Monday Myth Debunkers: Not Booking Means You’re Not Doing Great Work.
We always say bookings, pins and callbacks should be taken as positive feedback—that your hard work is paying off and getting noticed. But what if you’re not booking. And not getting pinned. And not even getting called back? Are you doing something wrong? 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺. First, don’t…
Terminology Tuesday: One-Liner
Alright folks, it’s topic we love to hate. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙚-𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨. Or any co-star audition for that matter where you run the risk of overthinking it and letting it keep you up at night. One-liners (or any audition for that matter) should not keep you up at…
Monday Myth Debunkers – Two Takes Are Better Than One.
When in doubt, send 2 takes, right? We’ve covered this topic before but it felt time for a little refresh ✨ To start off, you should always default to the instructions given to you by the casting office. If they ask for 2 takes, give them 2 takes….
Terminology Tuesday: Audit
So you’ve finally started the journey of finding your next acting class. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙤𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨. And it can feel overwhelming. Especially when there’s such a significant financial and time commitment. You want to make sure you are choosing the right 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 for 𝘆𝗼𝘂. Some…
Monday Myth Debunkers: We Don’t Watch Every Self Tape.
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽: Are you sending your self tapes out into the ether? Are we actually watching 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 self tape we request? Let’s re-frame this question in order to better answer it: Would we be requesting tapes we have no interest in watching? Our answer…
Monday Myth Debunkers: CDs Only Remember Your Old Reels.
We’ve heard a few actors have this concern before, so we thought we’d start the week off by busting this myth! Have you ever worried that you’ve had a certain reel up for so long, that when you go to update it, no one will notice? Let’s run through…
Terminology Tuesday: Actors Access
Actor’s Access, Casting Networks, Breakdown Express, Cast It, LA Casting, Backstage, Casting Frontier… So many casting programs, so little time! 𝙻𝚎𝚝’𝚜 𝚐𝚘 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚔 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚜, 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚠𝚎? Actor’s Access and Breakdown Express are both services that are part of the parent company, Breakdown Services….
Monday Myth Debunkers: If the Self Tape Deadline Gets Pushed…
Oh the dreaded deadline push… Just when you think it’s another audition — 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙥 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙥, casting has pushed their deadline. But you’ve already turned in your tape. And you think you’ve done a pretty good job, if you don’t say so yourself. 𝙎𝙤, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙡? …
Terminology Tuesday: SAG Eligible
Hard to believe we haven’t covered this term yet! What exactly does it mean to be SAG-Eligible and how can you obtain that status? Becoming a SAG Eligible actor (aka SAG-e) means you’ve met SAG-AFTRA’s minimum requirements to join and are now qualified to become a member whenever you’re ready….
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Need to Give Yourself Somewhere to Go.
Ok, hear us out with this one. How many times has an acting coach, teacher or even casting director given you the direction of “you need to give yourself somewhere to go.” Meaning—you’ve started out at such a heightened emotion, that the scene won’t be able to have any…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You’re Not Ready For a Real Acting Job.
Oh, 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙚. Why do you always show up to a party you were never invited to? Double-tap if you’ve ever felt the “I’m not ready for this” scaries. 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲. But member that word we say over and over again around here? Yeah, it’s about 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 again. It’s easy to…
Terminology Tuesday: In The Mix
If you’ve heard these words before but haven’t been exactly sure *what* it means, read on… Being in the mix in itself is a pretty generalized term. Essentially, it means you are being considered for the role and are likely part of a narrowed down short list. That short list could be…
Monday Myth Debunker: You Can’t Afford to Take a Day Off.
Ringing in the week with one of the biggest myths we could possibly debunk #readon Double-tap if you often feel guilty for taking a day off (whether it’s taking a day off from self submitting, reading the trades, a script you’re supposed to be working on etc.) This is a…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Always Send Multiple Takes.
Oh the dreaded takes… When in doubt, send 2, right? It mays seem like the practical choice, but for us, that potentially means DOUBLE the self tapes we had originally signed up for. The silver lining to virtual casting is the ability to read/meet more actors than we…
Monday Myth Debunkers: If Your Role Has Been Cut…
And remember… this is a Monday MYTH Debunker 😉 So we’re calling bluff on not putting earned roles on your resume! There are (2) different situations at hand here. 1. You auditioned for the role, booked the role, shot the role and the role was left on the cutting…
Terminology Tuesday: Holding Fee
During pilot season, we believe any day can be Tuesday ;) And since we’re drawing a close on pilot season, we thought we’d dive into the explanation of what a holding fee is. A holding fee can mean a couple of different things whether the project is a commercial…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Your Self Tape Needs to be Perfect.
You flubbed a line. Your reader didn’t pick up that cue fast enough. Your dog barked. 𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘺. And we know that. This is your reminder that we are not looking for perfection. In fact, we’ve never sought perfection! And that’s because…
Monday Myth Debunkers: If You Don’t Get a Redirect…
That moment when you’ve finished the audition and you’re doing calculus in your head to try and figure out what the CD meant by, “That was great, we don’t need to do it again.” 🧮➕🧐💭 And the ruminating thoughts that follow and even haunt you? We get it. …
Monday Myth Debunkers: Your Self Tape is a Short Film.
Pilot season has us like 😵💫 so please excuse today’s 𝘞𝘦𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺 Myth Debunker. We’re coming in with a hot myth today 🔥 Music, sound effects, title cards, sets—make your self tape stand out as much as possible, right? 🚫🚫🚫 𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨. While…
Terminology Tuesday: Cross-Boarding
You may not know (or even need to know) what cross-boarding is but as we say a lot over here, #𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄, the better. Cross-boarding is a term that TV productions use when they plan to shoot two or three different episodes at the same time. This method is…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Having IMDB Credits Other Than Acting…
Have you ever had this thought or heard someone say it before? We’ve been surprised to hear how many actors are concerned about this. The very cool thing about our industry (other than creating intricate worlds and complex characters), is that a lot of us are multihyphenates. How many…
Terminology Tuesday: Photo Approval
Once you get into some bigger, fancier deals as an actor (and you will!), among some of the fun things your agent will get to negotiate for you is photo approval. Photo approval, or sometimes called “likeness approval,” is the amount of input an actor is able to give for…
Monday Myth Debunkers: It’s Harder to Book Off Tape vs. In Person
Here are just a few of the concerns we’ve heard from actors during the overall shift from in-person auditioning to self taping: “We can’t connect with anyone in the room anymore.” “They no longer get a sense of my personality.” “They don’t get a feel for my energy.” …
Monday Myth Debunkers: All CDs Share the Same Opinions.
𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙮𝙩𝙝 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚. You may have not thought of it this way, but casting is an art. It requires a certain taste and appreciation for storytelling. 𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕟𝕠 𝕥𝕨𝕠 𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕖. The casting process certainly has…
Terminology Tuesday: Pilot Season
It’s official! Pilot season is… 𝘏𝘌𝘙𝘌! Anyone feeling it yet? Pilot Season is the time between January and April when networks are casting for and shooting pilots (the initial episode of a series) as a test run for the show. Traditionally, shows begin to air in the fall,…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Need to be Wealthy…
Acting Classes, Headshots, Casting Site Memberships, Dues, Coaching, Personal upkeep… Acting can feel expensive. Here’s the tea ☕️ Just like any professional career: medicine, law, teaching, IT, engineering, real estate, beauty etc., there is a level of initial investment for education and a certain amount of materials to…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You’re Too Good for Co-Star Work.
