How Actors Become Successful

Have you ever stopped to think about what makes the difference between successful actors and everyone else?

If you were to ask 100 of your industry friends this question, you would probably get 101 different answers.

The industry is a fast moving machine with many different parts, so there is no 1 way to become successful as an actor. On top of that, most actors only focus on one part of the industry and ignore the rest.

If you have been around Boost My Star for any length of time, you know that I’m a big proponent of running in the opposite direction of the crowd because doing what everyone else does will get you the same results as everyone else.

So if what you want is to become a successful actor, you have to do things differently.

Most actors are right on the edge of making huge career progress and sending their careers skyrocketing.

If you want to be one of the few that actually makes it, here’s where to start...

It all comes down to efficiency. If you do things twice as fast and twice as effective, then you are likely to succeed twice as fast.

A big part of that is building on your successes. That’s not just about turning one role into 2, then 3 or 4. That requires more than just talent.

We’ll get to that in a bit...

Recently, we talked about why being afraid of being typecast early in your career could be a big mistake.

There comes a time when it does make sense to diversify your character types, but it comes much, much later than most actors realize.

That’s why truly great actors get there by building on truly great characters. That happens when your characters are related to one another in some way.

So, when you are finished with a project, you can’t simply break up with a character. You have to keep them around. Here’s what I mean...

You should always carry a little piece of every character with you.

Otherwise, you are starting from scratch every time. If you think about it, that's kind of crazy. Try to think of anything else where you start over from square one every time. Do you go through driver’s ed every time you get behind the wheel of a car?

Of course not. You build on the experiences for every other time you were behind the wheel.

Do you sign up for a new membership and redo your macros every time you hit the gym? No, you simply pick up where you left off. You create a workout mix based on everything you have learned and do your sets.

Starting over is a huge waste of time, yet actors do this in their profession everyday. Instead of starting over, think about every character you have ever played.

Sit down and write them out. Then, think of their major character traits and their backstories. Pull together their similarities and you will find that most of them inadvertently have something in common.

Why?

Because you are particularly good at something and that “something” is the reason you were cast in those roles.

That’s your X factor and it gives you an almost unfair advantage when you are competing for the role with other actors.

If you are kind of new to the industry and you are lacking a body of work to look to, then you can do the same with some of your favorite actors.

Watch a few of their films and do the same exercise

Study their characters and see what traits they carry from one project to the next. Jennifer Aniston has a long list of character traits that move with her from one project to the next and when anything that is even remotely in her area of specialty goes into development, she is the only logical choice.

That’s the beauty in specializing in a certain category!

Even as actors do branch out and change the types of projects they undertake and the character’s they play, you will still find many of the same traits present in characters that are extremely different.

Meryl Streep has a very unique way incorporating a handful of very powerful traits, and she uses them across a variety of genres.

As you work to lock in your initial category, a good actor to study would be Jennifer Aniston. As you progress in your career and diversify, it’s worth doing a deep dive on Meryl Streep’s approach.

There is a caveat! This only matters if you have characters to build. If you don't have enough opportunities coming your way, even in these crazy times, you have to also put some focus into creating them.

Here’s a great place to start and position yourself to be highly visible industry decision makers.

Something else that may be impacting your booking ratio is your industry reputation. ​Take an honest look and ask yourself whether your reputation matches your goals.

An extensive body of work can fill in the gaps but if you are lacking in that as well, then you are playing catch up from the start.

To build a great career, you have to give yourself every advantage possible to succeed.

Instead of playing catchup, you could be giving yourself a head start. ​You could be the one with a reputation that precedes you and that Casting Directors are excited to see.

Regardless of where you are in your career, let me know how I can help.

I’m always only a comment or an email away and I love hearing about big wins. I hope to hear from you soon because I would truly love to...

See you at the top,
Scott

Why Being A Talented Actor Can Make It Harder To Succeed

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone...the people that tune in to Boost My Star tend to be pretty talented.

Over the years, as I’ve come to know everyone better and better I’ve been blown away not just by the caliber of talent but also by the diversity of talent present in our tribe.

You would find actors with many varied talents (in addition to their acting skills) such as artists, musicians, and even fire dancers, and much more are present here.

It’s often been a double edged sword that kept many actors stuck for a long time. More on that in a sec...

See, the industry has changed and most actors are still using an incredibly outdated method to get their “big break.”

It might be shocking, but what I’ve found over the years after working with so many actors that I’ve literally lost count, is that the more talented to you the harder a time you might have making any kind of meaningful progress in the industry,

So, if you feel like you are talented enough to “make it” as an actor but you’re struggling to get your career off the ground or get to the next level, here’s where’s to start...

No one decides to become a professional actor because they have a very limited range of characters they like to play.

A lot of the fun in acting is getting to escape into all kinds of characters each existing in their own world.

This combined with an aspiring actor's desire to get on set no matter what the job is, leads most actors to simply chase anything that comes their way.

