There are a lot of great reasons to love the actor’s life – even aside from the simple fact that we get to play other people: our job is to play! Who else can say that?

But beyond that, the actor’s life has so much to offer: there’s the freedom to work when you choose and pick your own projects; the human connections we make with some of the funniest, most entertaining and most amazing people in the world; and there’s the excitement of always having something new to work on. 

Let’s face it: the drudgery of the 9 to 5 office world isn’t for us!

Of course, the flip side of all this is that there are lean times. There isn’t an actor out there, no matter how successful, who hasn’t experienced periods when there just wasn’t that much work coming in.

But there’s another avenue most actors don’t consider, a way you can continue to work in your beloved field even when times when there’s a bit less work forthcoming than you’d like in film, television, commercials or stage, and that is voiceover. 

If you stop and think about it, you quickly come to realize that voiceovers are everywhere these days. Think about the burgeoning world of video games, which are becoming more and more recognized as a legit – and massively profitable – sector of the entertainment business. And the vast majority of the creations of the multi-billion dollar gaming sector feature at least some voiceover work. Most of them have huge scripts encompassing hours and hours of dialogue – and guess what? They need actors to say all those lines!

Then there’s animation, which is also a huge and expanding sector of the entertainment field. And it’s growing every day, since it’s cheaper and faster to produce than live-action. The other great thing about animation from the actor’s standpoint is that it allows for creative license that would be literally unimaginable in a live-action sitcom or drama. There’s nothing like animation for allowing an actor to spread his or her wings and try new and weird and creative and different stuff! Don’t hold your breath waiting for a live-action version of “Rick and Morty” to come out. 

Finally, virtually every commercial you see on television contains some voiceover. You usually don’t notice it unless its a famous voice (why does Gene Hackman like Lowe’s so very much? Is he really doing a lot of home improvement at his age??) But for every A-list actor doing a commercial voiceover, there are a thousand people you’ve never heard of making a paycheck from lending their voice talents in the field. 

So how to get on this gravy train? 

1. Get Trained

So, here’s the thing: you’re an actor, and you thus you know how to act. So you’ve already got an advantage over someone coming into doing voice work cold off the street. However, don’t let your previous training in on-camera or stage work lull you into a sense of complacency. Voiceover is acting, yes, but it’s a very different beast. You would do well to track down a coach who specializes in voiceover and hone your skills in this area specifically. The good news for those living outside the major markets like New York and LA where you’d expect to find most voiceover coaches, is that in this digital age you can hook up with one online pretty easily. And, given the prevalence of higher-speed internet connections, you can get feedback on your growth in the field in real time, and connect with even some of the top voiceover coaches via Skype.

2. Work on Your Branding

Once you’ve begun learning some of the basic building blocks that you need in order to provide solid, consistent  voiceover work, it’s time to start putting some thought into what your brand is going to be. What would be your tagline if you were marketing yourself in an elevator pitch? “I’m the guy with the super deep voice.” “I’m the woman with a quirky, character-driven voice.” “My voice is like a smooth, rich dollop of butter melting over a stack of sweet, syrupy pancakes.” (Hey, congrats if that last one fits you!) While no actor wants to be pigeonholed or put in a box, in a high-demand business that is always, always under the gun for time, you want to be able to show – and tell – people who are doing the voice casting for a given project exactly what you bring to the table, and you want to make an impression quickly. While your reel is of course going to be thin at first, just start working. You can land some super fun gigs doing voice work for computer animation classes at universities and community colleges, and these days everyone and their brother is shooting their own commercials. Even if it isn’t going to win any awards, you need to get yourself out there and start building a brand. You can accomplish a lot in working toward building a reel and booking paid work right away if you visit the NYCastings audition site. Just click on the “Voiceover” tab and you can be the first to submit for dozens of gigs of all shapes and sizes, from commercial work to video games to animation projects. And for many of these paid jobs, little experience and no representation is necessary to submit.

3. Understand Marketing 

This applies not only to your own brand, but also to working in voiceover for commercials, which, like it or not, is where a decent proportion of the work is. I know voice actors who say they hate advertising, and think of themselves as just a “hired gun,” a mercenary voice coming in to do a job and then get the hell out, with no loyalty to his or her paymasters. This is not necessarily a bad or incorrect attitude per se; we are literally going into the studio to lay down tracks and then the ad agency people and the people working for the client are never going to see us again. On the other hand, it helps to go in to voice auditions with some sense of how all this works – the different types of tactics used, and the different pitches actors in various types of commercials are giving to the audience out there in TV land. Hundreds of billions of dollars are spent each year on advertising, and research into the psychology of the audience is a good chunk of that. Understanding what you are communicating to the audience, and how best to communicate that message is key to landing jobs in commercial voiceover. The ability to cut through the clutter and connect with an audience that has been constantly pummeled by ads practically from birth is what lands you the gig. So, as with any other type of acting, research is your friend. This is going to sound weird, but when was the last time you really paid attention to an ad? Really listened to what the advertiser was saying, and tried to visualize not only the message, but also the imagery and the underlying psychology of what they were trying to elicit from you? Try something: imagine the ad as another actor in a scene with you: what is he or she trying get from you? Aside from the obvious – buy this thing or service – what is the commercial’s “action,” if it were an actor? To position yourself as best you can in the world of commercial voiceover acting, you could do worse than to take some time to really dig into the how’s and why’s of commercials and the way they work on us, and specifically how the voice actors in them use their acting training to paint the overall picture. 

Don’t forget to submit your info to NYCastings today so you can start getting auditions lined up immediately, for voiceover work as well as all kinds of other acting!

Being an actor is kind of like being in a club. And the people who aren’t in the club are often really perplexed by what we do: “How do you memorize all those lines?” “Don’t you get nervous?” “Why don’t you go to business school instead?”

These are the kinds of questions we routinely get. And really, they’re all equally clueless.

Because if there’s one thing all actors know, it’s that the joy and delight we find in practicing our craft is unmatchable. It’s a magical bargain we strike: we get to play for a living, and we get to pretend to be other people just like children do, and we get to share that child-like joy with others. Can’t do that in business school.

What more could you ask for?

Well, more of it, for one thing – as in, more work! One common refrain you hear is “How do I get an agent?” Especially among younger actors looking to make a big splash and feeling like it’s taking too long for it to happen. 

So what are agents looking for in an actor? Just as every actor is different, with their own personality and their own set of quirks, every agent is different, too. However, there are a few common threads most of them are looking for in actors they’re considering representing. Here are some ways you can give yourself a head start! 

1. Get In Some Classes

One big misapprehension lots of actors fresh out of a theater program have is the notion that once they’ve bagged that degree, they’re done with taking classes. They think, “Hey, that’s (mostly) what I was doing with my time in college! Learning how to act! I KNOW how to act!” Well, that’s great, and no doubt your high school and university level work will provide you with the baseline of knowledge you need to get started in the real world. But I hate to break it to you: just because you graduated a theater program doesn’t mean you know everything. Education in acting never ends. There’s always something new to learn, refinements to technique, a more profound depth you can take your work to. The first thing to accept about being an actor is that classes are for life. You need to keep developing the skills you began learning in school, and keep pushing them to the next level. Let’s face it: your college theater instructors were maybe tough on you from time to time, but they’re nothing like what you’re going to face in the real world working on time-pressed productions with harried directors and producers. Right off the bat, most agents will tell you should get yourself in three types of classes: scene study, improv and auditioning. Especially the last one, the technique of auditioning, which is something most schools are woefully inadequate at addressing. Truth be told, you need to have dozens if not hundreds of auditions under your belt before you’re fully relaxed and able to let your real self come out unhindered by nervousness and being in your head on auditions. A good audition class will give you the chance to practice and get valuable critiquing as well. And once you get to the point where you’re ready to start querying agents, (Not yet! Don’t do it!!) you will make a better impression if you can point to a few of these classes you’ve taken or are currently taking. Last thought on classes: to industry professionals, an actor taking classes indicates someone who takes this seriously, is passionate about their craft, and wants to improve. Don’t ever be ashamed of taking an acting class or feel like people might judge you poorly. It’s the actors who think they already know everything who get judged.

