Need a little inspiration? Our Backstage Experts are full of amazing advice to help move your career forward, and we wouldn’t want you to miss one drop of it. Here are five tips to keep in mind during the week ahead!
Invest your energy in what really matters.
“You do not have to spend your time and money staying in touch with and saying hello to every CD in town every month. That’s just not really going to help you in the ways you’re hoping it will. That is a lot of time and money. I would bet if you added up all of that time and money you’ve spent over the years sending out these useless postcards, you could be in Season 3 of your very own popular YouTube Web series by now.” —Jeremy Gordon
Remember it’s hard for everyone.
“Know that the only justice that comes with the business of acting is that it’s so hard for everyone. Here today, gone today (as Chris Rock once said). While your friend [who’s succeeding] may be doing phenomenally and that’s wonderful, the pressure is on her even more, and she still feels that she’s just an inch away from the edge of the cliff into obscurity.” —Joseph Pearlman
Don’t pick a silly Twitter handle.
‘Today’s clever name like @Dougybaby or @Dougyfresh is tomorrow’s regret. Think of your name two years from now. If your name is taken, think of creative ways to keep it professional using hyphens and acronym like @Dtaurel or Douglas_Taurel.” —Douglas Taurel
Stop hesitating.
“We do this a lot. We wait until we have more credits to re-approach that agent who met us at a party. We don’t feel we’ve done anything major in a year and a half, so to reach out to someone would be embarrassing, we think. So we don’t. You qualify yourself. ‘Let me get a job first or change managers or book a film before I reconnect.’ The problem with that is we keep coming up with different reasons to hesitate—sometimes for years. So your career moves laterally rather than vertically. Everyone knows the business is very competitive. You have nothing to be ashamed of, ever, no matter where you are in your career. Up, down, on pause, not booking, getting older, haven’t had a hit, agent-less, brand new, or otherwise—be proud of the work you’ve done just to get to wherever you are. That means something.” —Anthony Meindl
Be polite on set.
“We’re all familiar with ‘hurry up and wait.’ It’s part of the job. If you start bashing something about the production to a fellow actor or complaining to a crew member, chances are that’s going to make its way back to the powers that be and you’ll likely never work with that team again. Don’t question or become combative with the director, a makeup artist, or anyone else working on the production—including your fellow actors. This is the surest way to get fired from a job or never be asked back.” —Retta Putignano
Like this advice? Check out more from our Backstage Experts!
