How to Kickstart Your Acting Career in 2020 and Beyond

So it begins! A new year. A new decade. A new outlook on your career.

There is so much change in the air right now, it’s palatable. You can feel it, just going out to grab a cup of coffee.

The question is whether that change is going to be positive or not.

It never fails. As the year winds down, I’m always flooded with messages from actors who are looking to make a change.

They are always extreme. They either want to go from where they are now, to starring in Big Studio films or starring in their own show on Primetime, or they want to leave the industry altogether.

There is never an in between, and what’s sort of strange about this is that actors at both extremes of the spectrum are looking for the same thing....

Reassurance.

Either, they want to know that they have done all they can do and go forward into actors retirement with their heads held high or they want to know that they are not completely crazy for sticking with it and that they can actually reach their goals.

I truly believe that with every passing moment, you choose what will come in the next moment.

We can talk about this on many different levels, but let’s keep things focused on the here and now, and what we can quantify.

Most importantly, let’s focus on how you can move your career forward in 2020 and beyond.

To support you in building your career, I have compiled the top strategies used by our Boost My Star tribe in 2019 to accomplish big things.

From red carpet premieres, to roles on primetime, award nominations and so much more. Here’s how they did it and how you can do it too...

These strategies work regardless of what career stage you are in.

Whether you have been in the industry for a little while and are trying to get your first few credits, or if you have been booking consistent work but are struggling to get to the next level in your career, what keeps you from making progress is the same.

Use any of the concepts in whatever order makes the most sense for you and your career. What the most successful actors do is

1. The most successful actors in 2019 carved out a niche for themselves and they drilled into a specialization. We tend to think of the industry as being all about the artistic side, when there is an entirely other side to the industry that is much bigger than the art that fuels it.

   At the end of the day, if a movie or a show is bad, no one will tune in. So, while the art is of extreme importance, the business side of the industry is what makes the art possible. Rather than being an actor for hire, making yourself a specialized actor puts the business side of the industry at ease.

   Look at it this way, if your friend were having chest pains, would you take her to the dentist? No! You would take her to a cardiologist who is specialized in dealing with that.

   It’s how humans mitigate risk and the casting office is no different. If you are specialized in a certain category, then you are going to rise to the top of that category much easier.

   When a project comes around in the category that you are the expert in, you are that much more likely to get the call than someone who is just 1 of 1 million other actors for hire.

2. They took imperfect action. There is a big focus on perfection in the industry and it’s only gotten worse over time, because everything is “out there” forever.

   This is keeping actors from taking chances or being involved in certain productions out of fear that it would impact them down the road.

   I think it was Jack Nicholson who said “it’s OK to be in a bad movie, but you don’t have to be terrible in it.”

   What that boils down to is taking imperfect action. It’s jumping out of the plane and fashioning a parachute on the way down. It’s starting from where you are and realizing that you are architecting your future.

   They didn’t wait for the perfect headshot, the perfect opportunity, getting the perfect cut of their reel, etc. They started from where they were and improved over time, which gave them forward momentum.
   A good friend of mine, who is a legend in the industry always says “it’s OK to fall flat on your face because at least you are falling forward.”

3. The most successful actors actively sought to make themselves visible to the industry. This ties into what I mentioned a moment ago. There’s an entire side of the industry that most actors forget even exists.

   Usually, they think that it’s what their managers or agents will take care of. This is true to an extent, but they can’t do it all for you. You still need to take an active role in making sure the industry even knows you exist.

   This means you have to go out “shake hands” with industry decision makers. Even if your agent is able to get you in the door or make an introduction, you still have to take it the rest of the way and form a relationship with industry decision makers.

   Of course, it’s always easier when the decision makers come to you. This happens when you consistently make an effort to ​show your talent in the best light and in a way where industry decision makers have no choice but to notice you. I created this to help you with that.

4. The actors that had a terrific year sought out the support of others when they needed it.

   No one is an island. Most of us have heard that our entire lives, but most of us hardly ever put the concept into practice. This is another area, where most actors operate at the extremes.

   They either try to do it all on their own, or they assume that someone else will do it all for them. The reality is somewhere in the middle. Depending on what stage your career is in affects that as well.

   As you mature in your career, you will start to delegate things to experts, but in the beginning you are a one person Army. However, there are some things that you need to get off of your shoulders as soon as possible, because enlisting an expert in that area will improve your results ten fold.

   Here’s an area where I can help.

5. The most successful actors top leveled the people around them. They held their agents, managers, and even their circle of friends accountable for producing, but they put a 2 way street in place.

   If your agent isn’t getting you into auditions you know you should be getting into, maybe it’s time for a change. However, make sure that you first look in the mirror and measure what kind of client you are being.

   Are you giving them the best tools to work with, or are you expecting them to manifest acting jobs for you out of thin air?

   That’s where it becomes a 2 way street, and it’s largely why I mentioned that with every passing moment, you create what comes in the next.

   If your circle of friends are less than optimistic about your career, maybe it’s because that’s the vibe you are giving off.

   If your manager isn’t finding exciting projects for you, maybe it’s time for a change in management...or maybe you haven’t shown them that you are ready for more.

Changing the things you do will have an incredible impact on the people around you, especially those that are directly involved in your career. If your manager truly is just being lazy about finding you new projects, when you kick things into gear, they will become extremely uncomfortable and head for the hills.

Same with your agent and even your circle of friends.

Lastly, what top actors did in 2019 was: try new things, realizing that doing the same things over and over again will only produce the same results.

A new year is the perfect time to try something new. A new decade comes around once every 10 years and it’s the perfect time to try something radically different.

Let’s get this one started off right, by putting your career in the spotlight.

It’s your time and I can’t wait to...

See you at the top,
Scott

Your 2020 Acting Career Headstart

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Many of us will take the time to catch up with friends and family members.

Others will spend quiet evenings at home. However, something all of us will do at some point throughout the season is: reflect.

As the year comes to a close and we spend time reflecting on the things we accomplished this year, and think of why we didn’t accomplish others, this factor is very easy to miss.

So, today I want to give you something to think about and give you a number of ways that you can give your career a headstart on 2020, by breaking down what the industry’s top performers do to make it to the top of the industry.

Let’s start with the hard part...

As an actor, when you start to make some big career moves and outshine your peers, your world changes dramatically.

Your success is met with envy from some and others will question what you did to achieve a level of success that has evaded them.

Your true supporters will of course be happy for you...to a point. There is always a point at which your success makes them question their lack of success. It sounds harsh, but the truth typically ​is​ a bit harsh.

As you gather with friends and family this time of year, the typical questions come up and you will usually respond with the big auditions you have lined up or that you are hoping to be able to read for mainline projects.

If you have been striving to be a professional actor for any length of time, you know that almost everyone had serious doubts about your ability to make things happen when you started down the path of becoming a professional actor.

And every year, they are expecting you to say that you are finally throwing in the towel and will be hanging it up for good.

With so many actors leaving the industry every year, without having accomplished 1/10th of what they initially set out to accomplish, chances are, they would eventually be right.

That’s why it’s so important that you learn how to give yourself the best chance of success, and following in the footsteps of the actors that have built successful careers is just the way to do it.

In a few days, we’ll be welcoming a new year and a new decade. This time next year, when we’re staring down the barrel at 2021, I want you and your career to be on an entirely new level, that exceeds what you have even imagined.

Throughout the years, I have learned that top performing actors have a specific way of planning their progress.

They set goals just like most of us do...or at least try to do. But, what sets them apart is the way they approach their goals.

It’s something you can do too, starting right now. As you sit down and start to plan your career for the next year, you should be setting goals for how you want your career to progress.

Those goals should be achievable and realistic, but they should also push you and make you stretch out of your comfort zone.

I want to be clear on something the word “realistic” has a different meaning for everybody, depending on their career stage.

There is no hard and fast rule on this, just be sure that you are setting goals that are congruent with the way you operate and what you are willing to do to get ahead.

For example, if you are not willing to seek out and network with industry decision makers, don’t set a goal that involves meeting with a number of them. That would make it an unrealistic goal for you to achieve.

They should also push you to the limits of your comfort zone, stamina, etc. Think of it kind of like setting fitness goals. If you can comfortably run 3 miles, you would push yourself to comfortably run 3.5 miles, then 4 miles, 4.5 miles and so on.

Your industry goals should be the same. If you are already going on an audition every week, push yourself to do what it takes to make that 2 auditions per week, then 3 and so on.

What sets top performers apart from the rest of the industry is that they take the time to set goals properly, then they reverse engineer how they will accomplish those goals.

They plan for the big picture stuff and then plan the steps to get there, breaking it down to what they must do every month, every week, and everyday.

It’s called tactical thinking, and it’s actually what most “normal people” are really good at. Actors are different. We are creatives.

We are really good at imagining the big picture, but planning the tactical steps to accomplish it is difficult for most actors.

This is where you would want to enlist the help of an agent or a manager. They are naturally more left-brain dominant, so this part should come much easier to them.

Here’s another area where top performing actors differ from everyone else: they get help with the areas they are not experts in.

When it comes to planning out the tactics of PR, branding yourself, planning for project synergies, networking, etc., top performing actors leverage their strengths and don’t waste time working on their weaknesses.

They unload those responsibilities all together.

If you’re not in the practice of doing that, then the best time to start is now.

That’s why I created this for you.

Remember Boost My Star was created specifically for actors. Because the industry is a small circle, on the grand scheme, we don’t have the tools available to other kinds of professionals.

This means we are often left to our own devices to modify things and make them work for us.

When it comes to something as important as making a reputation for yourself in the industry, you don’t want to take any chances.

There are some things you can figure out along the way in the industry. There are other things that you have to learn from someone else, or even just let someone else handle it for you.

This is important enough to be one of those things that you let someone else handle.

Because ​casting directors and other industry decision makers pay such close attention to this and use it when deciding whether or not to give you a call back, you want to make sure you are putting forth a consistent effort to always have your best foot forward.

If 2019 didn’t meet your expectations, there are a few ways you can identify what they problem was.

Chances are, this was at least a factor. We’ll get into it further next week.

For now, what I want you to do is set some quiet time aside to set your goals and plan your career for the next year.

Then, ​give this a good amount of thought.

If you didn’t do it in 2019, then this could be what you need to change in 2020.

One thing the industry elite never do is wait. So, you shouldn’t either. Don’t wait until this time next year to make a change. Start today because my wish for 2020 is to...

See you at the top,
Scott

The Actor’s Cycle of Self Sabotage

Once you get started down this path, it turns into It’s a vicious cycle of self sabotage. Almost every actor does this,but I’ve never met one that did it on purpose.

Truthfully, when someone does this they are usually following what was well intended advice from a trusted source.

So, as we bring the last couple of weeks in the year to a close, I thought it important to clear up one of the biggest industry myths.

This innocent sounding piece of advice is probably something you are following right now, even though it is responsible for more actors getting stuck in their careers, than probably anything else.

The problem is that it sounds logical, but when you really start to question its merits objectively, the logic falls apart quickly.

And, I’ve seen it first hand.

After working with so many actors through the years, I’ve seen actors spin their wheels for years because of this.

I’ve also seen how quickly things can change when you start focusing on the things that really work to make it in the industry...

Here’s why...

There are a lot of moving pieces in the industry and everyone has their purpose.

However, most actors completely misunderstand the various roles and how everyone fits into the bigger picture.

We’ll get into the nuts and bolts of that another time. For now, let’s focus on how you can get more auditions and book more jobs than ever before.

It’s actually quite simple.

You just need to understand the true nature of what goes into making casting decisions.

The process does change to a degree, depending on what you are reading for, but the core principles remain the same whether you are reading for a series regular or a lead in a studio picture, or reading for 3 lines on a daytime soap.

What casting directors are in search of and what you are hoping to deliver are two very different things, which immediately puts you at odds with them during the casting process.

This misalignment is what causes casting to drag their feet when making decisions and to often be overly cautious.

It’s becoming more and more common for a roster to balloon from a few dozen actors being called in to read, to a few hundred actors being called in.

Let me ask you a question that most actors find difficult to answer.

When a CD calls in a few hundred actors to read for a role, do you think it’s because they haven’t yet found anyone talented enough to play the part satisfactorily?

Think about that for a moment...

That’s where the misalignment starts to form. Actors naturally think that casting directors are in search of the most talented actors.

However, when you peel back the layers on what a Casting Director’s job really is, they are after actors who are talented of course, but most importantly they are after actors who won’t drop the ball.

So, actors focus on getting better at their craft and developing their skills. While, that’s important and has its place, it’s not what CDs are after.

This is why getting your first few credits is more difficult than getting your next few credits. See, Casting Directors are really in the business of reducing risk.

If they recommend an actor who ends up not living up to expectations on set, it’s the CD who is on the chopping block.

It’s much easier for an actor to get a second chance to prove themselves, than it is for a CD to get a second chance to redeem themselves.

This is always at the forefront of their minds.

So, when you enroll in another acting class or workshop, it doesn’t do very much to put the CDs at ease.

This is why the industry has developed a complex system to determine the risks associated with casting decisions.

It goes way beyond whether they think you are talented enough to play the part you are reading for.

They measure all kinds of factors, some of which you wouldn’t even believe, because they seem to be irrelevant.

Again, much of that is a topic for another time.

For now, let’s focus on the biggest factor that CDs look at. It’s whether or not they see you as a trustworthy and professional actor.

Here’s a quick and easy way to do that.

Whether you think it’s “fair” or not, IMDb plays a big factor in casting decisions because it has evolved into the industry’s measure of your credibility as a professional actor.

When you have a good audition, the next step is usually a callback.

However, if you are having great auditions and you’re not getting very many callbacks, that could be where the problem is.

Before the casting office puts you into serious consideration, they will look into you and see what you are all about.

This is why you have to make sure that your industry reputation matches your goals.

If you are struggling to get to the next level in your career, or if you are struggling to gain traction, chances are you are focusing on the wrong things

You have to put just as much focus into making yourself visible to the industry and having decision makers see you as a professional, rather than a hobbyist, as you put into perfecting your acting skills.

Everyone will tell you that if you just get good enough, than the opportunities will rain down on you. I’ve seen too many talented actors leave the industry after not making any progress, to know that isn’t the case.

The truth is, most actors are just a few good career moves away from having a career that exceeds their wildest dreams, but they start down the cycle of self sabotage by ignoring the most important part of becoming an industry success story.

Here’s a great career move you can make right now.

Other things will make a difference...eventually, but this will make a difference now.

So get started on it now. We’re in the final weeks of the year which means that pilot season is right around the corner.

Set yourself up for a big 2020 now, and it could be the year that I finally...

See you at the top,
Scott

How To Use Your Multiple Talents to Build Your Acting Career

One of the first things I do when meeting and working with an actor is go through their “special skills” line by line.

I often find hidden gems that they are not using to their advantage, at least not fully.

More often than not, I even find that they have skills that they don’t leverage at all, even though they could be a tremendous help to their acting career.

See, there are tons of projects that require actors with a variety of skills and you don’t make your skills widely known, no matter who obscure you think they might be, you could be missing out big time.

I’ve seen 1 liners turn into much bigger parts simply because the actor who was booked for a 1 liner had a “special skill” that gave the director an idea.

There is a sort of balancing act that comes into play and if you don’t leverage your skills the right way your talents will be seen as scattered at best, or even as a work of fiction.

So, if you want to be more than just a 1 dimensional actor (and you have to be if you want to be a successful, professional actor) then you have to learn how to balance your multiple talents and how to use them at the right times to give move your career forward.

When done properly, you can unlock new career opportunities most actors or even agents know exist. This leaves you will practically zero competition.

Here’s how...

Most actors think of characters as being static.

In reality characters always fluid. They evolve and change from the moment they are first created until the project has wrapped post production.

There is plenty of time to expand characters and take them in multiple directions.

With a good director, it happens all the time. A fellow member of our boost my star tribe, was cast in a great guest spot on a primetime show.

Her role had a decent amount of screen time and she was very excited about it.

One of the reasons she was cast in this particular role was that she had a background in dance. She was very talented in that regard and it put her above the competition, because the character she would go on to play had a small dance routine in one of her scenes

On set, the dance just wasn’t feeling right. It was out of place and detracted from the storyline.

Most actors would simply roll with the punches and let the chips fall where they may, even if that meant most of her scenes would end up on the cutting room floor.

Being a part of our tribe, she knew better and made a suggestion. “Why not turn it into a tango?” she said.

She quickly choreographed a tango routine, coached her costar through it and the director absolutely loved it!

When production wrapped for the day, the writers room went into a flurry. The character went from a few minutes of screen time in a single episode, and turned into a 3 episode arc.

Nothing changed in this situation, other than the actor properly leveraging her talents.

The key here was that she knew the character well and the evolution made sense. There was a lot of mystery surrounding the character as one of the series’ leading character’s love interest.

Their dynamic was supposed to be fun and intriguing, yet their mutual attraction was mostly unspoken (at least between each other). The tango was a perfect fit, as she suggested, and it worked so well that the character took on a new life, leading to the expansion.

Using a talent besides acting isn’t simply about being a good dancer, or a good singer, in addition to being a talented actor, and it goes way beyond just adding it to your resume.

Your multiple talents should spark ideas and evolve characters that already exist. Often you have to be the one to bring this into the character, if doesn’t already exist.

To keep from going overboard, you should never try to force a character trait. If it doesn’t fit organically, let it be.

If it doesn't advance the storyline, let it be. That said, this doesn’t mean it has to advance the story in the same direction.

Often, you will see “mini arcs” form simply because they are too good to pass up. For example, a talented songwriter also being a talented vocalist and trying to steal the spotlight from the singer she is writing for, is a natural progression and could turn into a mini arc.

A talented songwriter turning into a breakdancer is not a natural progression for the character or for the story.

Look for opportunities that you can use your talents in a way that makes sense. Fair warning on this...
9 times out of 10, you will find that the current characters will remain unchanged.

However, I have literally lost count of the number of times I’ve been told by an actor that they were passed up for the role by a Casting Director, but were asked to come in for something completely different.

Of course this only happens, when Casting takes you seriously as an actor.

Here’s how I can help with that.

See, you can have all the talent in the world but if decision makers don’t see you as a professional, they won’t put themselves on the line for you.

When you look at the casting process, that’s exactly was Casting Directors do. When they advance you in the process, they are putting their stamp of approval on you and that’s a big commitment.

If you are cast and drop the ball on set, you will hear about of course but that’s not where it stops.

The heat goes all the way back to the casting office.

Because of this, CDs use a number of tools to lower the risk they face when casting an actor they’ve never worked with before.

Get the details on their leading tool and how you can use it to your advantage here.

If you want to build a career as a professional actor, you have to work on your talent, while also putting energy into making the industry take notice of you.

Let me help with that, so you can focus on what you do best.

Taking that burden from you is what I’m here for and I’m happy to help every actor I can, because my goal is to...

See you at the top,
Scott

How To Kickstart Your Career During the “Off Season”

Chances are, if you are reading this, leaving the industry and retiring from acting is nowhere near the top of your mind at this point.

However, what I have realized from working with so many actors over the years is that the road to retiring from acting starts long before you even realize it and there is almost always the same pattern of events leading up to it.

We’re in December now. Can you believe it?!

As another year comes to a close, I want you to answer this next question honestly to yourself.

How much progress did you make towards your career goals? Seriously, think about it for a minute and on a scale of 1-10 rate how well you did.

For most actors the answer is about 2 or a 3.

Others are not able to even complete the exercise, because setting career goals isn’t something that we are ever really taught about, and that is a huge problem!

More on that in a bit.

What I’m referring to isn’t the traditional goal setting you’ve heard about. It’s a way to measure whether or not you are actually making any real progress in your acting career or if you are just winging it.

It’s a double edged sword. Setting a goal and missing the mark, can be devastating. Not setting a goal and taking things day by day can mask a lack of progress or it can even make progress seem meaningless.

If 2019 didn’t live up to your expectations, don’t worry. It’s actually not too late to put big things in motion.

In fact, right now is the best time to set yourself up for a huge 2020.

Here’s why...

As we head into the heart of the holiday season, the industry prepares to go into hibernation. But do things really stop?

Do studios stop production completely? Do agents stop answering the phone? Do Casting Directors disappear?

Not at all! While most people do start to mentally check out after a grueling year in the industry, top tier decision makers cannot afford to check out.

They remain at the helm, working to make things happen and that is where the opportunity is for you.

Not only are people more open to making new connections during the holiday season, they also tend to be more cordial.

So, if there’s someone you have been hesitant about approaching, they are much more likely to be open to you during this time.

Plus, it’s a great time to show Casting Directors, and other decision makers “some love” without worrying about seemingly being out of place.

Everyone remembers to send a studio head or a top tier agent a holiday card or gift basket, but hardly anyone remembers CDs. It’s easier than at any other time, to cut through the clutter and make an impression.

Just be sure that your gestures are genuine and don’t come off as phony.

This works for making new connections as well as reinforcing existing connections, and it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg.

A simple card with a candy bar would cost you under $3 with postage. You could either express your desire to work with someone in the coming year or thank them for the opportunity to work with them this year.

Throughout the year, mailings can be hit or miss (mostly miss) because hardly anyone takes the time to open the parcel.

However, no one ignores a holiday card because of what could be inside, so your message will be seen at the very least.

It doesn’t have to be a card and a candy bar. Get creative with you can reach out to and how you can personalize your seasons greetings.

At the end of the day, the industry is a people business and it will always be.

So, if your year, didn’t end up the way you hoped for, that’s the place you should turn to first: the people.

Who did you meet that you didn’t fully forge a connection with?
Who did you not meet that could have been a career changer for you?
When actors leave the industry, it is rarely a grand occasion. It usually happens in stages.

First, we tend to take a step back from the industry grind and start to focus on “real world”pursuits and push auditions and training to the back burner.

You start going after a promotion at work instead of scheming ways to take days off so you can go to your auditions.

Eventually you start having thoughts about leaving the industry for good, having not made any moves in a long time.

Where it begins however, is getting stuck in a pattern of lack of progress, which is why I led with asking you about your progress and how you are measuring up against your goals.

What causes actors to stop making progress more than anything else has a simple fix.

It’s rarely about talent, timing, or any of the thousands of other excuses we tend to come up with as justification for not making progress.

It’s almost always about people, because this is a people business.

Understanding how people function is key and I’m about to give you the biggest “hack” to get almost anyone on your side and rooting for your success.

When you meet someone in the industry, because of the number of actors who turn out to be hobbyists that leave the industry quickly, people tend to be skeptical and hesitant to give you a chance.

That’s why I created this.

It helps to put decision makers at ease and trust that you are a professional actor who is in it for the long haul, by improving your industry reputation.

See, when you make a new connection they will always into your history and activity in the industry.

Your industry reputation must match your goals if you want decision makers to take you seriously.

So, if you are meeting enough decision makers but you still are not making the progress you should be making in your career, this could be the issue.

No one wants to invest time into helping build an actor’s career that may not be serious about their future in the industry.

Show industry decision makers that you are a serious and talented professional actor.

Take care of that and then make a list of industry decision makers you can reach out to while everyone else is in holiday mode.

Then, follow through and reach out to them.

If you want to bounce some ideas, remember I’m always only a comment or an email away. I’ll help out in any way I can because my goal in 2020 is to...

See you at the top,
Scott

The Truth About Improv

Most of us will jump into improv class before almost anything else, because it’s the perfect recipe.

It’s fun. It’s low key and low pressure, and you can still get a lot of value out of it even if the class itself isn’t great.

I have always been a big fan of improv, even though it was a big challenge.

See there are 2 components that make up a great improv scene but almost everyone ignores the second one.

Let’s first talk about why becoming great at improv can be one of the greatest moves you will ever make.

Some of the greatest shows were based on a great deal of improv. Here’s why...

When you become skilled at the art of improv, your acting skills improve on a very granular level.

Of course, you learn to think faster and on your feet but the improvements go way beyond that.

Improv will also help you to build more natural characters and you will learn to anticipate what comes next in a scene, without looking at a script.

Here’s what I mean by that.

One of the most important things for an actor to master, is the ability to get “out of the script” and let their performance flow naturally.

This is very different than being “off book.”

When an actor gets stuck in the script, they go into reactive mode and are always anticipating what the next line or block of action is.

You can literally see the anticipation in their eyes and it completely kills the performance. Stick with me for a moment.

When you become great at improv, you do learn to anticipate what comes next in the scene but you do it by picking up on cues from others in the scene, since there is no script.

The way someone uses their vocal tonality, facial expressions, and body language are what you have to read in order to pick up on where an improvised scene is going.

This is what you also use in the “real world,” since those interactions are also unscripted, so working through scenes like this keeps you focused on using those elements of reality.

Also, when doing improv you are responsible for directing yourself in the scene, which helps to sharpen your ability to create characters and then keep those characters on the right track organically.

It improves the alignment of your character choices with the characters themselves.

In fact, in a way that almost nothing else can, improve skills will serve you well in nearly all areas of your life, especially as you work to build your career.

Here’s what I mean...

Have you ever had an introductory meeting with an agent or a director you really wanted to work with, but were so nervous that the meeting didn’t go nearly as well as it should have?

Of course! It’s happened to everyone but improv fixes even that because you learn to think on your feet and take in the subtle clues the other person is giving you about where the scene (or conversation in this case) is going.

Whatever situation you find yourself in, that skill can serve you very well.

When you consider that even an interview is nothing more than an improvised scene, your skills at this will become much better too.

If you want to become a successful actor, then you already know how important it is to master becoming great at being interviewed.

More on this in a moment.

As important as it is that you become great at improv, there is a mistake that nearly all actors make but that you can easily avoid.

What you should never do with your improv skills is improvise your next career move. Even though half the fun of doing improv is in the unpredictable nature of where a scene might go, leave it on set..

When it comes to building your acting career, you need to have solid plans in place and one of the key areas to focus on is this.

Almost anything else can be overcome if you have a solid industry reputation and that will never change.

Other factors will come and go, but in the end the industry will always be a people business.

At their core, people are risk averse, and that’s why the industry has poured so much time and resources to figure out ways to decrease risk in all areas of production.

That’s why ​casting directors and decision makers use this when comparing one actor against another.

Because one of its main uses is to measure your reputation within the industry, it serves as a great way to measure the casting risk associated with you as well.

So be sure to show up with your best foot forward by always having an industry reputation that matches your goals for your career.

Remember, if you need any support with that, I’m always only an email or a phone call away and I’m always happy to help in any way I can.

Because my goal is to...

See you at the top,
Scott

What Veteran Actors Do to Have Long Careers

Most actors don’t make it in this business.

I don’t say that to be discouraging in any way, but it’s true. Very few will ever make any career progress that is even remotely close to what they envisioned for their career, when they first started.

Booking a few lines here and there and maybe some commercial ads is where most actors stall.

Inevitably, the struggle of trying to make it takes its toll and many actors leave the industry every day, before reaching the goals they had in mind.

What I’ve been interested in for a long time, is figuring out what causes them to leave and what causes other actors to stay the course and build long and prosperous careers.

We just had Veterans day recently, so I thought it would be fitting to talk about veteran actors.

Those that have been in the industry for some time and have built successful careers, and how you can duplicate their success too.

I want to introduce you to someone...

You have probably seen some of his work, since he’s recently had some major projects that have been absolute blockbusters, and he is represented by some of the top people in the industry.

What I want to emphasize about his story is, that Michael was in the industry for over a decade before making any real progress.

Getting to the silver screen and making blockbusters took almost another 2 decades for him to accomplish.

There were several times he wanted to quit, but he did something that all successful, veteran actors do when things get tough.

Whenever Michael hit a roadblock, he leaned in and kept going. He knew that what he was doing would get him to where he wanted to go.

He wasn’t chasing fads and instead focused on the fundamentals of meeting the right people and being in the right situation at the right time.
This led him to do things like unexpectedly dropping in at production offices, or refusing to go home before meeting at least 1 high level industry decision maker.

More than anything else, the industry respects someone with work ethic.

To outsiders, it may seem like being charming or having a pretty face is all it takes but that couldn’t be further from reality.

If you build a reputation for being hard to work with, it will follow you until the end of your career and it will cost you dearly.

The opposite is also true.

If you work hard and you have at least some level of talent, then people will like working with you and find opportunities to work with you again.

It’s no different than any other workplace.

Michael will be the first to tell you that, he is not the most talented actor. He won’t say it to be humble, but it is the truth.

What seperates him and other verteran actors, isn’t their talent.

It’s not that they are “better” than anyone else.

It’s that they never stop trying, when things get tough.

Sometimes you do need to rebrand,refocus and recreate yourself, but usually something is right around the corner.

Don’t be so quick to look for the next big thing. No matter what tactics show up, in the end this business is still about people and it is run by people.

That will never change.

Of course tools have been created to make things easier on production and there are ways that you can also use those tools to help your own career.

In fact, that’s why I created this.

It helps you to bridge the gap between where the industry is going and the things that will never change.

The reason the industry uses systems like this is to eliminate some of the risk that comes with making casting decisions, and they use this as a measure of your industry credibility.

So, ​make sure Casting Directors have a positive impression of you because even more important than talent, is reputation, drive and work ethic.

More than anything else, what separates veteran actors from everyone else is the care and attention they put into building a reputation and caring for that reputation.

Even the biggest stars and most talented actors will find themselves longing for work if they don’t do this.

So, ​wouldn’t it make sense that you make this a top priority too? Here’s a great place to start.

If you want to be one of the veteran actors one day, then take this as a first step now. Let me know how I else I can help.

I’m always only an email or a comment away and I’m always happy to help, because my goal is to...

See you at the top,
Scott

How to Ensure Your Voice Matches Your Character

With your top 3 favorite actors in mind, run a few scenes through your head for just a minute.

Really, close you eyes and do this. I’ll wait...

What did you notice when doing this? What do your favorite actors have in common? VO actors have one of the toughest jobs, because depicting an emotion based purely on your voice, is incredibly difficult.

Why?

Because the majority of emotions and human interactions are created through body language, facial expressions and movement.

However, the trick is being able to connect your vocal patterns to what you are doing with everything else.

