Actor Networking Success
This is my absolute favorite strategy to move your acting career forward. It's based on the idea of "It's Who You Know."
Here's a simple summary: Reach out to lots of up and coming filmmakers so you become friends with them, and then down the line when they're doing their next big project, they'll reach out to you to audition for it!
Below are the eight steps to make this happen. This is some of my best stuff, so I don't want you to just read it and hope things work out. Take action on it and break through your plateau!
Step 1: Figure out what you really want.
It's absolutely vital that you first figure out exactly what you want. Without knowing this, there is no point to start networking with people because you'll generally just think, "I know I need to network, but I don't know who to talk to or about what." Instead, if you know exactly what you're after, you'll have a much higher chance of success.
Let's pretend your primary goal right now is to start getting more consistent acting work.
Let's pretend your primary goal right now is to start getting more consistent acting work.
Step 2: Figure out who you need to meet to make this happen and why.
So if your primary goal is to get more consistent acting work, who would it be helpful to know? What types of people do you think would make sense to start networking with to make that dream possible?
For most actors, meeting film directors would probably be a good idea. If you can become friends with a lot of them, they'll likely send opportunities your way, right?
For most actors, meeting film directors would probably be a good idea. If you can become friends with a lot of them, they'll likely send opportunities your way, right?
Step 3: What job title do these people have?
If you're looking to meet film directors, what job title do they have? Well, film directors, right? Sure, but they also might be listed as other job titles, such as Filmmakers, Film Producers, Casting Directors, and more.
Step 4: What can you offer them when you get in touch with them?
What's something that you can offer to these filmmakers and casting directors that would interest them? You can offer to pay them (which I don't recommend because it can come off as needy). You can offer to connect them to other people in the industry (which might be a good idea but do you really know anyone who they would find valuable?). You could just offer them the opportunity to feel smart and good about themselves by letting them genuinely help you (which is what I recommend).
I've spoken numerous times about how making people feel good about themselves is one of the fastest ways to get someone to like and trust you. So if you can figure out a way to help filmmakers feel good and confident about themselves, it could potentially be a huge opening for you.
My suggestion is to offer to take them to coffee, asking them if you'd be able to pick their brain and learn from them since they are very skilled in the industry. Lots of people love this sort of opportunity, especially if they don't get it all that often.
I've spoken numerous times about how making people feel good about themselves is one of the fastest ways to get someone to like and trust you. So if you can figure out a way to help filmmakers feel good and confident about themselves, it could potentially be a huge opening for you.
My suggestion is to offer to take them to coffee, asking them if you'd be able to pick their brain and learn from them since they are very skilled in the industry. Lots of people love this sort of opportunity, especially if they don't get it all that often.
Step 5: Write a template email to send out.
What exactly are you going to say when you send them a cold email? How are you going to introduce yourself? In my full It's Who You Know course, I include a few cold email templates and follow up emails you can use word for word, but in this preview I'll just include the following note: Make sure your email is friendly, approachable, professional, and short.
Write something that they will be willing to read and make sure it's written so that they feel special when they're reading it, like you're someone who is looking to meet skilled people in the industry, and you want to learn from them if they're open to chatting with you. When you send an email like that, it's bound to be read.
Write something that they will be willing to read and make sure it's written so that they feel special when they're reading it, like you're someone who is looking to meet skilled people in the industry, and you want to learn from them if they're open to chatting with you. When you send an email like that, it's bound to be read.
Step 6: Search for these people using LinkedIn’s search feature.
Next, you'll want to go onto LinkedIn and search for filmmakers, film directors, film producers, casting directors, and anyone else you'd like to network with. When you start searching, you'll see hundreds of names and profiles come up. Depending on whether you have a lot of only a few connections on LinkedIn, you'll be able to see individual names and other details for their profile. If they are not connected with you, however, it will just show the words "LinkedIn Member," which isn't helpful.
If you find that you're having difficult using LinkedIn to find the contact info of people you want to reach out to, you might consider going onto IMDB and searching there. Remember: the goal is to find the first and last name of the person, along with their job title.
If you find that you're having difficult using LinkedIn to find the contact info of people you want to reach out to, you might consider going onto IMDB and searching there. Remember: the goal is to find the first and last name of the person, along with their job title.
Step 7: Find their email address online.
Once you have the first and last name, and job title of the person, you can easily use Google to search them online. From there, you might find their personal website or some other way to get in touch with them.
Remember, although there are tons of ways to get in touch with people, most use email, so I've found it to be the most successful and result in the highest chances of response.
Remember, although there are tons of ways to get in touch with people, most use email, so I've found it to be the most successful and result in the highest chances of response.
Step 8: Send them your cold email and follow up if they don’t respond.
Once you have a way to reach out to them,. whether it's through LinkedIn, Facebook, website contact form, or direct email, you'll want to send your introductory email to them asking to take them to coffee in exchange for them allowing you to ask some questions of them.
I would hazard a guess that as long as your email is written professionally, you'll probably get a response form at least 20% of the people you message, and many of them will be interested in getting a coffee with you.
Then all that's left is to keep in touch with them occasionally going forward and you've mad e anew contact who will eventually reach out to you to have you audition for a film project!
And think about it this way: If you're friends with over 100 filmmakers, that's a 100X more likelihood that you'll be brought on for a project than just being friends with one director, right? That's a HUGE opportunity, so make sure to take action on this before all the other actors out there do.
I would hazard a guess that as long as your email is written professionally, you'll probably get a response form at least 20% of the people you message, and many of them will be interested in getting a coffee with you.
Then all that's left is to keep in touch with them occasionally going forward and you've mad e anew contact who will eventually reach out to you to have you audition for a film project!
And think about it this way: If you're friends with over 100 filmmakers, that's a 100X more likelihood that you'll be brought on for a project than just being friends with one director, right? That's a HUGE opportunity, so make sure to take action on this before all the other actors out there do.