2. Get Some Experience

Wait, what?? Isn’t the whole idea of getting an agent to have someone in your corner lining up auditions for you, so you can get more work, so you can get that experience? Well, yes and no. Yes, agents have the inside track on getting their actors auditions for more exclusive projects. But guess what: even if you have an agent, if you aren’t ready for a certain level of work, he or she isn’t going to send you out. A common misconception is that agents and CDs just throw everything against the wall when it comes to auditions and see what sticks, as it were. But guess what happens if an agent sends out actor after actor who is way under-prepared and doesn’t have the skill set for certain projects? That agent finds him or herself with a phone that never rings anymore. They have a job to do too, and they have a reputation to protect if they want to keep doing it. So first things first, make it easy for an agent to want to take you on as a client. Don’t even think about querying agents if you don’t have a fairly broad and deep Resume showing that you have experience in a variety of media, playing a variety of characters. Unless you have a super quirky, super unique look, or a killer, top-tier credit to your name, there’s no reputable agent out there who will take you on without already having a good deal of experience. This means you’re going to have to be your own agent for a while and get yourself some jobs! Luckily, there is help out there. In fact, help is right here. NYCastings has the most comprehensive, most frequently updated list out there of available roles for you where you can self-submit. Join free just by adding your email and info, and you can upload your resume and headshot for the top casting directors in your area to see when they are looking to cast. But more importantly, you get access to the NYCastings list of hundreds of active castings with character breakdowns, complete with links where you can send in your photo and resume for consideration. When it comes to seeking out an agent, you want to be able to demonstrate that you know what it takes to work on a set or in a theater before they’re going to want to work with you. And these days you do that by self-submitting and developing a reputation as someone directors want to work with.

3. Marketing Materials

When you do get ready to march into an agent’s office and present your case as to why he or she should spend valuable time trying to market you, you want to be able to prove you already have a grip on marketing yourself. Lots of people think you can just go to an agent and it’s their job to get your headshots arranged, get your resume cleaned up, and help you create a reel. No. You should have all of this well in hand before you ever even consider talking to an agent. You want to make less work for your potential agent, not more. While it’s true that if you and an agent mutually decide to start working together he or she will have some input on how to improve your headshot/resume/reel, but that doesn’t mean you get to just walk in empty-handed. If you present an image of a competent, hard-working actor who earnestly wants to do what it takes to get the job, you’re going to make your potential new agent very happy, because then he or she can assume that’s the spirit and work ethic you take into auditions and onto the set.

4. The Actor Prepares 

And let’s not forget the most important marketing material you’ve got: you! Be prepared when you get ready to talk with an agent. Treat the interview like you would an audition: do your research – what is the agency like, what kind of work has this particular agent been involved in, commercial/film/tv etc. and does his or her focus fit with what you want to do. Be ready to explain your experience, your goals and your own area of focus, and how you would be a good fit. And be ready to show your personality as you would at a post-read Q&A at an audition. One big complaint from CDs is actors who can read their sides competently, but as soon as the producer or director asks them a question after the read, they fall apart. Again, this agent’s job is to send out competent, professional actors who aren’t going to melt under pressure; don’t just tell them you’re ready – show them!

This episode of Surviving Show Business is about Good Mental Health in Acting. Facing rejection, uncertainty, setting goals and helpful tips for high stress situations like auditions & agent meetings. The show also covers kids, Parents and families in show business.

If we actors can learn anything at all from having watched Jon Hamm play Don Draper all those years on “Mad Men,” it’s the importance of having a high tolerance for alcohol.

Wait, that’s not it…Well, that’s one lesson, sure. 

But what we’re going to talk about today instead is the importance of branding. 

How many episodes did good old Don have a flash of brilliance in the pitch meeting, some stunning revelation that somehow penetrated his brain through the fog of bourbon, allowing him to make a previously unseen connection that turned expectations on their head, and thus re-creating the client’s product as exactly What America Needs At This Moment.

Prior to those meetings, the client had a product, but afterward they had a brand.

That’s what we ought to be looking for as actors: A Brand. That hard-to-define sense of weight, that sense of being whole, a complete entity. That feeling that your product (you) has a solidity that confers confidence on those around us. When you walk into that audition room, you want to make an impact before you ever even open your mouth. 

In other words, you want to be exactly What America (The CD) Needs At This Moment.

Now, as actors, of course we’re all about trying new things, stretching our wings and playing a variety of roles. You need look no further than comedic genius Steve Carell in his dramatic turn in “Foxcatcher” to see that learning the skills, working tirelessly, and dedicating oneself to the craft of acting means there’s an endless universe of characters out there for us to play, no matter where your wheelhouse is.

So of course nobody wants to paint themselves into a corner. However, when it comes to casting, putting yourself out there as an everyman or -woman capable of playing anything can sometimes backfire. By going too broad and not deep enough, an actor can sometimes come across to casting directors, producers and directors as bland or non-committal. 

So how do we go about creating a brand for ourselves? 

1. Know Your Look

The first step toward creating a brand is knowing what it is you’re selling. If you’re trying to market hot sauce, putting it in the diaper aisle is probably not going to help your sales. If you’re a girl- or boy-next-door type, trying to pull off an grizzled, intimidating tough guy persona is going get you chuckles, but probably not many roles. So you have to start with an honest self-assessment of your apparent age and physicality and go from there. Are you a mom type, a cop, a college student, a professor, a gangster, an accountant? And what kind of personality type does your face convey? Scientists tell us that the human mind subconsciously makes an assessment of another person even before the first glance is completed – we’re talking microseconds. It’s not fair, but what that means for those of us with so-called “resting bitch face” is that we can be the warmest, funniest, kindest people in the world – on the inside – but at first glance, a lot of people are going to find us cold and unapproachable. The key here is to take what you have and don’t fight it – run with it! If you’re a hard-faced cowboy type, exploit it! If your initial look says quirky, bright nerd-girl, don’t fight to make yourself look like a haughty supermodel – go with what you’ve got! 

2. Get Comfortable

Seeing that you’re comfortable in your own skin is the first thing most CDs look for in an actor, so if you’re straining to be something you’re not naturally, it’s going to show. Again, the branding is about creating an initial impression – you’re going to have an opportunity to show them your chops and cut loose as the versatile actor you are and act against type. But that’s only going to happen if you get your foot in the door, and that won’t happen if you present a confusing mishmash of possible types, or come across as a bland bowl of everyman oatmeal in terms of personality.

3. Know Thyself

A great maxim for actors looking to create a brand is: “Whatever you are, become more of it.” Whatever gives you joy, whatever makes you feel most alive or connects you to your most inner, honest self, that is what you should be doing in life. And to tie that in to the craft of acting, you should be looking for opportunities to do what it is you do best and what fits your personality – whether it’s goofy physical comedy, or being an intimidating brute, or a sarcastic wit, don’t be afraid to push further into that area. If a variety of voices is something you can do comfortably on command, highlight that in your reel, and project yourself as someone who can play various characters. Again, this isn’t to say we should all resign ourselves to playing one type the rest of our lives, to being “the mobster guy” or “the girl with the weird voices.” It’s just that, as the cliché says, you only get one chance to make a first impression. And since we’re talking about acting, keep in mind that the camera – or in the case of casting, the CD – makes that snap judgment about what you represent from the first second you’re seen. If you see a can of Campbell’s soup or a Hershey bar, you don’t have to think about what it is; you process it subconsciously. So make it easy for CDs to process what they see when they see you, or your resume, reel or headshot. Make it easy for them to cast you! 

4. Brand Is More Than Look

Speaking of resting bitch face, it’s okay to have that as your look – it’s not okay to actually be a “resting bitch.” Your brand is going to be about more than just your face – it’s going to be about the energy you bring to the casting room and to the set. The last thing in the world you want is to get a reputation as being difficult to work with. Even if your brand is “tough-guy mobster,” when you walk into the casting room or on set, you should strive to be engaged, open, and present. Within your image, no matter what it is, there should also exist the picture of a friendly, professional actor who is ready to work. If you can present as part of your brand that you’re relaxed, eager to collaborate, and can take direction, you’re going to find yourself getting called in more. Not only that, you’ll find yourself getting bumped up more often too when you’re working on a film or television show – getting more lines, more days of work, etc. It may not seem like it, but there is a very small circle of people working in this business – and God knows people talk. You can get cast – or NOT receive a phone call you’ll never even know about – based on how you comported yourself on your last job. 

5. Make That Brand!

You can begin to create your brand right from your resume too – especially if you take advantage of NYCastings. You can upload not only resumes and update them on the fly, as well as download and print them right from the site, you can also upload up to 30 photos and lots of Video & Audio. That way you can make sure to present a variety of looks highlighting your particular brand! You can also submit for specific jobs, and send self-tape auditions to define your special types of talent.

Much as in acting itself, the initial challenge of branding is to make specific choices and then take them all the way, just as far as they can go. Don’t be afraid to pick a lane and roll with it as far as it takes you!

So let’s talk self-taped auditions.

The ability to make a good self-taped audition will affect your Acting Career from Now till the End of Time!

These days, with the proliferation of high-speed internet, not to mention the fact that everyone carries around a decent-quality video camera in their pocket 24/7, more and more productions and casting directors are asking actors to submit self-taped auditions for the first and sometimes even the second round of auditions. NYCastings even lets you add your self-taped video (via Youtube link from your phone) when submitting to Casting Notices. 

The advantages are clear: the casting team doesn’t have to arrange for a space to hold the audition, nor do they have to deal with the slog of dealing with hundreds of would-be actors face to face – at least at first.

And for actors too, the skyrocketing use of self-tapes is a real boon. It saves us a trip, and it saves us what usually turns into half a day for what is often just an audition round where they aren’t really looking too closely at your acting chops anyway.

And since everybody’s using them, it’s a mistake to think of the self-tape as something “extra,” or a nuisance we quickly knock out at the last minute. At the end of the day, we need to think of the self-tape as one more vital tool in our professional actor’s job-seeking portfolio, along with our resume(s) and headshots. Update yours now here.

So whether you’re a bright, shiny new actor fresh out of drama school looking to get a foothold in the industry, or you’re a grizzled vet who has been around the block and still does things the old-school way, the self-tape is a skill set you should look to master. 

If you fall in either camp – or even if you’re just not entirely sure what’s expected in a self-tape – here is a guide to help you create the winning self-tape that will get your foot in the door on your next project!

1. Technical

First of all, you don’t need to invest in some magnificent, expensive camera to record a successful self-tape audition. Most CDs and production teams understand that actors are very likely to use their cell phones for self-taped auditions, and that’s fine. The goal here is to make sure you can be seen and heard so they can get a sense of your face and voice, and at least a glimmer of your acting ability. So make sure you’re well-lit and there aren’t a lot of shadows on you, nor too washed-out, and make sure you’re somewhere quiet. Don’t try to record a self-tape in a park or on the street; ambient sounds and other distractions are not your friend here. Wear clothes that are neutral, solid colors, (not white) without a lot of stripes and other busy-ness. Again, the focus should be on you and your acting; you don’t want the casting team chatting amongst themselves, wondering where in hell you bought that god-awful polka-dot shirt while they’re supposed to be watching you act. A neutral, solid-colored background like a blank wall or even a sheet is also necessary; again, you don’t want the CD musing on the weird collection of taxidermy rodents behind you. There are tons of cheap tripods for use with phones, available in electronics stores or even cheaper on Amazon. Get one, and practice recording yourself often when you don’t have the pressure of an audition submission, so that when the day comes you won’t be getting frustrated trying to figure out how to do actually do it, rather than just acting. Make sure you review the recordings not only on your phone but also on your computer just to make sure you get the tech aspects right and that it all translates.

2. Slating and Instructions

You occasionally hear from someone saying you shouldn’t slate for self-tape auditions, but the vast majority of CDs seem to agree that it’s a good idea. Why not remind them of who you are? Don’t make a big production of it; just hit record, look directly into the camera, smile, say hello, and introduce yourself, as yourself.

Then take a moment to take a deep breath to get into character, and GO!

Keep in mind, you’re likely to see a set of very specific, perhaps even anal-retentive instructions on how to go about doing any given self-tape audition. DO NOT IGNORE THESE! There are several very good reasons why CDs issue these instructions. First and foremost, keep in mind you are but one of maybe a hundred, maybe several hundred people auditioning, depending on the project. The casting team has to review all of these and select who is going to move on to the next level of auditions. If several hundred people were each to submit their own personalized version of the audition, the casting team could well end up like Jack Nicholson’s character in “The Shining,” dragging around an ax and looking for an actor to “correct.” This is not the time for cutesy individuality. Showing them your personality can wait until you meet the casting team in person. Another reason the instructions are often so specific is that this is your first test to see whether you can take direction. So take the bloody directions!  

3. Let Them See You Act!

Finally it’s time for the fun part! And do remember, despite the weirdness of self-taped auditions, it is still acting, and we love to act. Have fun, relax, take a breath, and get ready to do what you were born to do. Once you’re framed up and you’ve slated looking directly into the camera, shift your focus slightly to one side or the other. Whether or not you’ve got a reader, you don’t want to do your scene staring into the camera. If you are working with a reader it’s important they understand that there is a fine line here: this is, of course, your scene, and your reader can’t be pulling focus. At the same time, you as an actor need something to work with. Some readers take the note of not pulling focus to the point of reading in a monotone or whispering. No. Both you as an actor and the production team need to see a scene, even if only one actor is on camera. To that point, make sure you rehearse with your reader more than just a quickie breeze-through. Yes, time is of the essence – CDs love to see actors who submit early! But on the other hand, if you send in a terrible, unrehearsed and sloppy audition tape, even if you do it really fast, that’s not really going to help you get the callback, is it? Learn the lines, take some time to go over the scene with your reader, and go to town. Keep in mind that, while it’s true that often these self-tapes are largely about seeing if you have the look for a role, the casting team is also checking out your acting chops. Stay in character, stay grounded, stay focused, and really listen. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out Aaron Paul’s audition tape for the role of Jesse Pinkman in “Breaking Bad.” He listens to the person reading with him, he reacts to them, he is focused on that person like a laser, he is in character, and he is in the moment. He is alive in the skin of that character we all came to know and love (and hate sometimes), and he does it all sitting on a couch in some CDs office in LA. That’s what you want to try to achieve with self-tapes, is forgetting all the self-tape part, getting out of your head and getting yourself to the business of some real acting. 

4. Use the Tools at Your Disposal

We’re here to help! Here at NYCastings you can submit your self-tape auditions, and host not only your resume, but also your reels (via EZ YouTube links) – all for free. When you join and become an active subscriber, you become eligible to submit your self-taped auditions for specific casting notices or to agents whenever you want, for no charge. You can do it on the fly from your phone, so you can make sure you’re the first to be seen for any given project. It’s the easiest and most fun and efficient way to get your mug in front of the top casting agents in the biz who are looking for actors for a wide variety of projects, ranging from high-budget films, television, voice-over, stage and commercial work. 

So what are you waiting for? Get to work honing your self-tape skills TODAY, and start submitting!

As actors we spend a lot of time honing our skills. We spend countless hours working on scene study, memorizing new monologues, submitting for work and taking classes – and that’s as it should be. These are the talents we need to have in order to do the job.

But what about what we need to do in order to get the job in the first place?

THE RESUME!

Yes, you’ll see lots of talk about headshots. They are of course a vital tool in getting yourself into the audition room for that coveted callback. But another, often overlooked tool of the trade most of us could spend a little more time working on is our resume.

The humble actor’s resume is often treated as an afterthought. After all, acting and getting cast as an actor starts off as a visual thing; 99% of the time, the first moment casting directors, directors and producers become interested in you is from what they see in your headshot. Like it or not, we are a “swipe left/swipe right” society, and visuals are vital.

But don’t forget: this isn’t Tinder. They’re going to be looking at your resume too – and oftentimes a good resume can be the make-or-break difference between you or a different actor getting called back or even booking the role. It all depends not only on what is on your resume, but how you present it. Here are a few ways to make sure you’ve got the resume that pops, the one that seals the deal for you and books you the job!

1. Don’t Worry If It’s Thin 

A lot of times actors just coming out of school or just getting started later in life feel weird about submitting with a resume that doesn’t have much on it. Well, here’s the thing: we all gotta start somewhere! There are three general things most casting directors are thinking about when it comes time to cast: do you have the right look, do you have the right skill set, and do you have the experience (credits). Generally speaking, they look at these three criteria in that order. If you have the right look and you can demonstrate that you have some basic skills and the ability to take direction, sometimes having a ton of experience isn’t that important. So, no matter how tempting it is, do NOT attempt to puff up a resume with a whole lotta nonsense. Recent graduates, no one needs to know every single class you ever took in theater school. No one needs to know your self-assessed skill level at every type of dance class you’ve ever taken, or every type of combat. Trust what experience you do have, and understand that the blank space on the resume can actually be your friend – in fact, it draws the eye to what you have done.

2. Don’t Throw Everything at the Wall

Sometimes it’s not just beginning actors, but those with a little more experience who think it’s necessary to get every single project they’ve ever been involved with on their resume, no matter how long ago it was, how obscure it was, or how trivial their part in the project was. Yes, there are no small roles, but maybe there are some you can leave off your resume. Here’s where we can start thinking like a CD: if you were the casting director, what would you be looking for on an actor’s resume? Say you’re casting a comedy television show in which you need an upscale suburban family. Does it really matter if one of the actors has listed on his resume that he played Murderer #2 in a stage production of Macbeth 15 years ago? If there isn’t some well-known name you can drop, it probably only serves to clog up your resume. Even if there is some funny story or interesting anecdote associated in your mind with the experience you had in murdering Banquo all those years ago, you’re not going to have an opportunity to go over your resume line by line with the CD and explain every detail. Take some time to go through your resume and cut out some of the dead wood, agonizing though it might be. If these experiences aren’t going to to sell someone on hiring you for your next job, they’re better left as tales with which to regale your actor buddies over a beer.

3. Be the Puzzle Piece

A lot of casting directors I talk to use the metaphor of putting together a puzzle when it comes to casting a project. They’re looking for a puzzle piece that fits exactly to the director’s vision, not someone that’s “close enough.” But you gotta let them know you’re the right one for the job, that you’re the ONLY right choice. So if you’re a ukulele player who is submitting for a role in an ad for the Hawaii Board of Tourism, great! Thing is, if your relevant skills are buried under a whole lot of irrelevant stuff that you’re using to pad out your resume, the CD might never even realize they’ve got the perfect ukulele-playing puzzle piece right in front of them. This is a big mistake even experienced actors often make: they tend to over-fill general resumes with really old, really irrelevant and really obscure roles that aren’t going to mean anything to the casting team. Again, your goal here is to make an impact on the people who are making the decisions, and to make it easy for them to make the right decision – which is casting you! 

4. Be Special

Speaking of special skills, these can make a huge difference when it comes to booking the role or not, and you should put some thought into what kind of picture you’re trying to present. For one thing, having a passport or a driver’s license really isn’t all that special. Leave it off. Second, don’t lie. The humiliation – not the mention the costs you could accrue to the production – by claiming to be highly skilled at something when you’re not simply isn’t worth it. But do make sure that truly special things you can do and interests you have are highlighted – especially ones that are relevant to the production.

5. Don’t Be a General

Look, we get it. Typing up and keeping your resume updated is not the sort of activity most of us got into the acting game for. It can be tedious and even nightmarish for those who aren’t terribly skilled with using various text editors. That’s why you might hate what’s coming next, but it’s the simple truth: depending on what kind of roles you’re going to submit for, you need to have at least one or two resume templates ready to go. Have your general resume at all times – the one where you cover the highlights of most everything you’ve done, whether it be stage, commercial, film or television. This will be the resume you have on hand to give out if you bump into someone you know from the industry who just happens to be casting a project. But you also need to create resumes specific to the types of pieces you’re aiming for, ones that highlight your commercial or film experience, for instance. If you’re trying to get television roles, having the top two-thirds of your resume filled with stage work isn’t going to help make your case. Luckily, there’s an easy way to update and change your resume, as well as format it in a way that’s clean, easy to read, and clear.

NYCastings has a great resume feature, where you can easily upload your information, and which will seamlessly allow you to update and add new experience as it comes along. Video and Audio reels are a breeze to upload and show immediatly. You can also print it out directly from the site, so you’ll always have the latest, most updated information when you go to audition. Plus, if you need to switch the emphasis from being a stage belter to showing your skills and experience working with the nuances of small screen acting, it’s never been easier to do so than with the NYCastings template. Just swap out the relevant info, print, and go!

If you don’t have a Resume on NYCastings, Add it Now – It’s free! 

NY, LA, ATL, Chicago, Las Vegas, Nashville, Austin and more. 

As every seasoned actor knows, there’s nothing like learning by doing.

It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to learn how to do: you can read all the books in the world, you can take all the classes, you can watch all the YouTube instructional videos. But without DOING it, whatever it is, you will never master it.

Just ask Nancy McBride, founder and owner of Reel Kasting Productions, a central Florida-based, national casting company. And how did McBride master the ins and outs of casting? She carted her own children from audition to audition for years, and posted her accumulated wisdom on an online forum.

“I started off as a parent in the industry trying to maneuver through it with my kids who wanted to act, and just learning the different scams,” she says from her Cocoa Beach, Florida office. “Every time I had a question, I knew there would be someone else who had that same question. So I was learning from other parents, and I started a forum on ‘parents helping parents’ of child actors. And it became the biggest forum like that in country.”

And as time went on, McBride found that many of the questions she was getting were of the “Hey, we’re casting a film and we’re looking for a kid like this…”

But as her own kids were finding a great deal of success – she traveled the country for two and half years with her son and two oldest daughters while they booked feature films, national commercials and television shows – McBride declined to call herself a casting director even as she was doing the job of one, simply to avoid the potential conflict of interest.

“Then when the film market crashed and people weren’t paying for travel anymore, I just stepped in and said ‘Now it’s my turn,’ McBride says. “So I started casting and my kids went off to college.”

Fast-forward 15 years, including five working mostly kid’s casting, and now McBride is a national casting powerhouse, casting features and television shows across the country including “The Legend of the Red Reaper,” “Immortal Island,” and “King Charles.”

Here are a few nuggets of wisdom for actors from McBride.

On auditioning and blowing it:

“My oldest daughter had her first audition ever in front of student filmmakers, and I thought, ‘This is a good way to get her skill set up.’ And she fell so flat on her face. Came out crying. And I was like, ‘Why are you crying? What you learned there is what you’re lacking.’ Every audition you’re going to have to learn something. The reality here is, there’s no need to cry. That’s not Steven Spielberg. He’s a student. Don’t worry about what you did. Just learn from it, and fix it for next time. 

On booking (and not booking) the role:

“You need a thousand auditions before you’ll book a job. That’s what I told my kids. Go in there as if you are practicing your audition skills only, and you are mastering those skills, and your interview skills. And so every audition [with her kids] we’d say, ‘Okay, 998 more. 997 more.’ Then we stopped counting after a while. And soon they’re going in there with confidence, they’re looking them in the eye, they’re shaking hands, they’re presenting personality – they gave them what they wanted. And they realize that now they get it.”

On kicking yourself when you’re down (after the audition):

“Actors will sometimes beat themselves up over their skill sets, and their skill sets are spot-on. Sometimes it all comes down to looks, and matching. If you’re casting a husband, wife and a child, it could just be that you weren’t the perfect look for the child. I’ve been in casting final callbacks where we had pictures on the wall and it came down to the shape of the nose. The shape of the chin. Especially when we were matching kids to adult talent. Sometimes talent doesn’t hear that.”

