by Sarafina Vecchio
The business of acting is a serious one, indeed. We often talk about tax write offs, union dues, agent fees, and so much more. But what if you aren’t ‘there’ yet? What can you do to help your new business grow and succeed? I work with a lot of new actors who are trying to get themselves prepped for audition seasons. What they don’t realize is that they can rehearse their monologues and songs until they are blue in the face, but if they don’t properly manage their actor business side of it all, they are setting themselves up for failure. By now, you have realized this industry is incredibly demanding and can move at the speed of light. This unrelenting pace and the feeling that “everything is due yesterday” can cause a lot of anxiety and self-doubt. We don’t need any extra helpings of either of these things!
HELP YOURSELF by working ahead and controlling the things you DO have control over.
- Supplies, Files, and Tech-BE READY AHEAD OF TIME
Have you ever gotten an audition and thought “HELL YEAH!!”, and then, “….oooohhh nooooo”? That sudden discovery that one of your fancy self-tape lights has burned out, you haven’t updated your resume on actor’s access since 2017, or you have run out of HARD COPIES of your headshot and resume (YES, HARD COPIES ARE STILL A THING)?
Scrambling to rectify these forgotten details will not only waste precious audition prep time, but also create unneeded anxiety. Starting today, you can complete this easy starter checklist to ensure you won’t suffer from the “audition oh no’s”, (please forgive me, I’m still workshopping this catch phrase)…
- Update that resume- on your computer, on actor’s access, on casting networks, on any platform you might use to find work. Read helpful resume formatting advice here!
- Make a single PDF file with 2 pages: 1st page is your headshot, 2nd page is your updated resume. This is the file you send when you submit electronically. Never send casting directors more than one file. They work hard- do your best to make their job easier.
- Keep this PDF in the cloud. Make sure you can access it on your phone. Are you out and about and you meet someone who wants to see your resume? Voila! There it is, at your fingertips. Send it right away!
- Check your self-tape set up! Are your lights in working condition? Do you have the proper space in your home available where you can set up in just a couple of minutes? Do you know what light settings are best? Where should you stand? What height is marked on your camera tripod so you know it’s custom-tailored to you? You can find inexpensive self-tape products at Theatrix, run by Kate McCoy a member and supporter of the Chicago acting community!
- If you don’t have hard copies of headshots, you need them. They should be one 8” x 10” piece- headshot on front and resume trimmed to fit the back and stapled neatly in 4 corners. As a director, I cannot tell you how many times multiple pages in various sizes have been handed to me across the table…this causes confusion and chaos. Have 2 or 3 ready to go today.
2. Budget- Are you due for new headshots? Will your IMDbPro account renew soon? If you live in Chicago but list yourself as a Detroit local hire, do you have the travel and accommodation funds available? Your actor business costs money to run. Try to do a forecast for the first quarter of the year. If you need to get some of these things paid for, what is your plan to get that done? Once you start getting more work and have additional business expenses (that you will eventually write off, but need to fork over cash for up front), I recommend setting a new budget on the first of every month. Review the past month, look at the month coming up, and adjust accordingly. Review this budget on the 15th of the month to make sure you are on track.
3. Goals- what are your goals for yourself this year? Write them all down, even if they seem unattainable at the present moment. Writing them makes them real. After that, refine them to items you think you have control over sooner rather than later. Make a year goal, a 6-month goal, a 3-month, a next month, a next week. Write down your plan. If your goal is to book a co-star role in the next 6 months, what are the actions you could take to help that happen? Take that plan and stick it on the fridge, in a daily reminder on your phone, or whatever might grab your attention every. Single. Day.
Many people in all different industries need a well-thought-out plan written out in front of them to get things done! Creating this plan is now part of your discipline. You have more control over your career than you think you do. As an actor, you are your own business. Your agent is only responsible for so much. If you owned a coffee shop or a hair salon you would unlock the door every day and tend to your business and clients with love and care. Your actor business demands no less. Welcome to the new year, you sparkling, talented CEO. We believe in you and your actor business!
Sarafina Vecchio is an actor, director and instructor at Acting Studio Chicago. She is passionate about the art, the craft and the business of acting!