Friends are there for you in your personal life (well the good ones are, anyway) so why not in your professional life too! You should ask your friends to lend you a helpful eye or hand when you are sending a cover letters, thank you notes, or a new resume to Casting Directors. It’s always good to be given constructive criticism. InstantCast has a resume & cover letter service to help you too. Click here to find out more. Also, when you are starting to put your reel and or any footage of you in action together, ask a friend to take a look at it before it goes out to anyone in the industry.

Have a little screening party for them and make them feel special! It is very probable that you missed something because you’re so immersed in it. So your friends’ eyes will also let you know if your reel and/or video is eye-catching ! Read the rest of this entry »

People often think that after they walk out of an amazing interview or audition…they’re done. Then they just enter the waiting game, hoping to hear the good news. Well, if you want to get an edge on your competition, you need to continue to make yourself stand out…especially after the interview! A great way to do this is a simple thank you note. As a busy Casting Director who always meets lots of people, it’s definitely a nice gesture that keeps certain actors fresh in my mind.

If you feel it is an immediate casting, shoot an email to whoever auditioned you right when you get home, but be sure to keep it short and sweet. People don’t like to read long emails…especially in this fast-paced industry, so be sure to keep it to 3-5 sentences. Read the rest of this entry »

Ever heard the expression ‘if you scratch my back I will scratch yours’? If you have free “stuff” from a movie premiere, or memorabilia from the show you recently attended,  give it to someone else who might appreciate it more then you! What goes around comes around: when you give to friends you never know who they’ll help put you in contact with! This action is also known as Pay it Forward. You shouldn’t do this just get a response or something back…you should do something like this for yourself and to make other people happy. In this industry, good acts of faith go a long way. Read the rest of this entry »

The fall holiday season is approaching which means tons of fun opportunities are coming up to show off your talents and be seen!  Let’s start with Halloween.  For those of you who are in big cities like New York, get involved in the Halloween parade this year.  Not only is it fun just march in and show off your cool costumes, but there are tons of organized groups out there who coordinate really cool acts.

I remember going to the parade a few times when I lived in NYC and there was always a group of 20 something people doing a choreographed thriller routine.  It received a lot of press and I am sure was a fun thing to be involved in.  Read the rest of this entry »

Be courageous when it comes to your career and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Email your casting contacts to tell them what you’re up to and send a second email to people who didn’t respond.

But while sending cold emails is perfectly fine, popping in and or dropping by offices is not recommended. The person should know you are coming to see them. It will seem rude and uncalled for if you just drop by.

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I know it is hard to find work as an actor. And a lot of work goes into just making the contacts and getting those auditions. And there may be times when you feel your talent is being wasted as you wait for gigs to come through. Well I have a solution for your actor blues:

Teach your skills! Get involved in acting schools or special acting programs for children and help prepare your students for this fun yet challenging industry.

If you can get a paying gig it can be some extra money for you on the side too.

Volunteering can be just as fun and rewarding. You can even start up your own acting sessions. Think of the opportunities you wished you had  had as a kid… and make it happen for other kids around you. This will help challenge your creativity and express your skill in a new way.

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Resumes are so important, whether you are trying to get a job or trying to get cast in a production. You will not go very far if you don’t have a resume helping you sell yourself!  And yes, it’s perfectly okay to beef up your resume and put something on it just to have more content, especially if you are new to the business.

Who really cares if you’ve only done local plays and the person next to you had some roles on Broadway

Your resume will help you get seen so as long as it is truthful and represents you accurately. Click here to get a custom-made resume on InstantCast today!

Don’t be afraid to note all of your acting experiences to fill up one page.  I would rather see a bunch of productions listed than just a few.

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Social networking is an amazing tool, but you must be careful with what you put out there. Remember, the information you share online represents you: you want to put your best face forward at all times… especially in this business. Here are some DOs & DON’Ts to help you construct a great online persona:

DO: Be friends with your favorite actors, celebrities, contacts, and future employers. This includes Production Companies and Movie Studios etc. or anyone you want to be connected with on face book and follow them on Twitter. This way you’ll get all the inside info on appearances, hosting specials, casting calls, giveaways and news updates.

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A term frequently used in this business is elevator pitch. It’s a 30 second pitch (the time it takes to ride an elevator) about something, including yourself. This ties into this week’s theme of leadership because the elevator pitch is about how you present yourself.

The next time you’re asked the most common question at auditions – Tell me a little about yourself – you’ll have a sentence or two prepared in advance.

When constructing your pitch, make sure you draw from the following categories: Read the rest of this entry »

Being a leader is important in the entertainment industry. It’s just one more thing that helps you stand out from the crowd of other actors with whom you’re competing. Of course, you will be judged on your talent first. However, personality does come into play.

When I hold open calls for actors and models, I can spot the leaders quickly. They’re the ones who start conversations with others before the casting begins.

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Re-locating = a lot of hard work! I know from experience, having just made the leap from NYC to Denver. It is exciting, daunting, and exhilarating all at once… just like this industry! The most important thing when re-locating is to keep in touch with old contacts while making every effort to create new contacts.

You’ll need to network so that you can find people who are going to help you on your path to stardom.

You simply can’t do it all alone. Here are some ways to find new contacts:

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