3 Things Considered “Normal” in Other Careers that are Taboo in Acting

Being a working actor is one of the most fulfilling jobs I have ever had. It feeds my soul creatively, it is never boring and the experiences that I have on set are all so unique that I savor every second! If I am being honest, there were a few things when I started out that were so confusing…  The audition process was so counter to everything I was ever taught about getting a job… Let me spell some of these out for you so you can move beyond the confusion and straight to the wonderfully odd process of securing acting work!

Here we go. 3 things I was taught about getting a job that didn’t fly in the acting world.

1. If you don’t get the job, you can expect a rejection letter.

Oh boy…. Yeah, that’s not happening in this business. Production moves so fast and is ever changing. There simply is not time to tell every actor who auditions that they did not get the part. Sometimes your agent gets the inside scoop based on their relationship with the casting director or another one of their clients booked it. In that case you may get an email from your agent just releasing you from any hold you put on the shoot dates. Casting does not reach out to actors directly. In this case “no news is NOT good news”. No news=no booking.

2. You should always follow up!

Again, nope. This business moves too fast. An email or handwritten letter thanking the casting director for viewing your tape is not necessary. They have so many emails from agents and production that bogging down their inbox with a thirsty plea for attention after the fact is just another piece of junk mail. Let your work speak for itself. If you were solid, they will call you in again when you fit the next project. Put your calligraphy pens away. 

3. A strong work resume is universal.

Yikes. NO. Acting resumes look nothing like what I like to call “regular job” resumes. There is no space for awards and accolades, no references, nothing that lets you explain who you are in paragraph form. Heck, we don’t even have complete sentences on an acting resume! Casting can pick out a seasoned actor from a newb based on their resume format immediately. If you don’t know how to format your acting resume, get into a great class where they can teach you all of this and more *Cough* ACTORS ARSENAL *Cough Cough*

I get it, we want to know if we don’t book, we want to follow up to stay fresh in the mind of the CD, we want to use that resume template we filled out in junior college, gosh darnit! The sooner we get over the “normal” protocols and embrace the way this business works, the better off we will be! Keep training, keep grinding and be ready for the work. There truly is no business like show business.