When Your Career Is Not Progressing

At this point in the year, I usually start to hear from many actors that are waking up to the realization that this year will probably turn out exactly the way last year turned out for them.

I hear from actors that are concerned about the lack of progress they made so far this year, even though they were “doing everything they could.”

It is an appropriate time to reflect on how things have gone this year, because it’s not too late to turn things around.

The actors I hear from are the exception. The truth is that most actors will simply continue to do the same things as they always do and hope something changes.

Professional actors don’t do that at all.

They know that building an acting career can’t be done passively. You have to actively try new things and stop doing what doesn’t work.

To do that effectively, you have to periodically evaluate the progress you have been making and there’s not a better time to do it than right now.

So if you want to make the most of the second half of the year, here’s where to start...

It’s important to take some time and celebrate what you have been able to accomplish so far this year.

That helps you get into positivity and it helps you establish some patterns for what has worked well.

Think about any bookings you were able to secure, any roles that got to the screen test stage, and any callbacks you were able to get.

Then think of what led to those opportunities and consider how you can leverage that to generate more.

If you were diligent about your networking and met someone that introduced you to a CD that asked you to read for them, then it would be a good idea to continue being diligent with your networking and to do it in the same manner as before.

What I often see is that many actors don’t have enough information to make that determination. Here’s what I mean...

In order to determine if something works, there has to be repetition. Most actors don’t do things long enough for patterns to emerge.

They will try to network and give up after a few days, thinking it doesn’t work because nobody was receptive.

They will start the search for a new agent only to abandon the pursuit after the first few decide they’re not the right fit. So, they just stick with their old agent and hope that things work out.

Doing something until it works is difficult. Nobody likes to have the door slammed in their face, much less to have it done repeatedly.

If things don’t work out, try something different but make sure that you have done it enough to give it a real chance to work.

Also, think about your goals and the progress you have made towards accomplishing them.

Over the years, I have seen that most actors simply don’t set goals beyond just wanting to have a lot of bookings.

To build an acting career, you have to clearly define what you want your career to look like and then break down that vision into periodic goals.

Otherwise, tracking your career progress is difficult to do.

The number of bookings you are able to achieve is a big part of building your career, but only to a certain point.

Then, it becomes about much more than that because a single good booking can help you build your career much more than five random bookings.

Setting your career goals also helps you identify what you need to work on to achieve them. Many actors just do things randomly.

They take acting classes, go to workshops, and try to network without really having a plan for doing any of it.

Instead of doing that, sit down and think of what you want your career to look like. Then, set some goals for achieving the things that will help you get there.

For example, if you want to win some main line awards, you will need to be sure that you are part of the organizations that host the awards.

Look up the criteria and work towards becoming eligible.

If you couldn’t care less about winning awards and you just want to book things consistently enough to make acting your sole focus, sit down and do the math on what it would take.

Chances are, it’s a lot less than you would think. Then, you can move forward with planning to go after the kinds of roles that would allow you to do that.

That’s why setting goals is so important. Without doing it you are just going through the motions, and it makes measuring your career progress almost impossible.

Regardless of where you are in your career, you should check in on your progress periodically so you know if you are staying on track, and halfway through the year is a great time to do that.

It gives you enough time to salvage the second half of the year, if you have not been making the kind of progress you should be.

Wherever you are in your acting career will dictate what you should do next. However, there are a few things that almost always apply.

Whatever stage you want to build your career to, you will need to make yourself highly visible to Casting Directors and industry decision makers.

Relying on your agent’s submissions alone is not as impactful as actively building your industry reputation.

Casting Directors and industry decision makers put a lot of trust in the actors they choose to move forward with. That’s why you should always make sure that your industry reputation shows that you are a professional actor and not a hobbyist. Here’s how I can help with that.

CDs only know what is on your resume. Who they move forward with is a big decision so they tend to do some research before making that decision.

Many CDs are starting to do this earlier in the casting process so be sure that what they find about you is up to their standards.

As you are going through the process of measuring your career progress and setting goals for what to do next, feel free to get in touch.

Leave me a comment below or feel free to shoot me and let me know if you are having trouble figuring things out.

I’m always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott

The Secret to Finding a Great Agent

Building an acting career without an agent is next to impossible. Everyone knows that, and most actors try to sign with an agent as quickly as they can.

Having an agent does many things for you. It provides you with someone to submit you for auditions, negotiate your contracts, and even provide some guidance on the direction of your career.

The agent you sign with can have a profound impact on your acting career. Over the years, I have seen first hand how many actors don’t take the process of finding and signing with a great agent as seriously as they approach other areas of their career.

