think in your head “I can’t let them know that” or “I can’t let them see that side of me”…those are EXACTLY the things that should come out on the video. Casting people don’t need to like you as a person – they just need you to be good for the show. If you are a disgusting reprehensible slime of a human being, you won’t be invited to Robyn Kass’s birthday party or Allison Grodner’s holiday brunch…but you may be on the top of their list for ‘Big Brother 14’.
Also, don’t get all caught up in the editing. When I’d make a video, I’d put the camera on a shelf, turn it around to face me, and talk into it for 2 minutes about my life. That’s it. No titles, no graphics, no editing, no cuts, nothing. Just me talking. But I had passion and energy. And most importantly, I had a story (I’m crude and crass and have tattoos and am in a punk band, but SURPRISE!…I’m also a certified genius).
3. KNOW YOU’RE GETTING ON THE SHOW, AND KNOW YOU WILL WIN
Confidence is key. Don’t be shy. Don’t be timid. Don’t be humble. This is your shot to take this thing, and you want the casting people to know that… Continue Reading Part 3 >>
