If you visit the northeast corridor, you would find buildings that have been standing since before the United States were known as the United States.
They have stood strong through centuries of rain and blizzards, because they were built on a solid foundation.
Your acting career has to be built the same way.
If it’s not, then it could fall come winter. Yes, that was kind of a lame attempt at a play on words but I think you get my point.
This is an area that almost no one pays attention to. Everyone is focused on getting the next audition and booking the next job, but without having a career that is built on a solid foundation, it will always be an uphill battle.
Instead of making it hard on yourself and always having to chase the next gig, you could focus on making sure that your career takes off on the right footing, so that booking your next job isn’t simply left to chance...
I’ve asked dozens upon dozens of actors about how they have mapped out their career. I’ve never gotten much more than a few platitudes from someone.
The industry doesn’t really talk about it and that’s kind of by design. More on that in a bit...
Everyone in the industry is so focused on pushing forward, that they forget to start off on the right foot.
Did you know that in a foot race, a huge part of whether someone wins or loses is how they come off the starting blocks?
The smallest flinch or hesitation can be the difference between a Gold Medal and nothing at all.
To put that in context of the industry and your acting career, think of the foundation on which you are building your career as the starting blocks.
When you are going through an audition and evaluation process, casting decisions typically come down to more than just who was “more talented.”
CDs and decision makers want to work with actors that are building a career instead of a hobby.
So, while it may go against everything you’ve heard about what it takes to make it in the industry, sometimes you have to slow down and look back.
Fortunately, most of this year has been the perfect time to do just that!
It’s common for actors to feel like they're not making progress. When deciding to become a professional actor, the expectation is typically that you will either fail or become an overnight sensation.
You don't have to go from 0 to the stratosphere overnight, in order to have a successful acting career.
Just focus on making 1 thing happen everyday. Just 1 bit of forward progress everyday will make all the difference and it will set your career on a sturdy footing.
Ask yourself “what’s one thing I can do today that will move my career forward?” Then, don’t return home (or leave home) until you make that thing happen.
Some progress is better than no progress, so keep it simple. This can be as easy as going out and shaking hands (or bumping elbows). Even if you do nothing else but go out and introduce yourself to the receptionist at a casting office, it could still turn out to be a productive move.
How much more likely do you think it would be for you to get through when you call the showrunner, if you have a relationship with the person routing the calls?
You could also put together an unsolicited self taped audition. If you play your cards right, you can actually get it into the right hands and seen by the right people.
Another thing you can do to make progress is put together a mailing. This is kind of a routine for most actors but where they typically go wrong, is that they don’t put enough thought into it nor do they mail often enough.
Personalize your mailings and add a special touch that makes your mailing 3 dimensional. This could be something as simple as a piece of candy or a pen with a note that says “I’m ready to sign on.”
Get creative and have fun with this.
If you do it through email or social media, the same principles still apply.
Personalize your messages so they don't sound like thousands of other messages CDs and decision makers get everyday.
Work on your craft can also count as something you do everyday to move your career forward.
As actors, we often feel like we need the production and fanfare to put our skills to work. That's not so.
Take a page from the passionate musicians who sit on a bench at the Promenade, serenading the streets.
You can break out into a monologue or do a scene with a few friends, flash mob style.
Also, instead of watching TV idly, critique what you are watching. Work the scene yourself the way you feel it could have been done better.
It might feel silly at first, but so what! It’s something that will keep you actively engaged in your craft and making forward progress.
Making meaningful connections with Casting Directors and industry decision makers is probably the most powerful and effective thing you can do.
There’s a big difference in connecting with them in the context of trying to get an audition or wanting to get attached to a project somehow, and in connecting for the sake of connecting without having anything else in mind.
That’s when the most meaningful connections are made, when neither party wants or needs anything in return.
Look up CDs, actors, directors, producers or writers whose work you admire and reach out to them. Let them know you admire their work and be specific in your compliments.
Think of it almost like sending fan mail. You will make an impression.
Just like with your other mailings, you have to make them 3 dimensional in order to get your outreach into the hands of the right people, rather than being sorted out by gatekeepers.
Again, you can do this through email or social media. Just make sure that your outreach is unique and captures their attention, unlike the thousands of other messages they’ll sort through.
You can easily do this by being specific. Instead of just saying “I really admire your work” you can reference a specific scene or even a specific line.
Build your career brick by brick, day by day, one day at a time.
At the end of the day, your career will only go as far as your reputation can take it, since that’s the cornerstone of your foundation.
So, make sure that your reputation matches your goals.
Everything else you do will hinge on this, because the people you are reaching out to and connecting with will want to know if you are the real deal.
Before deciding whether to get back in touch with you, they will look you up and what they find out about you will make a huge difference on whether or not you hear anything back from them.
That’s why I say it’s the foundation that your acting career is built on.
We are already into November and before you know it we’ll be looking at Pilot Season. Don’t wait until it’s here, to get your stuff in order.
Give yourself every advantage possible, to be successful.
If you get started on this now, you will be far ahead of all the other actors who spent this year waiting for things to go back to “normal.”
So where are you going to start? Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email, even if you just want to bounce ideas.
I’m always happy to help however I can because my ultimate goal is to...
See you at the top,
Scott