Inevitably, that leads to many actors getting stuck in their career. See, signing with the wrong agent for you can be a huge weight on your acting career. It can lead to missing out on big opportunities at crucial points.

It can lead to pursuing the wrong opportunities, and spinning your wheels instead of making progress.

Most actors don’t give much thought to the agent they sign with. Very little planning goes into it, so many end up settling for whoever will accept them.

Professional actors know just how important it is to sign with a great agent and they start the process of finding one as soon as possible.

Here’s how you can start too, whether you are looking for your first agent, your next agent, or if you just want to make sure that you are already signed with the right agent...

If you are hoping to sign with a great agent you first have to familiarize yourself with what great agents look for in the talent they represent.

Once you understand what they look for, you can work on becoming their ideal client. Here’s what I mean...

Great agents like to work with actors that are actively working on building their career. They want to sign actors they can collaborate with.

However, many actors are fully content with simply waiting for the phone to ring whenever their agent has an audition lined up.

In fact, many agents are completely fine with that too, but great agents know that if both of you work together on generating opportunities and building your career, your efforts are likely to be more impactful.

Great agents look for actors that are hard working and dedicated to always giving their career their best. They like to sign actors with unique abilities, because it makes them more memorable to Casting Directors.

It is not uncommon for an actor's unique abilities to be written into a character that otherwise didn’t possess those abilities.

I have seen it happen time and time again. For example, vocal solos can be written into a scene if you are a talented vocalist, even if it is ultimately irrelevant to the story.

CDs and directors love to display unique abilities because it gives the project a way to differentiate itself with audiences, and great agents are always seeking actors that can bring those talents to a project.

Having those unique abilities can also make it easier to get in front of great agents. That doesn’t mean that they will just sign anyone who can do something unique.

It’s still important to have a great resume and reel for them to review. When you sign with a great agent, you will often have to redo your headshots, but you should still have headshots that represent you well when you start your search.

Presenting them with dated headshots is not a great way to start building a professional relationship.

Many actors mistakenly think that if they have those things in place, a great headshot and resume, a fantastic reel, and a unique ability to showcase, then agents will line up to sign them.

It’s true that some agents, looking to expand their roster, can be greatly swayed by those things, but to great agents the difference maker is the relationship.

By far, the greatest way to start building a relationship with them is to be introduced by another actor on their roster, one that is booking consistently, or an industry coworker.

That’s why networking and participating in industry events is a crucial part of finding and signing with a great agent. You are unlikely to encounter them directly, but you may encounter someone who knows them.

You can also reach out to them directly. Top tier agents don’t often publicize that they are looking for new talent, but they are almost always open to signing the right actors.

You can reach out to them directly, or getting in touch with them through social media can be effective too.

Don’t DM them with your reel and expect to be signed. Reaching out to agents on social media is all about opening the door to having a conversation at some point.

Instead of DMing them with your reel or your headshot, build your social media profiles into a place that reflects your talent, shows your dedication, and where agents can see that you are a true professional.

Then, when you reach out to an agent through social media do it without an expectation of anything in return.

All you want to do initially is open the door to a conversation. This can be done with something as simple as congratulating them on something one of their clients has accomplished.

When you do that, provided that your profile adequately reflects your talent and professionalism, you are much more likely to get a response or at least begin building familiarity.

Everyone knows that social media can lead to many opportunities as an actor, and this is a broad overview of how to approach it. Over the coming weeks we will be talking a lot more about how to use social media as an actor.

Regardless of how you are approaching agents, and whether you reach out to them or they contact you, your industry reputation is part of your first impression so make sure that it matches your goals. Here’s how I can help...

Finding and signing with the right agent is not always simple.

You may end up signing with an agent that seems like a good fit, only to find that things are not working out as well as you hoped.

That’s why research is an important part of the process for you and for them.

Casting Directors, industry decision makers, and agents are likely to do some research before deciding who to move forward with. Make sure that what they find about you is up to their standards.

The agent you sign with can have a huge impact on your career, so take your time with making that decision.

If the industry doesn’t know you, they can’t hire you and if agents don’t know you, they can’t sign you.

Whether you are looking for your first agent or your next agent, the process is the same and it can be helpful to increase your visibility where Casting Directors and industry decision makers are looking for talent.

Over the next few days, think about your relationship with your current agent. Think about what has been working well and what areas could use some improvement.

Do you feel that you have been getting enough opportunities or is it maybe time to start thinking about searching for a new agent?

If you are unsure or if you just need someone to bounce ideas about that with leave a comment below or shoot me an email.

I am always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott

A Roadmap For Building Your Acting Career

Building a career as a professional actor is one of the most challenging things anyone can undertake.

Not only are actors presented with much adversity and rejection, it is so common that it is considered just part of being in the industry.

The actors that are able to overcome the challenges and build careers as professional actors, often struggle to comprehend how they accomplished what they did, making it difficult for them to be helpful to other actors.
So, when you are building your own career, who are you supposed to turn to for advice and guidance?

Acting coaches can help you work on your audition technique and help you with delivering powerful performances, but that is as far as their guidance goes.

Agents exist to help you get auditions and negotiate your bookings but most of them can’t help with anything beyond that.

So, what most actors do is bring on a manager to help with the big picture. A manager can provide guidance on how to get your career to the next level and they have the skills to help you build a plan for accomplishing your goals.

Hiring a great manager can be a complete game changer for your career and professional actors try to hire them as soon as possible. The problem is that great managers don’t typically work with actors that are still in the early stages of building a career.

They want to work with actors that have already experienced a certain level of success, so until you build your career to that point, who are you supposed to turn to?

Not many resources exist. Most actors just end up winging it, never really having a plan for building their career.

If that is something you would like to avoid, here’s where to start...

First, begin by defining what you want to accomplish in your acting career. I know it sounds basic and in reality, it is, but most actors simply don’t do it.

They aimlessly go from one audition to the next hoping that something will change along the way.

Professional actors don’t do that. They define what they want to accomplish and then work towards it.

As they begin to build their acting career, they focus on the fundamental building blocks, ensuring that everything is in place.

Those building blocks are training, representation, industry visibility, networking, and materials such as headshots and an acting reel.

Most actors don’t move beyond training and their materials are often misaligned with their career goals.

Without the fundamental building blocks fully in place, everything becomes more difficult.

For example,attempting to network with industry professionals can be counterproductive without a headshot and reel that appropriately represent what you are hoping to accomplish in your career.

Agents will often stress the importance of developing a strong portfolio. Your portfolio is essentially your body of work and ideally you want your body of work to be representative of the career you are building.

So, if you are attempting to build a career in which you star in big budget dramas your portfolio should reflect that.

Most actors simply focus on going after whatever they can book. While that is important in the very beginning of your career, there comes a point where you have to start being discerning about the opportunities you pursue.

Your first few credits are almost necessarily going to come from projects in various genres.

After that, narrowing your focus to a single category is typically more effective. There are several reasons for this and we talk about them often.

One of the most important reasons is that it allows you to network with other people that also focus on the same category.

When most actors try to build their network they simply try to meet anyone and everyone that is remotely connected to the industry.

However, professional actors know that building a network effectively is all about connecting with people that can open doors to new opportunities.

If you find that you are constantly connecting with people that don’t exactly fit that requirement, then your network may not have the impact you hoped for on your career.

An agent is typically the center of an actor’s network, and a great agent can help you expand your network in many ways.

So, building an effective network is typically much easier with a great agent on your side.

Attracting a great agent is largely dependent on the other fundamental building blocks we covered earlier.

Everything builds from there. Many actors struggle to ever get their acting career off the ground because the building blocks never take shape.
We will talk about how to sign with a great agent next time.

For now, start working on what we talked about today. Think about whether you have approached building your career like this or whether you have been one of the actors that has been winging it.

Think about your career plan and consider whether you are successfully working towards the goals you set for yourself.

Assess the progress you are making on the other building blocks of your career. We will discuss them further over the coming weeks.

What’s important at this point is beginning to build your plan if you haven’t already done so and taking an honest inventory of your career progress.

You will likely realize that you are doing really good in some areas but lacking in others, and as we further discuss the areas that need improvement you will be able to identify more specific actions to take.

However, there are a few things that remain the same, regardless of where you are in your career...

For example, whether you are in the early stages of your acting career or if you have been in the industry for a long time, your industry reputation may be scrutinized by Casting Directors. Make sure that yours is always in top share. Here’s how I can help...

Over the years, I have seen that many actors are so eager to get their career to the next level, that they skip much of what is required to get there.

They skip the fundamental building blocks and in doing so, they don’t do the things that make Casting Directors and industry decision makers notice them.

If you have been around Boost My Star for any length of time you know how important that is because, if the industry doesn’t know you they can’t hire.

That’s why, regardless of where you are in your career, it may be a good idea to increase your visibility where Casting Directors and industry decision makers are looking for talent. Here’s how I can help with that...

As you build your acting career, your network will grow too. It’s one of the building blocks, so it’s actually a necessity.

As that happens, you will want to be sure that your network is full of others that are as driven to succeed as you are. Here’s how I can be a part of your circle.

We will talk more about that over the coming weeks too.

