Biggest Loser casting tips (season 14)
Biggest Loser is getting ready to start casting for season 14! Casting calls will be happening this summer and will be posted soon on the Biggest Loser casting website. Basically, this post is a collection of tips I’ve written based on my experience making the cast of season three, as well as some links to casting advice I don’t think you should miss:
- NBC has posted casting information and the application here. They have all the casting news and information on a special blog just for Biggest Loser casting, which you can find here.
- Pete Thomas, the season 2 $100,000 winner has some of the best casting call advice out there, which you can find at his website, Winning Man.
- Holland, a casting director for Biggest Loser sent me a bunch of great advice on how to be casted, you can find it here. She updated them October, 2009.
- I’ve been posting these casting tips for the last few seasons and they always seem to end up with thousands of comments; just about every season has contestants that were hanging out on here, reading and giving each other thoughts and advice. You can find the most recent one here.
- If you’re dealing with disappointment about not being cast, then check out my post on Biggest Loser casting disappointment.
One of the questions I hear a lot is about money … how do contestants afford to be away from home and work for months at a time? I don’t know what it is now, but when I was a contestant there was a $500 a week stipend for cast members on the ranch. When you received the check you could cash it and spend it, send it home, save it, whatever. All airplane tickets, hotel accommodations, etc., for the contestants and potential cast members are taken care of by NBC, and during the casting process it self there was a $50 per diem to cover food costs.
Another question is timing; typically a season lasts for about 8-9 months. About four of this is spent in filming; if you last all the way until the final three or four, you could be away from home for as much as four months or so. Once the ranch filming wraps and the last few contestants are sent home, however, there is still another four or five months that all the contestants have to continue losing weight until the finale. In addition, potential cast members are flown out to California a couple weeks before filming begins for the final round of casting, medical checkups, psychological evals, etc. NBC brings out more people than what they need and the cast is not finalized until filming literally begins. People have been cut at the last minute and replacements flown in with hardly any time to spare. Nothing is in stone until it’s on camera!
When will you hear from Biggest Loser about your video? There is no way of knowing. I heard back a few weeks after I sent it in, but even after that it’s a big waiting game. If you get a phone number or email from a casting direction, definitely drop them a line/call every couple weeks to find out if you’re still in the running or what’s going on. Schedules and plans change almost every day, so it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. If you don’t hear back within a month I would think your video didn’t make the cut. That doesn’t mean you can’t send in another or visit a casting call – it’s just up to you!
Finally, here’s my video application tips! This is by no means a recipe for success; it’s based on my video application and the conversations I had with casting directors out in LA in between things. I was pretty curious about the whole process so I was pumping them for info even after filming began. I’m such a nerd!
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They’ve usually decided if they’re interested in you within the first 30-60 seconds of your video, so front load it with your best stuff. Make it interesting! Start off with something funny or exciting!
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Keep in mind, if you’re going to be cast, your video is going to be watched hundreds of times by producers, executives, casting directors, etc. If it bores you or your friends the second or third time watching it … put some more time into it!
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Special effects? Don’t bother! We’ve all got video editing software with all sorts of bells and whistles on our home computers, but fancy transitions are not going to sell you to people who do video editing for a living. In fact, it can distract from who you are. I’m a video editing nerd and I didn’t use any special effects other than putting my name and contact info on as a subtitle at the beginning.
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Don’t bother talking about why you need to lose weight. When I first started filming my audition video I started describing all of my health reasons for losing weight – but when I was watching it back, I realized … they don’t need to hear it! One look at me was all they needed to know I needed to lose weight! Show them why you need to lose it; I said I needed to lose weight for my kids, and then I followed it with a minute or two of the best footage I could find of me with wrestling with my three boys. We probably filmed half an hour of that insanity and I grabbed the cutest, loudest, and funniest few moments for the audition video. Your physical need to lose weight is not nearly as interesting as who or what your losing the weight for.
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Live loud! Reality TV is over the top, dramatic, and filled with loud personalities. They need to see that on your video! I wanted them to know that even though I was morbidly obese I was up to the challenge of the crazy competitions and workouts – so I threw on a bunch of clips from my different youth group activities; me getting slimed, snowtubing, playing paintball, screaming at events, being on stage, running around … you get the idea. Other contestants did things appropriate to their lives; Tim from Oregon had himself spinning out on his Harley, Tim from Delaware recruited his elementary school class to do things with him, Heather Hanson filmed herself running around in a sports bra all day doing her household chores and errands. The less talking and more action you can have, the better (in my opinion)!
