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.
so…there have been a few posts saying that people are out of the running. Do you think the finalists have been chosen? And those who have moved forward in the process have been notified? Does anyone know if they let you know if you’re no longer being considered??
Oh the suspense! After so many weeks of waiting…I’m just ready to know either way. :/
They don’t notify you that you are out, per say. You find out either when they post that all finalist have been chosen and notified, and that wasn’t you. Or if you have a relationship or communication with a CD you can ask.
Sorry! I didn’t think my original post went through…sorry for the double.
Well…if you’re right, that sucks! This process has been so fun but really stressful! Time to kick it into gear and lose the weight ourselves. I think you are all awesome but I wonder, for those who have been on here for several seasons and still applying…why??? TBL is such an awesome opportunity but you/we can still do it on our own!!! C’mon people!!!! Let’s do this!! My biggest hope and prayer for us all is that next season we will be too skinny to apply again!!
Love to all!
@Tempted
I’ve been waiting for you.
So, now that you’re here, do you believe anything, of what’s been being said this morning?
I tend not to, as the normal announcements on other social media sites, have not shown any evidence of such a happening.
Your thoughts?
Well…it looks like Tempted disconnected, so it’s off to bed I’m going.
Goodnight/Goodday
Holland posted on twitter she was away…Chicago maybe?
@ PI- How’d you know I was on?!!! How’d you know it was ME?
Don’t know what to think. I’m working on me… thus up so early! Crossfit workout-done! Making my eggs as I type.
Last season I was skeptical because my video hadn’t been watched. But then they announced finalists had been notified and the season went on without my video getting a hit. I’m in the same boat this season.
@Ohthesuspense- I know you are trying to be encouraging….. but that is the main reason I want BL so bad! I haven’t given up on me…. I have been on a diet most of my life
I’m NOT waiting for BL, I just keep re-applying simply because I still qualify! I simply feel like I have way too many distractions and absolutely NO SUPPORT.
I feel like BL is more comprehensive. The right hand is talking to the left helping you toward your goals. Money is a huge factor in our home…. spouse wants me to give up crossfit because it costs too much, and I’m finding success there!
@PI
I got it straight from a CD…”if you were still being considered you would have heard something by now”…
@sunshine did you go to a casting call or just send a video? did the CD say all finalist has already been notified? sooo sorrry. I have been tempted to call my CD but I am sitting on my hands instead
@sunshine @curious…sent you email
I am not a big horoscope person… but for fun I looked mine up for today.
You may hear from someone who has important information for you, or feel a pressing need to write or call someone else in order to bring some matter in the open. Communications of all kinds play an important role in your life now.
Sooo….:)
@Tempted
Take it with a grain of salt. I won the lottery, not much, but $400 worth, the morning of my CC and took THAT as a “sign”. What with getting on TBL is like winning the lottery and all, I thought it was my time. Not so. Oh well.
duh duh da dunnnnn……duh duh da dunnnnn……da da da dun da da da dun da da da dun……da da da dun da da da dun da da da dun…..da da da dun da da da dun da da da dun dun dun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@corndawg…. whats the status for everyone…if you are who u say u are can u let us know please….if your not….then don’t because its playing with all our emotions!
good morning @ Sunshine!!! how did you sleep?…..
@mister did you ever get your answers
where is BFG?!!?!?!?!? I love that “Rogue” just up and left?
@tempted thats a great sign!!! did you call?
@ sunshine- I don’t take those things seriously at all…. just trying to lighten the mood! LOL.
@Corndawg- is that the wedding march?!!!
duh duh da done
Can a level upper please change there name and let us know what’s going on…… That’s the point of this board ….. We let you you guys know our process and now everyone just left!!!???
Dr notes
Contracts
Confirmation of going to finals week….
Thanks guys!!!
We all want to move on with our lives too!!!!!!
@ Curious…not well, but trying to work through it today. Se la vie. It is what it is. Fun while it lasted.