As you start to work on what we talked about today, feel free to get in touch. I would be happy to help in any way I can, even if you just need to bounce ideas, because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott

An Uncommon But Powerful Path To Build A Professional Acting Career

There is a part of the industry that many actors overlook, even though it can have big career implications.

In fact, over the years, I have lost count of the number of actors I have met that in some way looked down on this part of the industry.

I’m talking about voice overs...

Sure, most actors would love to voice a blockbuster animated studio film but many actors are unwilling to pursue projects that don’t have that high of a profile.

Voice Overs can take your acting career on a unique and unconventional path and there are many opportunities available that many actors are unaware of.

Professional actors are very good at finding opportunities that have limited competition and voiceovers is where many of them first find success.

If you have been struggling to get your career to the next level, maybe it’s time to change things up and try something you hadn’t committed to before.

Afterall, voice overs have several unique advantages that can provide you with many more opportunities.

Here’s where to start...

For starters, when it comes to doing voice overs, you only have to be a vocal fit for the role you are auditioning for.

When you are pursuing anything in front of the camera, you have to be a visual fit, vocal fit, and an ensemble fit in order to even be considered by casting.

You might be a great visual and vocal fit, but there may be another actor that is a better ensemble fit for a number of reasons.

That’s why many actors find it easier to focus on doing voice overs. There are fewer factors involved in casting decisions.

As long as you are a vocal fit, everything else is irrelevant and it is now easier than ever for you to be a vocal fit.

New technologies now make your vocal print easy to manipulate. Even in the recent past, the world of voice overs was dominated by actors that could manipulate their own vocal print in many different ways, to match a number of different characters.

Now, your audio can be captured in your normal voice and be edited to sound like almost anything imaginable.

That opens up the category of voice overs to actors who don’t possess that specific talent of varied vocal manipulation.

In other words, there is no reason that every actor shouldn’t be pursuing voiceovers, but many of them simply don’t understand how it works.

Voiceover work is as varied as on camera work and new mediums are developing all the time.

That means the demand for talented voice over actors is also increasing. That demand is coming from the traditional places like commercials and animation studios.

However, other categories are quickly outpacing that demand. For example, gaming now has a huge demand for voiceover talent.

Audio books have been around a long time, but it wasn’t until recently that audio book publishers began to focus highly on the talent reading the books.

There is a growing trend towards making the books sound more like radio programs than what we have grown accustomed to. They are now casting different talent for each character in the book and many publishers are also adding sound effects and music to enhance the listening experience.

What this means is an audiobook that would have been read by a single voice actor is now more likely to require several more actors.

Nonfiction works are changing too, focusing on casting professional actors to voice the book instead of having it read by the original author.

The new voice over opportunities are exciting and they can really be a lot of fun.

Traditional voice overs are evolving too. As I mentioned, because of the new technologies, it is no longer necessary to cast actors that can produce certain vocal prints on their own.

In the past, it was common to see a single actor voice more than one character. That has changed and it too is increasing the opportunities available for actors to develop a career in voice overs.

If you haven’t yet been focused on doing that, there are a few things you will need to do to start pursuing opportunities.

Of course you will want to develop your voice over skills. Voicing a character in a sound booth is a very different experience than doing it on set.

So, having some training in this area may be helpful.

The nuances in your voice will be much more important in the booth than they are on set, so regular vocal exercises will help to increase your flexibility and help to develop vocal control.

In the sound booth, there is also an increased focus on breathing. Your pauses can be edited of course, but many voice actors find that their exertion increases in the booth compared to being on set.

Breathing exercises and practice with actively engaging the diaphragm can help increase vocal stamina.

Aside from training, you will also need to build a voiceover portfolio. You want the demo to be compelling and showcase your vocal talent to casting directors and industry decision makers.

If you are just starting out in voice overs, your initial demo can be a compilation of material you record specifically for this purpose and it can also be sourced from your on camera work, if it is vocally suited to be included.

Casting Directors will be listening to your demo closely so you want to produce something that will grab their attention and show them that you are a true professional.

We will talk more about some additional ways to do that another time.

For now, start working on what we went over today. Building a career with voice overs doesn’t mean that you have to abandon your on screen pursuits.

In fact, there will be many things that overlap.

Whether you are pursuing a more traditional acting career or whether you decide to focus on voiceovers, much of the same industry norms apply.

Increasing your visibility where Casting Directors and industry decision makers are already looking for talent can be helpful, regardless of which path you choose.

Whether you are auditioning for a voice over project or an on screen project, if CDs don’t know you, they can’t hire you.