On child actors and their parents:

“I’ve seen parents yell and scream at their kids, ‘Oh, you’re not doing it right, you need to put more effort.’ That’s why parents aren’t allowed in the room. The best question I’ve ever heard was when my son walked in to a casting and they asked him, ‘Do you want to be here? Or are your parents making you be here?’”  

On demonstrating your passion for the business:

“If you walk into that audition and you haven’t learned those sides, then you need to re-evaluate what you’re doing there. Those actors that show up with that piece of paper in their hand don’t get a second look. Because you’re not taking it seriously. I have two feature films I’m working on right now, and those are with [first-round] video auditions, the easiest auditions of all. I have ten talents that always have their video in within the first 24 hours of that notice being out. To me that’s a star. Because they showed that passion.”

On bringing your best energy and attitude to set:

“We booked this one girl from her pictures. It was just a road test we were doing for a feature, an equipment test before we started shooting. Her face wasn’t seen; we basically needed a warm body. And when she came in, she was just a walking attitude. She was inconvenienced the whole time. If she had come in and just been fun and bubbly, she probably could have walked her way in to a lead role, because she had the look they were looking for, and we were still casting. But the director said, ‘I don’t even want her as an extra.’ So personality is a lot, especially to book your next job.”

On going to the callback, no matter what:

“Recently I was doing a feature film, and we were doing a video audition, and the director liked this kid.  So I emailed and said we like your kid, we need them here on this day for the callback. And the mom replied, ‘Well, we’re on vacation right now, why don’t we do another video audition?’ So I told her, no, we’re not interested in another video audition. If he can’t make it, he can’t make it. And we literally took him off the list. I get a call a couple days later from his agent, the mom must have realized she made a mistake, and he says, ‘I understand he’s called back for this, we wanted to follow up and get the information for that.’ And I said, no, the mother said she wanted to do another video audition, and I told her we weren’t doing that, so we took him out of the running. So the child lost the opportunity. Lion’s Gate picked up that film. It’s like top ten, top 20 actors – for a movie I’m casting now, it’s top five. So you’ve gone from 100 submissions down to five. So you need to go. It’s important for you to meet the director in person, shake his hand, and we can see if you can take direction, and change things when we ask you to tweak something. Those are the things talent needs to know: if you get a callback, you HAVE to go.

Nancy McBride’s Reel Kasting is based in Florida and casts nationally for feature films and television.

As with any job, frustration is a big part of show business.

Being an agent comes with many frustrations, but one of the most under-the-radar frustrations is when a client forgets to book out.

Booking out is when you tell your representation that you’re unavailable to work or attend auditions on certain days.

Your agent and manager are working around the clock to find you the perfect auditions. They are networking, texting, emailing and have two phones in their ears at the same time.

Each agency only gets a certain amount of slots for auditions so if you’re not booked out, that means at a moment’s notice you may receive a call for an audition.

Imagine the impact on your rep when they choose you for a slot and you tell them, “Oops. I forgot to book out.”

Sometimes life is so crazy you just haven’t had a moment to email your agent and you plan to do so just as soon as you hit that red light.

But if Murphy’s Law kicks in and you get that audition phone call before you have a chance to send the book out email, then oops!

Most agents will let one or two “oops” slide, but if you’re a repeat offender, you’reeeeeee out! There are plenty of people waiting in line to replace you.

Carol Lynn Sher, commercial and print youth agent at CESD, says, “If you have finally broken through to the Casting Director and they ask you to pitch your top choice, and your top choice tells you they’re at Comic-Con, and they didn’t realize they should book out because ‘it’s been slow’ so they just left, you feel like you can’t deliver for your CD.”

Carol Lynn continues, “I think sometimes actors don’t book out on purpose because they want the agent to believe that they were available the whole time and just playing the odds. So it’s never their fault.”

An important item to note is if you’re available for an audition, be sure to find out when the actual job will take place. If there’s a conflict with your book out dates, you should not accept the audition. It may make you cringe to say “no” (because we all know that the more times you say “no”, the less calls you’ll receive for auditions) — but saying “no” is better than taking the audition, getting the job and then turning it down. Ouch!

Agency database software has an area for book outs but sometimes your rep needs an answer from you so fast, that they don’t even have a minute to check your previously sent book out dates, so don’t be alarmed if they send you an audition inquiry for a booked out date.

Kindly “remind” them that you’re booked out and ask if there’s another date you could audition, or perhaps do a self-tape. You’d be surprised that sometimes it can be worked out!

Bottom line is that, as professional actors, you need to be considerate of your agent and manager’s time. This is not a game, this is a career. Be responsible and by all means, enjoy everything that comes along with your choice as an actor.

This episode is all about Musical Theatre! Broadway actor, JR Bruno talk about his time on Book of Mormon, both the Broadway version and the touring companies. We also cover getting started in theatre, training, getting agents, touring theatre and auditioning.

On this episode of Surviving Show Business, Emmy nominated actress Naomi Grossman, best known as ‘Pepper’ on American Horror Story, talks about being on a hit TV series, producing her own one-woman shows, starting out in acting and her new web series – Ctrl-Alt-Delete.

Links:
https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/american-horror-story
https://www.facebook.com/ctrlaltdeleteshow
http://www.naomigrossman.net

From wrestling alligators to casting “The Truman Show,” “Contact,” and “Birdcage,” Jacoby has seen it all

As actors, we all know about the challenges we face when it comes to casting. 

But have you ever really considered the challenges faced by the casting directors sitting across the table from you? You might be surprised by what some of them go through to cast a film or television show.

Like how about wrestling an alligator. Literally. 

That’s just what Miami casting director Ellen Jacoby did.

“I needed Native Americans for a movie, and we ended up making a deal with the Miccosukee [tribe],” Jacoby said. “And I got them to wardrobe and everything’s going great. But when I went back to check on them, they said, ‘Well, now that we’ve proved ourselves to you, how are you going to prove you’re one of us?’  They said all I had to do was wrestle an alligator. So I said, ‘Okay, I can wrestle an alligator, or I can lose the Miccosukee and get fired…’ 

“So I wrested an alligator.”

But that’s hardly the only offbeat experience she’s had on the long and winding road to making Ellen Jacoby Casting International one of the most sought-after shops when Hollywood comes calling in South Florida.

As an accomplished singer in her late teens and early 20s, Jacoby was heavily in demand as a lounge act until an unfortunate fall from the stage led to two ruptured discs and the first of several back surgeries. Having been taken out of the game for performing, and having her tennis and other athletic activities curtailed, Jacoby discovered the world of international backgammon of all things, at age 21. 

“There’s no natural segue,” she admits, laughing. However, it worked out great for her.

“Being a hot little young thing, all the best players wanted to ‘give me lessons,’” she says. “I didn’t date any of them, but I took lessons from all of them! And I became an international champion.” 

But traveling the world, winning over 60 trophies, and chilling in places like Monte Carlo with the likes of Lucille Ball, Johnny Carson, and Princess Grace wore thin after a while. 

“I’d go to Europe for a couple weeks, and saunter home six months later,” she says. “I was crazy out of control.”

So Jacoby took up a friend’s offer to settle down a bit and help start up a casting agency. 

Fast-forward 30 years or so, and these days most films and television shows shot in South Florida have the fingerprints of Ellen Jacoby Casting International all over them. From “The Truman Show” to “Contact” to “Birdcage” to “True Lies,” and many more, Jacoby is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Florida casting.

And given her wild life and the people she’s met over the years, if there’s one thing Jacoby knows about, it’s confidence – the kind every actor needs when you walk into an audition.

“You have to have that presence,” she says. “And be confident. You can’t waver, you have to make your choices before you come in to audition and then we can always ask you to adjust something. But if you’re not sure if you’re doing it right, or how it should be, it comes across that you’re not sure. And you won’t be asked to do it again with adjustments. But so long as you portray and carry your choice all the way through, we can see that you can do it.”

And for Jacoby, it’s often not so important if you actually know the lines inside and out.

