Are you a professional actor or do you do it for fun?  What’s the difference between a professional actor and someone that does it as a hobby?

If you constantly regret your auditions…REGRET? You don’t want to be a professional actor. Being a professional actor means you show up to every audition unless there are extreme circumstances for why you can’t go.  If you are always regretting why would any casting director want to see you? They will consider you unprofessional.

The first step to networking is to show up.  If they see you going to all your auditions they know that you are working hard to prove yourself in the room.  It will also make your agent very happy. If you regret all the time why would they even bother submitting you for jobs? Show up to your auditions.

Okay, so what if your not getting any auditions? You feel that you should be seen more. Review your training. Have you done any training? Have you met the casting directors? Have you done their workshops so that they can see you? Do you go to their events so you can meet them and introduce yourself? Don’t be creepy and follow them around their event. Think the power of 15 minutes. Introduce yourself and give them their space. I’ve had actors that wanted an agent follow me around parties for the entire night. It’s just really creepy. Don’t be that person.  Show up for training and be seen at events.

Many actors feel that they shouldn’t do student films or indie films since it’s not paid work. The funny thing is that those are the actors that are sitting on the coach. Don’t you want to be seen by future directors and producers? Aren’t they the ones that may hire you in the future? Would this be valuable for you? Would gain more experience doing lead roles? Would you gain more on camera experience? Would you be able to build a stronger demo reel?  Every actor should have a demo or some video material on their casting workbook and breakdowns. If the casting directors can’t see what you can do why would they give you auditions? They want to see what you look and sound like on camera. Even if it’s just a small clip. Show up on camera whenever there is a good and valuable opportunity.

With social media being such a powerful tool how about writing a blog, doing a website, Facebook page, Twitter or my favorite Instagram. Start up an actors journal and talk about what opportunities you have been doing and training. You never know what director or producer will see when you have an online presence .  Sometimes directors will google your name. If nothing shows up and you are a professional actor it doesn’t look great. Just remember to keep it all positive and clean. Bad social media can also ruin your reputation.  Show up on social media. 

In the end you have to decide what kind of actor you want to be. Do you want to be this person?

Or this person?

Hope this helps you on your acting journey.

Lisa Meuser

Talent Agent