As a new actor, it’s difficult to know what the hell you’re doing.
I don’t mean when it comes to acting — that, as you quickly figure out, is only one half of your job — but rather when it comes to working. Working and acting, you realize after some time in the trenches, are two completely different (and sometimes mutually exclusive) things.
I’ve always thought the solution to this problem is relatively simple: if you’re not sure about something, ask someone who knows. Getting conflicting opinions about what casting directors want you to wear to an audition? Ask one. Not sure whether a director wants a second audition take to be different from the first? Ask one. Wondering whether you should mail or email a solicitation to an agent? Ask one. Seems obvious, right?
As a new or emerging actor with questions about how something works, you typically have to make do with parsing conflicting opinions, showbiz folk wisdom, the occasional hard-bitten rant from an overworked industry vet, and various other forms of untrustworthy bullshit.
But like a lot of things in this business, common sense isn’t always common practise. Casting directors are busy, and easily put off by pushy actors, and agents can be notoriously thin-skinned if they feel your impatient curiosity might be criticism. The result is that information about things like etiquette and best practises doesn’t travel well between casting, agents and actors. Should you slate square to camera, or at an angle? Do casting directors like getting Christmas cards? Do agents want to see a demo reel? Can your headshot be black & white? Is doing commercials going to hurt your chances for principal roles?
As a new or emerging actor with questions about how something works, you typically have to make do with parsing conflicting opinions, showbiz folk wisdom, the occasional hard-bitten rant from an overworked industry vet, and various other forms of untrustworthy bullshit.