Let’s start off the new year with a myth we hear allll the time. We get it, you want to hop the fence and skip to the good part. But doing co-star work is actually an incredibly valuable (and important) step in your #actorjourney Once you’re thrown…
Terminology Tuesday: Day Player
What is the difference between a day player and a co-star role? Well, nothing really. A co-star refers to the 𝗦𝗜𝗭𝗘 of the role. A day player refers to the type of 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧. 𝔸𝕝𝕝 𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕣𝕤 (𝕚𝕟 𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕞𝕖𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖) 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕔𝕠-𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕔𝕠-𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕪 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕪𝕖𝕣𝕤.…
Monday Myth Debunkers: A Self Tape Extension Means…
So the holidays have a us a little behind. We’re switching things up and coming in with a TUESDAY Myth Debunker. We promise it’ll be a good one 😇 Double-tap if you’ve ever gotten a cmail notification only to be let down by another pesky self tape extension notice. …
Monday Myth Debunkers: In Order to Succeed…
This might be our biggest myth of all. But first, here are a few things we don’t want you to be confused about: YES, the time and energy you put into your career will yield more favorable results YES, you should make the things that are important to…
Terminology Tuesday: Submission Notes
Submission notes are a feature that AA/BD offers that allows both actors and reps to include a note to casting when submitting yourself to a project. Seems like a great opportunity to make your submission stand out or communicate with casting, right? Maybe… 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵. Sometimes an office…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Casting Directors Don’t Watch Every Self Tape.
Sometimes turning in a self tape can feel like your hard work is going into a black hole. 𝕀𝕤 𝕚𝕥? If the tape was actually requested and is turned in on time, the chances of it being watched are VERY high. However, the main difference between self-taping…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Must Follow the Rules.
Don’t be fooled—as CDs, we love love 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀 when actors follow each and every bit of direction we give them. What we’re talking about today are the unspoken rules of casting. You know… the ones in the official Casting Rules For Actors Handbook. Never heard of…
Terminology Tuesday: Cast-Contingent
Have you heard today’s #terminologytuesday before? If you’re in casting, you’ve probably heard this term more times than you’d like. Cast-contingent means that the green light by a studio or production company for a project is dependent on which actor(s) are attached. A cast-continent order can be made…
Monday Myth Debunkers: The Shorter the Reel the Better.
Alright folks, buckle up for this one. Double-tap if you’ve ever heard this (very made-up) statement. This “rule” might have been accompanied with something like “because CDs don’t have time to watch long reels.” This is true! Do you know what else is true? We also…
Terminology Tuesday: Station 12
Double-tap if the first time you heard “Station 12,” you thought it was just another Neill Blomkamp post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie. …only us? 𝘒𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨. Station 12 refers to the report that a casting office must fill out and obtain from SAG before an actor begins their work on…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Your Acting Career Needs a Deadline.
Thanksgiving is almost here which means so is the dreaded question: “how’s acting going?” But really, have you tried aunt Kate’s advice of submitting your resume to Warner Brothers? ;) We feel you. But before you decide it’s time to hang up your acting hat, consider a few…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Need a Theatre Degree.
𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁. Getting a theatre degree or going through a BFA/MFA program can be an incredibly rewarding and educational experience. 𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕚𝕥’𝕤 𝕒𝕝𝕤𝕠 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕒 𝕣𝕖𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕣. In fact, majoring in something else can sometimes be even more fruitful for an acting career. …
Monday Myth Debunkers: There Are Too Many Actors.
Double-tap if you’ve ever heard the amount of submissions a CD gets only for it to cause your stomach to churn. 𝕀𝕥’𝕤 𝕒 𝕝𝕠𝕥. And understandably, numbers can sound overwhelming and even make you feel small. So let’s talk about different numbers today. Let’s talk about…
Terminology Tuesday: Beat
Keep reading if you’re looking for some fresh beats… #castingjokes A beat is a moment in the script that propels the character’s story forward. Each scene may be comprised of several different beats. Some beats are subtle, while others are obvious. There are hundreds of beats within…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Attitude is Irrelevant.
Dear sweet, passionate, talented actors, let’s have a chat 🍿 Put your feet up, fill up your mug—we hope you’ll stay until the end. 𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙮. Having undeniable talent, working hard at your craft, constantly training and learning new…
Terminology Tuesday: Breakdown Services
To piggyback on yesterday’s Monday #mythdebunker, let’s dive a little deeper into all things Breakdown Services. Breakdown Services and Actor’s Access are part of the same company. Breakdown Services is what casting directors use to distribute film/TV breakdowns and how we receive actor submissions from agents and managers….
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Need A Website.