It’s also beneficial to have a conversation with your agent about your desire to pursue voice over opportunities, so they can submit you for suitable projects.

That is another area where things will overlap.

Whether you are pursuing a traditional on screen opportunity or a voice over opportunity, having a solid industry reputation can be helpful.

Casting Directors will still likely look into you, so be sure that what they find is up to their standards. Here’s how I can help...

Because there is so much overlap between building a traditional acting career, and simultaneously pursuing voice over opportunities, it’s something that you can start doing almost immediately.

If you are not sure whether to continue on the traditional route or if you want to pursue a career that also focuses on voiceovers, this is still a great next step.

As always, if you want to bounce ideas about what we talked about today shoot me an email or leave me a comment below. I’m happy to help however I can because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott

How To Build Industry Relationships

Every actor knows that their ability to book roles depends on more than just what happens during auditions.

While auditions are a crucial part of your career, they are only a single part of a larger industry system.

Actors that do not understand that larger system tend to have a more difficult time building an acting career than actors that do understand the system.

Part of what makes the industry so challenging is that it largely relies on relationships. It is not purely a meritocracy where the “best” actor books the job.

There are many other factors that are taken into consideration and that is where building relationships with casting directors and industry decision makers becomes important.

Those relationships can be what differentiates you from other actors and they can help to open other opportunities that are not available to most actors.

Professional actors know how much of a difference those relationships can make so they continuously work on building and leveraging industry relationships.

Many actors think that you have to already be a well connected and accomplished actor to build meaningful industry relationships but that’s simply not the case.

If you want to build your career as a professional actor, it’s best to start as early as possible. Here’s how...

By establishing a connection with a casting director, you increase your chances of being called in for auditions and that completely changes the dynamics when making casting decisions.

Imagine yourself as a Casting Director. During auditions, who is going to stand out to you more? The actors you personally invited to read for you would almost certainly be top of mind and that’s why professional actors pursue relationships with CDs.

Remember Casting Directors are basically the gatekeepers to auditions. Because of that, actors try to “impress” them or appeal to them in many ways that are simply ineffective.

CDs are people too and building relationships with them can be simple.

Of course, you should conduct yourself in a professional manner but that does not mean you have to approach them in the way most actors would.

Reaching out to them on social media is completely fine and it can be incredibly effective. The key is to approach them as you would anyone else you were trying to connect with.

First, make sure that your social media profiles speak to your professionalism. You don’t have to be one dimensional, but controversial posts and potentially compromising photos will not be helpful.

Before reaching out to casting directors on social media, make sure your profiles are professional and showcase your talent as an actor.

Then, find and follow casting directors on social media: Research casting directors who work on the types of projects you would like to be a part of and follow them.

If they follow you back, great! That is a sign that your feed is interesting and professional. If they don’t, it doesn’t mean they are not interested, they likely just glanced over your follow.

Most people you follow sporadically will not follow you back, so after a few days you can continue building the relationship with them by liking and commenting on their posts.

Do more than comment a fire emoji!

Leave real, meaningful comments on their posts. That will build familiarity over time. At the same time, you should be posting interesting content to your profiles as well.

Mix in professional posts with lifestyle posts.

Professional posts are updates regarding your career and the things you are working on and lifestyle posts are the fun things you are doing outside of your acting career.

Then, you can directly reach out to the people you are trying to connect with.

Don’t do it from the perspective of an actor looking for an audition. Do it from the perspective of one professional connecting with another.

A great way to do that is to compliment them on a particular project they worked on. Everyone loves being complimented for the work they do, and that type of communication is direct but not pushy.

They will either respond or they won’t.

If they respond, then you have a clear opportunity to continue building the relationship from there. If they don’t respond, it does not mean they are not interested in connecting.

Many things could have happened or they could have just missed it. It is ok to try again, after some time has passed.

The most important thing to remember is to be respectful of them. Again, not everyone you reach out to will respond, but building just a single meaningful industry relationship can completely alter the trajectory of your career.

Of course there are some things that can help when you are hoping to build industry connections.

Remember, the people you will be hoping to connect with will be industry professionals.

That means that they want to connect with other industry professionals. That’s why it’s important to make sure your industry reputation is in top shape. Here’s how I can help with that...

Consider how many other actors will be trying to connect with the same people. Differentiating yourself from all of them is much easier when you can show them that you are a true professional and not a hobbyist.

This approach is not solely for connecting with Casting Directors...

You can approach and connect with other industry professionals and decision makers in the same way.

Regardless of who you are reaching out to, Casting Directors and industry decision makers are likely to do some research before deciding to connect. Be sure that what they find about you shows that you are a true professional.