“I tell everybody too, you don’t really have to learn it verbatim,” she says. “You don’t have to do every word. You can make it yours. If you know the scene, if you memorize the scene, you know what you’re talking about, and you use different words its fine. The words will come naturally.” 

And while Jacoby’s collection of war stories could fill several volumes of encyclopedia-sized books, she trots out an especially good one regarding actors who want to take their authenticity to the next level in an audition.

“If you wear a costume, make sure it fits properly,” she says, with a shudder you can hear over the phone, as she begins telling the tale of a guy who crafted his own costume to audition for a role in a film set in caveman times. 

“So he made himself a loincloth,” Jacoby says. “However, he made it out of ice-blue suede. Blue suede? But it was like a blue belt, with a piece that went underneath. And as he’s ‘stalking an animal,’ he’s like, jumping around, the whole bottom piece fell out. So I’ve got a guy in my studio with a spear in his hand, and basically just a little blue belt. That’s it. And he didn’t know it. He was still stalking and jumping around. I was mortified. I turned around and said, ‘Ok, great, thank you!’ And all of a sudden I heard a scream. I guess he saw the other piece on the floor.”

No word on whether the Blue Suede Caveman ended up being cast.

But aside from avoiding wardrobe malfunctions, Jacoby has another word or two of advice for actors – advice they might have gotten from scouts years before: be prepared.

“One thing I tell my actors is, ‘If I send my client a lousy casting, I lose my job,’” she says. “So don’t think we don’t want you to look your best. But we have to work together – talent has to make me look good. So I tell everybody to be prepared. I’ll send you the material with plenty of time, and you make sure you’re prepared and on time [to read].”

And one final pet peeve Jacoby has is actors who she says “look like a deer in the headlights” as soon as their lines are done. She says that being ready for it when the director asks you to “tell me a little bit about yourself” can be the make or break moment that lands you the job.

“They don’t want to hear what’s on your resume. They want to hear about you, your personality,” she says. “I had one actor, a much older woman who they asked, and she said, ‘Well, I like to try new things. I recently went skydiving.’ And at the end of the whole casting the director says, ‘You know, we have to hire that woman who went skydiving.’ They remember those things. Things like that do stick out.”

Although not all of us have stories about alligator-wrestling, skydiving, or backgammon in Monte Carlo, Jacoby says we all have an opportunity to make ourselves stand out from the crowd when we audition.

“Make them smile,” she says. “Make them ask you a question about yourself.”

Ellen Jacoby Casting International is located in Miami Beach, Florida. 

In this episode of Surviving Show Business Aaron Seals interviews 2 time Emmy nominated voice actor, Bob Bergen. The interviews covers how Bob wanted to become the voice of Porky Pig as a kid and then did exactly that. This interview also covers the complete voice-over industry – characters, animation, commercials and video games. You’ve heard Bobs voice in animation hits such as: Despicable Me 3, The Secret Life of Pets, Minions, Toy Story 2, Up, WALL-E, Cars and hundreds more!

learn more at www.BobBergen.com

Often when we think of the acting business, especially the Hollywood variety, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking everyone is completely self-obsessed. Sometimes it seems like it’s all “me, me, me,” with everyone only thinking about their next job, their next paycheck, their next opportunity for exposure.

Then you meet someone like Pixie Monroe. 

She brings a decidedly different energy to her company, Monroe Casting and Production Services in Los Angeles. 

“I think most of the stuff that I’ve done that I’m proudest of is the stuff that has passion,” she says. “Not that I haven’t had to do zombie movies a time or two to make a paycheck. But what I really hope for is that at the end of the road, the stuff that I’m doing has some value.”

As the daughter of the OSS Army officer who was the landlord for and big supporter of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, Monroe comes from a background where teamwork comes before everything else. Interestingly though, Monroe’s path to where she is today began with her military father and his perhaps unexpected acquaintance with a certain show-biz legend: Danny Thomas.

“[My parents] were among those who helped raise money for Danny Thomas’ passion project, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” she said. “Some of my fondest memories are of [Thomas]. My parents always had me front and center working production and special events to raise money for the kids. It was always the kids who were the stars. It was all about the unity and the teamwork approach.”

Fast-forward a few years through a period of being a stay-at-home mom and a housewife, and you’ve got Monroe working as an assistant on projects like “Tuck Everlasting,” Spielberg’s “Minority Report,” and “America’s Most Wanted” before opening her own shop. Even when she’s busy as ever casting projects from Washington, D.C. to Boston to Washington state to L.A., Monroe always insists on sticking with the spirit of teamwork that was instilled in her from a young age.

And listen up actors, that means respecting the WHOLE team, not just sucking up to the people with the power to give you a job.

“My advice to actors would be this: be kind to our gatekeepers,” she said. 

Monroe went on to tell the story of a recent casting for a commercial spot she worked where an actor made a pretty severe mistake in that regard. It was a last-minute casting gig for Monroe, and thus only she and the director were there, leaving her to run check-in and play PA along with running the casting.

“So this girl decides to come in at a time that wasn’t her own, to work into her schedule,” Monroe said. “She opted to come in during our scheduled lunch; she just sort of showed up. And she started yelling at me, and carrying on with me, thinking I was the PA, talking about how unprofessional it all was. 

“I wish you could have seen her face when I took her into the room to read and sat down behind my computer and said, ‘Well, I’m the casting director…’” 

And a corollary to that anecdote is for actors to remember that professionalism cuts both ways: the CD and the casting team may be lovely people, and you might even befriend them. 

But always remember that they are there to do a job, just as actors are. 

“I would say to actors definitely stay in your lane, be on time, and be prepared,” Monroe said. “And remember that it’s a job. A lot of times people wanna go in and buddy up, but then they forget that we have a job to do. And it becomes real emotional.”

Emotion and passion are okay though, it just has to be in the right context. In fact, for Monroe, passion is not only okay – it’s a vital piece of the puzzle of creating projects of lasting value. 

Something like one of Monroe’s proudest recent achievements: working with Kim Kline on her music video for her anti-bullying song “Stand Tall.” 

“It was a challenge to cast, because we wanted to cast people that had experienced that kind of bullying in their lives,” Monroe said. “So it was a very organic shoot. It was just a great opportunity for me to help shape the final product, using people from all walks of life who had been bullied at some point. 

“It does have the potential to save lives, with the anti-bullying, anti-suicide messaging,” she added. “What’s great is Kim feels the same. This is what she wants to do, is to share this so other people don’t have to go through these things and feel alone anymore.”

But for Monroe the bottom line for both casting directors and actors is to simply be a good person.

That might seem to be the opposite of the narcissistic view of most Hollywood types. 

Monroe doesn’t care.

“I’m just in it for the fellowship and the shared experiences,” she says. “I’m not chasing the fame, I’m not chasing the fortune. And sometimes people will tell me I must not be a very good casting director because I’m too nice.”

Nope. Truth is, we need more like her.

Kids have a natural affinity for acting; it exists in their play, in their wild imaginations as yet unburdened by the grumpy woes of adults, and in their lives in general, as they make their way in the world on a journey of discovery and learning about how things and people work, and how they fit in to the bigger picture.

But having said that, the sad truth is that in this jaded, interconnected world, even young kids can be made to repress these delightful energies that make them who they are, the fleeting gifts of childhood that make them the natural actors whom we adult actors can only try to emulate in terms of openness and cultivating a sense of wonder. 

That’s why it’s vitally important for parents of budding young actors to take just as much care with their child’s acting education as they do with his or her general education. Every child’s natural gifts for acting can easily be squandered or even crushed outright in the wrong educational environment. 

However, with a little caution and attention, a parent can take steps to ensure that those gifts are nurtured and brought out to their fullest potential. Here are a few red flags to watch out for when selecting your child’s acting class – and a few ways to spot good acting teachers!

