How to Score Auditions
- 1). Travel to where the work is. This does not mean you literally need to pick up and move to Los Angeles or New York, but know where projects are based before you begin to seek out work. Most television shows and movies film in well-known locales such as Tinseltown and The Big Apple, but plenty of others are based in cities such as Chicago, Miami, Vancouver, Philadelphia and Baltimore.
- 2). Update your cover letter and resume to include all relevant work, from school or community plays to even the smallest roles or jobs you've taken on, such as being an extra or background actor. The typical Hollywood script contains parts for 50 to 100 actors, according to Janet Hirshenson and Jane Jenkins in their book "A Star is Found." Showcasing your previous experience also reveals your work ethic and reliability, and it sheds some light on your overall personality. That small role may not stand out to you, but it could set you apart from the pack in the eyes of a casting director.
- 3). Research photographers in your area who have experience taking headshots, which are simple 8-inch by 10-inch black and white photos taken from the top of the shoulders up; they showcase the actor "as is." Most often these photos are shot in front of a plain background, and sometimes they list statistics of eye color, hair color, height and weight on the back. Be sure to get copies made; once you hand a headshot to a casting director, you won't get it back.
- 4). Create profiles on sites such as Actors Access and Backstage. Both of these sites do charge a fee depending on what services you use them for. However, they allow you to maintain an electronic portfolio, they grant access to interactive message boards and allow a full search of casting calls by type and region. Actors can also get sides--pages taken out of a script in order to help prepare for an audition--and breakdowns of roles not available to the general public.
- 5). Locate reputable agents in your area who are franchised with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and preferably also with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and the Actors Equity Association (AEA). You can do this by contacting your local SAG branch and asking for a list of franchised agents in your area. Books and pamphlets listing agency descriptions are also available through such places as Samuel French, Inc., a business specializing in the publishing and licensing of plays.
- 6). Narrow your list of potential agents, then work through the process of submitting your cover letter and resume, performing in agent or industry showcases and networking with as many industry contacts as possible. Showcases can cost a small fee, but because they're designed to put the actor in front of an audience of industry professionals, they ultimately will be more effective than sending out unsolicited mass mailings. They also target individual or smaller groups of agents, which can eventually lead to the face-to-face interview you want.
- 7). Shop around. If a talent agency calls you for an interview, it's unlikely they'll offer to represent you right away. If they do, be sure to think about the offer fully before deciding to say yes. A good agent should be known in the industry and have beneficial contacts and other clients whose services are in demand. Upon leaving an interview, you should feel the agent has your best interests in mind. If you don't get that vibe, keep looking.
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