@Tempted…can’t wait to see who they picked over me. But I won’t care come January. Don’t plan on waiting around much longer.
Yeah I am starting to wonder about BFG myself….and Rogue, well like I said last night…I am 90% suspicious that they were a CD and I am 90% sure if they were I know which one it was.
In the end, from my experience this season I would say to anyone who wants to be a hopeful at some time in the future…DO NOT TRUST EVEN THIS SITE! I think it is infiltrated with CD’s undercover and they are figuring us out and taking us out of the running for “breaking the rules”. Just my suspicions.
ok well my wife will be glad to finally hear that it is over!!! at least for me….
what happened mister?
@Sunshine. I promise I’m not an undercover CD. AND I Promise im on your side here. So here is the deal. The next step everyone is waiting to level up to is being picked as a finalist. Sooooo at that point you go from 200-500 hopefuls to maybe 50 to 60 people to create a cast of 20-30 people. With that being said….please read between the lines…at this point, tge people you want to hear from are speaking with their silence……I realize the reality is hard for some to take and im not saying thats the case for you, but the IN TURN gave you insight (risking their job btw). Other people have signed off and apparently that’s not enough. Someone even said they talked to a CD WHO told them you would have heard by now.
On that note, I’m off…..licking my wounds until the next casting call comes around. I’m gonna get
a steak dinner Sunday night then im gonna hit the gym and contunue my weightloss journey. I love you all…and until next time…be good to urselves.
@Rogue
I’m really sorry I misinterpreted you. I am sure you can understand what the stress does to us all. In any case I get it now. Good luck to us all whichever road life leads us down to reach our weight loss goals.
If anyone wants to form some type of accountability/support group (here, just by e-mail, or on fb or something) I would love that! Even just e-mailing my daily weights to someone would be a great level of accountability to me.
I just joined a contest called Healthy Loser. You lose for 13 weeks (91 days) and top prize is $5000 (I know it doesn’t come close to what you can win on BL but for me it feels like a decent level of incentive). Past winners have lost between 20% and 35% of their body weight in the 91 days. It is $100 to enter the contest. It is an online contest, check it out.
I have been inspired by a bunch of blogs where people have documented their huge losses in 100 days on their own so I am going to go “all in” and try to get a good head start in the next 91 days (I am going to try to lose at least 25%). I figure once I am down a good amount exercise will be so much easier and that will lead to more loss.
Anyway, if someone wants an accountability partner or to try to form a group post on here or e-mail me at
jenadios@gmail.com
I am a 34-year-old female in Colorado and I have about 140lbs to lose (just in case you only want to check in with someone with similar circumstances
OKay- so if we go with Corndawg is an intern… and knows stuff….. then what does it mean when they say all videos that are going to be watched have been? Do you think they have watched all videos, they’ve given up on watching all videos, or was corndawg talking about home tapes?!!
The way it is worded it almost sounds like they don’t plan to watch all tapes.
If I am understanding correctly, they are done.
Duh Duh Dun…Dun dun dun = Done much like In turn = Intern.
Much luck to you all. I really hope some folks on this board make it. What was the sign again?
Do you all know what the difference is between a load and a play on vimeo. My home video shows 4 loads but no plays (within the last week) and I don’t know what that means!
Thanks
@sunshine & raindrops
sunshine & raindrops says:
August 17, 2012 at 10:32 am
@PI
I got it straight from a CD…”if you were still being considered you would have heard something by now”…
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If that was the CD’s statement, that certainly DOESN’T mean finalists have been notified.
@Tempted
Tempted says:
August 17, 2012 at 11:35 am
I am not a big horoscope person… but for fun I looked mine up for today.
You may hear from someone who has important information for you, or feel a pressing need to write or call someone else in order to bring some matter in the open. Communications of all kinds play an important role in your life now.
Sooo….:)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I certainly hope it’s referring to one particular correspondant. I’ll say a prayer for you, it knows what it is speaking of.
Wow, this board’s going crazy.
@Sunshine – I can assure you BFG is NOT a CD, he’s just gone very far in the process.
@quickquestion – we determined that a load means someone (even yourself) has selected your video, whereas a play, means someone hit the play button. There’s actually a much better explanation on vimeo. You can google it too.
@Tempted – you crack me up! ‘is that the wedding march’. hehe think JAWS….
@cheeks how are you doing? have you leveled up?
Ok, so if I made a home video after a CB and it was never played (only loaded 4 times) does that pretty much mean I’m out of the running? Why would they ask for all the stuff and then not watch it? Confused.
@Curious – I’m doing good! Leveled up? LOL um no such luck, I’m stuck in the basement this season.
@Qucikquestion
While there are two schools of thought on this one –
1. your video was watched, but the ‘play’ didn’t register – personally I don’t believe this to be true. Chances are good that you are actually the one who ‘loaded’ your own video.
2. your video has not been watched – like MANY of us out there! Some have even reported that their snail mail apps have not been signed for.
That said there is one thing I can confirm…………you are not necessarily out of the running until the CDs announce that finalists have been chosen. But as BFG and Rogue have pointed out numerous times…..in all reality, your chance of getting on the show is slim to none. It’s a crap shoot.
I’ve been out all Day at an event with my son. Just got back an hour ago…I see a lot has been going on; just not for me. I’m not sure if all the Finalists have been contacted yet because the email saying so hasnt gone out yet…but this afternoon it could. Starting to look like my prediction at the beginning of last week was dead on…we will soon see.
In the past, we were still getting requests for info and info sent up until hours before the FN went out. Like I said, until that actually goes out, it aint over. It seems some have been contacted, but theyre not saying exactly what. So, although it’s not looking good at all, there’s always a chance…
Hope floats…reality sinks! LOL
wow this is so hard i just want answers asap..
@Tempted
Tempted says:
August 17, 2012 at 2:15 pm
OKay- so if we go with Corndawg is an intern… and knows stuff….. then what does it mean when they say all videos that are going to be watched have been? Do you think they have watched all videos, they’ve given up on watching all videos, or was corndawg talking about home tapes?!!
The way it is worded it almost sounds like they don’t plan to watch all tapes.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
At the time Corndawg wrote that comment, I interpreted that BL didn’t intend to watch all video submissions and they had stopped watching them at that point.
In other words, they were saying BL felt they had watched enough to get what they wanted out of the piles, so, basically, screw everyone else (who never got watched).
Nice way to run a business. Not the best attitude, but I believe that is what Corndawg was saying.
@Tempted I totally and completly agree… false advertising.. what a shame.. if the people that got far… and even myself who got a call back interview and angelic email…. if i were to know they never watched mine i would be livid.
People can sit and say well thats just the way it goes…. its terrible because if it happened to them they would be even more mad than anyone on here
I just wish I could get a call back from one of the CD’s they were always so good about returning my calls… but now that i suppose i am “out” they aren’t… so sad : (
Started my Saturday morning extra early!
…Starbucks . Check! Pedicure . Check!
Having a much needed relaxing Friday night! Now sitting outside with a cool breeze blowing. It’s a lovely peaceful evening.
PS…went for decaf tonight.
On my deck with a glass of Merlot watching the sunset over the hills; peacefully thinking…..WHY the F#!* THEY HAVENT THEY SENT OUT THE DAMN FN YET!?!?!…ahh the tranquility…
@BFG…ROFL
@Cheeks…good for you!
@Curious…lack of communication may not be cause you’re out per say…I thinks most if not all the CDs are out of it at this point. Their job was to get us to AM and BN. Some even left on vacation last week.
I do apologize for spreading my doom and gloom across the board. I know I may be 90%the out but there’s still that glimmer if hope until the FN….and even then…till cameras start rolling on the ranch….and you may say fat chance…but I am fat and I like the name chance…so here’s to positivity…
And now that the bottle is empty I will stumble away…lol
@BFG LOL!! Literally that made me laugh!!!
