Acting Career Blog Posts

An actor choosing a monologue.
Jan 23, 2023

How to Choose an Audition Monologue, According to Casting Director Erica Arvold

Selecting an audition monologue to represent who you are as an actor can be stressful. Having the freedom to choose any piece when there is so much material can feel like a daunting task. In this Arvold ASK video, casting… Read More

An actress promoting herself.
May 15, 2024

How to Market Yourself as an Actor and Become a Self-Promotion Wizard

If there’s one thing we’ve learned from helping actors build their careers, it’s that auditioning on its own is never enough. Making it as an actor is a long and arduous process, and one of the most important parts is… Read More

A Fi-Core actor filming a commercial.
Jul 15, 2019

Understanding Fi-Core

“Fi-Core,” short for “Financial Core,” is one of the most controversial issues facing on-camera performers today. Many actors, agents, managers, casting directors and other industry professionals do not fully understand what it is, and are therefore making uninformed, unwise, and… Read More

An actor recording his self tape with our items from our list.
Jun 14, 2019

The Five Items You Need In Your Self Tape Studio

The biggest draw of online casting is the ability to put your best foot forward. Take a break from crowded casting calls and hurried auditions to let the perfectionist in you take control. Film as many takes as needed until… Read More

An actor heading into an audition, armed with Judy Kain's audition tips.
Jun 12, 2024

Judy Kain’s Commercial Audition Tips

For commercial acting coach Judy Kain, the key to successful auditions is personality. “Your authenticity comes from your training as an actor,” Judy says. “But, your personality is what lands you acting jobs. Often, you’re going to be auditioning with… Read More

A poet reading her work at a poetry slam event.
Jun 5, 2023

How to Boost Your Acting Performances By Reaping the Benefits of Poetry Slams and Spoken Word Events

Are you still looking for more opportunities to perform before audiences? If so, you might consider participating in open mic events held in countless coffee shops, bars, restaurants, classrooms, libraries or even stadiums across the country. Whether you’re performing poetry… Read More

Matt Damon, who gives advice on what it takes to succeed as an actor.
Dec 31, 2018

Matt Damon on What It Takes to Succeed as an Actor

Hollywood is full of super-charged, hardworking stars who often engross themselves in several projects simultaneously, and one of these actors is Matt Damon. The Massachusetts native is known for his never-say-die work ethic whether he’s starring in movies, producing films… Read More

Actors who got theater agents when they had commercial ones.
Dec 1, 2018

Ways to Get a Theatrical Agent When You Only Have a Commercial Agent (and vice versa)

While it’s not mandatory, having a talent agent can sure make working as an actor easier. Commercial agents, for example, can schedule profitable commercial auditions for their actors as well as negotiate contracts once a job is booked. And a… Read More

Camera crew performing various do's and don'ts of set etiquette.
Sep 18, 2024

A Complete Guide to On-set Do’s and Don’ts

Legendary screen actress Gene Tierney once said, “Eccentric behavior is not routinely noticed around a movie set.” As much as we like to believe that a TV and film set has just as much drama as the story being told,… Read More

An actress who booked without a callback.
Sep 15, 2023

Booking Without a Callback

While it’s the exception to the rule, sometimes actors book jobs without returning for a callback audition. In the video below, House of Cards casting director Erica Arvold and Lincoln actor and acting coach Richard Warner discuss some of the… Read More

Acting students displaying the amateur and professional qualities Steven Pressfield talks about.
Sep 8, 2023

Steven Pressfield: Amateur vs Professional

Steven Pressfield’s book Turning Pro directs those of us who are stuck in amateur habits to consciously adopt a professional work ethic. Turning pro, he argues, is imperative to overcome “Resistance with a capital ‘R.’” Resistance is the term he… Read More

Video production team providing you with three tips for this episodic season.
Jul 17, 2017

Three Tips to Succeed This Episodic Season

Episodic season is the time of year when the episodes of many TV shows are being cast. With TV pilots now sold and the leading actors hired, the casting of recurring roles, guest stars and co-stars begins.  This is when… Read More

Audition Tips From Casting Director Lucy Bevan
Aug 29, 2023

Casting Director Lucy Bevan’s Audition Room Tips

Acclaimed casting director Lucy Bevan boasts a long and impressive resume which includes casting for Beauty and the Beast, Cruella, The Batman and most recently the blockbuster juggernaut Barbie. Based in London, she selects talent for British independent films, theater… Read More

An actress on the shoot, which she booked based on her callback.
Aug 16, 2023

The Callback vs. The Shoot

I have been teaching commercial acting for over 20 years and auditioning for over 40 and have never figured out a way to teach actors how to work on set. I have found numerous techniques to hone their skills in… Read More

Mockups for an actor's website.
Jun 16, 2023

Tips for Actor Websites

Do actors really need a website? According to casting director and social media consultant Amy Jo Berman, the answer is no; actors do not need their own websites to achieve their career goals. However, she firmly believes actors should have… Read More