How Actors Become Professional Actors
We are officially in the last quarter of the year and it's time to be a little bit introspective.
Have you achieved what you set out to achieve so far this year? Take a moment to think about that and reflect on your career progress honestly.
That’s something we have been doing over the last few weeks.
If you're an actor, especially given the things that have thrown the industry into chaos over the last few months, you have likely found that you are falling short of your initial goals.
Even with many things left unresolved, it's not too late, but you do have to make a detailed plan for getting your career to the next level.
That involves two things that most actors don’t think about very often.
However, professional actors rely on those two things, especially when they are in the early stages of building their career.
Those two things are problem solving and goal setting. I know that sounds simple and many actors think they do some form of this somewhat often, but over the years I have seen that most actors don’t do it properly.
That leads to many of them getting stuck in their careers, so if you want to build your career as a professional actor, this is something you should want to get right. Here’s where to start...
We are officially in the last quarter of the year and it's time to be a little bit introspective.
Have you achieved what you set out to achieve so far this year? Take a moment to think about that and reflect on your career progress honestly.
That’s something we have been doing over the last few weeks.
If you're an actor, especially given the things that have thrown the industry into chaos over the last few months, you have likely found that you are falling short of your initial goals.
Even with many things left unresolved, it's not too late, but you do have to make a detailed plan for getting your career to the next level.
That involves two things that most actors don’t think about very often.
However, professional actors rely on those two things, especially when they are in the early stages of building their career.
Those two things are problem solving and goal setting. I know that sounds simple and many actors think they do some form of this somewhat often, but over the years I have seen that most actors don’t do it properly.
That leads to many of them getting stuck in their careers, so if you want to build your career as a professional actor, this is something you should want to get right. Here’s where to start...
When an actor’s career stalls, their response is typically to do something that isn’t very well thought out.
They realize that something in their career is wrong so they instinctively try to do something quickly.
What sets professional actors apart is how they dissect the problem and their systematic approach to overcoming it.
They don't merely wish for things to change; they take deliberate steps to make the change happen.
Setting goals is something most of us are familiar with, especially at the beginning of each year.
The real challenge lies in the process of achieving those goals. It's not enough to simply want things to change, while continuing to follow the same routine.
The first thing professional actors do, when faced with a career that has stalled, is goal setting.
Questioning what you want to accomplish in your career is important, because it helps you clarify the steps to do it.
Building a professional acting career is essentially a matter of setting goals, accomplishing them, and then setting new goals.
So, if you are in a place where your career isn’t progressing, think about what you want to accomplish in your career.
Think about both long term goals and more immediate goals. For example, it’s great to set a goal to win an Academy Award.
If you are still working on getting your first few credits, then put that goal into the long term category and think of more immediate goals like booking a certain number of roles or getting a certain amount of screen time.
It's crucial that your goals are realistic and achievable within the given time frame. Your short term goals should be one to two years maximum.
So, while it's exciting to dream about giving an acceptance speech at a prestigious award show, think about the timeline.
Even if you were cast in a movie on the first day of preproduction, it would take at least 18 months before you see it on screen.
That means, in the best-case scenario, you might be looking at two award show cycles, and realistically, it is probably more like three cycles.
That makes the goal unrealistic as a short term goal, which is what you want to focus on as you build your career.
It's also important to understand where you currently are in your career. Winning major awards may be an absolute possibility for you and it’s great to have that as something you are working towards over the long term.
However, it's essential to set goals that are suitable for your current stage and work towards accomplishing those first.
The problem that many actors run into when doing this is setting lofty goals without a clear plan.
Instead of setting goals and continuing to do the same things as before, come up with concrete steps you can take to accomplish those goals.
That will help you move your career forward, step by step.
Once you have established your long term goals, consider what has been hindering your progress thus far.
That will help with adequately setting your short term goals. If you are working on getting to the next level in your career, from background work to speaking roles, set goals around that.
The problem solving aspect comes in, when working through the reasons an acting career has stalled.
It’s crucial to identify the right problem and solve the right problem, to make career progress.
Everyone’s acting career is different, but the process of building a career is universal. Overall, setting a clear goal, identifying obstacles, and working diligently to overcome them is how professional actors build their careers.
There are also other factors that are universal, because they are the fundamental building blocks of your career.
One of those building blocks is your industry visibility.
That’s important because if the industry doesn’t know you, they can’t hire you. I created Boost My Star to help increase your visibility where Casting Directors and industry decision makers look for talent.
While being highly visible to the industry is important, it’s also crucial to cultivate a stellar industry reputation.
When Casting Directors make decisions, they put a lot of trust in the actors they move forward with.
Because how those actors ultimately work out reflects on the Casting Director, they tend to do some research on the actors they are considering. Be sure that what they find about you is up to their standards. Here’s how I can help with that.
Especially when working with actors they are unfamiliar with, Casting Directors rely on that information to help with the process.
They try to learn as much as possible about the actors when making casting decisions to ensure that there will not be any big surprises after the fact so make sure your industry reputation is always in top shape.
Over the years, I have seen actors take their career to the next level by simply focusing on the fundamentals and then working on building their career with the goal setting framework we just talked about.
It seems overly simplistic, but that’s part of what makes it so effective.
Don’t overthink things, just take some time to work through what we talked about today. As you are doing so, you are likely to want an opinion on how to take the next step or how to workout the correct problem.
Remember I am always only a comment or an email away. Feel free to get in touch anytime! I will always help however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
Scott
The Industry Change Most Actors Missed
If you have been around Boost My Star for any length of time you know that the industry has taken a giant leap forward.
Changes that were supposed to take 10 years to implement were made in just under one year.
Even advances in production technology are happening at an unprecedented rate. For an industry that was already changing rapidly, the state of the industry can be somewhat intimidating.
Actors who are not fully keeping up with the changes often find themselves at a loss, not knowing why they are not making the kind of progress they should be making.
On the other hand, there is always a small group of actors that are always in the know and at the forefront of those changes, anticipating things before everyone else.
