One difficult element of moving to Hollywood is uncertainty over what is worth pursuing and what might be a scam.
I was hesitant to take casting director workshops because they sound particularly scam-like. In my experience, workshops will tell you they pay casting directors to be there. Furthermore, they post directly on their Web-sites that participation in workshops is for learning only and is certainly not a guarantee of work.
Nonetheless, I have concluded such workshops are worth a try, or perhaps many tries: in Hollywood, a long shot is still a shot, and an ethical shot is worth taking. My roommate has booked three small television roles through contacts he made in workshops. Such credits are essential in the progression of one’s acting career.
In a workshop, a group of 10 to 20 actors pays $35 to $60 per session for a class taught by a casting director or a casting director’s assistant. The casting director hands out portions of scripts from shows she or he casts. Actors get a few minutes to prepare. Then they perform for the casting director as though they were auditioning.
As in my roommate’s case, on rare occasions, one books work through a casting director workshop. But as he sees it, workshops are less about immediately booking work and more about becoming known to a casting director. Because they are familiar with him and his acting, casting directors will have an idea of whether he would be appropriate for a role when his headshot crosses their desk.
A couple of words about investing one’s time and money in casting director work shops. For my $50, I get some practice, and usually some advice, on auditioning. This is more a guarantee than many opportunities one finds in Hollywood. But individuals experienced in the entertainment industry tell me one should choose workshops carefully.
First, my agent says to be careful about workshops with a casting assistant rather than a casting director. Some casting assistants play a major role in casting, but others have little influence in their office. Second, some groups that host workshops accept any actor willy nilly. Casting directors are unlikely to take actors they find there seriously. Other groups carefully audition their actors, and these are the workshops one ought to pursue.
I have begun worshops at Act Now: http://www.actnownetwork.com/aboutus.htm
October 1, I began sending out manila envelopes with my headshot, resume and cover letter. A couple of weeks later I heard back from prospective commercial agents, and around November 1 I came to an agreement with the Stevens Group Talent Agency, who will now represent me commercially. Should I prove successful in booking commercials, they will then consider representing me theatrically. A theatrical agent helps one get auditions for movies and television programs.
Yesterday I had another meeting with Steve Stevens, Sr. (he and his son, Steve Jr., run the agency). He had me put several new pictures on LA Casting, the Web-site most commonly used for commercial casting in Los Angeles. Steve said one or two of the pictures I brought in would not work, so I will need to get those together soon.
As I left the meeting, I thought I should feel happier. After all, I accomplished a major goal and achieved a progressive step in my acting career. But after I posted the pictures and began some computer work at home, my mood did not improve.
Later on, I had coffee with my friend Ian, who is visiting from Wisconsin. It was nice to talk to Ian, but what perked me up was the Christmas music playing in the background.
I know many people disapprove of Christmas music as early as November, but being a person who does not, it helped me remember something important: there is more in life than an acting career. Actors, be they as famous as could be, are just like everybody else. They like and don’t like certain kinds of music and certain kinds of food. They like certain activities and don’t like others.
Your job, even if it is wonderful, is not enough: you have to enjoy other things in life. If I am fortunate enough to achieve success in acting, it will be the same for me, and it is the same now. So my new decision, along with doing what I must do to succeed at acting, is to enjoy what I enjoy, whether it is related to acting or not. Among such things are catchy Christmas music, thought-provoking and unscary movies at the theater and daydreaming about the British Isles.
Hello Wisconsin and Midwestern folks! I am originally from La Crosse, Wisconsin, and I moved to LA in early 2007 to become an actor.
Feel free to make a comment so we can dialog about the Midwest, acting and Hollywood. I get comments on here from people I know, but even if I don’t know you, I would be pleased to answer any questions about moving to Los Angeles.
