Have you ever wondered how some actors go from zero to being everywhere seemingly overnight?

Why is it that some actors get their pick of the best projects while everyone else struggles to book a few lines every now and then?

What makes the difference?

The ones that succeed at the highest levels of the industry do something counterintuitive.

Even though it may go against what you have probably been told, if you want to be successful as an actor you have to follow the clues that success leaves behind.

You have to follow in the footsteps of those that came before you and paved the way. Doing otherwise opens you up to making all kinds of unnecessary mistakes.

That’s where so many actors go wrong. They are told that things like “paying your dues” are just part of being in the industry and building an acting career.

In reality, you can side step most of that by simply looking to what successful actors have done and doing the same.

Before we dive in, I have to warn you...

What we are about to go through is not for everyone and it will definitely ruffle more than a few feathers.

But, If you would rather succeed quickly, instead of struggling to get ahead in the industry here’s where to start...

First, you have to pick the right actors to model.

We all have actors that we look up to and who would switch places with in a heartbeat.

However, don’t look to those that are a flash in the pan. Instead focus on finding actors that have been in the industry for some time, then do a deep dive on their careers.

When you study their past projects, you will discover something surprising.

Actors start to have success and make meaningful progress in their careers when they do less.

Here’s what I mean...

They focus on going deep into a given genre and they create a category of one.

They create a category and enter a genre that they absolutely dominate, so much so that not a single project comes up without them being a part of the conversation.

They become the only logical choice for a given role in that category.

For example, think of Robert Downey Jr. What is he really good at playing?

If you look at his body of work in its entirety , you will see that he actually has a pretty good range that he can play in very well.

He plays the charismatic, loose cannon better than anyone else. If a project calls for a charismatic leading male with a bit of an unpredictable nature, he is always in the conversation and many projects are developed with him in mind.

This is what makes him a good fit for projects like Iron Man, Dr. Doolittle, and even Sherlock Holmes.

On the surface those projects are in are different categories, until you break down the characters he plays. They all share some common traits that make Robert Downey Jr. the only logical choice to be cast.

That’s what it means to be in a category of one.

That’s where you want to get to, and it can actually happen faster than you might think, if you focus your efforts.

See, most actors take a general approach to building their careers, meaning they try to go after anything and everything they come across. This scattershot approach to the industry actually ends up hindering you in many ways.

Even when you do book something, when you are not actively building a category of one, the impact it will have on your career is only a fraction of what it could be if you were building a category of one for yourself.

Why?

Just like actors can dominate a category, successful people working on the production side of the industry do this as well.

CDs tend to cast for projects in a given category and they build a reputation for putting together a cast that works in whatever genre they specialize in.

Successful directors also work on projects in a single genre. M Night Shyamalan doesn't go from horror and suspense to romantic comedies. He may be able to pull together a romcom well enough to make it a success, but it’s not what he is world class at.

Instead, he stays in his lane and that has allowed him to become synonymous with horror and suspense projects.

Here’s how that would affect your acting career. Let’s say that you are also focusing on building a category of one for yourself as an actor in horror and suspense.

By focusing your efforts and working on making a name for yourself in one category you will get to know the decision makers well and you will have the opportunity to build meaningful relationships.

Even audiences work the same way because everyone has a favorite genre. So, when you go deep into one category, you will also be able to forge deep connections with an audience that will then want to follow your projects.

To create your category start with what you enjoy working on the most.

Look at where you are in your career, and see if you are already on a path to creating a category of one. Some actors realize they are already well on their way into creating a category of one for themselves but it isn't always in the genre they want to focus on.

So, they then switch things up and jump into a different category, which can be a huge career mistake. More on that in a bit...

The category that makes the most sense isn't always going to be the one you want to start with. That's ok...

When you master this, you will open yourself up to almost any genre you can imagine.

The goal is to make yourself synonymous with a category first, then move into others when the time is right, once you have endeared an audience that will take that journey with you.

Think of Jim Carrey, when his career really took off. He branded himself in what turned out to be a brand new category of comedy.

It was an overplayed and almost slapstick form of comedy that worked for him because no one else was doing it.

It doesn’t always have to be this “different.”

Going back to our earlier example. Robert Downey Jr. chose to operate within an existing category but he played it so well that he virtually made anyone else trying to pursue projects within that category irrelevant.

If you find yourself in a room with a 100 other actors that all look and act similar to you, you are spinning your wheels. ​A big factor that will determine whether or not you will be successful as an actor is whether you can differentiate yourself.

You have to make yourself indispensable to the projects you work on and to the industry. You never want to be one of many actors being considered for a role.

It's about giving yourself every advantage possible to succeed as an actor.

That goes way beyond just refining your talent. You have to build your career methodically.

The industry is about relationships first and foremost. That’s why creating a category of one for yourself works so well.

Just keep in mind that the people you need to build relationships with only want to work with other professionals. ​So, make sure that your industry reputation matches your goals. Here’s how I can help.

So what category will you tackle first? Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email.

If you're unsure of where to start, remember I’m only a comment or an email away and I’m happy to help however I can because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott