Every actor I know is always trying to figure out the magic formula to book more jobs.
And while landing roles isn’t entirely about the money, if you are a full-time or even a part-time actor, every booking helps.
Not knowing when your next job will happen can add stress to your life, and then when you finally get the call from your agent, auditioning can be even more stressful, especially if you don’t know what to expect.
So, let me help take a little stress out of your life. Sometimes actors forget that this is a business and that we are the product. Having a smart business plan gives us our best chance for success. Here are 7 simple steps you can take to help you get more acting work:
- Figure out your type. Identify how are you realistically going to get cast. Be honest with yourself during this process.
- Ask someone in the industry to critique your head-shot to make sure it matches ‘your type’. If you don’t know who to ask, ask me.
- Think about the types of projects you want to book (film, TV, theater, print, etc…) and stay focused in those areas. I’ve found the closer you stay to the areas you are passionate about, the better the outcome you will have.
- Continue to take classes to help you perform at a high level when the opportunity arises. Make sure you figure out the outcome you want before you sign up for a class. Being able to articulate your goals and objectives from the continuing education opportunity will help you maximize your investment.
- Stay active on social media to read helpful acting tips so you can stay on top of how the industry runs today. Don’t be afraid to engage with fellow actors. I’ve learned so much from starting casual conversations and picking the brains of other actors.
- Stay in touch with your contacts and connect with new industry professionals.
- Most importantly have fun!!! So many of the most successful actors I’ve come across in my 30+ years in the industry have been able to have fun with this job. What we do as actors isn’t easy, and being on-set, outside, in the cold, for 16 hours, can be tiring – but the only way to get the most out of acting is to have fun. Most people don’t spend enough time trying to figure out how to have fun.
