What I’m about to ask you will only seem like a trick question... Has the industry changed over the last 50 years?

You would be crazy to think it hasn’t changed...right? I mean, in that time, the industry has gone from drive in pictures and nightly radio shows, to television series, to streaming content, to absolute content chaos with so much available at the click of a button that no one could ever consume it all.

So on the surface it would appear that the industry is very different today, and it seems that it’s changing pretty quickly.

But, has the core of the industry really changed and what does that mean for you as an actor?

See, successful actors know that there’s more to the industry than meets the eye and they have learned to dig deeper and uncover the parts of the industry that almost everyone else ignores.

If you want to be a successful actor this is something you have to do too, or you will risk ending up like the 99% of other actors who are stuck, spinning their wheels in their career.

If that’s something you would rather avoid and if you want to figure out how you can finally start making the kind of progress you should be making...

Fair warning, what I’m about to share with you is an incredibly powerful strategy that is so obvious and simple you will probably be at least a little bit angry that you didn’t start doing it sooner.

See, as much as the industry has changed on the surface, what drives the industry hasn’t changed and it never will.

Becoming a successful actor has always been directly tied to the relationships you build with casting directors and industry decision makers.

Before you start mentally going over all the reasons that you don't have many industry connections right now, just know that it’s ok.

That’s one of the biggest obstacles actors face but it’s actually not that difficult to overcome it.

Most actors only interact with CDs when they go on an audition. Given that more and more auditions are becoming self taped rather than traditional, in person auditions, that’s a problem. Successful actors are really good at getting more “time” with them.

When you do that, you become familiar and everyone (CDs included) would rather work with someone who is familiar instead of working with a complete stranger.

There are many ways to go about it, but the simplest way to do it is to reach out to CDs and decision makers directly.

Most actors cringe at the thought of doing that, but understand that you are not trying to get them to see you right away.

All you are trying to do is open the door towards building a relationship. If you are overly eager, you will be just like every other actor they’ve ever met.

So don’t just get in touch out of the blue, with your hat in hand begging to be considered for their next project.

Instead, approach them with a genuine compliment or comment about their work or something they care about that isn’t industry related.

That brings us to the next point...

You will have to do some basic research on casting directors and decision makers so you can find a good way to open the door.

Come up with a list of projects you would have loved to work on. Don’t worry about whether or not those projects seem out of reach at the moment.

Then, go to the credits and look at who did the casting. Add the names to your list.

Once you do that you will have a list of casting directors that are actively involved in casting for projects like ones you would want to work on.

From there, just look up the casting directors on social media, through industry groups and anywhere else you can reasonably think of.

If you happen to end up in the same Pilates class, so be it. I’m only partially kidding but more on that in a sec...

Earlier I mentioned that you are not looking to get anything from the people you contact. At this point you just want to open the door to there being some kind of connection and a professional working relationship.

So, it’s perfectly ok to send them a postcard or a letter with a small gift as long as it comes from a genuine place and there’s a reason attached to it.

Here’s what I mean...

If you were to send a CD, a postcard and a four leaf clover keychain before one of their projects opens at the box office or has a season premiere, that would be a welcome gesture.

Your postcard could have a message where you wish them success with the new project and the keychain or whatever small gift you want to include just makes the envelope bulky and less likely to be thrown out.

I know what you’re thinking so let’s address it right now. Yes, people do still send each other real mail.

Of course, it’s much less common nowadays and that works to your advantage since you won’t be 1 of 100 pieces of similar mail they have to sort through.

You will likely be the only one and that kind of attention on you, your name, and however you can cleverly include a photo of yourself is priceless.

While that is one of the most impactful ways you can reach out, it’s not the only way. Even if you do decide to go this route, it still shouldn’t be the only way you reach out to casting directors and decision makers.

You can do the same thing, minus the small gift, through Instagram.

The drawback is that, because it’s a lot easier to send a DM than it is to send a physical piece of mail, you are much more likely to get lost in the shuffle.

However, reaching out to CDs and decision makers is not something 99% of actors do. They’re intimidated or simply afraid to do it, so you won’t have much “competition” from them. You just have to be creative enough to stand out in the inbox.

However you choose to go about reaching out to them, understand that not everyone will respond. Most won’t but that doesn’t mean they didn’t see your communication.

That’s why it’s important to reach out in more than one way.

So, you can send a mail piece and follow it up with a DM a week or two later if you don’t hear back.

Change the message a little bit so it’s not exactly the same thing you said in your mail piece.

Then, like I said earlier, if you magically end up in the same pilates class that’s ok. Let a couple weeks go by and then recognize them out of the blue. Chances are, they will recognize you too (if you figured out a way to visually introduce yourself) and they may even approach you first.

As much of a long shot as this may seem, the odds are actually in your favor as long as you do everything from a place that is genuine and not needy.

That’s what makes this pilates example seem so normal. I heard from an actor who reached out in the same way we just talked about and then went to the same coffee shop as a CD she wanted to work with, for 3 months before the CD finally recognized her.

All she got was a “small world” and a “thank you” but it was enough to get her on the CDs radar, and they did end up working together soon after.

You would be surprised at what can happen when you do this consistently. It can snowball very quickly and lead to opportunities that can be career changing.

So, set aside some time to come up with your list of casting directors and decision makers you want to reach out to.

Then, make sure to plan some time to do it too.

What this does is increase your visibility and everything you do in the industry is more impactful when you are visible. That goes for CDs, industry decision makers, and for audiences too.

We’ll talk more about the audience another time, because that’s an extensive topic on its own.

For now, get started on being more visible to casting directors and decision makers, because they can help move your career forward more quickly. Here’s how I can help with your visibility too...

When you start this process you have to go into it with the right expectations. In the beginning, it might take some time to get the ball rolling.

What can also happen is that you reach out to casting directors and decision makers who aren’t sure whether to respond or not, so they’ll look into you to see what you’re all about.

That’s why it’s so important to always make sure that your industry reputation always matches your goals.

You might send over a thoughtful note (or DM) that they actually read and take to heart, but at first, they won’t know anything about you.

So, they’ll take a minute or two to look you up and the easiest and most likely thing for them to do is look at your reputation and industry history.

If it doesn’t immediately show them that you are a true professional, it’s more likely that you won't hear from them again.

It could also be a factor when CDs are making casting decisions so don’t leave it to chance! I built this to make sure your reputation is always in top shape.

Still have some questions about how it all works? Shoot me an email or leave a comment below. I’ll always help however I can, because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott