Backstage Experts

7 Rules To Live By When Making Your Demo Reel

When I started teaching actors about the business and how they can empower themselves, it was common to see demo reels that ran between 5-10 minutes long! Now it's more common to see 30/60/90 second reels.

How to Get an Agent

Without an agent, you have no career and no hope of one. "How do I get an agent or a manager or both?" many of you ask.

How To Get an Agent To Respond To You

To get an agent to respond to your marketing materials or to build your network of casting directors here are some tips.

6 Steps to Having More Confidence at Auditions

Every astute teacher, actor, or director will tell you that great acting “is not about the words.” Yet, before auditions, many actors sit in the lobby anxiously going over their sides.

16 Reasons You’re Stuck Doing Background Work

Casting director Paul Russell challenges actors to follow their goals and not get stuck in a rut doing background work.

3 Acting Lessons From Lena Dunham

Dunham's sudden burst of popularity and even her mere presence as a (relatively new) player in our industry is not only a breath of fresh air, but a treasure trove of lessons for you as an actor. Here are just three that pop to mind that can help you ...

4 Questions To Ask An Agent or Manager

Before the meeting, think about some questions to get the conversation going. In my previous article on assembling your team, I suggested some contractual questions. Here are some more conversation starters to consider.

How To Read a Script As an Actor

I have spent my life reading scripts. Some of them have been good. Most weren’t. But it didn’t matter because I wanted to be in all of them - even the one with the bionic dog. For years, I have taken acting classes and read advice on how to ...

4 Acting Scams and How To Spot Them

When your guard is low and your hopes are high, it’s easy to spend money on things you don’t need or be convinced to do something that goes against your moral compass. Here are some of the common and not so common things actors may be "conned" into ...

The Color You Should Wear for On-Camera Auditions

When you audition on camera the first thing that anyone sees is the color you're wearing. Wear something depressing, annoying, or threatening, and no matter how brilliant your performance, they are going to be affected by the color first and the performance second.