Otherwise, there will be a disconnect and that’s what will throw off your performance.

When everything is in line, your performance will really come together, even with little preparation in an audition setting and you will stand head and shoulders above everyone else.

In fact, your voice could be the reason that you are having good auditions but not booking as much as you should be booking.

Your voice and the way your vocal patterns interact with your body language can either make you irresistible to a Casting Director or it will make them put your headshot in the recycle bin.

Here’s how to identify what vocal patterns your character calls for and how to nail them every time.

There are 3 distinct vocal patterns that almost every line you will ever speak can fall into.

Sure there are multiple layers to and subtle nuances, but as long as you master the 3 patterns, your character choices will always be congruent with your voice.

Those patterns are seeking, leading, and neutral. Everything else will fall into one of those categories. Your job as an actor is trace the surface level emotions back to one of the 3 patterns.

For example, when you are in seeking mode, your character is looking for something. It could be that they are seeking confirmation on an idea, looking for more information, or seeking approval from someone.

To tap into this pattern your voice would go up at the end of a sentence. The pitch will vary, depending on the nature of the scene.

A crime scene investigator, going over a crime scene and thinking out loud, or even just talking over the details with a colleague at the scene would have a smaller change in pitch than someone who is trying to make a good impression.

Both are seeking something. One is looking for information and the other is looking to make a good impression (seeking the approval of another person).

Either way, the same dominant emotion is at play, just on a different levels.

The neutral pattern is just that. It’s neutral and you use this pattern when your character doesn’t care one way or the other.

This would lead to keeping a steady pitch throughout.

For example, let’s go back to the crime scene investigator.

Let’s say he’s now talking over the details of the scene with a colleague. As they are discussion the details of the crime scene, there will be a lot of things that don’t matter and are have nothing to do with the crime.

A little bit of back story, in a crime scene everything gets cataloged at the scene and it’s up to the investigators to decide whether it’s important or not.

Aa the investigator and the colleague are talking things over they would be treating the irrelevant details in a neutral tone.

“He was a smoker. That explains the burn mark on the index finger.” The investigator isn’t looking for any information because he is confident in the information he already has at this point and has arrived at conclusion.

He’s not trying to lead the investigation, because his job is to follow the facts, so that vocal pattern is out too.

As you are making your character choices you have to run them through this pattern and identify where they originate.

Let’s look at it from the angle of the character that is trying to make a good impression.

That character would be in the seeking vocal pattern, but what about the character they are interacting with?

The person they are trying to make a good impression on, would almost always be in the neutral pattern, because they are superior in some way.

They could be a superior at work, a celebrity of some sort, a romantic interest, etc.

So if you were in this role, the way in which you are superior would limit your inflection. A boss interviewing a new employee would keep a very neutral and professional tone.

They probably wouldn’t be rude at this stage, at least not without cause.

Also, they are not the one’s trying to make a good impression (so they are not seeking anything). In this interaction they have nothing to lose and nothing to gain, so they are neutral.

You can still be neutral in a polite, yet uninterested manner. You can also be neutral and annoyed at the same time.

The nature of the scene will dictate which way to go. Regardless, your vocal pattern still falls into the neutral category.

The last person you ever want to be neutral, is a Casting Director. That’s why I created this to help you out.

Lastly, when you are in the leading pattern you are depicting authority in some way.

That authority can take many forms, but it leads to your voice going down in pitch when you end a sentence.

Let’s go back to that crime scene investigator. Let’s say that the colleague he is reviewing the scene with is actually a deputy of his. This would put the investigator above him in rank, so he doesn’t need to prove anything to the deputy, but he would be in a pattern of reminding the deputy of who the superior officer is.

So as they are going over the details of the scene he would be throwing displays of his authority.

In the same way that you can be polite and still neutral, you can also be in the leading pattern and still add on other emotions.

If you take the time to do this your performances will be absolutely spectacular. If you deliver your lines with just the 3 patterns in mind during a table read production will fall in love with you and your professionalism will be evident.

Of course, before you can use any of this, you need to have auditions and roles lined up.

That’s why I created this.

It’s specifically to help you become more visible to the industry, improve your standing with the industry and more.

You need to have a consistent way of putting yourself on display for CDs and industry decision makers and the tool I built for you will put you in the best light possible.

Just as important as who you know in the industry, is your reputation and this will help you to solidify your industry reputation.

Combine your talent with a solid industry reputation and you will be unstoppable. Before no time at all I just might...

See you at the top,
Scott