Contrary to what you may have learned from others in the industry so far, the way to get ahead in the industry is actually to chase less. Focus on a single area and go deep into it, rather than dipping your toe into everything.

Take a moment and think about what your favorite character types would be. Then, think about what genre they would fall into.

Start with that and keep in mind that it’s only a starting point. You won’t be stuck in that category for the rest of your career.

The idea is to make a name for yourself and then leverage that into other genres.

In today’s industry environment we see many “outsiders” crossing over into the mainstream industry.

It’s been happening with musicians for a long time and that trend has evolved to include, Instagrammers, Youtubers, etc.

Many actors find their way into the industry from other places. For example, Dwayne Johnson came from the wrestling world.

He was able to successfully leverage the platform and notoriety he built there into a successful acting career.

Is there another profession you excel at that could serve as a springboard for your acting career?

It doesn’t even have to be something you are particularly passionate about, as long as it’s something you enjoy and excel at.

It could be music, dancing, martial arts or it could even just be yourself, if you can build a platform around you and your passion. ​If that’s something you want to work on, you can use this to help you get the ball rolling.

It can help you get started and add some legitimacy to your efforts.

Whatever route you decide on, make sure that you’re not simply spinning your wheels and getting distracted from your end goal of becoming a professional actor.

It’s a counterintuitive balancing act but as long you are constantly tying things back to your acting career you are on the right track.

People with multiple talents, like yourself, often get lost in the industry shuffle because they chase too many rabbits at one time.

Even for those that focus only on acting, it’s easy to get lost in a big range. It’s easy to spread yourself too thin while pursuing comedic roles, dramatic roles, and every variation in between.

It doesn’t allow you to go deep into any one category and make meaningful progress.

If you study the careers of top level actors, you will see them being a bit scattered in the beginning. It’s only when they start to go deep into one category that they start making progress.

Actors tend to only see the end result of them going from one category to the next without skipping a beat and they think that it’s the way to go.

However, that comes after those actors have established themselves in one category for a period of time.

Nobody wants to be typecast so it’s understandable to avoid it at all costs. However, that means they also avoid the focused effort it takes to carve out an area they can specialize in and make real career progress.

Being typecast is a valid concern and there will come a time when diversifying the projects you take on makes sense. It comes as you progress in your career, not as you build it.

Creating your own opportunities is something I encourage everyone to do but you should do it while focusing on a single category as well.

Whichever you decide to start with first, make sure that you give yourself the best chance at success.

In the industry, reputation is everything. It can open doors for you that you didn’t even know existed. ​Make sure that your reputation matches your goals so that you are seen as a true professional and not just a hobbyist.

Until you reach the top levels of the industry and have a body of work that precedes you, Casting Directors and industry decision makers will look elsewhere to see what you’re all about.

This is another area where actors get stuck.

They’ll often go on an audition, feel that everything went really well and never hear from casting. Oftentimes, what happens is that casting doesn’t like what they find or they like what they find about someone else a lot more.

Since this is the go to place for Casting Directors and industry decision makers to gather information and measure your industry reputation, I built something to help you.

I know we went through a few pretty big ideas here so take some time to think things through. Then, let me know how I can help.

I’m always happy to bounce ideas about next steps and I’m always only a comment or an email away. Feel free to get in touch anytime.

I help however I can because I would truly like to...

See you at the top,
Scott

How Top Actors Create Legendary Characters

Every once in a while the industry releases a project that exceeds all expectations and becomes a cultural staple.

It’s usually the result of a few factors, key among them being the actors that brought it to life.

Speaking with a few actors about this a couple nights ago, the topic of Hamilton came up. It goes without saying that Hamilton kick started an industry wide movement that is really picking up steam.

More on that in a sec.

First, I want to discuss your acting career and how you can be a part of projects that stick around for generations.

I know what you might be thinking, but it’s actually a pretty simple process.

Here’s where to start...

First you have to be able to recognize the projects that stand out and are uniquely different.

Going back to Hamilton for a moment, that project would have been pretty easy to spot if you came across it.

A musical about a founding father most people never give a second thought about after leaving grade school, that mixes in some hip hop flavor...that’s about as obvious as it gets.

When something is “different” there really isn’t much room for mediocrity. It will either be fantastic or fantastically awful.

We’ll get to how to actually find these projects in a moment...

When you’re looking at a project, study the storyline. Breakdown the characters and examine whether it has enough depth to be something special or if it’s just another shallow project that tries too hard to be different.

The difference is pretty obvious and you will get a gut feeling when you find the “special ones.”

A simple way to identify the right projects is to look for elements that you wouldn’t typically find in similar projects, but that simply work in the one you are evaluating.

For example, the hip hop element in Hamilton was a work of genius that you wouldn’t have found in other revolutionary period pieces.

The synergy that was created by mixing very different styles is difficult to pull off, but when done properly it's legendary.

Building a character is the same way.

Often, the characters that leap off the screen and stick with the audience are the characters that possess traits you wouldn’t have expected.

