2026 Shortlist Strategy - Homepage

2026 Shortlist Strategy Workshop (1080 x 1350)

Instead of competing with thousands of actors in the submission stack, imagine being the name they think of first when roles open up.

THIS IS WHAT YOU’LL LEARN INSIDE
THE SHORTLIST STRATEGY

Because if your main focus is getting more auditions, you’re thinking too small.

Instead, what if casting directors, producers, and directors already knew you, and thought of YOU when roles came up, before the breakdown even went public?

You’ll leave this FREE 55-Minute Workshop with:

✅ A Hidden Goldmine You Already Have
Walk away with a list of 20-50+ warm industry contacts you can reach out to RIGHT AWAY

✅ The 5 “C” Formula That Gets Responses To Cold Outreach
The exact framework for writing cold outreaches that casting directors, producers, and directors won’t leave on “read” (because they actually WANT to respond)

✅ How To Become Someone Decision-Makers Want In Their Network
The 8 ways to add value, so you’re never reaching out empty-handed or feeling like “just another actor asking for something”

PLUS, Stay until Q&A & get 2 exclusive bonuses:

🎁 BONUS #1: The Guessing Game
How to start memorable conversations that make industry pros actually WANT to stay connected with you (not just swap contact info and then forget you)

🎁 BONUS #2: The Research Walkthrough
My 5-minute system for finding casting directors, producers, and directors actively working in YOUR specific market

I want In!

2026 Shortlist Strategy Workshop (1920 x 648 px)@2x

Instead of competing with thousands of actors in the submission stack, imagine being the name they think of first when roles open up.

THIS IS WHAT YOU’LL LEARN INSIDE

THE SHORTLIST STRATEGY

Because if your main focus is getting more auditions, you’re thinking too small.

Instead, what if casting directors, producers, and directors already knew you, and thought of YOU when roles came up, before the breakdown even went public?

You’ll Leave this FREE 55-Minute Workshop With:

✅ A Hidden Goldmine You Already Have

Walk away with a list of 20-50+ warm industry contacts you can reach out to RIGHT AWAY

✅ The 5 “C” Formula That Gets Responses To Cold Outreach

The exact framework for writing cold outreaches that casting directors, producers, and directors won’t leave on “read” (because they actually WANT to respond)

✅ How To Become Someone Decision-Makers Want In Their Network

The 8 ways to add value, so you’re never reaching out empty-handed or feeling like “just another actor asking for something”

PLUS, Stay until Q&A & get 2 exclusive bonuses:

🎁 BONUS #1: The Guessing Game
How to start memorable conversations that make industry pros actually WANT to stay connected with you (not just swap contact info and then forget you)

🎁 BONUS #2: The Research Walkthrough
My 5-minute system for finding casting directors, producers, and directors actively working in YOUR specific market

Yes! I want the 3 strategies

WHY 2026 IS THE YEAR TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
(NOT JUST CHASE AUDITIONS)

Let’s be real about what’s happening right now:

❌ Fewer productions: Studios are making 40% fewer projects than three years ago
❌ More competition: TV roles often get 3,000+ submissions, with fewer than 50 audition invites
❌ Self-tape fatigue: You perfect your tape, submit it into the void, and… crickets

But here’s what most actors don’t realize…

While overall audition volume is down, some actors are booking MORE than ever! Not because they’re more talented, but because they fundamentally changed their approach.

They stopped waiting for their agent to call.
They stopped treating every audition like a lottery ticket.
They stopped competing in submission piles of thousands.

Instead, they built relationships with the people making casting decisions.

And when roles opened up, casting directors, producers, and directors thought of them first, often before the breakdowns even went out.

That’s not luck. That’s The Shortlist Strategy. And it’s exactly what I’m teaching in this workshop.

Meet Jona

I’m Jona Xiao and I got offered the lead in 4 films plus multiple TV projects with the help of my direct connections, including a network TV series as a top-of-show Guest Star. And my reps will be the first to tell you that my personal connections help me book jobs.

Here’s the truth: I wouldn’t even call myself a great ‘networker.’

For years, I thought networking was sleazy, so I avoided it completely. Instead, I spent SO MUCH MONEY on pay-to-play workshops. They rarely paid off and left me feeling like an outsider watching others book the roles that I wasn’t even getting auditions for.

I know exactly how exhausting it feels to work so hard as an actor, only to be disappointed by the lack of auditions you get.

And when the auditions DO come, it often seems like they already know who they want for the role.

It SUCKS… until YOU are the person that they want before they even watch the other auditions.

And that’s because you’ve built the industry relationships beforehand.

My students and I have seen huge breakthroughs happen when we switched from being an audition-chaser (constantly looking for the next audition) into a relationship-builder (strategically connecting with decision-makers who think of us when roles come up).

This has led to so many more auditions & consistent work.

As actors, we have more control than we think.

The problem isn’t that you’re not talented enough or don’t have the right look. The problem is you’re invisible.

When casting directors, producers, and directors don’t know you exist, you’re just another face in a sea of thousands of submissions.

But when they DO know you (when you’ve had real conversations, added value to their lives, and stayed genuinely connected) you become top-of-mind.

And that changes everything.

You won’t believe what opportunities you’ll have when you get known by the right people.

This is something
any actor can do
regardless of:

This is something any actor can do regardless of:

Your resume (even if you only have student film credits)
Your reps (or lack thereof)
Who you’re related to

I love feeling like my career is really in my OWN hands because of the tools and strategies I’m empowered with.

And I’m excited to share these tools with you inside The Shortlist Strategy: 3 Ways To Make Decision-Makers Think of YOU First.

SAVE ME A SEAT BEFORE THEY FILL UP

SAVE ME A SEAT

Here’s what actors are saying:

“After MANY years of trying to break into TV, I booked FOX’s 9-1-1 and I JUST booked a TOP OF SHOW network guest star on a HUGE show. I did this through Career ACTivate’s genuine & simple relationship-building strategies. Do yourself a favor and take this first step – check out their free class!”

~ Amy Kersten

9-1-1 & GREY’S ANATOMY

“My first coffee meeting offered to introduce me to their top contact without me asking; after taking Jona’s advice from the webinar, I was able to set up a coffee meeting with the filmmaker from the festival I was trying to speak with!”

~ Destiny Faith Nelson

20+ Credits

“Caught up with a busy screenwriter-director on Messenger I’ve worked with, who let me know they are developing a feature he’d like me to have the lead in.”

~ Matthew Rhodes

50+ credits

“Got a CD to refer me to a manager!”

~ Melo Bourne

Actor & Writer

I WANT THE 3 STRATEGIES

I WANT IN

What To Expect:

📅 Duration: 55 minutes of teaching + live Q&A
🎯 Format: Live workshop with screen sharing, examples, interactive exercises, and workbook
💰 Investment: FREE (normally this content is part of my premium The Relationship Roadmap course)
🎁 Bonuses: 2 exclusive bonuses for attendees who stay through Q&A

This is your chance to get answers to those questions that have been bugging you:

“How do I reach out without seeming desperate?”
“What if I don’t have any connections?”
“How do I stay in touch without being annoying?”
“How do I book work in my market?”

I’ll answer all of these and more during our live Q&A.

The Industry has been sleeping on you long enough. Let’s change that.

In 2026, the actors who thrive won’t be the ones chasing harder.

They’ll be the ones building smarter.

They’ll be the ones casting directors, producers, and directors think of first.

They’ll be the ones getting direct offers while everyone else is still competing in the submission pile.

This could be you. Starting when you attend this workshop.

YES! TEACH ME THE SHORTLIST STRATEGY

SHOW ME HOW