Attention! Pay attention to this!

So. 

A part of my job means I deal with the casting of a lot of minor roles in film, tv, and commercials.  

And unless it is necessary for the plot for the character to be female (love interest, love interest, mother character), all these small characters are almost always MALE.

I’m talking about the store clerks, the police officers, the dmv officials, the classmates, the roommates, the people on the street, the rock musicians in the background, the skaters on the road, the drivers they rear end, the best friends who are there for two scenes, the coworkers, the scientists, everything.  Unless they’re there for the characters to be flirted with, have sexual tension with, be turned down by, or be mothered by, they’re male. 

SO HERE IS MY CHALLENGE:

This Nanowrimo, or with your next script, each time you have one of those toss of characters, FLIP A COIN.  Heads, they’re female.  Tails, they’re male.  Cause really, it shouldn’t matter for those small roles. 

And somewhere, sometime down the line, a casting director and junior manager in hollywood will thank you.