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If you have footage or photos of yourself thin, include those at some point on the video. If you can show them what your after will be, then do it!
Remember, enjoy the conversation here and know that I will never compromise your anonymity – not to NBC, 3Ball, Casting Directors or anyone. You can post anonymously, or you can leave your names and contact information … just remember that NBC likes to be the one announcing their cast for the show, so if you start identifying yourself publicly as a finalist, you’ll probably find yourself eliminated from the casting process. Be aware that casting directors do check in at my blog to see what people are saying, get a feel for what questions are going on out there, and sometimes to give us updates. Good luck to everyone … and let me know if you make the show! I get a kick out of hearing about the different contestants that have hung out on my blog before making the show! 
I'm Matthew, and you've found my blog! I'm married to Heather, a father of four boys, the Youth Pastor at Brandywine Valley Baptist Church, and former contestant on NBC's Biggest Loser.
SCQUEEN, Glad you are finally done. I hope it goes well for you.
I enjoyed meeting Ashley today in Atl. I had a great time.
Tempted, I’m sorry your still having pain. Good luck next weekend. I’ll be thinking of you.
Thanks, Tempted. =) Psssst…you’re still down 0.2. Celebrate the positive.
It was still the round table format with 8 ppl (at my CC) at the table. We were told to give name, age, and amount we want to lose. Then we were asked a question from the application- sorta. It was worded a little differently. If you look at the application, you’ll notice a couple of different questions on it and a couple of questions left off of it. Both the short (CC) and long applications asked about accomplishments. And the long application no longer asks you for your favorite food or what you will do once you lose the weight or how you are in a room of strangers (always hated those questions). They are really interested in the now. So I guess that’s a little different.
I know I said something that caught her attention b/c I got an eyebrow raise when I finished speaking. I also saw a look of recognition when I said my name during my introduction (maybe she read my name in the subject line of the email I sent directly to her last night– had the email address from some notice she sent a while ago). Pretty good at reading people that way. Do I think both of those things helped (eyebrow/look)? Well, I think it didn’t hurt. But, as of right now, my phone hasn’t rung and, of course, it picked today of all days to send calls straight to voicemail or to shut off when one is coming in.
Hopefully, they leave a voicemail message (I changed my message to say there’s a problem w/ my phone) so I can call right back.
Off to sleep off this cold.
Thanks, Nanny. Glad to finally be done as well. How did it go in Atlanta?
Effin F that’s all I am going to say…
Anyone go to Chicago? Anyone get a call back yet? I was done with the casting call around 2:30 but no call yet.
SCQUEEN, I live about an hour away from the CC, so I didn’t have to get a hotel. I gotta say that for the amount of driving to get there I sure didn’t get much time at the table. Ashley interviewed me and she seemed to really be committed to what she’s doing. Thats good because she holds alot of people’s dreams in her hands. Unlike CCs in the past the CDs were in separate rooms to interview. I think that will mean they will be late with call backs, because they can’t converse between groups. Of course I could be wrong.
You know, Nanny, I didn’t even pay attention to where the other CD was but I vaguely remember her being in the same room. I just didn’t hear much (or anything) from that area. Normally, these things have always been a little noisy. Does anyone else from the Miami call remember the set up?
I live an hour away from the casting call too so it didn’t cost me much but a quarter-ish tank of gas. And my Saturday, of course. Luckily I’m on vacay. I had Barb and she was pretty passionate about what they’re doing this season, the whole finding people who are deserving thing. Either Barb is really good at giving nothing away or she wasn’t interested in our group b/c she closed with the “this just isn’t enough time to get to know any of you so please make a tape” line. But, at least, she took time to hear us all and rushed no one. I liked that. Didn’t seem like anyone was dismissed off hand.
I hope you’re right about why that phone hasn’t rung yet. The PA who was keeping the line in order said callbacks would start between 2 & 10. I missed a call while sitting in my car, typing one of my earlier posts on here. The phone didn’t ring, just a voicemail notice. Grrr. But when I checked it, there was a message that said “this phone is not taking messages” which I thought was weird b/c I wasn’t the one who made the call. But the number was a local one and, stupid me, I deleted the message, thinking it could not be from them, so I couldn’t call back the number to be on the safe side. When I got a callback before, it was with a Cali area code so I’m hoping I didn’t miss it.
No Twitter announcement from either city yet. Fingers crossed.
