If you are an indie filmmaker then you know that casting is that wildcard that can make or break your chances at festivals, awards, and making all of your hard work worth it, and that mis-casting can make your shoot a living hell. The breakdown is the fateful first step in the casting process. As an actor I have personally read somewhere near 15,000 breakdowns in my career, and, when I was self represented - I read and applied to the worst of the worst - and paid the price for booking them in the end. Over the years, I’ve combined a list of ten pages of dos and don’ts I wish every filmmaker knew in hopes that we can all be the change we wish to see in the breakdowns.