1. Red Flag: No Audits Allowed

This is one that goes for kids’ classes as well as adult classes: you should absolutely be able to audit a class before signing up. It’s a big red flag if they say no to having you and your child sit in for a class before committing. Frankly it’s kind of amazing that you still hear of some instructors who say “no audits allowed.” Look, if your teaching methods are so earth-shattering and groundbreaking and so very unique and so much more effective than those of the millions of other people who have taught acting over the millennia, then by all means, write a book filled with your secrets and sell it. You’ll make billions, no doubt. But if we hard-working actors and parents of actors are expected to plunk down our money and pay for classes in advance, we need to have a peek under the hood first.   

Green Flag: It can be nerve-wracking to have strangers sitting in on what is of necessity a nurturing, safe space built on mutual trust and familiarity with your classmates and instructor. But most good acting instructors will make you and especially your child feel welcome if you sit in to evaluate a class before committing. I love to see a teacher give a shout-out to a kid who is sitting in with a parent to check out a class. Better yet is if they make them feel welcome to ask any questions or chat with other kids after class.

2. Red Flag: Repressing Natural Instincts 

So some things to watch out for when auditing children’s acting classes are teachers who want to control and lock down the kids’ natural instincts. If the instructor seems to be giving the kids specific gestures, or unnatural movements that are to occur on specific words in a script or at specific moments, and especially line readings where they give them the exact intonations the instructor believes to be “correct,” that’s usually not a good sign. Even though we’re talking about kids here, that doesn’t mean they’re to be trained like seals to do tricks in imitation of what humans (read: grown-ups) do. Acting is reacting, by some definitions, and our reactions to others germinate in instinct – both for kids and for adults. To tamp those instincts down right off the bat is a huge no-no.

Green Flag: You see the instructor allowing the kids to use their imaginations and try things their own way. There are of course serious techniques to be taught and learned in a good acting class. This isn’t the Wild Rumpus where kids just run amok for an hour or whatever – at least it’s not JUST that. But good teachers recognize how valuable a kid’s imagination and sense of play is. Seriously, that’s what many adult actors spend the majority of their time trying to recapture: a sense of openness and fearlessness about letting their minds run wild and explore possibilities: hello, improv class! When you see an acting instructor nurturing that, it’s usually a great sign they understand not only acting, but a little something about kids as well. Hey, and while we’re on the subject of instincts: trust the instincts of your kid when it comes to selecting a class. Oftentimes we adults can get muddled up in overthinking things. If a kid feels like an instructor doesn’t look like a good fit for him or her, trust them – even if that instructor has great recommendations. As much as is possible, let your kid decide if the class looks fun, and trust that if he or she is excited to meet the other students and work with the teacher, it is likely to be a good fit.

3. Red Flag: It’s All About Meeeee

One of my biggest pet peeves – and I’m sure many, many actors would agree – is taking a class with an acting teacher who spends FAR too much class time rambling on and on with these endless, meandering stories about themselves and all the people they know. These are the teachers who cannot help but drop all kinds of names into virtually every sentence, attempting to boost their credentials and prestige by way of their alleged proximity to talent, one supposes. Here’s the thing: an acting class is YOUR time, or your kid’s time. It’s not the teacher’s ego-stroking time. You’ve paid for it; let the instructor go to therapy if they need affirmation that they are Very Important and Know Lots of Important People. If there is only time for one or two brief exercises in the course of an hour or hour and a half class because the teacher couldn’t shut up about themselves for longer than five minutes at a time, there’s a problem there. Another tendency of this kind of instructor, or at least something to watch out for is those who want to spoon-feed every little answer to the kids without giving them a minute to think of the answer for themselves. Instead…

Green Flag: Look for instructors who will allow the kids to work a bit for an answer, who will lead them down a path TOWARD the answer, but won’t put it directly in their hand. We all probably remember this type of teacher from school, the one who brings you to the brink of the breakthrough, but allows you to make the necessary connections yourself. These are the big learning moments, those flashes of bright light inside your mind that are so much more rewarding. Nobody remembers the answers they looked up in the Teacher’s Edition. And when it comes to acting, the fact is there is often no “right” or “wrong” answer in the first place. Value those instructors who understand this and allow your child to use his or her mind to create their own answers. 

4. Red Flag: Why Are We Here Again?

The biggest red flag of all has to be if you and/or your kid can see that the other students aren’t having any fun. Yes, acting is a technical craft that requires lots of attention. But on the other hand, acting is play: we “play” roles, we perform in “plays,” you read a “playbill.” If an acting instructor – especially one teaching children’s classes – doesn’t have a grip on the concept that play is an inherent part of the gig, then that’s a huge red flag. 

Green Flag: The other students – and the instructor – are actually having a good time! This is what acting is supposed to be, more often than not: a fun way of expressing our natural human emotions in ways we often cannot in real life. Even when you’re playing a “bad guy,” or you have to go to emotional places that are outside your comfort zone, there is joy and fun in the acting. And you can learn in a fun environment – some might argue you can ONLY learn in a fun environment. Make sure that’s what you’re giving your kid, and you will have given them a lifetime of gifts they can use – no matter what career they choose!

In this episode we ASK A TALENT AGENT about the acting business and explore things like: Getting Started, How Agents and Managers work with the Actor, SAG-AFTRA, Actors Equity, Agent Commissions and whats makes a Great Actor!

When I teach my acting classes, I generally get two types of people thinking about signing up: young kids and teens, and older folks.

And it’s interesting: knowing what we as adults know about how tough it is to be a teen, how navigating simple things like attending class or just chatting with people can be a harrowing exercise in insecurity and embarrassment, you’d think that the teens would be the most reluctant to get into acting – which is after all, deliberately putting yourself out there in front of other people on a metaphorical balance beam, ever-poised to fall off very publicly.

But what I’ve often found is that it’s the older folks who are most unsure about getting into acting, who second-guess themselves and sort of mentally short-circuit themselves with doubt before they even get started. They tell themselves, “Oh, I’m far too late to START acting. Most people have been doing it since they were in high school. I’ll make a fool of myself.”

Well, guess what: there is not only plenty of room out there for people over 40 to get started in acting – being that age and up can be huge advantage for an actor just starting out! 

Think about it: the pool of actors in their 20s is massive. That’s the age when we are at our most adventurous, most unburdened by obligations, and most free to try new things and move to new places. 

It’s also, generally speaking, an age when we’re most malleable and don’t know ourselves very well. 

So that’s one advantage for older folks: coming into acting as an established adult with solid ideas of how you fit in the world – not to mention 20 or so extra years of experience and education under your belt – you are already well-positioned to take on the challenges of acting. 

Another point about that broad but shallow pool of 20-something actors: you’ll find that as the age of the actor increases, the pool narrows considerably. There simply aren’t as many older actors out there ready to go to work as there are young’uns. 

And now think about this: how many times have you seen a cop show with the grizzled captain played by a 20-year-old? Or a suburban mom played by a girl fresh out of high school? Maybe in a high school theater production, but not on any reputable show or film, that’s for sure.

Yet television, film and professional stage productions are constantly in need of actors who can reasonably fill these types of roles – and many, many more. In a narrower pool you can really stand out as “an actor of a certain age.” 

And given the right tools you can book roles for yourself that will make your 20-something acting peers jealous of how much work you get! Here’s a few ways to get you started off on the right foot.

1. The (Older) Actor Prepares

The great thing about getting started as an older actor is that you need to do basically the same things as any other age actor who is just starting out. First and foremost, you need to get yourself the tools necessary to do the job. Just like you wouldn’t want a plumber to show up to your house with a hammer and a scalpel to fix your toilet, you can’t get rolling as an actor unless you have the right equipment you need to do the job. Start out by getting yourself some books on acting and learn the basic terminology and some well-respected approaches to the work. A couple recommendations: “A Practical Handbook for the Actor” is a slim volume packed with just what the title says: very practical, simple methods to help you analyze a scene and develop the vocabulary and thought processes necessary to creating an action (first lesson: acting is action!) for your character in a given scene. Another must-have for any actor who is seeking work on camera, whether it be in film, television or commercials is Tony Barr’s “Acting for the Camera.” It’s an older book but the revised edition still contains tremendous insight into Barr’s 40-plus years as an acting teacher, performer and director in Hollywood. There is also plenty of advice right here on NYCastings too, from how to get started in acting, to understanding the casting process, to developing the qualities you need for successful auditions. 