This might be one of our top 10 biggest questions: “𝘋𝘰 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦?” The TLDR version? 𝗡𝗼, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁. Remember: you are (probably) already paying for an acting website that houses all of your materials (Actor’s Access). And we are primarily going to be…
Terminology Tuesday: ULB (Ultra Low Budget)
For the next few #terminologytuesdays we thought we’d do a SAG theatrical film agreement series. SAG-AFTRA low budget agreements were created with input from filmmakers and actors to make it even easier to hire professional performers in lower budgeted films. There are 4 main theatrical film contracts under…
Terminology Tuesday: Dummy Sides
You may not realize it, but you could be auditioning with “dummy” sides. Dummy sides are sides that are 𝙣𝙤𝙩 part of the film script or episode. They could be sides from another previously aired film/TV show—they could be sides written by one of the writers specifically for…
Terminology Tuesday: Background
A background actor is someone who performs in a nonspeaking role, usually in the background. Background actors (BG) help make movies, TV shows, and other productions look and feel more authentic. Doing BG can give you a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes on a variety of productions. In…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Must Follow the Rules of the Business.
Listen up—today’s #mondaymythdebunker is an important one: The notion of “following rules” isn’t to be confused with following the directions that casting gives you for an audition or self tape: Please always, always, 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 READ everything and follow those directions to a tee. What we’re referring to is…
Terminology Tuesday: Taft Hartley
What exactly does “Taft Hartley” mean and how do you jump on the coveted bandwagon? Grab some popcorn, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳… Once you book your first union job, the producer or CD will need to draft up Taft-Hartley report. You might have heard this referred to as “being…
Monday Myth Debunkers: We Need to Know Acting is Your #1 Focus.
Let’s call this one exactly what it is… A big. Fat. 𝗠𝗬𝗧𝗛. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, we want you to be human first and actor second. For many of you, acting comes 4th or 5th in your life. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Need to Give Them the Take They Are Looking For.
Let’s start of by asking this: 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕗 𝕨𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕨𝕖’𝕣𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕠𝕣? That’s not to be confused with the notion that doing the work, having strong text analysis skills and using the information we give you to make smart choices is NOT the way to go. …
Terminology Tuesday: Nudity Rider
A nudity rider, or “nudity clause”, is a contract between an actor and production that defines what will happen on set while filming nude, intimate, simulated sex, or simulated sexual assault scenes. It might also be called a nudity waiver, simulated sex act rider, simulated sex waiver, intimate scene rider, or proposed…
Monday Myth Debunkers: We Need to See the Types of Characters You Can Play.
When crafting your reel, what criteria comes to mind? Showing us the best of the best, most likely, and also making sure you’re showing enough range. But what exactly do we mean by “range?” A range of characters? Range of emotion? We sort of mean both. The…
Terminology Tuesday: Episodic Season
It’s August! It’s a great time for actors to start focusing on getting their start in TV. Whereas pilot season can be a bit more competitive, episodic season is most likely when you’ll be going in for (and booking!) that first co-star role. traditionally means… 𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕪 𝕖𝕡𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕕𝕚𝕔 𝕤𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕠𝕟!!! Once pilots…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Breakdowns Don’t Matter.
ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴅᴏ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋᴅᴏᴡɴꜱ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ? Before we release a breakdown, we always have a thorough, in-depth discussion with the creative team in order to narrow down certain traits as we go through a sea of thousands of submissions. We try to get as specific as possible in the discussion (even…
Terminology Tuesday: Imposter Syndrome
Double-tap if you’ve heard of or even struggle with imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome (IS) is the idea that you’ve only succeeded due to luck, and not because of your talent or qualifications. It’s usually characterized by chronic feelings of inadequacy, incompetence, and fraudulence. It can feel hard to…
Terminology Tuesday: Guest Star
Hard to believe we haven’t covered this term yet but let’s get right to it: A guest star is the term used to describe the type and size of a role in episodic television. Typically, a guest star will perform in multiple scenes and have a character arc in…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Need A Stage Name.