It’s a delicate balance and everything must flow or you risk going too far in one direction or another.

Take Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean. It could have flopped miserably but he succeeded in creating a phenomenal character that was just enough of a bumbling mess to not detract from the events being plausible.

He didn’t go the traditional pirate route when building the character. There was a lot less “argh matey” cartoony type of pirate and a lot more borderline heat stroke in the mix.

The greatest characters are often a counterbalance of traits like this.

Your character could laugh when she was supposed to cry, jarring the audience and keeping them on the edge of their seats.

She could whisper when raising her voice would be the most appropriate thing to do, and when it would be what any other actor would do.

It often comes down to doing the unexpected, in a way that doesn’t feel out of place to the audience.

There’s no one way to accomplish this and every character is a bit different, but doing the opposite of what the audience would expect is a great place to start.

When working on your character, test things out and see if it feels right, especially at pivotal moments.

Most actors think it's the director's job to help you make these choices but a director can only build on the foundation you create.

In other words they help polish your performance, but you have to build your character on a strong foundation. This requires you to be a true professional and not just another actor for hire.

This is how you stand out from the crowd when it comes to sharing your talent.

Of course that doesn't matter if you don't have enough auditions and opportunities coming your way. You have to focus on generating opportunities to showcase your talent, so you can get booked and get on set.

You have to be sure that you can ​be found where Casting Directors are searching for talent.

The truth is, Casting Directors and industry decision makers are always looking for the next big thing.

They all want to be the one to discover you and putting your unique spin on the characters you play is a great way to build your reputation as an actor who can deliver.

When your industry reputation matches your goals, it becomes that ​much easier for industry decision makers to move forward with you. Get started on that right away.

It’s even a great way to get your foot in the door, because everyone will want to see what you can bring to the table on whatever they are working on.

You just have to make sure that you are visible to the industry. ​This is a simple way to get on their radar.

So what do you think grasshopper? Are you confident enough in your abilities to go against the grain or do you feel more comfortable playing it safe.

Does the idea of going against the grain sound appealing but you’re not quite sure where to start?

Let me know in the comments below or shoot me an email. I’d be happy to bounce ideas with you and help however I can because I truly would like to...

See you at the top,
Scott

Why You Can’t Be An Actor In 2020

Contrary to what you’ve been told. It’s not possible to be successful as an actor in 2020.

Ask anybody “in the know” and they will tell you that it hasn’t been possible to be a truly successful actor in a very long time.

Right about now, you are probably thinking of the dozens of actors you look up to, all of whom would be considered successful by anyone’s standards.

Stick with me for a sec...

Successful “actors” all have something in common and if you haven’t been making the kind of progress you should be making in the industry, it’s probably because no one has shared this with you yet...

If you’re not succeeding it’s because you haven’t figured out what business you’re actually in. Here’s what I mean...

Even though you have been told that your career will thrive or die based on your talent, it is not the most important thing anymore.

It hasn’t been since the age of silent pictures.

In most situations, it’s a secondary factor in casting decisions and it often ranks even lower than that.

However, most actors still operate as if it should be their priority. They focus on getting “good enough” thinking that Casting Directors and industry decision makers will line up at their doorstep.

That’s just not the case, so you have to get beyond the idea of simply being an actor.

You're in the entertainment business and there's a big difference between being an actor and being an entertainer.

Actors are a thing of the past, because in reality being an actor is only one of the many hats you must wear if you want to be successful in the industry.

The age of the actor ended long ago. Arguably, it ended with the age of the silent picture. Being a talented actor is not enough to be successful in the industry anymore.

Think of the actors in your circle of friends. How many of them would you consider to be good enough to make it?

The majority of them are, and finding a talented actor isn’t very difficult.

That’s why a Casting Director’s job goes way beyond finding the most talented person to fill a role.

More on that in a sec...

If you’ve been around Boost My Star for any length of time, you probably already know that I’m a big fan of Jerry Maguire.

If you haven’t seen it, you should. It’s a pretty accurate representation of the relationship between management and talent, even though it’s a sports film.

Jerry (a sports mega agent) represents Rod Tidwell, a talented football player, who is somewhat of an outcast.

While he was a very good player, there were others that were just as talented. During contract negotiations, the coach told Jerry that he was going to pass on Rod because he could have another player that was just as talented but had a better attitude.

Rod is then faced with making a shift to becoming an entertainer who also plays football, or risk being dropped by the team.

It wasn’t until Rod played to the crowd and became a fan favorite, that he became an asset to the team, rather than just another player.

In the end, the team ended up giving him a bigger contract than what he was hoping for. This happens all the time, across the entire spectrum of the entertainment industry.

Just look at all the Instagrammers and YouTubers that are crossing over to the mainstream industry as “actors.”

I can think of less than a handful who would have successfully made the crossover based on talent alone. For the rest of them, it has been because they realize that they are in the entertainment business and operate with that mindset, even if their talent is lacking in certain areas.

Their industry success has been entirely about their ability to attract attention to whatever project they were involved in.

That’s their competitive edge and you can’t succeed in anything without an edge.

Whether it’s being stronger, faster, or smarter than your competition the edge is what propels you to success.

In the industry, operating as an entertainer rather than just thinking of yourself as an actor is what gives you an edge over everyone else who is still operating under a system that has been dead for almost a century.

There was a brief period of time when much of the industry seemed to finally get it.

It was when social media started going mainstream. Nobody would have ever known just how talented a vocalist Lady Gaga was, if she didn’t first see herself as an entertainer. Subsequently, she was able to cross over in the acting world.

Justin Timberlake and Mandy Moore, wouldn’t have much of a chance if they started as actors either, rather than having ended up there after winding through other parts of the industry.

In other words they were entertainers who found their way to acting.

Have you ever watched a movie or a show and wondered how and why a particular actor was cast?

It probably happens all the time. Pay attention next time it happens and ask yourself what could have led to that actor being cast.

Did they find their way to screen through other sectors of the industry like Justin Timberlake or The Rock?

Were they online creators with a large following they were able to leverage into industry opportunities.

What if instead of trying to stand out in a room full of actors you could differentiate yourself from the start?

What if you could bypass the normal audition cycle that most actors fall into and never escape from?

What if you could have Casting Directors and industry decision makers eager to work with you because you can actually bring something to their projects that few other actors can?

That’s what will make a difference and determine whether you will succeed and build an enviable acting career or whether you will pack it in after falling way short of your aspirations like almost every actor.

If you learn from their mistakes ​you can make it easier on yourself and stack the odds in your favor.

Figure out where others go wrong, and then do the opposite.

If they use social media for vanity and post content only to get more likes than their circle of friends, do the opposite.

Use it to build your career and put a solid plan in place to build a platform that you can later leverage to legitimize your career as an actor.​ Here’s how I can help you get the ball rolling on that.

If their form of “networking” with industry people consists of going to happy hour after acting class, think of how you can be more effective.

Consider how you can be targeted in your approach to meeting people and getting in front of industry decision makers.

This is an area where most actors don’t have a clue on where to even start. The goal is to make yourself highly visible to the industry. ​It will legitimize your career and open many doors. This is one of the most effective ways to do that.

Winston Churchill said that success was “moving from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

Everyone who decides to get into the industry knows that it can be a long, tough road. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t take the road less traveled by and shortcut your way to success.

You don’t have to go it alone either!

Remember, I’m always only an email or a comment away and happy to help on your journey however I can, because it would truly make me happy to...

See you at the top,
Scott

What Most Actors are Afraid to Admit

What I’m sharing with you today, may just allow you to breathe a sigh of relief. However, if you were to mention it to your industry friends, they would probably steer you in another direction.

Why?

I’ll come back to that in a sec.

See, because I work with so many actors and industry decision makers on a daily basis, I have a broad and unique vantage point on the industry.

I can tell you that there is one big thing that almost everyone in the industry is afraid to admit, and they rarely ever discuss with anyone besides their truest confidants.

It’s something that holds true for most actors, directors, writers, casting directors and nearly every position at every level in the industry.

Unraveling this is actually what decides whether someone will be successful as an actor, or whether they will spin their wheels for a few years and leave the industry burned out and empty handed.

This is something that anyone who truly wants to be a successful actor needs to do...

Let me be clear, I’m not one to go on about esoteric topics very often. I do think they have a time and a place, but I like to keep things focused on what you can do today to move forward in your acting career.

So, everything we’ll talk about today is rooted in a practical application of what it takes to succeed as an actor.

That said, most actors start down the road of becoming a successful actor without defining the end goal.

That’s kind of like getting in the driver's seat of a car, closing your eyes, and stepping on the gas pedal. Sure, you might make forward progress for a little while but you will probably hit a brick wall before long.

And, without a destination, how will you know when you’ve arrived at wherever it is you thought you would get to?

Instead you have to define what success means to you and measure your progress on your way there.

Don't let anyone else's opinion cloud your judgement on this. Stick with me for a sec...

See something I've come to learn as I've worked with countless actors and industry decision makers over the years is that we are all taught to “shoot for the moon” and set our sights extremely high.

There is some validity in that but it ignores much of what is required to succeed. In a moment, we’ll talk about the correct way to “aim high.”

To succeed as an actor, you can’t go from 0 to 100 overnight. You have to prove yourself in multiple ways.

Typically an actor that has a long and rewarding career will work their way up from one liners to featured roles, then leads.

Success as an actor, as in any other endeavour, is kind of like riding an elevator. You get to decide when you have reached your destination and when to get off.

Just because there are 50 floors in the building doesn’t mean you have to make it to the top floor. Are the views better on the 50th floor, compared to the 5th?

There’s not a single right answer on that because it’s subjective.

Maybe you’re the type of person who likes your feet planted firmly on the ground and have no desire to ride the elevator at all.

That’s your choice.

Here’s what I’m getting at...

Actors are told that it’s the 50th floor or bust. All or nothing. Your name in lights, do or die. If that’s what you want, great! Go for it.

However, what I’ve found over the years is that most actors don’t really want to make it all the way up to the 50th floor.

In reality, all they want is to be able to make a good living doing what they love, flexing their creative muscles, and never having to worry about where their next acting job is going to come from.

That’s it. That’s the holy grail for nearly every actor I’ve ever met. Really, that’s what everyone’s first goal should be.

If you want to go beyond that and seek superstardom, it’s only a matter of continuing your ride on the success elevator.

Most actors never get on the right path and they never achieve that first level of success. Still, they keep shooting for the moon, even though they have yet to get off the ground.

Whatever level of success you’re striving to achieve, your arrival will come through a progression of achieving previous successes.

So, let’s start with the first big milestone, since it will be the springboard to bigger things.

As an actor you first have to prove you have what it takes to build a character that jumps off the screen and comes to life.

That’s what will have people wanting to work with you over and over again.

If you want to continue to grow in your career and achieve higher levels of success, you also have to prove that you are marketable.

The industry is made up of two parts: the artistic side and the business side. Unfortunately they’re not equally weighted.

At the end of the day, an actor that is marketable and that can attract attention to a project will always win over an actor that is equally as talented but more marketable.

Putting yourself in a position to capitalize on that is the key difference maker that will help you move to higher levels within the industry.

Actors that make it to the top, force the industry to notice them. They​ refuse to be ignored and passed over. Here’s a powerful way for you to do it too.

Regardless of what level of the industry you wish to make it to, you have to put some focus on it.

See, there is something to be said about aiming for over achievement. Here’s what I mean...

If you want to achieve something, it will typically serve you to aim a bit higher than whatever your goal is. The key to having this work for you, instead of against you, is to aim a bit higher, not exponentially higher.

Then, everytime you move up to the next level, aim a level higher from there. Once you reach that, aim another level higher. So on and so forth, until you get to the level you want to get to.

Remember, it all starts with achieving that first benchmark and​ I built this to help get you started on that.

If you have been struggling to make progress, take a moment to evaluate what you have been doing thus far.

No matter what level of success you have been trying to achieve, ask yourself if you have been aiming at the target, just above it, or way too high.

Even if you do want to make it to the very top levels of the industry and become a world class, marquee actor, you still have to let your success compound.

Do “overnight sensations” happen and take the industry by storm? Of course!

But trying to achieve that carries odds that are worse than hitting a lottery jackpot. So, instead focus on strategies that you can duplicate and give yourself every advantage to succeed.

Shoot me an email or leave a comment down below. Let me know how I can help along the way and keep me posted on your progress, because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott

How To Get Your Big Break in 2020

So far in 2020, most actors have found themselves making little to no career progress. The thing is, when you stop making progress in the industry, you actually start going backwards.

While this may sound harsh, the truth is that every actor has a “shelf life.”

So, while it’s a little bit more complicated than this, think of your acting career kind of as a ripe apple sitting on a grocery store shelf.

The longer it sits there, the closer it gets to expiration, the less value it has.

Most actors don’t get that and they operate as if things will last forever.

Mark my words.

There are many, many actors who were at the top of their game going into 2020 that will be completely irrelevant and left behind by the industry as things ramp up again.

And, there are others that will emerge from nowhere and completely dominate the industry for years to come.

Here’s how you can be one one of them and make big progress in your acting career in 2020...

The actors that succeed will be the ones that are continuing to pay close attention to the “shelf life” of their careers and didn’t stand idly while the rest of the industry passed them by.

See, the industry operates on a different time frame than the rest of the world and you need to be aware that the clock is always running.

Everything you do needs to be done with a sense of urgency
Some actors spend decades getting themselves in a position to make big career moves.

For example, Morgan Freeman didn’t land a lead role until decades after being in the industry, but he still worked on his craft and made some kind of progress everyday.

That’s the key to being successful in the industry: making incremental progress everyday.

Most actors simply swing for the fences and try to make big leaps in their careers, but those opportunities don’t come around every day.

Of course you should take advantage of them when they do come, but in the meantime, you also have to work on making some kind of progress.

The actors that are able to improve their careers do a few things consistently.

They reach out to industry decision makers, instead of waiting to be “discovered.” We talked about an effective way to do this using The Demonstration of Power Pack last week.

We’ll come back to that in a bit...

If you are serious about making progress in your acting career, ask yourself what you can do today to move your career forward.

You can only go on so many auditions at any given time, so you can't just wait around for things to fall in your lap.

Whenever you are not set, you should be focused on doing everything possible to get back on set.

This extended time of being off set is no different.
The answer for what to do is a little bit depending on where you are in your career.

If you have been in the industry for some time and you are working to get back in the swing of things, then you should be reaching out to just about anyone you have ever worked with.

This can be as simple as sending them an email or a DM, or can it be much more involved. You could also send greetings cards or even Demonstration of Power Pack if you find it appropriate.

While you reaching out to them might come out of the blue, your outreach should still feel personal. Before reaching out to someone take a couple minutes to look up what they have been up to.

Pick out something specific and compliment them on their work.

Don’t explicitly ask for anything in return. Just open the door to having a conversation and plant the seeds of having a two way dialogue.

You can do that by asking questions and giving them an easy way to respond. Maybe you enjoyed a project of theirs you watched recently. Compliment them on it and ask them a question about it.

It could be something like a part of the storyline that was left unanswered. It could even be about what it was like to work with someone involved in the production.

Whatever it is, just make it an open ended question. For example, “how was it to work the director” does not effectively plant the seeds of a two way dialogue.

On the other hand something like “I hear that the director's process is great because he pulls you rather than pushes you in the direction of his vision. Did you find that to be the case?”

That kind of question doesn’t lend itself to a one word answer.

If you are working on getting your career kick started, then you should be doing the same thing, except that you should be reaching out to everyone you want to work with.

The same principles of asking open ended questions and planting the seeds of having a two way dialogue still apply.

The difference will be in the number of people that will respond. When you reach out to people that you have worked with in the past, there is a common ground that you can tap into and people are more likely to respond to someone they already know, even if it has been a while.

So adjust your expectations for the number of people that you will hear back from, if this is the position you are in. Don’t get discouraged, just realize that it’s part of what will ultimately end up being a numbers game.

Of course there are ways that you can move things in your favor.

The people you are reaching out to will want to know more about you before opening a dialogue.

That’s why, ​if you want to succeed as a professional actor, you need to make sure your Industry reputation matches your goals.

It can be the difference between being seen as a professional actor or someone who does it as a hobby.

It should go without saying: industry professionals don’t want to waste their time working with hobbyists.

Most actors are misguided about what it takes to succeed in the industry. They are still looking for someone to give them their “big break.”

In reality, your “big break” will come from making incremental career progress on a consistent basis and connecting with several people that can move your career forward.

The industry is actually built to facilitate this and it can be a huge advantage, if you know how to navigate the landscape. We’ll get into that next time...

For now, just focus on getting in front of as many of the right people as possible. Meeting and networking with other actors is great, but when it comes to making career progress, you need to get in front of people that are involved in production and making casting decisions.

Here’s how I can help you be more visible to industry decision makers.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been laying the groundwork and putting the pieces together for how to succeed as an actor in an industry that is changing quickly.

Simply being talented isn’t enough anymore. You also have to be able to ​stand out in what is an increasingly competitive industry. That’s why I created this, to help you.

It’s part of my mission to do everything I can to help you succeed as an actor. So, whatever it is, remember I’m always only a comment or an email away and I’m happy to help however I can because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott

The Secret Playbook For Getting Booked

We’re about to go into September and something has to change! Most actors have been stuck on the starting line for what seems like forever.

A few actors however have been making huge career leaps, even as the industry has come to a seeming standstill.

It’s easy to sit on your hands and wait for things to come your way but if you truly want to become a successful, full time actor then I think you are the kind of person that likes to go after and achieve big goals.

Even when the odds are stacked against you, you must be the kind of person to keep your nose to the grindstone and keep at it.

After all, you knew that going into the industry.

Recently I’ve noticed that many people, who under any other circumstances would have been the type to blow past any obstacles that stood between them and success as an actor, have been letting things just happen.

I get it.

Times have been different and it seems like every little glimmer of hope we get is shortly followed by more doom and gloom about what’s coming.

When you look at the broader industry though, you have to see that the wheels never stopped turning.

Things just took a turn and went another way.

In other words: an obstacle presented itself and the industry found a way to stay alive. What has followed since has been one of the most highly concentrated periods of activity the industry has ever seen.

And it’s just getting started!

I shared something a long time ago and the stories of success I heard back from actors were completely mind blowing.

The kind of progress they made was impressive by anyone’s standards. Now, in this new industry environment what you are about to discover is going to take actors from being completely unknown, to being industry powerhouses in the blink of an eye.

I know it sounds like hype, but when you fully understand it, you can easily see why this is so powerful and effective.

I wish I could credit myself as having created it but it actually comes from the top levels of WME and other industry majors.

It’s straight from their playbook on how to launch new talent and revive flailing careers. Before we get into exactly what this is, let me ask you a question... 

If you could shortcut your way to being successful, would you do it?

Would you be willing to take the road less traveled to get there?

Good, because this unlike anything you have ever heard about what it takes to succeed as an actor.

Casting Directors are actually like gatekeepers. They protect production’s time, as they screen for the best candidates and issue their recommendations about who might be the most suitable.

However, when you get to higher levels of the industry (where you want to be) the process is different.

Sure, even marquee name actors are asked to read to make sure the cast has the proper synergy and so one but when they read the part is theirs to lose.

That’s a completely different dynamic than where you probably find yourself now, when auditioning.