2. Get Some Education

Once you’ve got yourself a bit of a handle on the nuts and bolts of acting, it’s time to get your feet wet. Get yourself in a class with a reputable instructor. Most good teachers will allow you to audit an acting class before committing to it, and this is a really good idea. Even if a teacher is reputable, experienced, and good at what he or she does, sometimes you just might not click. That’s okay! If for any reason you feel uncomfortable about a class you audit, say thank you and move on to the next one. No big. You should look for teachers not only with a reputation and a resume, but also those who make acting fun and create a space that is warm, encouraging, and nurturing. This stuff is a challenge! We don’t need negativity from a teacher on top of all the other challenges that come with acting. Keep in mind too that most actors will tell you that taking classes isn’t something you do for a little while as a novice and then leave behind. The process of acting and discovering withing ourselves our capacity for it is ongoing and should be considered a life-long project. In addition to basic acting classes there is scene study, improv classes, on-camera classes, audition classes, dance, singing – it never ends and it is wonderful! 

3. Get Yourself Some Experience!

There’s nothing like learning by doing. And as mentioned above, there are tons of opportunities out there for the older actor. At this stage of the game, any acting is better than no acting for getting you going – look into community theater productions, small roles in paid theater productions, student films, indie film projects, and of course commercials, depending on where you live. No matter how small the role might be, I promise you will find yourself learning, absorbing, and developing yourself as an actor if you are open to it! The other great thing about the older actor is you have so much to offer in the way of life experience and perspective. In exchange for picking the brains of younger actors on their acting education, you have a lot to give them as well!

4. Get Yourself Some Headshots

 Don’t forget the calling card of the trade, the good old headshot. You are going to want to get yourself a good photographer who specializes in headshots – not your cousin Shirley who just bought a used Nikon. Sorry, Shirley. It will make a huge difference when you go to present yourself at auditions. Imagine the difference between homemade ink-jet printed business cards versus slick, raised lettering, professional cards. The headshot is your foot in the door; make sure that foot isn’t inside a stinky sneaker. Here are a few articles that can help you avoid some common headshot mistakes, make sure you get age-appropriate headshots, and get in the right mental space for taking headshots. Keep in mind too that oftentimes these days casting directors will ask for self-tape auditions. Here’s a self-tape primer to help you get started in knowing what’s expected.

As with all things in life, the big killer is not taking that first step. Don’t let fear or nervousness prevent you from jumping into acting later in life! You will find it’s one of the most fun, rewarding and amazingly joyful experiences you will ever have!

Most anyone who had the opportunity to learn something about acting when they were a kid would agree: there is no experience in the world that can match it.

For helping a youngster gain confidence, meet new friends, learn valuable skills he or she can use throughout life—and just plain have fun—there is no joy in the world like the joy of a child actor.

There’s also never been a better time than right now for a child actor with a bit of experience to pursue professional-level roles. There are more television channels, more films, and more commercials looking for child actors right now than at any point in history.

So hey, why not your kid, right?

Well, one big caveat to keep in mind is that, even with so many opportunities out there for kids and adults alike to find acting work, there is nonetheless tons of competition. Just because you think your kid is cute is no reason to assume he or she is going to succeed immediately when it comes to professional-level auditions.

But that’s not meant to discourage the dream—instead let’s find some ways to make it a reality. Since the first step to getting cast is the audition, here are some ways you can help your budding thespian go out to read with the utmost chance of success!

1. Practice Makes Perfect

As mentioned above, we all agree with you 100% that your kid is the cutest, awesomest, bestest little actor in the whole wide world, hands down. Did I say 100%? Nay, 1000%, obviously! However, having acknowledged the stunning glory that is the fruit of your loins, let’s keep in mind that every other parent at the audition feels the same way. And here’s the thing: the casting director is only going to pick one kid for each role on offer. So make sure your adorable child has the best tools available to stand out from the adorable crowd. In other words, that one acting class little Madison took at summer camp a couple years ago ain’t gonna cut it in this uber-competitive age. You should make sure your child is continually in classes, having fun and doing things he or she enjoys, while learning a variety of skills: dance of various kinds, singing, improv work and just fun, playful acting classes with exercises of various kinds. One type of class you always hear CDs mention when it comes to child performers is on-camera audition classes. In the audition your child will just have a tiny moment to show the casting team something, and their comfort level in front of the camera can make or break their chances. Performing begets more comfort with performance, and that includes not only the type of performance kids do for each other and for their acting coach in class, but also their comfort level in front of the camera under the pressure of an audition.

2. Go Community, Go Indie

And while we’re on the subject of gaining experience in performing, just because we’re working on helping your child ramp up to nailing some professional auditions is no reason to turn up your nose at amateur or non-paying roles. As any parent knows, children are sponges for information and experience, and every experience in acting helps them get better. Even if you can’t measure the improvement in acting in your child after, say, playing a single small role in a community theater production or in a low/no-pay indie or student film, one thing that’s certain is that they become more comfortable performing with each performance they give. And as mentioned above, comfort level is a huge part of the equation when it comes to making your kid an audition pro.

3. Help Them, But Help Them Help Themselves

One big plus for the auditioning child actor that CDs and directors love to see is a kid who can change it up. While every parent wants to ensure that their little actor is as ready as possible for his or her close-up, and will thus coach and rehearse with them as much as necessary, it’s important that in your parental enthusiasm for getting your kid ready for the read you don’t rehearse them into a box. If the CD asks your child to try something different but gets the exact same read every time, that’s going to work against him or her. Forced, awkward line readings that have been drilled into a young actor to the point where they are unchangeable don’t do him or her any favors. Same goes for over-enthusiastic parents who coach their kids in planned gestures and facial expressions, especially if the actor can’t adjust them. In fact, a great way to get your kid a head start on the necessary skills to becoming a flexible actor capable of making adjustments is to get them started on improv early on. A good improv teacher/coach will give kids sufficient free rein to play and ensure they’re having fun—as kids are wont to do—while still helping them learn how to focus in on the necessary mindset for learning how to improvise. 

4. Sometimes the Clothes Do Not Make the…Kid

I want you to take a journey with me now: remember when you were a kid and your parents dressed you up for some big occasion, say church or a wedding? Do you remember how you felt in those clothes, those awful, awful clothes that you would never in a million years pick out for yourself, but which every adult you encountered told you made you look “just like a little gentleman” or “a little lady?” Now imagine being forced to wear that horrible clip-on tie or sweater vest or that hideous dress you hated with every ounce of your soul and then being asked to step in front of a camera in front of strangers and “act naturally.” Not a great recipe for success, is it? So to put it simply, as in every other note above, excellent training is paramount, but getting your child comfortable in front of the casting director is a close second for ensuring a professional, successful read. With the exception of Batman costumes, pajamas, or mud-covered play clothes, get your kid in clothing they choose, clothes that give them confidence and allow them feel like themselves when they walk into that room.

5. Keep It Light, Keep It in Perspective

It’s a difficult thing for any actor, no matter their age, but this is a business in which the answer “No” is going to outnumber “Yes” by a lot, when it comes to getting cast. You can help your child (and yourself) develop a healthy attitude toward this aspect of the business by remembering that oftentimes it takes dozens of reads before a new actor will get cast. Emphasize the fun of auditioning and getting to play new roles. Nurture that sense that this is indeed PLAY as part of their auditions. Talk about the fun people you are both meeting at the auditions, the other actors, as well as the CDs and production assistants, because you will run in to the same people over and over (thus building your child’s network in the business!) It also helps to get your child to think of each audition as a little performance, and thus a chance to get better—because that’s exactly what is happening! Finally, as with adult actors, there is always, always, always another audition right around the corner: focus on moving forward and nailing the next audition while teaching them not to dwell on the one that got away, and you will help to make your child not only a strong, healthy, grounded actor, but a well-adjusted human as well!