Do you NEED a stage name? SHOULD you change your name? Does your name correlate with the auditions you get and jobs you book? For the most part, we’d say the answer is a resounding “NO” to most of these… With one exception. The only time you…
Terminology Tuesday: Shifting Eyes
Double-tap if you’ve ever heard the term “shifting eyes” or “darting eyes” in acting. To clarify: we’re talking about the acting choice (not any sort of medical condition). What is this, why do actors do it, and is this the missing piece to booking every dramatic role you go…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Have to Keep Them Entertained.
Actors: Let’s talk about the constant struggle to stay authentic and present while being cluttered by thoughts of keeping us “entertained.” We hear a lot of: “I know they watch so many tapes, I don’t want to bore them.” “You have to grab them within the first few seconds.”…
Terminology Tuesday: Given Circumstances
If you’re wondering what we mean by “do the work” — one of the most important aspects is understanding and breaking down your given circumstances. The term “given circumstances” refers to the “who, where, what, when, why, and how” of your character: 🎭 𝗪𝗵𝗼 are you? (Name, age, physical…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Self Tapes Don’t Belong in Your Reel.
Buckle up for this one folks… because we feel strongly that this is nothing but a grade-A #myth. First of all, regardless of what anyone tells you, there are no rules when it comes to your demo reel. CSA and SAG-AFTRA do NOT have a set rules as to what can and…
Monday Myth Debunkers: The More Agents, The Better.
Today’s #MondayMythDebunker specifically refers to theatrical agents in the same (smaller) market, as theatrical agents in bigger markets like LA & NY most likely will practice exclusivity for their clients. More is better, right? As with most things in this industry—𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺. YES, many agencies in smaller…
Terminology Tuesday: Intimacy Coordinator
Double-tap if you’ve heard today’s term before. The role of the intimacy coordinator is to support the actor in any intimate action on set, such as contact kissing, physical touch, and simulated sex. They often plan, choreograph and liaise with actors and the production team to ensure that those in…
Terminology Tuesday: Upfronts
Upfronts just ended so we thought this would be a good time to answer the question… what the heck are upfronts?! Upfronts are annual TV presentations that usually take place in New York (however thanks to dear old Covid, they’ve been virtual the last 2 years). They are put…
Monday Myth Debunker – The Production Value in a Self Tape isn’t Important.
Buckle up, today’s #mondaymythdebunker is a controversial one! Member the good old days when you’d walk into a casting office and the room was equipped with everything needed to achieve the perfectly recorded tape? Well (currently) we’ve traded in-person auditioning with self taping/virtual casting so in a sense, we’ve passed the producing…
Monday Myth Debunkers: An Unsolicited Self Tape is Better Than Nothing.
…is it though? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬? An unsolicited self tape refers to a self-taped audition that is submitted to a casting office without that office actually requesting one. How do actors even get the information for an unsolicited self tape? A couple of different ways. But usually…
Terminology Tuesday: Featured
There can sometimes be confusion around the term “featured” — especially when the word can be used in different scenarios. We see a lot of “featured” roles on resumes and we want to make sure actors know exactly what that means. Typically, a “featured” role pertains to a…
Monday Myth Debunkers: The More Headshots the Better.
Double-tap if you’ve ever been told you need more “looks” on your AA profile. When actors are feeling stuck, often their first thought is their headshots. But why is there so much 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 put on an actor’s headshot? Sure, it’s the first thing we see. But…
Terminology Tuesday: Paid Ads
Another small (but notable) deal point your reps will negotiate for you on a movie deal has to do with paid ads. Paid ads refer to the way in which you are credited in advertising for a film: from movie posters to billboards, and more. Actors can be billed…
Terminology Tuesday: Favored Nations
Before we get into today’s #terminologytuesday, we can’t reiterate enough how important it is for actors to take an active role in understanding and shaping your deals. 𝙄𝙣 𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙨. Today,…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Everything is Virtual, So You Can Live Anywhere.
