What if I told you there was a fast growing category, with tons of projects in the works, that many actors want nothing to do with?
On top of that, what if I said this was actually one of the easiest categories to break into and many well known actors got their start in this category.
In fact, some of the most highly respected agents in the industry use this category to launch their new talent.
So why is it that many actors don’t take it seriously? If what you want is to become a professional actor, that could be a big mistake!
See, professional actors know how to go from one category to the next and if you want to be a professional actor too, you have to be able to do the same. Here’s where to start...
Focus on making progress in your career and realize that it may not be in the category you first had in mind.
Here’s what I mean...maybe you do a lot of work in one category, even though it’s not ultimately what you want to focus on.
For example, if you are really good at comedy but you ultimately want to do dramas, it might seem like taking another comedic role would be a waste.
That is hardly ever the case, but when most actors are looking to go to the next level in their career that’s what comes to mind. More on that in a bit...
Even if you are working on something that is out of your element, you can always bring a bit of what makes you unique to the role. That’s true, even if you are in a category that is the opposite of what you would like to be in.
For example, there is always some drama in a comedy and there is always some comedic relief in a dramatic project too.
This allows you to bring what you want to showcase to the role. Some of the most successful actors built their careers this way. We’ll come back to that in a bit...
First I want to talk about when it makes sense to do this and when it makes sense to change things up. Sometimes changing directions is the right thing to do and other times, it is completely the wrong move.
If you change things up at the wrong time, it could keep you stuck in your career as you continue spinning your wheels.
It’s actually pretty simple. If you are making progress and taking on bigger roles, keep going. It might not be the exact direction you want to go in, but that’s ok. Keep at it. Making some progress in your career is better than taking on the same roles time after time.
If you are not making progress and find that you are only going after the same types of roles over and over again, it’s time to see what you can change.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as updating your headshots or recutting your reel. Other times you might decide that you need to sit down with your agent and talk about whether you two are still a good fit. Taking the next steps in your acting career sometimes means having to change some of the people on your team.
Doing it at the right time can mean huge progress. Don’t overthink it. Keep it simple, like we talked about a moment ago, and you will know whether it’s the right time.
Most actors struggle to make progress in their careers because they don’t usually stop to think things through like this.
They start looking for a new agent, even though they are being booked, just maybe not booking in the category they want to.
Sometimes, they end up getting desperate and start to go after anything and everything they might even remotely be a fit for.
This means that they are never able to get familiar with people on the production side that also specialize in that category.
Instead, you should focus on whatever category you are able to make the most progress in. It may not be exactly what you want to work on but it will give you the opportunity to start building a reputation in the industry.
We’ll talk more about why that’s so important, over the coming weeks.
For now, start thinking about whether the direction your career is going in, is the direction you want it to go.
If not, think about what we talked about today and prepare yourself to take the next steps in your career.
Building your career like this will show the industry that you are a professional.
Taking some time to do things like this definitely takes some effort and most actors prefer to just go on another audition. It’s usually the easier thing to do but it is not always the best thing to do.
It’s what separates professional actors from everyone else.
It can be really tough to juggle everything that professional actors have to take care of and most actors find themselves easily overwhelmed. That’s why I built this, to help you with some of that.
So which category do you plan on starting with? Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email and let me know. Remember I’m always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...
See you at the top,
Scott