Ultimately, when you build enough meaningful industry connections the dynamics change. At some point, people may start to seek you out to connect with you for a number of reasons.

That only happens when you are highly visible to the industry. If they don’t know you, they can’t connect with you and they can’t hire you.

That’s why I created Boost My Star, to help you increase your visibility where Casting Directors and industry professionals are already looking for talent.

Professional actors are really good at building meaningful industry relationships and being highly visible can help open many doors.

To start with what we talked about today, consider who it makes sense to try to connect with. If you are in a place where you are looking for a new agent, then connecting with agents is likely to be more productive.

If you are already getting enough auditions, but you are looking for some way to stand out from the other actors, then connecting with the Casting Directors you are likely to read for may be a better place to start.

If you are unsure or if you want to bounce ideas feel free to get in touch. Shoot me an email or leave a comment below. I am always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott

How Professional Actors Maximize Every Audition

Around this time every year I start to get emails from many actors that are coming to the realization that this year just might turn out to be exactly the same as last year.

Pilot season sets the tone for the year. Actors that can get some momentum are typically able to sustain it throughout the rest of the year.

The actors that don’t, are far more likely to start having doubts about whether or not they will be able to make the kind of progress they hoped they would.

The industry is incredibly competitive, and rejection is an inevitable part of the process. Every actor knows that but over the years I have seen that many of them are not very well prepared for what the industry will present them with.

The ones that are prepared tend to be the ones that are able to build their careers successfully. Most other actors will continue going from one audition to the next, sometimes half heartedly.

Professional actors don’t do that. They know that they can’t just continue doing the same things as before. In order for them to build an acting career, they have to do things differently.

If you want to build your career as a professional actor, that’s something you should do too.

Here’s how...

For starters, you have to prepare yourself for not booking. Most actors think they have that part figured out pretty well, but they usually don’t.

Most people will tell you to simply “get back out there” because that’s just the way things happen sometimes.

While it’s true that you cannot control the casting process, you do have to be able to adapt to it. Here’s what I mean...
Whether you are auditioning for a lead role or if you are still trying to book your first few credits.

Not booking whatever it is that you are auditioning for can take a toll on your confidence and motivation.

That’s why most actors simply go on to the next audition. Professional actors take the time to think about why they didn’t book.

Even if the reason for you not booking is out of your control most of the time, sometimes it will be something you can control.

For example, maybe casting just thought another actor was more visually congruent with the role they were casting for.

Most actors would shrug it off and go on to the next one. However, professional actors would work through the reasons for why the actor that did book was more visually congruent.

It could be something as simple as an audition outfit choice. It could be that their headshot was close but not quite congruent enough, so casting had their doubts before they even auditioned.

Whatever the reason for not booking turns out to be, it is almost always beneficial. In fact, if you have an honest moment of introspection, a lot of the time, it is something you can control on some level.

The reason that most actors don’t perform that kind of assessment is that it can be very mentally straining.

It is much easier to simply say to yourself that you couldn’t do anything about it and you will try again on the next one.

If you have a good relationship with your agent and your agent has good relationships with Casting Directors, it is relatively simple for you to get really good feedback after your auditions.

Otherwise, you might simply get common answers like “the studio decided to go another way with the character.”

That doesn’t mean that you have to rely on your agent to get the feedback for you. Building and leveraging your own industry relationships will be incredibly helpful too.

We’ll talk more about how to do that another time. For now, sit down and think about your most recent audition. Think about what the outcome was.

If you booked it, great! Think about the auditions before that, the ones you did not book. Ask yourself what you did afterwards.

Did you get good feedback or did you not get any feedback at all? That is a great starting point. If you have not been getting feedback on your auditions, then it may be helpful for you to start there.

If you have been getting good feedback thus far, then think about what you are doing afterwards with that feedback.

How are you incorporating that feedback so that your next audition has a different outcome?

Of course what we talked about today can only be helpful if you have enough opportunities to audition.

If you are only going on a few auditions every year, then you may not have enough data to make a full determination.

If that’s the case, then increasing your visibility to the industry where Casting Directors and industry decision makers are already looking for talent could be beneficial. Here's how I can help.

That’s another reason why professional actors do not continue to the next audition, without considering what happened on their last audition.

If there was a problem with them being less congruent than the actor that ultimately booked the role, they want to know that so they can work on being more congruent the next time.

Or, maybe it was something that came up after the audition.

Remember, Casting Directors tend to do some research before deciding who to move forward with so be sure that what they find about you is up to their standards.

When CDs decide to move forward with an actor, they are putting a lot of trust in them. How they perform reflects on the casting director.