That gives them a huge advantage because it leaves everyone else trying to catch up to the things they are already aware of.
The actors in that group tend to be the ones that build careers as professional actors. Most actors are constantly working on perfecting their skill set and so they can be ready when the opportunity comes.
However, professional actors are just as focused on creating those opportunities. If you want to build your career as a professional actor, that is something you should focus on too. Here’s how...
If you have been around Boost My Star for any length of time you know that the industry has taken a giant leap forward.
Changes that were supposed to take 10 years to implement were made in just under one year.
Even advances in production technology are happening at an unprecedented rate. For an industry that was already changing rapidly, the state of the industry can be somewhat intimidating.
Actors who are not fully keeping up with the changes often find themselves at a loss, not knowing why they are not making the kind of progress they should be making.
On the other hand, there is always a small group of actors that are always in the know and at the forefront of those changes, anticipating things before everyone else.
That gives them a huge advantage because it leaves everyone else trying to catch up to the things they are already aware of.
The actors in that group tend to be the ones that build careers as professional actors. Most actors are constantly working on perfecting their skill set and so they can be ready when the opportunity comes.
However, professional actors are just as focused on creating those opportunities. If you want to build your career as a professional actor, that is something you should focus on too. Here’s how...
First it’s important to realize that opportunity is all around you.
Even as the strike continues, many actors are finding that there are some unique opportunities that didn’t exist for them just a few weeks ago.
More on that in a bit...
Over the years I have seen that professional actors are not just focused on creating opportunities. They also focus on seizing the opportunities that everyone else ignores.
Here’s what I mean...
If you were to ask the average actor what opportunity exists in terms of self taped auditions, what would their answer be?
Many of them would say that it’s a more relaxed audition environment and that it also allows them to perform their audition multiple times until they get it just right.
While those are both very valid points, they don’t speak to what the opportunity is with self taped auditions.
The big opportunity is that self taped auditions are simply an entirely different form of auditioning. The fact that CDs are evaluating your performance through a screen instead of evaluating it live makes a big difference.
Think about the difference between acting for the stage and acting for the camera.
Both mediums have their own particular nuances. The same is true for self taped auditions and traditional auditions but most actors approach them the exact same way.
Because of all that has happened in the industry over the last few years, self taped auditions are quickly becoming the norm.
That means actors who are skilled at that particular form of auditioning will have a distinct advantage over actors who treat self tapes the same as traditional auditions.
There are many differences and I could literally write an entire book on self taped auditions but if you keep just a few key points in mind, you will likely be better positioned than most other actors.
Remember that when you are acting for the camera, your expressions, your voice, and even your movements are somewhat muted, at least when you are set up for a self taped audition.
To counteract that, it’s often beneficial to increase the intensity of how you are playing the character.
Thes can be somewhat tricky so a great way to figure it out is simply to set up your environment and perform your scene as you normally would.
Then, watch it and consider if increasing your intensity by 10% would make a positive difference.
Record your scene again. When you watch your new take, it will be obvious whether you are on the right track or not.
Sometimes, you may take it too far and play it with too much intensity. In that case dial it back and repeat the cycle again until you get it just right.
It sounds like quite an obvious exercise but you would be surprised at how few actors actually do it.
Most will simply practice their scene in the mirror, get it “just right” then record their self tape and submit, never considering that they were evaluating their performance live while casting will be evaluating it on a screen.
That’s the big opportunity with self taped auditions.
While most actors simply work on audition techniques, you can work on perfecting your technique for what is quickly becoming the dominant form of auditioning.
Self taped auditions were always going to be a part of the industry’s future, but that future took a giant leap forward and self tapes are over taking traditional auditions at a much higher rate than anticipated.
The actors that are serious about building their career are not taking the subject lightly.
Because self taped auditions are much more efficient than traditional ones, it is expected that there will be a wave of self taped auditions to make up for lost time, when the strike comes to an end.
Like I said, an entire book could be written on the topic of self taped auditions but what we went over today alone can be incredibly impactful.
Everything else will build from there and we will continue going over the details of how to master self taped auditions over the coming weeks.
For now, do the exercise we talked about today. Pick a scene and go through the exercise a few times.
It may seem tedious but the difference in your performance can be notable.
As the industry continues to evolve, self taped auditions will become a fundamental part of building an acting career.
Those fundamentals are the building blocks, something professional actors focus on consistently.
It will likely become as important as being highly visible to the industry where Casting Directors and industry decision makers look for talent.
Without being highly visible, it’s easy for actors to get lost in the shuffle, unable to differentiate themselves from everyone else.
That’s something we talk about constantly because, like the other fundamental building blocks, it’s something that is unlikely to change.
Having that in order can make everything else more impactful, much like having a stellar industry reputation.
Your industry reputation is something that is often evaluated along with a self taped audition.
While self taped auditions are more efficient and in many other ways work out better for everyone, they do lack the personal interaction of traditional auditions.
That holds true whether it’s a self taped audition or a traditional one, much like the strategy we went over today.
As you are putting it into practice, feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or even if you just want to bounce ideas.
Shoot me an email or leave a comment below. I will always help however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top
Scott
How To Master Auditions and Have The Best Chance of Booking
Over the last few weeks we have been putting together the building blocks of your career. With those in place, now it is time to focus on how to successfully complete auditions, and have casting directors looking forward to having you read.
This is the place where most actors start but as you have seen over the last few weeks there's a lot of work that must be done first.
Professional actors know this and they focus on building their career on a solid foundation because otherwise actors are much more likely to end up on the audition hamster wheel.
Most actors simply go from one audition to the next without putting much thought into the process, simply because it is the “fun” part of the industry.
It's the part where you get to display your talent and creativity but in order to differentiate yourself from everyone else and give yourself the best chance of booking the projects you are reading for, you have to rely on more than talent alone.
That’s why we put the foundation of your career in place first.