About my comment from earlier. I went to the atl cc and I got there around 3. I was 900 and something in line. They hearses us all into a gym for a few hours…like 300 of us. Anyhoo line never moved. Ian came in and told us to go home.
On another note Je said they might start casting at the end of July for next season. I was very disappointed.
Anonymous, What! They sent you home! They never do that. Was it because of the heat? I know an ambulance was out there when I was there. I hope someone explains what happened.
What was that about casting at the end of July for the next season…is that supposed to be season 15? Are you doing a video?
Sorry I’m just flabbergasted!
Nope. They ran out of time. I started a video. He also said that some got automatic callbacks from the preregistration and those did not need to go to the cc.
Ian looked really sorry announcing to us to go home. I think it was the venue that kicked us out.
Am I going to finish the video and send it in? Dunno…kinda discouraged. I had a looooong afternoon. At least my outfit got a lot of compliments.
I really want some pizza. Instead I came home, baked chicken and am nursing a headache.
I didn’t ask…he just mentioned casting back to back and next season at the end of next month. I am so over couples. Nanny we should be a pair. It could be like ebony and ivory. Anyhoo…I don’t know if it’s couples or not. That’s the assumption.
Is it possible he meant season 14 will be cast by the end of July? They already let it slip that finals week is in August…..(for season 14) and I have a really difficult time thinking they would start casting for 15 before they finished up on 14.
No he said 2 seasons back to back for casting
Unless, of course, it is a strategy for that season (part of the game…)
I never heard of them telling people to go home so it had to be the venue. Veeery disappointing. Sorry to hear that. I hope you do go ahead and do the video, just to give yourself a true shot.
I find it interesting what he said about the pre-registration. I did mine earlier this week so I don’t know if that’s a good indication or a bad one (maybe they didn’t have time to get to it??? Eh.)
Still no word on Twitter. Still no ringing of my phone. Nearly 10. Bleh.
Aaaaand I’m out here in Miami. Just saw this post.
Callbacks are complete for miami! It’ll be a while before they r done in atlanta and chicago. Please be patient with us!
#BL14 #goodluck
Ah, well. There’s still my video. Really inopportune getting sick today. Good thing I’ve already started on me here at home.
SCQUEEN, Sorry, but it’s not over yet.
Someone said the ATL will be calling back until midnight
Thats what Ashley said
BiggestLoser Casting @BLcastingteam
For those who were not seen in Atlanta today. Our sincerest apologies! We WILL be contacting each of you w/ alternate ways of applying. We appreciate each of you for coming out and we will speak to you soon!
My tape is really a good showcase of who I am so, if I don’t get a bite on that line, I will truthfully stop fishing in the TBL pond. At that point, I’ll just have to realize that the show and I are just not a good fit for each other.
WOW! Maybe pre-registering would help in a case like Atlanta…. I really feel for those who spent so much time and money and didn’t even get to be seen! I hope they can do more for those people than say…”please send a video”
the already made miami calls already!!!
I was one of those poor souls who waited out in the heat for 7.5 hours only to be turned away. I’m literally sick about it. Ive never been treated like that before.
BiggestLoser Casting @BLcastingteam
After a lot of Reading through applications, listening to stories and making tough decisions we are finished with Chicago Callbacks! #BL14
That’s so heartbreaking about Atlanta!!! Makes me wanna get to my cc crazy early! So sorry for everyone that left disappointed. I’m sure the casting team is absolutely sick about it. Hope it works out!
ANON it wasn’t the casting directors…it was KSU. I am sisappointed too. Hard not to get upset. I was suspecting we weren’t going in when we were thrown into the gym and the line did not move at all.
Hey there all. Long time no chat… I have been getting my butt kicked by uk/rome… 100 degree weather for the past 3 days in rome… This place has lots of saints and steps… I hope everyone is getting call backs from the past 2 cc… I knew I was unfit before this trip, but OMGosh I had to fall back most of the tours because I coulds not keep up.. I also look like a drown rat from all the sweat.
Anyone heading to Philly and want to meet up before?
OSF
Nanny did you get “it?”
Nothing YET.
They are not done…hoping you hear!
Boy, I do not envy the CDs right now…. especially those who were in Atlanta yesterday!
I don’t know of ANYONE yet that has gotten a callback…. makes me nervous! It also makes me wonder what they are looking for! The word DESERVING keeps ringing in my head (from Brandon’s interview). Who is to say what would be deemed DESERVING, ya know?
I can’t wait for next week already! I sooooooo wish I would have gone yesterday, but I highly doubt I would have been at my best after a week at the cottage! Now I can rest up, get a haircut, and think about how I can market myself deserving!!