You are starting at the ground level and trying to climb your way up to where the high level decision makers are. The Casting Directors are what stand between you and them.

But, what if you could bypass them altogether.

Or, what if they opened the proverbial gates for you when they saw you coming and ensured that you made it through?

That’s what we’re talking about today: either getting the CDs on your side or bypassing them altogether.

Here’s how...

Lately, we’ve been talking about how you have to get Casting Directors to trust you as a person, as much as they trust your acting skills, if you want to have any sort of chance of booking.

That kind of begs the question: how do you get them to trust you. Simple.

It’s just the same way that you would build trust with anyone else. Demonstrate your ability to perform the desired task.

We all have that 1 friend that can’t get behind the wheel of a car without hitting something. How comfortable would you be loaning them your vehicle?

You probably wouldn’t be very comfortable with that at all.

However, if your mom asks you to loan her your vehicle for a few hours you probably wouldn’t give it a second thought.

After all, she probably spent over a decade driving you dance class, rehearsals, and little league.

In other words, she has demonstrated that she is trustworthy behind the wheel.

That’s what you have to do for decision makers as well. You have to demonstrate that you are trustworthy on set.

The Demonstration of Powers Pack, does just that.

It’s a literal (or in some cases digital) package that precedes you and demonstrates your acting “power” along with instilling trust.

Let me be clear, this goes beyond simply sending out your headshot and a copy of your reel.

You have to get creative with the contents and what you put together and it should be on theme with whomever you are trying to reach or the project you are trying to get hired on to.

For example, there is an actor who was really wanting to get into a new project but her agent couldn’t get her an audition slot.

The project was about messengers carrying top secret orders between allied positions, behind enemy lines during World War II.

What she put in her pack was pretty creative and it immediately caught production’s attention.

She had her headshot and resume printed on a poster sized scroll and made it look distressed by (no joke) running over it with her car a few times and stopping it into the dirt a bit.

She then put her audition reel on a USB drive, along with a scene she prepared just for this. It was attached to the scroll and then rolled up tightly into a canister that was then sealed with wax and stamped, just like the messages that were passed long ago.

Then, she hand wrote a letter to the intended recipient (the director) cryptically stating why she was a perfect fit for the role. It too was wax sealed and stamped.

The package was then couriered to the production office and placed directly in the director’s hands.

Why?

No assistant ever screens packages, but they routinely toss out unsolicited submissions and thank you cards.

The director was overtaken with curiosity, so he read the letter, reviewed the headshot and resume, watched the reel, and then called her directly to ask her to read for him.

She ended up booking the part in a fantastic project and she has now been working with the director on other projects as well.

She’s not the only one to do it.

This is how industry powerhouses launch new talent and revitalize careers as well, except they don’t have to use the added element of creativity to get their talent in the door.

Therein lies your edge and your opportunity. Every other actor in town is trying to break through and succeed using the wrong methods. The Demonstration of Power Pack can help you bypass that and reach the people you need to reach, to make the moves you need to make, so you can skyrocket your acting career.

Another key piece of this is that you need to have one of two things in place, to support the idea that you are a true professional.

You either need to have a body of work to point to that precedes you or ​you need to have a stellar industry reputation that matches your goals.

Otherwise it might just come off as being clever but it won’t get you anywhere.

Your reputation and industry status is what will tip the scales in your direction, so be sure that you are putting some focus on that now more than ever.

Click here to see how I can help.

Even though the industry has changed dramatically this year, it is still in a risk averse mode and Casting Directors and industry decision makers at all levels are doing the necessary due diligence on talent, before moving forward.

They want to know that only positive attention will come to the production, by having you involved.

Remember, especially in the industry, perception is reality. So, if you ​create the perception that you are a hard working industry professional , even if you don't have very many credits yet.

That will go a long way towards building your acting career.

It only takes one domino to fall in your favor and the rest are likely to follow, because success begets success and everyone wants to be associated with the next big thing.

So what are some projects you have really wanted to read for but haven’t been able to?

Is there someone you would really like to work with that you would like to get in touch with?

Come up with a list of a few of them and then draw up a few ideas for your own Demonstration of Power Pack.

If you need someone to bounce ideas with, remember I’m only an email or a comment away. I’m always happy to help however I can, because I truly can’t wait to...

See you at the top,
Scott

The Secret Ingredient to Succeeding as an Actor

Something special happens around this time every year, and if you have been around Boost My Star for any length of time you already know what I’m referring to...

Shark Week!

It’s an annual, can’t miss tradition that I had been looking forward to since last year’s Shark Week.

It’s always a lot of fun but this year in particular was important for actors.

While I always get a kick out of watching new shows about new sharks being discovered, or ancient sharks that were thought to be extinct being rediscovered, what I found most fascinating this year had nothing to do with sharks at all.

If you were just casually tuning in, you should have still picked up on it but no one would have blamed you for missing it.

However, if you were watching through the lens of someone who truly wants to be a professional actor then something in particular should have definitely caught your attention.

It serves as confirmation of the incredible opportunities that are available for actors to make huge career progress.

This is what was so important and how it affects you as an actor...

For many years now, Discovery has used celebrities to help boost viewership and this year certainly had a lot of them.

However, did you notice the YouTube stars all over Shark Week this year?

On the surface it doesn’t seem like a big deal, so you have to look at it through the lens of a professional actor and industry participant.

During a scene with David Dobrik the host said something that was meant as a joke but nonetheless there is a lot of truth in the statement.

He said, ``You don’t have to be here with me. You are kind of slumming it on TV now.”

He was referring to the size of David’s following and the amount of views he gets on his videos, which is far larger than the television audience.

Attention-getting can take you far in the industry if it is executed purposefully. Whoever can generate attention and direct it somewhere methodically can basically write their own ticket in the industry.

In fact it’s the secret ingredient to succeeding as an actor. Why?

When putting together a film or show, there are two things to consider. Production has to create a quality product so that viewers will tune in or show up at the box office.

But, before that happens, they have to make the audience aware of the production’s existence.

Traditionally this meant buying airtime on TV and even on the radio to play advertisements but the industry is relying on that less and less.

It is favoring an organic reach because it’s much more powerful. Think about it. Would you be more likely to watch a movie because an ad told you to, or would be more likely to watch it because your best friend said it was fantastic?

It’s always the latter and the industry has been struggling to figure out how to do that for years.

They are finally starting to crack the code and that’s why you are seeing many more Instagrammers and YouTubers crossing over into the “mainstream.”

More on that in a bit...

I’ve been encouraging actors to get in on it and put a focused effort into building an online following for a long time. I get emails all the time from some actors who think it may be too late.

In fact, right now is the perfect time.

See, with anything you choose to do there is always an element of timing involved.

The bigger the pond, the bigger fish has to be to attract attention and stand out. We’re at an inflexion point with many things right now.

I first started encouraging actors to get on Instagram when there were about 100 million users on it, compared to the over 1 billion users today.

The reason I say now is the perfect time, is because of what I just mentioned: the industry is just now starting to catch up.

Comedians are using YouTube to launch their careers into the stratosphere, and some are even able to release their own comedy specials without having to rely on HBO, Netflix, or anyone else.

Actors are using YouTube to showcase their talents on their own terms and to create new and exciting opportunities for themselves.

Even accomplished actors like Kevin James and Will Smith have launched their channels in an effort to connect with their audience on a different level and to reach new audiences.

Most people see that as a bad thing but the reality is that you are not competing with them for an audience. You can actually catch some of the “spillover” from their audiences and content.

Getting started on this is simple. You just have to create content that hooks viewers.

Here’s how that works...

Look to other successful channels and study Instagram feeds to get ideas about what’s working.

Take their best ideas and make them your own. Modify them to fit your personality, expand on the idea and make it your own.

This will make it so that you are leveraging what is already working, instead of starting from scratch every time.

Studios and networks do this too. It’s a practice called drafting. Rather than coming up with brand new ideas and rolling the dice, they piggyback on productions from other studios.

They use the buzz generated around those films or series as a tail wind that will propel them.

You can do the same with your content and shortcut your way to success.

That’s not to say you will immediately go from zero to one hundred.

It’s easier to scale than it is to get started but the entire journey is all about putting one foot in front of the other.

The first step will always be the hardest.

It’s kind of like skydiving. If you’ve never been, it truly is a bucket list item.

Getting ready for the jump is exhilarating. Your heart skips a beat when you get the “ready” signal.

Walking up to the door is usually not a problem and most people let out a big “woohoo” and walk right up to it.

The adrenaline rush you get when the door opens and you see the earth thousands of feet beneath you is indescribable...but then something happens. A little bit over half of the people that walk up to the door never take that next step.

Taking the leap is the hardest part of that and so the majority of people don’t do it. The ones that do have the time of their life.

The ones that don’t end up sheepishly taking the plane ride back to the hangar thinking about what a great time they could have had. Usually, they don’t get out there fast enough and they still get to see how great a time was had by the people that did jump

Regret typically sets in shortly thereafter.

I talk to so many actors that know the importance of building a following and being able to get attention to their projects, but most of them are the kind that would get to the door and freeze.

If you truly want to be a professional actor, you have to take that next step. Let me be your jump buddy and I’ll help you take the leap.

The truth is, if you don’t figure out how to do this, how to get and control attention, ​the industry will leave you behind. That’s why I created a tool to help you get the ball rolling.

If you are tired of spinning your wheels and want to finally make real progress in your career, this has to be a central focus for you.

In today’s industry environment it is one of the most important things. As all the Instagrammers and YouTubers that are crossing over into the mainstream industry have shown,​ if you can master this, the industry will come to you.

That’s what I want for you: to have the ability to call your own shots and have more than enough opportunities to showcase your talent.

So get started on this now, and remember I’m only an email or a comment away and I’m always happy to help however I can so that I can...

See you at the top,
Scott