Marilyn Busch doesn’t like limiting her options, which is why Backstage has remained her best tool for finding projects in any medium.
Play the long game.
“The audition you are submitting for today is most likely not the project you will be cast in. Down the line, these directors and casting directors will remember you and tap you for their next project if you make an impression today.”
Keep working through the setbacks.
“Due to the pandemic, I was in lockdown in Rhode Island, and I auditioned for projects across the country via self-tape submissions and Zoom.”
Strike gold with Backstage.
“[Backstage is] a lot like people sifting for gold. Once you’ve found it once…you can’t stop searching for another ‘perfect’ project. I have three different active searches: one for TV and film projects, one for voiceover jobs, and one that is just for theater. [It’s] easy peasy, and so useful for narrowing down projects that I might be interested in submitting to.”
Get a second opinion on your reel.
“I used to cut my own demo reel, as I have years of video editing and marketing experience. I discovered, however, that I was not the most objective judge of my own work and started outsourcing my demo reel creation and edits to a fantastic filmmaker and actor named Ian Lyons.”
Your reel is a commercial for the product that is you.
“Always think about it as a commercial for you! Seeing your presence and hearing your voice on camera should be the first thing that casting sees when they press play. I always try to think about it in terms of how the Academy Awards puts together those clip packages when honoring someone for their lifetime achievement in film. Each clip is them saying something memorable, looking iconic, and being emotive. That’s the gold standard for what a demo reel should do as well. It’s your calling card.”
To see your success story in print, tweet @Backstage using the hashtag #IGotCast.
This story originally appeared in the July 15 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe here.
And if you haven’t yet been cast, check out Backstage's audition listings!