That’s why it’s so important that your industry reputation is always in top shape. It helps them see that you are a true professional and not a hobbyist.

If you have an audition coming up soon, start thinking about your most recent auditions and consider how you can approach your next one differently.

If you want someone to bounce ideas with, shoot me an email or leave a comment below. I am always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott

When Actors Join The Union...

Deciding when it is the right time to join the union will play a significant role in how you build your acting career.

While the unions aim to ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, and to create plentiful professional opportunities for actors, not everyone will benefit from joining.

I know that sounds backwards and most actors dream of the day they finally get their union card.

However, joining the union can be a big career mistake, if your career is not on the right trajectory.

Professional actors know that joining the union is not as simple as becoming eligible and paying your union dues.

They ensure that their careers will ultimately benefit from joining the union and they don’t always jump at the first opportunity to join.

If you want to build your career as a professional actor, joining the union is something that in all likelihood will be part of your career plan.

After all, most of the big projects you will be hoping to be a part of are going to be union productions.

If you want to make the most of when you join the union, it will take some planning. Here’s where to start...

While there are others, for the sake of simplicity we will focus on SAG-AFTRA, since that is likely the one to be the most relevant.

Joining the union will instantly help you communicate that you are a true professional that is completely committed to their acting career.

There are some great perks that come with your membership but perhaps the most enticing one is that your working conditions and the minimum terms of your performance will be pre set for you.

Many actors are afraid of having their agent set the terms so they just take whatever the production is offering, even if it is less than ideal.

Union productions are rather standardized. Smaller productions will often offer the standard union minimums and medium productions will often offer the standard union rates plus a certain percentage based on their budget allocation.

That takes a lot of the pressure off of you and your agent. You can rest assured knowing that you will be fairly compensated for your performance.

Also, union productions have strict safety requirements. For many genres that may not be a huge deal, but for others it can literally be life or death.

You don’t want to find yourself hanging off the side of a building, having been harnessed by somebody who doesn’t have to abide by union safety standards.

Sometimes, regardless of how meticulously things are planned, things happen differently on set. Conversations surrounding a prolonged production, or even a prolonged production day can be extremely awkward and stressful on non union productions.

After all, you committed to the time that was agreed to and you may not have the flexibility to adjust your schedule.

Refusing to be flexible, even if you have very good and valid reasons for declining, can lead to dismantling professional relationships. However, that’s not the case on union productions because those details are handled beforehand.

There are protocols in place to handle things, so it’s never solely up to you to decide how to handle those situations.

These are just some of the reasons that most actors want to join the union as quickly as possible.

Many actors have the good fortune of becoming eligible early on in their careers, only to find that they may have benefited greatly from waiting.

If you are in the early stages of building your career, the initiation fee alone can be a big burden. It may surpass or be equal to your career earnings thus far.

On top of that, you will also be responsible for ongoing annual dues and you will split your earnings with the union.

While the ongoing dues may not be a big deterrent, if you have to choose between updating your headshots or paying your union dues, which would you think would be more important?

Your union membership will also come with some limitations, as you will be restricted from working on non union projects. There are some exceptions, but the hassles for seeking a waiver are numerous.

If you have been in the industry for any length of time, you have probably noticed that there are some phenomenal non union projects. You may have even taken part in a few of them.

Those projects can be key to building your career but joining the union would mean that you couldn’t work on those projects anymore.

There is also something that most actors don’t acknowledge...

Being an actor is highly competitive by nature, but the competition in union auditions is unmatched.

That factor alone is what makes some professional actors wait to join the union. Actors that join before they are ready for that level of competition tend to have a hard time getting their career to the next level.

Many of them wait until their schedules are full of bookings before deciding to join.

They do so, to be sure that they are operating on a level that is in line with what they will encounter going on union auditions.

Doing so also allows them the flexibility to present themselves as being union eligible, without the limitations of membership.

I’ve seen many actors build their career this way.

Regardless of when you decide to join the union, the process is simple but it does change from time to time.

Once you meet your eligibility requirements, you can start the application process. You will have to gather some documents to submit along with the application.

This process is becoming more and more digitized so check with the union for the most up to date requirements and processes.

Most actors see getting in touch with their local as the first step in joining. Really, the first step may be deciding when it is the right time to join...

There may be some reasons to join that can be accomplished in other ways. For example, many actors want to join the union to get in front of more CDs and industry decision makers.

One of the reasons I created Boost My Star was to help you be more visible where Casting Directors and industry decision makers are already looking for talent.

When you are highly visible to the industry you are much more likely to be presented with opportunities to build your acting career.

That’s true whether or not you join the union. Joining may help you open a few more doors but either way, if the industry doesn’t know you, they can’t hire you.

