Acting Career Strategies: Put Your Career First
As an actor, it’s your job to lose yourself in your roles and leave them behind when the camera stops rolling. But in order to succeed as a working actor, you have to think like a businessperson.
You need to develop strategies for finding success in Hollywood while also maintaining a healthy personal life. It’s not easy to balance the stress of auditions and performance opportunities with the responsibilities of everyday life, but these seven acting career strategies will help you stay focused on reaching your goals as an actor in the entertainment business.
Acting is a Business
With almost 2 million people in the Los Angeles area vying for acting roles and going to auditions, it’s no wonder that some aspiring actors experience a challenging career. Although it’s nearly impossible to get ahead with a stagnant mindset, there are many ways to improve your chances of success. The tricky part is identifying the ideal strategy to achieve your career goals. Which is why you need to consider your acting career strategies before you walk out that door.
If you’re an aspiring actor looking to stand out above the crowd, here are seven acting career strategies that will help you find success in Hollywood and beyond.
Here are 14 acting career strategies to get more auditions:
1. Build a solid resume and reel
Building a solid resume and reel is the foundation of every actor’s career. To get roles, you need to prove that you can do them well, and you can’t do that unless you’ve done them before. Focus your efforts on auditioning for and booking roles that will help you build your resume and reel.
Learn as much as you can about the process, and document everything so you can track your progress. Having a solid foundation can also help you make better decisions about which roles to pursue. You might not be able to book every role you want, but you can at least make sure you’re booking the ones that will help you reach your goals.
2. Commit to Training and Education
Acting is a constantly evolving field, so you have to stay on top of new techniques and trends. One acting career strategy that will never fail is being up on all the information of the profession. Take acting classes and workshops that can expand your skills and knowledge, as well as help you practice your craft. You don’t necessarily have to enroll in college to get a solid education if you want to be an actor.
You can also sign up for online courses, podcasts, Facebook groups and online forums to stay on top of your game. Taking regular classes and learning new things will help you stay fresh and give you new perspectives on your craft, which can help you avoid getting stuck in a rut. Plus, the more you push yourself, the stronger you will be as an actor.
3. Create Your Own Opportunities
This is an acting career strategy that is more internal than external. Creating your own opportunities can help you avoid being at the whim of casting directors and producers who might not be as interested in you as you are in them.
For example, if you’re really interested in writing and producing, start working on projects in your free time. If you’re interested in directing, volunteer to help out with other productions. Doing the things you’re interested in will help you develop those skills and build connections with other people in those fields. If you have an idea for a project, start working on it.
If you think about it, an acting career strategy that is very focused starts with you getting involved. You don’t have to wait for someone to hire you to start building something you’re passionate about. If you have a project you’re working on, it will not only benefit you creatively but also help you connect with others who share your interests. This can be a great way to make new friends and contacts in the industry.
4. Take Care of Yourself
Your health and well-being are top priorities in any career, but they are even more important in a creative field like acting. You will be spending long hours auditioning and performing, often with very little sleep. You will also be under a lot of mental and emotional pressure, especially when auditioning for high-profile roles.
To maintain your health while pursuing a career as an actor, you need to make sure you are eating well and getting enough sleep, as well as prioritizing mental health. That includes taking time off from work to recharge and unwind, as well as finding healthy ways to deal with the stress of auditioning.
5. Turn Down Roles that aren’t a Fit
You don’t have to accept every role that comes your way, no matter how much you want the work. Some acting career strategies keep you in focus of your path! There are a number of factors that can go into deciding whether or not to accept a role. Is the role a good fit for your reel? Is it something you want to be associated with? Is it a good fit for your lifestyle? Is it something you can do while still meeting your obligations to yourself and your loved ones?
There is no one-size-fits-all rule for turning down roles, but you have to be honest with yourself about why you’re turning them down. You might turn down roles for a wide variety of reasons, such as not enjoying the audition process for that role or feeling like you don’t fit the character or director’s vision for the role.
Whatever the reason, make sure you are honest with yourself about why you are turning down roles so you can make the best decisions for your career.
6. Fight for the Roles You Want
Even if you’ve already landed a few roles, you might want more. While you can’t control how casting directors choose who they want to hire, you can control how hard you fight for the roles you want. Some actors choose to go above and beyond when preparing for roles, while others prefer to focus on their own process.
Whatever your process is, make sure it’s the best it can be and that you are fully prepared for each audition. If you know you’ve put your best foot forward, you can rest easy when the results come in. If you still want more roles after following these acting career strategies, don’t be afraid to reach out to casting directors and producers to let them know you’re interested.
This tip is personal for many people. My friend told me that out of all the acting career strategies, she has this is the one that made her famous. She was relentless and after being turned down repeatedly, finally her favorite director gave her a part. Make sure you are respectful and follow their rules for reaching out, but don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.