With 2021 looking like it’s mostly going to stick to virtual casting, this is a sentiment we’ve been hearing a lot. “𝕀 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕀’𝕝𝕝 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕞𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕠 ___ 𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕚𝕤 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕒𝕡𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕨𝕒𝕪.” Does it really matter, in these times, where you live? Well, 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘢. …
Terminology Tuesday: Above the Line
If you’ve ever spent time behind the camera, you may have heard the terms “above the line” and “below the line” thrown around. Above the line or “ATL” denotes the roles on a film crew which provide guidance or leadership on the creative side. Likewise, below the line represents the…
Terminology Tuesday: Entertainment Lawyer
What exactly is an entertainment lawyer and… do you need one? Double-tap if you’ve ever looked over a deal memo or contract, only to think to yourself: 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘸𝘺𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯? Good thought. Complex answer. An entertainment lawyer is — just…
Terminology Tuesday: All Shows Produced
Double-tap if you’ve got an ASP series regular on your actor to-do list ✔️ An all shows produced series regular (otherwise known as ASP) means an actor will get paid their episodic fee for each episode in the season, regardless of whether they appear in it or not. Having…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Always Expect Feedback
We thought this might be a good myth to debunk… You know what’s hard? Making sacrifices for your dream, working really hard at it and not getting the external validation you crave. We get it. We really, truly do. Because (as we hope…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Always Make a Bold Choice.
“I just want to make a bold choice to stand out.” We hear this a lot. Sure, standing out is important but remember, you want to stand out in the 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 way. And sometimes (most of the time), the “right” way isn’t necessarily, the “𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗱” way. …
Terminology Tuesday: Consecutive Employment
Today’s #terminologytuesday is more of a general explanation in terms of consecutive employment and hold day pay. A popular question that is asked is “do we get paid for that?” That question applies for many things, of course, but today we’re talking about them 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴. …
Terminology Tuesday: Option
If you’re up for something where they could put an “option” on you OR you’re testing for a pilot which has a “test option agreement…” 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗦! You’re killing the game. An option grants the studio (you guessed it) the “option” to employ you. These agreements typically cover…
Terminology Tuesday: First Refusal
What’s the difference between a “first refusal”, “on avail”, pinned”, and being “held”? 🤔 Let’s sort this out—there’s no real difference between any of these other than semantics. Technically speaking, CDs can’t “hold” actors (per SAG rules), but they can use different terms like “pinning” you or putting you…
Monday Myth Debunkers: The More Clips the Better.
The more the better, right? ℕ𝕠𝕥 𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕥𝕖. Here’s a quick hint: Clips ≯ a reel Clips are not the solution and 𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗟𝗬, more is not better. Think of this way: We have THOUSANDS of submissions to go through and it can feel overwhelming. …
Monday Myth Debunkers: There’s Always Rehearsal.
If you’re an actor coming from stage to TV/film—this might be tough one for you to wrap your mind around but… 𝔻𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕦𝕞𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦’𝕣𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕪 𝕣𝕖𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕒𝕝 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖. Once on set, you will likely do one read-through of the scene, and one “rehearsal for marks” – where any…
Monday Myth Debunkers: I’m Doing Something Wrong.
🛑🛑🛑 𝗙𝗨𝗟𝗟 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗣 🛑🛑🛑 You ready for this one? As much as you want to think you are “doing something wrong” in your acting career, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵. That’s not to say there ISN’T room to grow and learn and make choices that yield better results… But that overwhelming thought that creeps…
Terminology Tuesday: Run-Of-Picture
Congrats! Getting a run-of-picture deal means you’ve booked a lead or a major supporting role and production needs you from start to finish. This means they’re going to pay you one lump sum for the entire shoot. This also means they expect you to be completely available for the “run…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Castin Offices Only Bring in People They Know.
This might be one of our biggest myths to date. How boring would THAT be?! Before we debunk this myth, we want to clarify any “truth” there is to this: Yes, of course, over the years we will develop relationships and admiration for certain actors and will eagerly…
Terminology Tuesday: “Just Try It Again”
Double-tap if this direction gives you heart palpitations. (and yes, today we’re doing #terminologywednesday) It shouldn’t. Truly. Why do we sometimes give direction as minimal as “try it again” or “do something different”? It could be for a couple of reasons: 👉 We liked what you…
Terminology Tuesday: Stunt Casting
Terminology… Wednesday? Let’s talk stunt casting. If by stunt casting, you think we’re talking about stunt performers, you might want to read on…. Stunt casting is a term we use that refers to the use of a publicity stunt to fill a role in TV, film or…
Monday Myth Debunkers: Slates Don’t Matter.