Now, it’s time to focus on the way in which you approach auditions so you can have the best chance of booking.
Over the last few weeks we have been putting together the building blocks of your career. With those in place, now it is time to focus on how to successfully complete auditions, and have casting directors looking forward to having you read.
This is the place where most actors start but as you have seen over the last few weeks there's a lot of work that must be done first.
Professional actors know this and they focus on building their career on a solid foundation because otherwise actors are much more likely to end up on the audition hamster wheel.
Most actors simply go from one audition to the next without putting much thought into the process, simply because it is the “fun” part of the industry.
It's the part where you get to display your talent and creativity but in order to differentiate yourself from everyone else and give yourself the best chance of booking the projects you are reading for, you have to rely on more than talent alone.
That’s why we put the foundation of your career in place first.
Now, it’s time to focus on the way in which you approach auditions so you can have the best chance of booking.
Auditions are something you cannot avoid as an actor. Some actors love them. Some actors are less than excited about auditioning.
It's understandable. auditions can be nerve racking and they are always full of uncertainty.
That's why so many actors are excited that the industry is moving towards self taped auditions so quickly.
Whether doing a self-taped audition or a traditional audition the outcome is largely determined by an actor's ability to build a character.
During auditions what CDs are looking for Is an actor's ability to connect with the character in a way that is unique but still aligns with what production has in mind.
When you're building a character there are literally endless possibilities in terms of the character choices you can make. Over the years I have seen that most actors largely make very similar choices.
That makes it very difficult for them to stand out to CDs during auditions.
As you are considering how to build the character you will be auditioning for, think of ways in which you can do something different or unexpected.
You may even consider deviating from the character’s description. If it feels natural, that may be the way to go.
Characters will continue to evolve throughout auditions, and even when you’re on set so don’t be afraid to try something different.
Remember, CDs are open to seeing different interpretations and it may help you stand out from everyone else.
If your interpretation and character choices are way off, they will let you know and give you feedback. You will likely even get a chance to try it differently in the room.
What they want to see from you is the ability to create a character and portray the emotions of the given scene.
It’s not as much about getting the character “right.”
Much of what CDs will be looking for is whether your vocal tonality matches the character you are building.
That’s a fundamental part of acting and actors that don’t display practiced tonality are typically the actors that CDs pass over quickly.
To ensure that your tonality matches the character and the action in the scene, consider what the overriding emotion of the scene is and how it affects your character.
The scene may be serene but if that serenity negatively affects your character, it would show in their voice, even if the action of the scene shows otherwise.
Casting Directors are actively looking for that level of nuance, even if the choices you have made don’t exactly match what production had in mind.
Actors who do this are much more likely to get feedback for how to approach the character and get invited to call back auditions.
Actors that are more focused on getting the character “right” are more likely to be passed over, even if the character choices were more in line with what production had in mind.
That’s also why it is important to match your body language to the action of the scene and how it affects your character.
Similar to vocal tonality, your character may be saying one thing verbally but acting in an entirely different way.
That conflict would come across in their body language and tonality.
Your character may be speaking bravely in the scene but underneath, they may be nervous for what is about to happen.
That would likely result in strong tonality, with vocal patterns that lack inflection, and forced body language that would be trying to hide the character’s true emotions.
As you work on the scene, look for those nuances and contradictions and plan how you will portray them.
Most actors will go only as far as “faking” the bravery their character is displaying without planning for the contractions in the way we just went over.
That leads to characters that are very one dimensional and Casting Directors do not feel compelled to give them call backs.
Another area where you can display your grasp of the character’s and the scene’s nuance is your facial expression.
Just like with tonality, your face may show an emotion that is completely fabricated because of what is happening beneath the surface.
That can come across as ingenuine on set, if the character choices are not well planned.
When an actor’s performance plays unnatural it is typically because something about the performance is not aligned with another factor.
It could be that their facial expressions don’t match the tonality, or it could be that their body language doesn’t match either of them.
Actors who don’t show the ability to put those factors in alignment for an audition are unlikely to get call backs or book, because casting directors will not be confident in their ability to do it on set.
Creating highly nuanced, layered characters is something you should be well practiced at if you want to master auditions.
Self taped auditions have some slightly different dynamics but the core of what we went through today still applies.
We will talk about the rest in more detail, next time.
For now, get started on what we talked about today. The strike is a perfect opportunity to brush up on your audition skills.
It’s a great time to get a few industry friends together and take turns building characters and performing mock auditions.
I’ve heard from many actors that are eager to get back to business as usual in the industry, but they are making the mistake of waiting for things to change.
There is a perfect opportunity right now to revisit things that you may not have had an opportunity to do during “normal times.”
When the strike inevitably ends most actors will be left scrambling to catch up on what will be a huge wave of activity to catch up on lost time.
However, there is a small group of actors that are continuing to work on building their careers in the meantime.
They continue to make sure they are highly visible to the industry where Casting Directors and industry decision makers look for talent. I created Boost My Star to help with that.
Regardless of what is going on in the industry, if they don’t know you they can’t hire you, so it’s important to make sure you are always highly visible.
I have also heard from Casting Directors that are continuing to unofficially take note of actors they want to see when the strike ends.
Now is a perfect time for CDs to catch up on that so it’s not something that should be ignored until things get back to normal.
CDs measure those factors along with evaluating an actor’s performance when making decisions.
They also consider an actor’s industry reputation.
Actors that go on to build a career as professional actors are typically the ones that have the fundamental elements of their career in place and can also master auditions.
After all, until you build your career to a place where your body of work speaks for itself, auditions will be the key to booking projects.
So as you start to think of how to best approach what we talked about today, feel free to get in touch. I’m always happy to bounce ideas and help however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top
Scott
Why Talented Actors Fail
All the talent in the world will not guarantee an actor’s success in the industry.
Over the years I have seen incredibly talented actors fail to live up to their potential simply because they relied on talent alone to get their career on track.
While talent is important it’s not the only thing that is required to succeed. In a perfect world it would be and the “best actor” would book the job.
Unfortunately the industry is far from perfect.
Some actors agree with it, others don’t. Where you stand on the issue doesn’t really matter because it is not going to change anytime soon.
I know that sounds harsh but I have seen way too many actors get stuck in their careers for believing things that ultimately don’t serve them.
Professional actors are able to build their careers largely because they are able to get past the emotions and stop wishing that things were different.
They embrace the industry, even with all its flaws, and they learn how to work within it to build their careers.
If you want to build your own career as a professional actor, especially in these changing times, this is something you should do too.
Here’s where to start...
All the talent in the world will not guarantee an actor’s success in the industry.
Over the years I have seen incredibly talented actors fail to live up to their potential simply because they relied on talent alone to get their career on track.
While talent is important it’s not the only thing that is required to succeed. In a perfect world it would be and the “best actor” would book the job.
Unfortunately the industry is far from perfect.
Some actors agree with it, others don’t. Where you stand on the issue doesn’t really matter because it is not going to change anytime soon.
I know that sounds harsh but I have seen way too many actors get stuck in their careers for believing things that ultimately don’t serve them.
Professional actors are able to build their careers largely because they are able to get past the emotions and stop wishing that things were different.
They embrace the industry, even with all its flaws, and they learn how to work within it to build their careers.
If you want to build your own career as a professional actor, especially in these changing times, this is something you should do too.
Here’s where to start...
First, you have to be open to the idea that most of what you have learned about the industry and what it takes to build a career is simply flawed at best.
Think about your industry friends and how they continue going from one audition to the next hoping that something changes, even though they aren’t really doing anything differently than anyone else.
You may even be supportive in their endeavors even if things don’t quite feel right.
On some level, you probably understand that things are not going as they should. The reason that so many actors end up getting stuck in their career is that they don’t understand how to market themselves as actors.
I know it sounds strange and that’s precisely why most actors ignore the concept.
If you have been around Boost My Star for any length of time, you know that doing the opposite of what everyone else does is usually a good idea.
So if most actors are ignoring the responsibilities of marketing themselves, that’s probably something you should focus on.
It’s not unlike any other product. A restaurant may serve the best and most delicious food but if no one knows about them, they won’t last very long.
A clothing company might sell the most comfortable, high quality, environmentally responsible clothing but if no one knows about them, how many products will they actually sell?
You may be the most talented actor for a given role, but if no one knows you are then how can you expect to book?
When I talk about this with actors they usually say things like “my agent is supposed to get my auditions, or CDs can recognize my talent and work ethic when I read, etc.:
Those are valid points but they don’t address the root cause of the problem.
You have to spread the word about your talent and the fact that you are a professional actor.
We have been laying the foundation for this over the last few weeks, talking about developing your brand, and choosing the category you will focus on.
Now, with those in place you can begin the process of marketing yourself as an actor. I know the term sounds intimidating but it’s actually quite simple.
Your goal is simply to get as many people as possible to know you and your talent, and you need to have a structured way of doing so.
There are many different ways you could go about it. You could do mailing campaigns letting CDs and industry decision makers know that you are available.
I’ve seen those work, but it’s very time consuming and the frequency at which you mail the same person repeatedly greatly affects the results.
You could start a blog or an Instagram account chronicling your journey as an actor. That is by far one of the most effective things you can do.
If done correctly, that can be a complete game changer for your career. The problem with that is that it requires a lot of work and you also need to develop a ton of different skills to do it effectively.
The answer to what the most effective thing for you to do is different for everybody.
If you already have all the skills required to become an influencer, great! That would be a great place to start.
However, if you don’t then it may not be the best path for you at this point.
For most actors, it will require some trial and error to figure out what works best for them and the career they are hoping to build.
Some actors have built great careers simply getting out and “shaking hands” twice a week, consistently.
Others have been successful by posting TikToks reenacting scenes from popular shows and getting those scenes in front of CDs and industry decision makers.
Some actors have been successful by approaching casting directors directly and building a relationship without “asking for an opportunity” immediately.
Whatever you choose to do, think about how comfortable you will be doing it and whether you can set aside time to do it consistently.
That is often one of the most important factors because whatever you choose will have to be done consistently in order for it to work.
Neither a single TikTok nor a single handshake will make the difference.
Whatever you choose to do, there are some things that can help to make it more effective. For example, if you are reaching out to Casting Directors and industry decision makers directly then you should be sure that industry reputation is always in top shape. Here’s how I can help.
They will often do a bit of research before deciding whether or not to connect. The same will be true as you continue to build your career.
As you move from one career stage to the next, Casting Directors are likely to do some research on actors they are considering. Be sure that what they find about you is always up to their standards.
They do so because when they decide to move forward with an actor, that actor’s performance and work ethic will reflect on the Casting Director.
They also want to be sure that the cast they are building is going to be a good, cohesive work group.
When you are thinking about building your marketing plan as an actor keep in mind that the goal is to make yourself highly visible to the industry.
If they don’t know you, they can’t hire you so you want to make as many people aware of you and your profession as possible.
It is so important to building an acting career that I created Boost My Star to help you increase your visibility where Casting Directors and industry decision makers are looking for talent. You can get the details on that here.
Take some time over the next few days to think about your marketing plan as an actor because next time we will be talking about how to turn your marketing plan into bookings.
If this is the first time you have thought about any of this, you will probably have some questions. It’s always a good idea to reach out to your agent and get their feedback and ideas on what to do next.
Also, if you need someone to bounce ideas with, shoot me an email or leave a comment below. I’m always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top
Scott
When The Strike Will End
A full week of the strike has come and gone. So far I have heard from several actors who are rightfully concerned about the developments, mostly because of the media blackout surrounding the negotiations.
In many cases even bad news is better than no news so many actors have been feeling anxious and uncertain about how this strike will affect the industry in the short term and ultimately how it will affect their careers.
Everyone involved has expressed their desire to come to an agreement that would put this saga behind us but so far that hasn’t happened and there doesn’t seem to be any developments to suggest that an agreement might be close.
Unless you look at the big picture...
It’s easy to look at what’s happening as involving only two dueling parties. On one side there is SAG-AFTRA and its members. On the other is AMPTP and its members.
The truth is the strike has far reaching implications that affect more than just the members of those two organizations.
Nearly everyone that has anything to do with the entertainment industry is being affected somehow, with very few exceptions. The good news is that many of them also carry a lot of influence particularly because they do not support one side over the other.
Instead of just waiting for this ordeal to end, they are actively lobbying both sides and acting as a neutral third party, helping to move the conversations in a productive way.
Whether the strike continues and for how long is something most actors have very little control over. What you can control is whether to spend this time being productive or just waiting it out.
If you would rather be productive instead, here’s a great place to start...
A full week of the strike has come and gone. So far I have heard from several actors who are rightfully concerned about the developments, mostly because of the media blackout surrounding the negotiations.
In many cases even bad news is better than no news so many actors have been feeling anxious and uncertain about how this strike will affect the industry in the short term and ultimately how it will affect their careers.
Everyone involved has expressed their desire to come to an agreement that would put this saga behind us but so far that hasn’t happened and there doesn’t seem to be any developments to suggest that an agreement might be close.
Unless you look at the big picture...
It’s easy to look at what’s happening as involving only two dueling parties. On one side there is SAG-AFTRA and its members. On the other is AMPTP and its members.
The truth is the strike has far reaching implications that affect more than just the members of those two organizations.
Nearly everyone that has anything to do with the entertainment industry is being affected somehow, with very few exceptions. The good news is that many of them also carry a lot of influence particularly because they do not support one side over the other.
Instead of just waiting for this ordeal to end, they are actively lobbying both sides and acting as a neutral third party, helping to move the conversations in a productive way.
Whether the strike continues and for how long is something most actors have very little control over. What you can control is whether to spend this time being productive or just waiting it out.
If you would rather be productive instead, here’s a great place to start...
Over the years, I have seen firsthand that many actors don’t understand how the industry really works.
However, the few that do understand it tend to be the ones that have an easier time building a career.
Most actors get caught on the audition hamster wheel because they do very little outside of that.
They go from one audition to the next, hoping that someone helps them get to the next level but they often neglect to spend time on other things to help them build an acting career.
The strike is forcing many of those actors to rethink their approach. With auditions being postponed for the time being, many actors are finding themselves more free time.
Some will choose to wait it out. Others will choose to take an acting class or a workshop, which would be a much more productive thing to do.
However, in order for it to actually have an impact on your career, whatever you choose to do should be different from what you would normally do.
If you default to training when you have some down time, then it may be time to go the networking route.
I talk about this often because it is so widely overlooked and misunderstood. So, if you decide to focus on this during the strike, be sure to do things different than you have in the past.
Most actors love “networking” with other actors but that can only get you so far. Instead focus on connecting with other people in the industry that can help move your career forward.
When was the last time you actively sought out to connect with directors, CDs, producers, or even writers?
Most actors don’t do it very often because it can be very uncomfortable.
For many of them the idea of networking extends almost exclusively to other actors. While that can lead to collaborations and opportunities, most of the time it’s unproductive because actors tend to connect with other actors that are in the same career stage.
To be effective, seek out connections with actors that are farther along in their career. Don’t ask for anything from them, just open the door to having a conversation and if an opportunity exists to work together it will become evident.
The same is true of connecting with CDs and other industry decision makers. They are relentlessly approached by actors who want to use their reputations and opportunities to help their own career.
If you approach them as just another industry person they might get along with and an opportunity exists to work on something together it will become evident.
If no such opportunity exists, then it doesn’t matter how nicely you may have asked.
On the other hand, if you default to networking when you have some down time, it may be a good idea to do some training.
That’s also something you should do differently than what you have done before now.
If you really like to take classes try a weekend workshop. If you focus highly on a certain genre, take a class or a workshop on a different one.
This will help you develop your range of skills and keep you sharp during a time when you are unable to audition or get on set.
You may even want to get a group of industry friends together to watch some of the classics and analyze the performance of great actors.
Training can even involve developing new skills that can be used on set. Special skills are very often written into characters and that can help you stand out during auditions, when they resume.
So, if there is a skill you have been meaning to work on but haven’t yet taken the time to, this just might be your opportunity.
Whether the strike goes on for another week, a month, or longer is ultimately out of our hands. However, for the reasons I mentioned a moment ago, I am very optimistic about it being resolved quickly.
Either way, the actors that will thrive in the aftermath of the strike will be the ones that used the downtime to build their career and develop their talent.
The strike can be an obstacle or it can be an opportunity to do things that can help you differentiate yourself from everyone else.
As much as we may wish for it to be different, the industry does not focus on talent alone when making casting decisions.
That’s not to say that talent is secondary, but it is important to have a well rounded approach to building your career.
I have seen incredibly talented actors struggle to build a career simply because they focused solely on their talent to get in the room, but talent cannot precede you until you have developed a successful body of work.
That’s the point at which the industry knows you can deliver incredible performances and CDs trust that you are up to the task.
As you build your body of work, be sure that your industry reputation matches your goals because it can bridge your talent with your dedication and build trust with CDs and industry decision makers.
Also focus on using a well rounded approach to building your career as the strike goes on and even after it ends.
Actors get into the industry because they love to be on set and everyone is looking forward to the day when that can happen once again.
Even if the strike has been declared over by the time you are reading this, don’t overlook what we talked about today.
It’s how many successful actors have worked on building their career. If you are unsure of how to go about it, leave me a comment below or shoot me an email.
Strike or not, I’m always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
.Scott
How To Build Your Acting Career During The Strike
Most of us saw it coming and on Thursday the 13th it became official. SAG-AFTRA is officially on strike.
Negotiations with AMPTP were unproductive and the deadline to reach a deal expired.
No one wanted this to happen. The best scenario would have been for both sides to reach an equitable compromise that was satisfactory for everyone so that the industry could continue to operate as usual.
Before we dive into the details, I want to be clear. It does not matter which side of the line you stand with. It doesn’t matter whether you agree with the strike or not.
It’s where we find ourselves now and it will affect every actor in many ways, even those who do not yet belong to the union.
The strike is over a number of issues, including pay, residuals, and developing technology in film and television.
That’s the simplified version we have all heard, but things are far more complicated than that.
The strike is already having a significant impact on the industry, with many productions being delayed, some of them for an indefinite amount of time.
It is unclear how long the strike will last, but it will have a major impact on the industry, regardless of the outcome. That’s why you should follow the developments closely, even if you are not a member of the union yet.
In fact, for many actors, the strike could position them to make huge career progress, but not in the way you might think. Here’s what I mean...
Most of us saw it coming and on Thursday the 13th it became official. SAG-AFTRA is officially on strike.
Negotiations with AMPTP were unproductive and the deadline to reach a deal expired.
No one wanted this to happen. The best scenario would have been for both sides to reach an equitable compromise that was satisfactory for everyone so that the industry could continue to operate as usual.
Before we dive into the details, I want to be clear. It does not matter which side of the line you stand with. It doesn’t matter whether you agree with the strike or not.
It’s where we find ourselves now and it will affect every actor in many ways, even those who do not yet belong to the union.
The strike is over a number of issues, including pay, residuals, and developing technology in film and television.
That’s the simplified version we have all heard, but things are far more complicated than that.
The strike is already having a significant impact on the industry, with many productions being delayed, some of them for an indefinite amount of time.
It is unclear how long the strike will last, but it will have a major impact on the industry, regardless of the outcome. That’s why you should follow the developments closely, even if you are not a member of the union yet.
In fact, for many actors, the strike could position them to make huge career progress, but not in the way you might think. Here’s what I mean...
The strike is resulting in the industry basically coming to a halt. However, if you have been around the industry for any length of time, you know that things never really stop.
“Officially” productions have stopped and they will remain paused. However, sooner or later there will come a day when productions resume.
Until then, things go on in the background. That doesn’t mean that you should position yourself to “cross the picket line.”
What I mean is that those productions will not just be written off. The industry has to finish what it starts, because that is how it operates. If they don’t have a finished product to sell, they cannot fund their upcoming projects.
Also, studios and networks have already made commitments to upcoming projects that have already been greenlit. Those commitments will also have to be honored.
The result will be a fast moving wave of industry activity, when a compromise has been reached.
Because of that, CDs, directors, producers, and other industry decision makers will continue to operate, albeit unofficially.
That doesn’t mean that you will be getting called into audition unofficially but they may find themselves continuing to sort through headshots and reels, and continuing to work on projects, perhaps even more efficiently.
So, even with the ongoing strike you want to be sure that you are maintaining your professional development and continuing to ensure that you are visible to the industry.
More on that in a bit...
Actors that stay productive and continue to show that they are true professionals can position themselves for success when the strike ends.
So, if you are finding yourself with a little bit more free time, here are some things you can do to continue on your career path.
Many productions will be closed, but not all. If you are still in the building stages of your career and you are looking for your first few credits, this can be a great time to go after some opportunities on projects that may not have been available to you under other circumstances.
You may even want to consider working on projects you may not have otherwise worked on.
If you need to update your reel, working on a student or an indie project during this down time might be a great way to get new content.
Of course, think about where you are in your career and what you are hoping to accomplish. The main thing is to stay busy.
If you haven’t taken a class in a while, it’s a great time to do so and there are many, many opportunities to do so.
You could also work with a coach on specific skills, like auditioning or vocal training.
Whether it’s the time of a strike or not, you should always be doing a few things to build your acting career.
You should always be working on your craft or you should be actively networking and connecting with people that can help move your career forward.
Everyone is still around. Everyone is still open to connecting and networking, many of them are even more accessible right now.
So take some time to reach out to some people you have been hoping to connect with. Don’t do it from a position of trying to get an opportunity to audition for them or work with them.
Just compliment them for their work and open the door to having a conversation sometime. That’s it.
That activity alone can make the difference between emerging from the strike productively or perhaps even taking a few steps back.
See most actors will not do what we just went over.
Instead, they will catch up on some work at their day job, take a much needed vacation, or sit idly waiting for it to end.
Like anything else, the longer you stay inactive, the harder it is to pick up where you left off. That’s why many actors will emerge from the strike having taken a few steps back.
However, the actors that stay active and engaged, and continue to work on building their careers can help to put themselves in the best position for when the strike ultimately ends.
What we went over today is actually fundamental to building your acting career and you should really be working on it consistently, even during the best of times in the industry.
Regardless of what is happening in the industry, if Casting Directors and industry decision makers don’t know you, they can’t hire you so increasing your visibility where they look for talent can help. Here’s a great way to start...
Remember the industry never truly stops. While productions are paused, things continue to go on unofficially, ready to be made official after the strike ends.
When it does, there will still be deadlines to meet and production schedules to get back on track.
That’s why things don’t truly stop altogether. During this time, Casting Directors and industry decision makers are still likely to continue most of their activities.
They may continue going through headshots and reels, and hoping to find the talent needed for the projects they had been working on, and for the ones they have coming up.
Actors that are under consideration are not only the ones that are actively moving through the casting process.
It also includes the actors that will be asked to read. CDs only have so many spaces available for each role so there is always a limit to the number of actors they can see for any role they cast.
Everyone is hoping for the strike to resolve as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, for now that responsibility is in the hands of only a few people and there’s not much any of us can control in that regard.
However, what you can control is what you choose to do while it’s ongoing. Are you going to continue building your career somehow or are you going to wait for it to pass?
Are you unsure and need to bounce ideas about what to do next? Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email.
I’m happy to help however I can because I truly want the strike to resolve quickly so I can...