The actors that make the most of their union membership are the ones that have the building blocks of their career in place.

There are several and one that applies whether or not you are contemplating joining the union is your industry reputation.

Whenever CDs make a casting decision, they are putting a lot of trust in the actors they decide to move forward with.

That’s why they tend to seek out actors with a solid industry reputation. This is one way that can help demonstrate you are a true professional and not a hobbyist.

Many actors think that joining the union will automatically take care of that for them, but that’s also only part of it.

CDs like to work with actors that they have full confidence in.

That’s why regardless of whether you are in the union or not, Casting Directors tend to do some research before deciding who to move forward with. Be sure that what they find about you is up to their standards.

Joining the union is likely to be one of the pivotal moments of your acting career.

It’s not a decision to be made lightly because whether you decide to join or decide not join at the time, there will be some big career implications.

So, if you want to bounce ideas shoot me an email or leave a comment below. I’m happy to help however I can because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott

The Ultimate Guide To Mastering Your Next Audition

Auditions are your opportunity to show the industry what you are capable of.

That is why so many actors, particularly early in their career, feel a sense of overwhelm, nervousness, and uncertainty about the entire process.

Even after you have been in the industry for several years and you have lost count of all the auditions you have completed, it is still something you don’t want to take lightly.

After all, what you are able to accomplish in the industry largely depends on your ability to audition successfully.

That’s something professional actors realize early on in their career and they dedicate a lot of time to perfecting their audition strategy.

Over the years I have seen many actors fall into the trap of looking for the perfect tips and tricks to master the audition process.

That’s a journey that does not end well, because there is not one single thing you can do to cause a CD to move forward with you.

There’s not a magic phrase you can use either, so understanding the entire process and building a holistic strategy is what professional actors do instead.

If you want to build your career as a professional actor, that’s something you should too. Here’s where to start.

It should be something that every actor knows intrinsically, but that’s why it’s so easy for many actors to forget about just how important it is to be completely prepared.

The key to a successful on-camera audition starts long before you step into the room. By thoroughly preparing for your audition, you'll not only feel more confident but also deliver a more authentic performance.

To make sure that you are thoroughly prepared, be sure to study the script and understand the character's motivations, backstory, and relationships with other characters.

You must fully understand the character. Otherwise, your delivery will likely seem robotic.

Part of that is memorizing your lines and fully developing the driving emotions behind those lines.

To prepare you should also do research on the project as much as possible. That should include the director, producers, and casting director. Doing this can help you better understand their vision for the project and their preferences for the role you are auditioning for.

While your acting skills are a crucial factor in an audition, it’s also the time when you make your first impression, so your appearance also plays a role in how you're perceived.

When you audition, dress in a way that reflects the character you're auditioning for. Do not go overboard with costumes or bring unnecessary props.

Keep it simple and professional but make sure that your outfit, along with hair or makeup are a reflection of the role you are auditioning for.

For example, do not go to an audition wearing a bright yellow shirt if you are reading for a violent antagonist. That would make things seem incongruent.

When you don’t have to overcome a first impression that is incongruent with the character you are auditioning for, things tend to go much more smoothly.

It’s usually easier for you to get into character, be focused and complete your audition in the way you prepared for it.

Something that simple makes it so much easier to portray a strong emotional connection with the character you are auditioning for, and that is what Casting Directors are searching for.

An emotionally engaging performance is key to a successful audition, so during your preparation really delve deep into your character's emotions and motivations.

Try playing the character from different angles. Often, this can help you see things from different perspectives and give you more insight into how the character should behave and how they should react to different situations.

Getting a callback or booking your next audition will largely depend on that alone so do not overcomplicate things.

Of course, what we went over today will only be helpful when you have the opportunity to audition.

If you are in a place where you do not currently have enough auditions, then there is likely something that needs to change so you can get more auditions.

It could be something simple like making yourself more visible to casting directors and industry decision makers.

It could also be that there is an issue with your agent. We have talked about how to handle a situation in which you are not signed with the right agent for you, since that can make a big difference in the opportunities you are currently getting.

There may be some adjustments you can make with your current agent to improve the situation.

However, if you decide that it's time to move on, you may be able to improve your chances of signing with someone that can truly help you move your career forward, by making sure that your industry reputation matches your goals.

We’ll talk more about that another time...

For now, focus on making the most of every opportunity you get to audition and remember that Casting Directors tend to do a bit of research before deciding who to move forward with so make sure that what they find about you is up to their standards.

If you want to bounce ideas before your next audition, feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment below. I’m always happy to help however I can because I truly want to...

See you at the top,
Scott