Veteran Actor Publishes His 2019 Audition Stats It’s time to check in on 2019’s audition statistics. You may be asking yourself: Did I have a good callback ratio? What about my booking ratio?If you’re not keeping track, you may never know. We recommend tracking your auditions, callbacks, avails, bookings, etc. because “what gets measured gets improved.”Actor Edward Hong (60+ TV/Film credits) openly shared all his stats (auditions, callbacks, bookings, etc.) and some great takeaways from his 2019 year in our Career ACTivate Elite Coaching & Mastermind Program FB group and he’s been generous enough to allow us to share it here on this blog. The first section highlights his stats. In the second part, he doles out his major takeaways as well as highlights/lowlights for 2019. Edward’s 2019 Audition Report THEATRICAL (multiple reps, theatrical, management, voice-over, and stage) — My Reps sending me out —Auditions received through DDO (started on […] Read More
How to Break-Up… Gracefully We all know that feeling. It’s the feeling that it’s probably time to break-up with your agent or manager. The circumstances and reasons can vary. They haven’t returned your emails or calls. The number of casting appointments has dropped. There’s been a change at their office and the new team just isn’t clicking for you. It’s become clear your current team cannot generate the level of opportunities you are now seeking or get you in the rooms you would most excel in. You’ve thought about it, meditated on it, talked to trusted friends and advisors and even prayed. It’s clear. It’s time to part ways. The question is how? Here are a few simple tips to help make the breaking-up process professional and as painless as possible. STEP 1: Write a list of all the reasons why it’s time to part ways Once the list […] Read More
How to Handle a Booking Slump Part 2: Re-inspiring Your Reps Every actor goes through a period in their career where, no matter what you do, no matter how right the role, the booking seems to go the other way. It happens to all of us! Once that audition’s done, it’s completely out of our hands as actors. So, rather than stress about it, focus on what you can control because It’s how we handle the things we can control that determine the longevity and success of our careers. It can be hard to keep going in the midst of a booking slump- you relive the glory days of bookings past, you question what needs to change about your career, and wonder what your reps think of you now. Are you at risk of getting dropped from their roster?Another example of something you can’t totally control. But you can re-inspire […] Read More
Getting Over a Booking Slump It’s Been a While Since You’ve Booked…Now What? This industry we love so much is an inevitable mix of high highs and low lows. All it takes is one booking to change your whole week, month, maybe even year. But what do you do if you haven’t booked in a while, have lost some traction in your career, and can’t seem to get yourself out of that booking rut?Here are a few things to keep yourself going when that elusive next booking seems perpetually just out of reach. Mindset Every successful person has had to ride both ends of the wave – success and glory, gained from accomplishing whatever task they set out to accomplish, followed by withdrawal or failure as they seek to follow that achievement with another. The truth is that booking slumps happen to every actor. The successful ones understand that slumps […] Read More
When is the right time to join SAG-AFTRA? This is a golden question for all actors! Before I moved to LA I was given all sorts of mixed opinions on when I should join the union. The nuanced titles were also a bit confusing from being Non-Union vs SAG-Eligible vs SAG-AFTRA member. This blog will explore each category and explain the pros and cons so you can feel confident about your union status. Non-Union In other words you have no affiliation or association with SAG-AFTRA. You can seamlessly be hired for any projects that are not associated with SAG-AFTRA and technically union projects as well but not as easily. The PROS PRO: There are a lot more non-union opportunities, projects casting at any given time. PRO: Most commercial reps are very pro working with non-union actors as there are a ton of opportunities and they receive a large commission check […] Read More
How is your pre-audition mindset? You get an email from your agent with a “big” audition. What is the first thing you feel? BE HONEST! Recently I got an audition for a recurring role on my favorite show! Truthfully, the first thing I felt was fear and a massive lurch in my stomach. I’ve blogged about How to Avoid Waiting Room Mind Games, but what about your mindset before you even get to the waiting room? How do you feel? What thoughts run through your head. As Thomas Jefferson said, “Nothing can stop a man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” Here are three tools to help you increase your confidence and improve your audition mindset! Back to that massive stomach lurch… As I wrote in How to Avoid Waiting Room Mind Games, that rush […] Read More