See you at the top,
Scott
If Pilot Season Didn’t Go Well This Year...
For many actors pilot season has the most opportunities they will have all year, and they start to realize it around this time of year.
They find themselves busy during pilot season and spend the rest of the year preparing for the next one.
They do it subconsciously, hoping that something else will come along before then. They even attempt to continue building their career by going to workshops, taking classes, and by filling the rest of their free time by doing some kind of networking.
While that may seem like a sound plan, there is a huge problem...
They never stop to see just how reliant they were on pilot season. Relying solely on pilot season to book enough to keep you busy all year is how many actors get stuck in their careers, even when they do have a great pilot season.
To build a successful acting career, actors must pursue opportunities relentlessly and consistently.
What happens when actors rely on pilot season to make their year is that they will end up doing little more than passing time until the next one.
They will never admit to it, because most actors don’t exactly see it that way. However, when you start to look at the things they focus on in between seasons, it becomes clear.
Professional actors don’t do that.
They don’t rely on a single event to generate enough opportunities, because a lot can happen.
Instead they focus on creating opportunities for themselves, regardless of what’s going on in the industry.
If you want to build your career as a professional actor, that is a skill you should master. Here’s where to start.
For many actors pilot season has the most opportunities they will have all year, and they start to realize it around this time of year.
They find themselves busy during pilot season and spend the rest of the year preparing for the next one.
They do it subconsciously, hoping that something else will come along before then. They even attempt to continue building their career by going to workshops, taking classes, and by filling the rest of their free time by doing some kind of networking.
While that may seem like a sound plan, there is a huge problem...
They never stop to see just how reliant they were on pilot season. Relying solely on pilot season to book enough to keep you busy all year is how many actors get stuck in their careers, even when they do have a great pilot season.
To build a successful acting career, actors must pursue opportunities relentlessly and consistently.
What happens when actors rely on pilot season to make their year is that they will end up doing little more than passing time until the next one.
They will never admit to it, because most actors don’t exactly see it that way. However, when you start to look at the things they focus on in between seasons, it becomes clear.
Professional actors don’t do that.
They don’t rely on a single event to generate enough opportunities, because a lot can happen.
Instead they focus on creating opportunities for themselves, regardless of what’s going on in the industry.
If you want to build your career as a professional actor, that is a skill you should master. Here’s where to start.
Being able to adequately and objectively measure career progress is something that most actors overlook, even though it is crucial to building an acting career.
Without being able to measure your career progress, how can you hope to plan the next steps adequately?
So if pilot season did not go as planned, figure out why it turned out that way.
What most actors do instead is keep themselves busy with whatever they can. If you had a lot of auditions available and you did not book any, do not automatically assume that it was because you were not “good enough.”
It could be that you were not reading for projects that were a good fit.
Maybe your headshot and resume presented you in a certain way that did not align with your talent. I see that happen all the time...
The truth is that there can be countless reasons for not booking something, and that is precisely why you should figure out why.
Without knowing why, how can you hope to improve and get on the right track? So, the first thing to do is take an honest, objective look at why things did not turn out the way you hoped.
You should do this at the end of every pilot season, and you can also do it after you learn the results of every audition.
That will help you come up with a career development plan that makes sense, because you can actually focus on improving the things that need improvement.
If you are reading for a particular character type that calls for an emotion range that you are not well versed in, you can either book classes, workshops, and get coaching on that or you can simply start pursuing different character types that are more aligned with your range.
Improving your skills as an actor is a never ending journey, but what makes it an effective tool for building your career is knowing what to work on.
There may also be times when not booking a project has nothing to do with your talent.
In that case, working on improving your range would be of little benefit and that is why adequately and objectively measuring your career progress is so important.
It will keep you from wasting time on the wrong things.
It could be that your headshot and resume present you in a certain way that doesn’t really align with your on set delivery.
On the other hand, if you had struggled to book enough auditions then it may be that your headshot and resume don’t align with what Casting Directors are looking for, in the characters you are hoping to read for.
What many actors do in that case is update their headshots, but before making the decision to update your materials, you have to get clear on why you are updating them, so that your new materials match your career goals.
If you are reading for the wrong character types and you update your headshot, without changing the characters you are reading for, then you haven’t really fixed the problem.
See how it all comes back to being able to figure out why you are not making the kind of progress you should be making?
Over the years I haven’t seen many actors that lacked motivation. Most of them are highly motivated and that leads them to work on building their careers constantly...
Most of them just work on the wrong things.
If pilot season did not go your way, figure out why and then come up with a plan to address the problems.
It could be something that may have never crossed your mind.
For example, most actors know that building a career requires you to be visible to the industry where they are already looking for talent. I created this to help increase your visibility casting directors and industry decision makers.
However, few actors stop and measure how the industry views them and whether or not they are even pursuing the best opportunities for their skillset.
Work with your agent and discuss the types of roles you are being submitted for and whether they truly are the right fit.
Many actors are simply hoping to book anything, and the thought of narrowing their focus is appalling.
We’ll go over why it can actually be one of the best career moves another time.
For now, think about how your career choices have affected your progress and start planning your next steps accordingly.
That will help you make the most of your efforts.
There are also some foundational things that actors can benefit from, regardless of where they are in their career.
When Casting Directors decide who to move forward with in the casting process, they are putting a lot of trust in those actors.
That’s why it is becoming increasingly more common for Casting Directors to do some research on the actors they are considering. It can affect their decision making greatly, so be sure that what they find about you lives up their expectations.
Actors that don’t understand that run the risk of having everything else aligned properly, but still struggle to make career progress because of how the industry views them.
Being highly visible to the industry is important but you also need to be sure that your industry reputation matches your goals and shows Casting Directors and industry decision makers that you are a true professional. Here’s how I can help with that.
There are a few other foundational items that we will talk about over the coming weeks.
Today we covered how to measure your career progress and decide the next steps based on that, which is crucial to getting an acting career to the next level.