You forgot to slate. NBD, right? Well, not the BIGGEST deal, but a deal. Here’s the deal: 𝕊𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕤 𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣. Slates mattered before and they certainly matter now. Think about it. When you come into the room in-person, we are able to get a…
Terminology Tuesday: Daytime
What’s so different about on-set life for daytime vs. prime time? IYKYK (if you know, you know) If you don’t, read along… What makes daytime (more specifically, soaps) so much different from prime time TV is primarily the rate at which they need to shoot. Think about…
Monday Myth Debunkers: I Just Want to Bump Up My Credit.
Today’s #MMD is a practical explanation to a question we get frequently: If I book a co-star role, can I bump up my billing to guest star without asking for a pay increase? The simple answer is: 𝗻𝗼 According to SAG rules for TV, billing and pay MUST be…
Monday Myth Debunkers: I Just Have Bad Luck.
We have probably all felt this statement at least once in the past 12 months. But especially when it comes to acting, is there any truth to it? You’ve taken all the classes, you have updated materials, you have the reps… what gives? Is it really just a…
Terminology Tuesday: Recurring
First thing’s first, double-tap if you’ve ever been guilty of calling recurring roles “reoccurring roles.” A 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 role can be a co-star or guest star. It’s a role that appears in more than one episode as the same character. Usually, recurring guest stars are determined before the first breakdown…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Need to be Word Perfect.
Today’s #MondayMythDebunker is more of a “it depends.” The short, go-to answer: 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 > 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. HOWEVER There are some writers/showrunners/directors out there who like their lines to be spoken exactly as they are on the page. And they notice. Usually if this is the…
Terminology Tuesday: Back End Deal
Today’s #terminologytuesday could be multiple blog posts long, but we’ll try our best to condense this down to the “what, why & how.” 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹? A back end deal refers to an actor (or other creative professional) who agrees to take a deal (or points) on…
Monday Myth Debunkers: You Should be Showing up in Full Wardrobe.
Double-tap if you find yourself spending more time than desired thinking about what to wear for your audition. Here’s the inside scoop on wardrobe: *whispers* 𝘐𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩. YES, we often give direction and/or specific instructions when it comes to wardrobe, but that’s mostly to help alleviate…
Terminology Tuesday – Studio/Network Test
Anyone here actually miss testing in-person for a pilot? …Anyone? Well, ok, while getting to the studio or network test portion is usually a GOOD thing, it can also feel pretty daunting. Let’s power through the testing process to help you understand what it’s about, why execs do them, and how to…
Monday Myth Debunkers: The Earlier Your Self Tape Gets In…
The early bird catches the worm, right? Wellll, not so much if the bird is an actor auditioning for the new Freeform series. Let’s break down why this is nothing but another #actormyth. First, let’s remind all of you lovely, hard-working actors that deadlines DO matter and…
Terminology Tuesday – Single Vs. Multi-Cam
Today’s #terminologytuesday was a request that we are happy to oblige! When you go in for a comedic audition, it’s important to first decipher whether the show is a single-cam or multi-cam comedy. Single-cam & multi-cam comedies have a different tone/feel and your performance should be adjusted as such. Multi-cam comedies can…
Monday Myth Debunkers – Casting Offices Don’t Take Pitches.
This one might be more for the agents/managers in the house but it’s also helpful for actors to hear too. Oh, pitches. It’s what causes our phones to fall off the hook and is the primary reason we are ever weeks behind on emails. Are they effective? Are they annoying? Do they…
Terminology Tuesday – Throw It Away
Dear beloved actors: one of the biggest “mistakes” we see in the room or virtually is actors either not understanding our note or just not taking it. So today, let’s dive in to one of the most common notes we give: “throw it away.” Sometimes we’ll even just say to…