TOP TEN TIPS FOR ACTORS

There are so many things we need to be doing to move any career along and acting careers are no different. Like any business, as an actor, there are many steps that need to be taken that can help you in this crazy entertainment industry. These top ten tips for actors is just getting started. The good thing about having a list is you can always add to it. If you can think of other things that you and your fellow actors can do to help move your acting careers forward faster, comment below and share it with The Actors Mark community!

So now, let’s dive into the top ten tips for actors:

START WITH WHAT YOU HAVE NOW

The first phase should be all about building your creative acting and business of the actor skills. Make sure you know all you actors lingo, who the entertainment business heavy hitters are, who are the best headshot photographers, etc.

Research, Research, Research.

Do not wait until you think your acting profiles, headshots, reel, etc, are perfect. We all want everyone to look at our acting materials and think, “this is the best reel I have ever seen!” But, if you wait until you have everything in place, you may never make that website or reel. So, start in phases. Start with getting into a good class because if you don’t have skills, nothing else matters. BETTER DONE THAN PERFECT.

NARROW YOUR TYPE

Narrowing down your actor’s niche is recommended. Yes, we are talking about typecasting here. This doesn’t mean you can’t audition for roles outside of your niche. The reason you want to assign yourself an acting “type” is that it will be easier for casting directors to place you. Trust me, it will be easiest for you to book jobs. Try to get the casting directors and entertainment industry to see you as one type and then once you open the doors and amaze them, you can show them how diverse you are!

BECOME PART OF THE ONLINE CASTING COMMUNITY

Subscribe and create profiles on Actors Access, Casting Networks, Backstage and Casting Frontier. In that order. Do it today! Take Action. It doesn’t need to be perfect to get seen.

CREATE DYNAMIC ONLINE PROFILES

Another way to stand out to casting directors is t have dynamic online media profiles that will catch the industry’s attention. If you already have your acting profiles online, make sure to update them regularly.

Check your IMDB/Pro account, keep it up to date!. There are hundreds of thousands of actors in this industry and they all want to work. TIP: You can add videos to your online acting profiles of you doing everyday things like playing tennis. Let the viewers see you in all different kinds of scenarios.

GET TRAINING

This is probably the most important tip. If you do all the other things I am telling you to do, you WILL get opportunities. But if you are not trained and do not know what to do in the audition room, you may never get the chance to see that casting director again. There are so many acting classes and amazing acting teachers out there, take advantage of it. So, perfect your craft before you start auditioning. Get a technique. Like the Oscar winners do!

CREATE YOUR BRAND

Every actor is their own brand. Decide what is special about YOU and share your individuality with the world. One of the most proactive things you can do for your career is to be clear about your branding. This takes us back to typecasting. This is the way the industry will be clear about who YOU are as well.

BUILD YOUR WEBSITE

It will be beneficial to you to have all of your acting materials in one place so you can share it with everyone you meet. Your actors website is your calling card. A link to your own personal page is so much better than having to download all your assets to a computer. A casting director, agent or manager does not have time to wait for your photos and videos to download. A social media profile is not the same as a website. There are plenty of free platforms to build your own website.

START CREATING CONTENT YOURSELF

If you are new to the industry and do not have an abundance of work on your acting resume, you can create your own content. Film yourself doing a monologue. Find a partner and do an acting scene from your favorite movie. (remember your type) This will help you learn about being in front of the camera and it will also help you accumulate footage for yourself to put on your NEW website! Footage that you can use while you are in the process of booking all your new acting jobs.

PERFORM IN A PLAY (post quarantine)

Performing in a play is the easiest and quickest way to get the entertainment industry to see your talents and become a fan of your greatness. Casting directors, directors, writers highly respect actors that take the time to work on plays. They know how demanding and hard it can be. It is also a great way to show them how dedicated you are to the craft of acting.

BE IN THE KNOW NOW!

If you want to be successful then you must you are treating your acting career like a business. The best thing you can do for yourself is to know who the players are in this industry. Once again, do your research. Who are the top casting directors? What are they casting? What have they cast in the past? Who are the people running the networks? Name? Faces? I could go on and on. This acting tip is so important. Remember your success is built on relationships. It’s up to you to build those relationships.

Now that you know the top ten tips for actors we wish you good luck and we’re here if you need us!

🙂 RAQUEL + WENDY
The Actors Mark Members Lounge

Top Ten Tips For Actors in 2020 & Beyond