Everyone in the industry is itching to go back to work. From craft services to actors. directors and everyone else involved in production, we all miss being on set!

It’s a labor of love, after all.

Though the timing of when that might happen depends on who you're talking to, one thing is for sure. Life on set won't be the same for a very long time.

For the foreseeable future, scenes of large crowds will probably move to being added in post, rather being filmed as live action.

Principal actors will probably work around skeleton crews, and most actors and production staff will be wearing some sort of protective equipment around the set.

I've talked to industry professionals that are drawing up the plans and protocols for how to safely conduct a set going forward and that's really the minimum of what we can expect.

However, what you should be focusing on as an actor right now is putting yourself in a position to where you are in demand as an actor, so you have the opportunity to find work and book more acting jobs.

Otherwise none of that matters.

I get emails and messages every day from actors who are looking at things completely backwards. They are wondering how things will change on set while completely ignoring the things they need to put in place in order to have the opportunities to perform in the first place.

Here's what you need to do right now to make sure that you have ample opportunities as an actor on the other side of this crisis...

Since the start of this situation, it has been far too easy for actors (and really for anyone who had their daily routine upended) to get sidetracked.

The Netflix servers are still teetering at the time of this writing, and it’s not because things are returning to “normal.”

Even some of the most disciplined people have started to get into routines that are less than productive.

Instead of heading to the gym and then acting class, many have resorted to Netflix and microwave pizza, day after day.

It’s important that you put in a good effort towards keeping your skills sharp during this time. Otherwise you will get rusty. It’s only a matter of time.

You have probably heard people referring to creativity as a muscle. That’s very accurate! The more you exercise your creativity and work on your talents, the stronger you will become in relation to them.

Think of the difference between a table read and a performance after weeks of rehearsals (during which you flexed your creative muscle).

Remember, muscles atrophy without use and so do your acting skills. So, if it has been weeks since you flexed your creative muscle, it’s time to get back “out” there.

There are many ways you can do this and still respect and comply with whatever regulations exist.

It just requires a bit of, well, creativity.

Message your industry friends and set up a Zoom call. You can work on your auditioning skills together, as you all take turns between acting as the CD and reading.

It’s important to simulate the entire audition experience as closely as possible, to get the most benefit out of this. Walk out of the frame and simulate entering the room and greeting the CD just as you would during a real audition.

You can also just get a zoom call organized and do some improv together. Not only will this environment provide you with a unique set of challenges, compared to a traditional setting, how long do you think it will be before this situation ends up in scripts and storylines?

You are already seeing the very beginning of this on primetime shows that were forced to wrap just before finishing up the current season.

If you have fallen out of the habit of working on your talent regularly, get back into it as soon as possible.

If improv is not your thing, record a few scenes and host a zoom watch party. Ask your industry friends to critique your performance and then tap the next person in the group to record scenes for the group to critique.

A couple weeks ago I saw some clips posted by a company that had to cancel their West Side Story performances, so instead, they did a few socially distant scenes on the sidewalks and balconies.

Unless acting is only a hobby for you, not getting to indulge your passion as an actor has been torturous.

During times like this, you need to pivot and use your innate creativity to come up with new ways to work on your talent, if you want acting to be more than just a hobby.

If you want to become a full time, professional actor then you have to put the proper pieces in place ​to advance your career. Here's a great place to start.

Remember talent is only half the equation.

If casting directors and industry decision makers have no idea who you are, you have to get on their radar.

That goes beyond just showing up, whenever you are asked to audition. You also have to build relationships with them, so that they get to know your skill set and consider you for projects, before they even call anyone else in to read.

Doing that starts with​ increasing your visibility to the industry. Here’s how I can help with that.

As an actor you have a million and one things to do so focus on the things that matter most.

Executives refer to this as leveraging your time. Basically it comes down to using your time wisely and only working on your most productive and impactful tasks.

It’s one of the reasons A listers come with an entourage. What’s more important for an A list actor: doing their own hair and makeup, or memorizing lines and building a character, while someone else does that for them?

This alone can add hours of productivity to their day, and it’s only one example. In your own experience, think of how much easier things would be if you could just walk into an audition after being chauffeured to the door, rather than battling LA traffic for an hour and parking 6 blocks away?

The most successful people in any industry (including actors) work on the most impactful tasks and offload everything else as soon as possible.

Building Boost My Star was one way that I intended to help with that, since the core of what we do here is centered on managing your industry visibility and reputation.

A good friend of mine always says “if they don’t know you, they can’t hire you.” We took it one step further by ​ensuring that what Casting Directors know about you is up to their standards.

Most have been taking it easy (relatively speaking of course) for a while. Now, it’s time to kick things into gear. Do what I recommended just a moment ago, because it’s a precursor for what’s coming next week.

It will only make sense and work for you if you lay the groundwork, by doing what mentioned here, so don’t put it off. The sooner you get to it, the sooner I will....

See you at the top,
Scott