I’m going to start with the bad news first...

While I can’t say too much about the project, there is an incredible feature in the works that held “secret” auditions on Valentine’s Day.

Everyone in town is talking about this one.

It’s a big budget, studio picture with a great ensemble of characters and all of the leading roles were up for grabs in what was basically an open call. Neither the heads of production nor the studio have anyone in mind for the ensemble.

If you are reading this, chances are you weren’t there but you should have been! For a moment, let’s forget about what the audition was for.

What’s more important is that there are tons of them that happen without you every day and your career is (at best) stalling because of it.

Now for the good news...

You can change this almost instantly and send your career skyrocketing!

When you are out of the loop, your career is out of your hands.

When you’re in the loop, the sky is the limit and getting access to those closed auditions is simple.

You might be thinking that your agent can take care of this for you and get you into them. Here’s why that’s not a reliable strategy...

I literally can’t count how many times I’ve talked to an actor that was misguided or misinformed about what their agents are able to do and what they can’t do.

By and large, their access to the industry isn’t much different than your own level of access. Some agents are insiders and others are not.

Sure, they have access to auditions that most actors don’t, but that access comes in varying degrees.

There are the listings that everyone gets and anyone and everyone can submit their talent to those projects.

Then there are the “secret” auditions. These tend to be the best projects and have little competition, due to their secretive nature.

They are reserved for industry insiders, talent and agents alike, because the decision makers prefer to work only with those that are proven.

Even though all actors hit the audition circuit totally gung-ho, the average career span for actors is actually quite short.

Agents tend to have careers that are somewhat longer, but not by much.

Because of the high turnover, the real industry decision makers prefer to build relationships after someone has been in the industry, working consistently for some time.

That’s where we get the “chicken or the egg” scenario as it relates to actors. How can you advance in your career, if industry decision makers want you to already be somewhat advanced before building a relationship with you?

I’ll give you the formula for that in a sec.

First you have to decide on whether or not your agent is in the know.

So, how can you tell?

Well, ff you are out of the loop, so is your agent and that can pose a major risk to your career, so you need to get with a good one ASAP.

The industry has brushed up against antitrust laws in the past, for not letting outsiders into the inner circles. In fact, there was a time when those outside of the union were lobbying for auditions to be open to everybody.

Even some union members attempted to bring this change to the industry, though it ultimately failed several times.

But let me be clear, what I’m referring to is not as simple as union VS nonunion actors and their varying levels of access.

There exists a network of highly connected power brokers in the industry that dominate things. They pull strings to advance one actor over another and they are typically tied into every aspect of the industry: form financiers, to writers, actors and nearly everything else that goes into a production.

I won’t dare to name any of them here, but if you think for a moment you can probably think of a couple, if not more.

Stick with me for a sec.

Everyone has known about this existing at the very top of the industry, since the modern Hollywood came to be.

It’s an open secret around town.

What almost everyone misses is how this same system filters down to every layer of the industry, making it extremely difficult for actors to get their foot in the door.

Until now...

See, what has happened in the age of social media is that the power has been put squarely into the hands of actors. If they know how to wield it, then the industry’s inner circle will come knocking.

I could write an entire book on this, but rather than giving you a dissertation, I’d rather give you something that will help you advance in your acting career.

Actors get into the industry to flex their creative muscle. Unfortunately, there are industry politics to deal with and other things that actors tend to be uninterested in.

That’s why it’s important for you to build a team around you that will help you deal with those other factors, while you focus on doing what you do best.

Here’s one way I can help you with that.

Ultimately, what will make the difference for you in the industry is whether you are able to connect with the top-level decision makers and their delegates.

The key to doing this is stop chasing them “looking for an opportunity.”

Instead, focus on building your career in a way that makes them come to you. Remember, the reason they like to work with proven talent is that they know what they are getting into.

They know the actor’s work ethic, their strong points, what needs improvement and they can even build cast synergy without having everyone read together. CDs have it down to a science, and everything boils down to reputation.

So, if you want to advance in the industry you have to make sure that your reputation reflects your goals.

That’s the simple formula that can skyrocket your acting career.
Take care of that and you will be in a better position to make it into the industry’s inner circles.

That’s what I want for you, so you can have a long and successful acting career.

It’s also why I carve out time everyday to support actors like you, so remember I’m always only an email or a comment away. I’ll help however I can, because my goal is to...

See you at the top,
Scott