I actually dont put blame on KSU, but on the biggest loser casting crew. I totally think this was a case of poor planning. Its public safety 101 to know that you must have security when you draw larger crowds. I actually call BS on the whole “KSU is kicking us out.” When you plan an event and book the venue its standard protocol to have security and they knew good and well how long those officers were going to be there. I think who ever is in charge lacks maturity and experience. And to be honest Im not really upset about not being able to audition b/c I knew before hand I could send in a tape. Im upset that they wasted my time. I begged someone to cover my shift at work, got a baby sitter, drove 3 hours each way, only to be turned away. I went solely on the premise of the advertisement of an “Open Casting Call.” No where in the advertisement did it say this was on the first come first served basis and they my be a chance that you might not be seen. Had this been the case, and they actually stated this, then I would have been able to assess the situation and use good judgement on whether I should stay and bake in the sun, or leave and go home to my family. So as you can see Im still HOT about it. And when I say HOT I mean this both metaphorically and literally because Im actually still hot. My skin is inflamed from the sun.
I beg to differ with you!!! There are hours posted for the open calls…. that means there are limits! I have not double checked this year’s postings, but in the past they have always said they would only guarantee the first 500 through the door….. but they usually try to see everyone who shows up. It is always a gamble to show up to something that doesn’t take reservations and you have to stand in line for!
I completely get your frustrations…. and I know I would feel the same way. BUT, I think you need to step back and really look at what you are saying. Open means open to anyone, not unlimited access.
And to say the crew lacks experience is ridiculous. This is season 14…. and none of the other venues had the same issue.
Hi everyone,
I went to the Atlanta casting call yesterday. Got there around 7am, and was in and out by noon. It’s true what they say – you’re literally in a room with 9 other people and the casting director (mine was Ashley). She asked everyone to say their name, age, job, and one interesting fact. And then she asked a question about giving it back/paying it forward. I’d say we were in there about minutes. Everyone in my group was respectful of time, so each person got a chance to say what they wanted to say. I haven’t heard of anyone getting a call back though.
I thought it went really well, I just am not sure I’m what they’re looking for. One of the questions on the application was about your biggest sacrifice. I’m young, and I’m not married and don’t have any children, so I feel like the sacrifices I’ve made in life are pretty insignificant compared to older people with a lot more life experiences. How do you determine who’s “deserving”? Don’t we all deserve it?
I dunno, I just feel like they’re looking for some sob stories, and I just don’t have one. I’m grateful for that, believe me, but I do feel at a disadvantage in this particular situation. I want it so badly, so it makes me sad that I’m probably not what they’re looking for.
To the person upset and unforgiving of the CD’s at the Atlanta casting call:
@Tempted was right and there ARE time limits on the open casting calls as well as the following info in their FAQ:
Will everyone in line have the opportunity to be seen by the casting team at the open casting call?
We will try our best to see everyone who shows up. It is rare that everyone in line is not seen; however, if we are unable to see everyone the day of the open casting call we will collect the Casting Call Applications of those that were not seen and follow up with them at a later date.
I’m just wondering if anyone who was there and not seen has been contacted. There is still no posting that CBs are complete.
Nanny, not anything yet. No call or follow up email.
From what I can tell, no one from the Atlanta casting call has posted that they’ve been contacted. Do they tell you not to tell anyone if you get the call?
Most people keep quiet about it
The unseen Atlanta folks have a bit of an advantage if it makes you feel better. Their application actually gets read and considered plus they get the benefit of more than a minute of the directors’ time when the followup is done. I say that’s a good thing.
I was one of those that was seen. It was a good interview, but last season I had no doubt I would get a CB. This time is so up in the air.
Nanny did you have a partner last season?
Nanny which part of town are you from? I am a Gwinnetian.
I was reading the Chicago post on the FB page. Some girl missed her brother’s funeral to attend the CC. I’m usually not one to judge but whoa. She had her family’s blessing. She was with her bro when he passed.
Anonymous, I live in Covington, thats next to Conyers.
I tried out last season with my daughter in law.
There was a past contestant (I don’t remember who) that missed her daughter’s wedding to on the show.
I think I took a painting class in Covington once…near 20?
Don’t know about the rest of you but I am tired and have a new episode of NJ Housewives to catch up on!
Nanny and Anonymous, where were abouts were you in line? I was in the early 200′s.
Hope I was one of the ones in line for hours and did not get seen…