Tempted says:
August 17, 2012 at 7:44 am
@ PI- How’d you know I was on?!!! How’d you know it was ME?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don’t you know, PI knows everything. lol Just following the clues… You didn’t sense you were being watched, huh. Obviously, I am only kidding…
Really, just following the clues and patterns.
@PI- Yeah, I’m up at 5 and leave for crossfit around 5:30. Then I’m back around 7:30. Today I upped my strict press by almost 10 lbs, upped my kettle bells and jumped rope!! It was a good workout…. I pretended I was at the ranch.
And I assumed the same thing when I read Corndawgs post. Very frustrating if it is true. But it may also be a clue to the future of TBL.
My CD originally said we would all know something by the middle of August b/c finals week was scheduled for end of August/beginning of September. I’ve actually started to wonder if they aren’t getting ready to pull the plug on the show altogether…It’s changed so much from the beginning, and I’m not sure it will ever be able to return to it’s humble roots. I’ve sat by and watched so many awesome and deserving/drama free folks get passed right on by. Makes no sense.
Okay…every season this forum goes exactly the same way… Everyone gives info that they have and supports each other up to a certain point…Next almost everyone gets tense when they think the deadline is coming up…Next almost everyone gets irritated by the “troublemaker”…Next almost everyone thinks the troublemaker is a liar… and then other info with confirmation that it is over starts to come in…that leads to the actual ending of the casting season.
Everyone is disappointed…Actually, I was disappointed that you came back BFG- I was hoping you made it all the way this time, and you still might. I hope you are still in. I haven’t heard any word so I know I am out.
This is for next season, but here is my main tip for Call Back Interviews…I have made if very far every time I have gone to an open call..
When you are done with the Call Back Interview (aka CBI) —- Ask the CDs if you are moving on! If you are not comfortable asking them this question then you have not built the type of rapport that you need! Your CDs will be super comfortable with you by the end of your interview if you are the type of personality that can “make it” on the show. The first time I made it I asked and they said we were definitely moving on but then I put my ear up to the door of the hotel room when we left to make sure they were telling us the truth and found out that they were only looking for one cute sister pair (they thought that me and my partner were sisters when they gave us the call back interview) so I knew were were not moving on.
The time I made it the furthest they showed me the “ranking” they gave us on our CBI tape and guaranteed us we were being pitched. We were pitched and made it far but the connection with my partner was weak even though we would have been perfect on the show as individuals we didn’t make it to LA.
I know it sounds like I am a sneak, but I really like to deal in reality–dramatic waiting bothers me. If you make it to a CBI just ask… if they say yes then listen at the door (if you can)….it is annoying to wonder and wait. The wondering should only begin if you are sure you are being pitched. Then it becomes exciting…
and now the reality even if you are pitched…
It is hard to take the”rejection” but everyone who had any real chance to get on BL has a better life than the average person–just a general observation—you all have good looks, good home lives (all relative, but better than average). Just don’t take what you have for granted.
Be confident and figure out how you will make the most of the life you have been given!!
Just my ramblings late on a Friday night, but if you don’t enjoy the process, and more importantly, enjoy your life, even if you are a chunky monkey, then you are wasting something very valuable.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CHUNKYMONKEY!!! I LOVE YOUUUU AND EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BAHAHAHAHAH i considered listening to the door until i started to walk back towards the hotel room door after i left then i thought HOLY SHIT what if they look out the peep hole and im effing listening and leasning up against it…. HAHAHAHAHAHHA.. they’d open the door and my big ass woulda fallen ontop of them!!!! hehehe
heck with the good grammar and spelling on here anymore im cussing now : 0!!!!!
i want to stay in touch with everyone!!! once the finalists air i will forward my real email but please email me on here!!! im kickstarting it the day the news breaks!!!!!! Lets do this everyone!
bl14curious@gmail.com