Six Steps to Help You Figure Out What to Do in Your Acting Career

Many actors come into the industry after years being away from it, and many others are just getting started. These two groups have one thing in common: They have no idea where to start because everything is so new!

The acting industry changes so quickly, and if you're looking to make a living at it, you need to figure things out ASAP. Below are six steps you can take to get a jump start at moving your career forward:

1. Figure out a specific goal. Setting a goal to “get back into acting” or "become an actor" won’t be specific enough for you to move towards what you really want. If you’re not sure how to clarify your goals specifically, you should check out this page: Find Your Purpose & Set Goals.
2. Redefine your brand. You need to figure out exactly what types of roles you are best suited to, so you know where to focus your marketing. Check out this page to make find your brand: Find Your Brand.
3. Build out your basic marketing materials. You definitely need a professional headshot because serious casting directors don’t like photos that are not high-quality headshots. You can work with us (www.cityheadshots.com) or any other photographer you trust. During your session, make sure that you capture headshots that show your brand.
4. Work with a company that offers reel shoots. We also do this at www.actorscreenershoot.com, or you can use whatever other company you trust and like. You’ll get high-end footage that shows you looking your best on-camera and highlights your acting ability. If cost is an issue, you might want to work in some unpaid projects to get some footage that is current, but note that it will take much longer and the quality might not be as high. Out of date footage is more difficult to get by casting directors or agents, which is why I recommend shooting footage to create a more up-to-date reel.
5. Respond to projects. Throughout this process you can respond to lots of projects that fit your brand on Actors Access or other casting sites.
6. Find an agent. Once you have a few good and recent credits on your resume, it will make it easier to find an agent.

I hope this simplifies all of the many things you can be doing down! The key thing to be aware of is that, although there are hundreds of things you can do to move your career forward, only about 20 of them will really make a difference in your career.

​Make sure to set specific goals first though, otherwise you won't know what you're specifically moving towards and the actions you take will be pointless.

​I've discovered something interesting.

Strangely enough, the most successful actors I've interviewed all seem to have three specific traits in common that lead to more bookings and work. Click here to learn what they are.