7. Don’t Be Discouraged
There are so many ups and downs in the world of acting, so it’s normal to feel discouraged sometimes. When you’re feeling discouraged, try to remember that you chose this field for a reason. There’s a reason you fell in love with acting, and that reason hasn’t gone away. Don’t let the ups and downs of the business change who you are as an actor.
Remember why you wanted to be an actor in the first place so that you can stay focused on what you love. Sometimes you’ll have to take a step back to take two steps forward, so don’t be afraid to regroup when you need to. Remember that you’re in this for the long haul, and that you’ll eventually get there as long as you keep moving forward.
8. Stay Networked
Networking doesn’t end once you’ve landed a few roles. In fact, it’s more important than ever to stay connected with the people you meet while pursuing a career as an actor. Stay in touch with your fellow actors, directors, writers, cinematographers, and crew members.
This will help you stay up-to-date on what everyone is doing, as well as give you the opportunity to recommend people for roles that come up. It’s important to stay positive, helpful, and open while networking. Don’t talk negatively about other people, and don’t expect everything you do to result in immediate gain. Building lasting relationships takes time and effort, but it will help you tremendously in the long run.
9. Build Relationships with Casting Directors
Find out who is casting what, and then get in front of them. Casting directors are the gatekeepers of the film and television industries. They are responsible for finding the right people for roles in upcoming projects. There are two main ways to network with casting directors that you need to think about.
First, be proactive and keep an eye out for upcoming projects that you’d be interested in. Pay attention to what films and TV shows are being produced and which casting directors are involved. Then, when you see an opportunity, let the casting directors know you’re interested in being considered for a part. You can also network at industry events such as film festivals and industry conferences.
10. Stay in Shape and Continue to Hone your Craft
As an actor, your physical appearance is an essential part of your craft. You may not be able to control what roles you get, but you can make sure that you’re physically ready to take them on by staying in shape. Keep an exercise routine going to stay in shape. Consider fitness classes as well. You need to be at the top of your game!
You don’t have to be super fit to be an actor, but you do have to be able to move your body in a convincing way. Keep up with classes and workshops that will help you hone your craft. If you’re primarily a theatre actor, take classes in different areas of the craft. Look for opportunities to perform outside of auditions, too. One way to do this is to join an amateur theatre company.
11. Be Flexible and Open to Different Opportunities
Being an actor means that you’re going to have to be open to different roles and different opportunities. If you’re only pursuing one type of role, you’ll end up limiting your career options. If you want to be successful, you’ll have to be flexible and open to different roles and opportunities. That doesn’t mean being a mercenary and accepting every role that comes your way.
Rather, it means being open to different roles and different opportunities while still maintaining the standards you have for your work. At the same time, you have to be able to recognize when a role isn’t right for you. Don’t be afraid to turn down roles that don’t fit with your values or that you know you can’t do well.
12. Don’t be Afraid to Take Risks
You may have already heard that being an actor is all about taking risks. This doesn’t just mean you have to be willing to put yourself in vulnerable situations on camera or onstage. It also means taking professional risks in your career. T
Here are two main types of risks that actors take:
The first type is financial: How you choose to invest your time and money in your career.
The second type is creative: Which roles you take and how you prepare for them.
You want to make sure that you’re taking the right risks for your career. For example, if you don’t have a lot of savings, it might not be a good idea to take a one-year contract in New York. And if you’re not ready to take a specific role, don’t take it.
13. Commit to Seeing Something Through
Seeing something through means committing to a project until it’s finished, whether that’s completing an audition, finishing a script you’re rewriting, or finishing a project you’ve signed on to be in. The commitment you show to your projects can have a big effect on how people view you as an actor.
If an audition doesn’t go well, it may not be because you weren’t right for the part. It could be because you weren’t prepared enough. Or you could have had an off day and just needed to let the nerves subside.
If you commit to seeing something through, you’ll be able to show people that you mean business. Commit to finishing auditions even when they don’t go the way you want. Commit to rewriting projects until you’re happy with them. Commit to doing the best work you can in each role.
14. Develop a Strong Presence
One of the most important acting career strategies is developing a strong presence. This means having a clear idea of who you are as a person, as well as having the tools to communicate that to other people. This includes your resume and reel, of course, but it also includes your social media presence and your public persona.
Take time to think about how you want people to perceive you and what you want them to know about you as an actor. Then, start implementing those things into your social media presence, as well as other public platforms that you use. This will make it easier for casting directors and producers to find you and will make it easier for you to communicate who you are as a person.
In Conclusion
While these acting career strategies can help you find success in Hollywood, they will only work if you stay focused on your goals. Don’t let the ups and downs of the business get you down; use them as motivation to keep moving forward.
Remember why you chose this career path, and don’t be afraid to fight for the roles you want or to network with the people in the industry. Developing a strong presence will help you stay focused on the things you can control, which will help you weather the good and bad days in Hollywood.