If you’re a Romanian actor/actress or just an acting aficionado, maybe you’ve already heard about Managing Talents by now. Managing Talents is a project part of Les Films de Cannes a Bucarest, which has been taking place for 4 editions now and which brings together Romanian actors and international casting directors. The project also aims to teach actors how and why it’s so important to have a good self-tape, so that the next time they’re going to an audition, they’ll know better.

I must admit I only heard about Managing Talents occasionally and I mostly knew the project by its name, without really knowing what’s behind it. So one day I put all my questions on paper and I sent them to Dan Lupu (Managing Talents coordinator), who carefully answered all my curiosities. You can find the result down below.

They say that all good ideas start from a discussion between friends meeting for a drink. How did Managing Talents come into being? What was the need / lack found in our local film industry and what was your solution?

First, I would like to say that this year is the first time I also take on Managing Talents at Les Films de Cannes a Bucharest. Managing Talents appeared, like all good things, out of a necessity: getting two camps in the industry that need each other in contact, but which, for the most part, seem to have a rather austere relationship – actors and casting directors with an extension to film directors. I think we have a lot of good actors but a few of them who fully understand what ‘talent management’ means. The solution is simple: being informed and exchanging ideas / needs / impressions. It’s important to exist in a context that you understand and, why not, be an active part in defining it.

How did the Managing Talents project start?

The first edition took place in 2016 and consisted of a conference-meeting between four casting directors from the US, Ireland and Germany and some 200 Romanian actors, in which they talked about how a casting photograph should look like to how to present yourself to an audition and how to best show off what you can do. The reactions of the participants proved that a second edition is essential so it was organized in the following year and, look, this year we are at the 4th one.

What does generally happen throughout the Managing Talents program and what happens during the individual meetings with the casting directors?

Each year the program is adjusted according to the needs noticed in the previous editions. Cristian (n. Mungiu) is a very receptive man, always attentive to those around him and, therefore, this year at Managing Talents we have a casting session for a film project produced by Mobra Films. In short, professional actors or those who didn’t attend a profile school but are interested in acting can do a self-tape which will be watched by Floriela Grapini, the casting director of the film. On the first day of the workshop (October 24th) Floriela will talk to those present in the room about how to record an audition, what they should or should not do on auditions, and will choose some of the applicants with whom she will develop the casting sessions. I can tell you that it will be very interesting, I have already seen some of the self-tapes that were sent, the examples are consistent when it comes to positive things and vice versa.

On the second day, we scheduled the masterclass held by Manuel Puro who will talk to the participants about the self-tape. After that, he will meet with a few selected actors and work with them on their materials. The Cinema PRO foyer will be transformed into a mini studio where those interested can apply what they’ve learned by recording a self-tape.

On day 3 there will be a new casting session based on the self-tapes that were sent, taking also into account the ones made during the workshop on the previous day.

At the festival Closing Gala, a short list of the participants who were selected for the final phase of the casting will be announced.

More about this year’s program at: http://filmedefestival.ro/les-films-de-cannes/managing-talents

One of the main themes of the workshop is creating a self-tape. Why do actors need to learn about it?

In an industry with more and more actors and more and more projects, the self-tape solution saves time and logistical means for the casting agencies, representing the first phase of the selection process. As in any contest, if you don’t pass the preselection, you cannot further participate, and, it’s important to participate in this casting contest in order to get projects.

How do you select the casting directors and what guests have you had so far?

Cristian takes much of the credit here, as well. Each time, in front of the participants, there are people who can help them understand the rhythm and the way the industry works internationally, professionals working at the highest level, here are some of them: Ilene Feldman (LBI Entertainment), one of the most well-known and influential agents in the US, with names such as Ryan Gosling, Colin Farrell, Terrence Malick, Yorgos Lanthimos, Jude Law, Lily Collins, Dave Matthews or Amat Escalante in the portfolio. In the past, he has represented Angelina Jolie, Brian Cox, Chris Isaak, Nicholas Cage or Johnny Depp; Avy Kaufman who has collaborated with directors such as Ang Lee, Robert Redford, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Wong Kar-wai, Lars von Trier and has signed the casting for over 150 productions, including Life of Pi, Lincoln, Shame, American Gangster, Brokeback Mountain or The Sixth Sense; Richard Cook – one of the founders of the Irish agency The Lisa Richards Agency, established in 1989 as a theater representation agency and has since become one of the most important in Europe with names such as Pierce Brosnan or Vlad Ivanov; Georg Georgi representing Cosmina Stratan, awarded at Cannes for her role in Beyond the Hills, by Cristian Mungiu; Nathalie Cheron works with some of Europe’s most renowned directors – Luc Besson, Olivier Assayas, Guillaume Gallienne, Frédéric Auburtin; Vicki Thomson who has worked for many award-winning TV productions, including Broadchurch, Humans, Grantchester, Brief Encounters, The Last Kingdom; Frank Moiselle, a casting director nominated at the Primetime Emmy Awards for three times, or Debbie McWilliams, one of the world’s most renowned casting directors, who has worked on the casting of the last 13 films in the James Bond series.

This year’s special guest is Manuel Puro who has over 20 years of casting experience and has worked with great directors, including Guillermo del Toro, Nicolas Roeg or Richard Attenborough. In 2000, he worked with the ICM casting agency, taking on celebrities such as Rachel Weisz, Cate Blanchett, Michael Caine, Hugh Grant, Ben Kingsley or Julie Christie.

This year’s edition of Managing Talents program is a little different. Why did you choose to combine the workshop with a “for real” casting session?

Many actors complain that they don’t hear about auditions. This year we are trying to offer them this possibility and we would be glad if, besides the casting itself, they would find useful information to help them on future auditions.

How was the project received among the actors? Rather reluctantly or enthusiastically?

I think the number of participants each year shows a real interest in this program. This year the enthusiasm is even greater because one of the people who will talk to them is Floriela Grapini, one of the best known casting directors in Romania.

The call for entries and participation is open to both professional actors and those who are at the beginning of their career or to amateurs. What is the interest ratio between the two categories? Are there more experienced actors or more individuals who are just passionate about this area?

The balance tips in favor of professional actors. We have participants from all categories of experience: from some very young actors to actors with an important box office. I’m glad to see that they are so cool and so mindful about their career.

Romina Banu

Photographer and editor; she co-founded Dissolved Magazine together with Melissa. For Films in Frame she gathers film and TV series recommendations for lazy weekends and she writes about interesting projects from the film industry. Other than that, she likes traveling, chilling with her cats and sleeping.