It will also help you ensure that you are working on the things that can move your career forward, regardless of what is going on in the rest of the industry.
As you start to work through your progress, feel free to get in touch!
Taking an objective look at your career can be difficult so remember I’m always only a comment or an email away if you have any questions about that or even if you just need to bounce ideas.
I’m always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
Scott
What It Really Takes to Be an Actor
Building an acting career is not something that is suitable for most people. It’s a challenging road filled with uncertainty, rejection, and a lot more that most people are not well prepared to handle.
In fact, over the years I have realized that even actors who knowingly chose to get into the industry were not fully prepared to deal with what came their way.
The reason is that most of them do not fully understand what it really takes to be a professional actor and build a career.
There are skills you need to perfect, people you need to meet, and obstacles you need to overcome.
Most actors have a very narrow view of what they need to accomplish and that leaves many things undone.
It’s why so many talented actors end up getting stuck in their careers, unable to make the kind of progress they should be making.
Professional actors are the ones that are able to focus on multiple areas simultaneously. They build a wide range of skills that many actors ignore, choosing instead to focus a very narrow skillset.
If you want to build your career as a professional actor, you will need to develop important skills and talents. Here’s where to start...
Building an acting career is not something that is suitable for most people. It’s a challenging road filled with uncertainty, rejection, and a lot more that most people are not well prepared to handle.
In fact, over the years I have realized that even actors who knowingly chose to get into the industry were not fully prepared to deal with what came their way.
The reason is that most of them do not fully understand what it really takes to be a professional actor and build a career.
There are skills you need to perfect, people you need to meet, and obstacles you need to overcome.
Most actors have a very narrow view of what they need to accomplish and that leaves many things undone.
It’s why so many talented actors end up getting stuck in their careers, unable to make the kind of progress they should be making.
Professional actors are the ones that are able to focus on multiple areas simultaneously. They build a wide range of skills that many actors ignore, choosing instead to focus a very narrow skillset.
If you want to build your career as a professional actor, you will need to develop important skills and talents. Here’s where to start...
Something I have seen happen over the years is that many actors are not targeted enough in their development.
Instead they take a scattered approach and simply take whatever classes or workshops are available at any given time.
That kind of an approach doesn’t allow you to build a basic understanding of adding depth to a character, so most actors end up delivering lines in a way that makes them sound angry, happy, jealous, or whatever it is that the scene called for.
Professional, talented actors work on pulling emotions into the character in a variety of ways because that is what makes their performances believable.
Here’s what I mean...
When you build a character that has sufficient depth, the emotions are obvious, and you do not have to sound like the emotion you are trying to portray.
It happens naturally.
To get to that point what most actors do is take classes or attend workshops that are focused on a particular genre and method.
It is often much more effective to start by working on the emotions themselves.
If you are working on a scene that calls for your character to be angry, how do you show that anger?
The way most actors approach the scene is by realizing what the scene’s target emotion is and then they make the character choices to play that emotion convincingly.
Your acting coach would then correct your choices and guide you towards what they perceive to be the best ones for the scene.
While that is a great starting place, most actors should be able to move beyond that relatively quickly.
The next phase is then character development, because when you have a well developed character, they will drive the emotions and choices.
That makes a huge difference.
It brings out intricacies in your characters and adds layers to your performances. It goes far beyond surface level choices of being “angry” or “sad” and it allows your character to operate on a completely different level.
Creating layered characters like that is something most actors think they master, but few actually do.
It is one of the most crucial skills to learn as you build your acting career and try to get to the next level.
The process is actually quite simple...
First you have to understand the character’s story and the motivations behind their choices, because that is what will shape your performance.
For example, if your character was talked down to by their parents and teachers while growing up, they would likely have a problem with authority.
Getting angry at a situation because it was brought on by an authority figure is a completely different scene than simply trying to portray anger on set.
The latter is very surface level and the former is a deep rooted insecurity that haunts your character.
So once you have that backstory completed, you have to look for the character’s conflicting choices.
That will be informed by their story arc, but every good arc has some conflicting choices where the character wants to do or be one thing, but a part of them wants to do or be something completely different.
Realizing those conflicting choices helps to add yet another layer to your performance.
Your character is now angry because of a situation that was brought on by an authority figure, but they are trying to keep their composure because they are aware of their deep rooted issues with authority and they want to move past it.
How would that inform your choices on screen?
Would your anger be obvious anger or would it manifest in passive aggressive behavior? That will be different from one character to the next and it will also be informed by the script and story.
However, you can use that framework to build characters that are far more layered than what most actors are capable of.
Of course what we went over today only helps if you are already in a place where you have enough opportunities to get on set and showcase your talent.
If what you are struggling with is getting enough opportunities to do that then, it may be more impactful to focus on something else first.
That’s what many actors don’t understand.
They feel as if more training will lead to more bookings, but that’s simply not the case. Many factors go into casting decisions and as you build your career casting directors tend to do some research before deciding who to move forward with. Be sure that what they find about you is up to their standard. Here’s how I can help with that.
Actors that rely solely on training typically have a hard time building their careers.
Building an acting career requires a holistic approach and there’s a lot more that goes into it than simply training.
I have seen many talented actors struggle to build their careers simply because they didn’t know how to get in the room.
I’ve also seen actors with far less training and experience build their careers successfully because they actively sought out opportunities.
We’ll talk more about how to do that another time, but to get started it can be as simple as making yourself highly visible to the industry where casting directors and industry decision makers are looking for talent.
As we have been talking about throughout this report, no single factor is the answer to building an acting career successfully.
So, over the coming weeks we will be talking about what all the major factors are and how they work together to help you build an acting career.
Before we get to that, start working on what we went over today.
If you have an audition or a booking coming up, do it with that character. If you don’t have either, then do the exercise with characters from your past.
Everything we will go over will build from that foundation, so take some time to work on it over the next few days.
If you have any questions about it, feel free to get in touch even if you just want to bounce ideas.
I am always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
Scott