There is an age-old saying, nothing good ever comes easy. Thus, achieving your dream of becoming a working actor is going to take some work. It isn’t enough to work on your craft, attend acting classes, get an agent, and audition, you need to be actively promoting yourself as well. How do you go about promoting yourself as an actor? What are the do’s and don’ts? What are some helpful tips? Let’s dive right in!
Create a Social Media Presence
This might be something obvious to most, however, you would be surprised how many actors we work with who do not have a professional social media presence. While most of us have a Facebook or an Instagram account, is it something you would want a casting director to assess as their first impression?
It’s a good idea to have a private and public profile for your social accounts. Your public profile should be something you keep your work connections on, your pictures include your headshots, highlights of your work, and industry accounts you follow.
While your private profiles are great for your friends from high school, your in-laws, and showing photos of your nieces and nephews. these are not the sort of items a casting director needs to see.
Scrub your Web Presence
Now that you have separated work and private life online it’s also important to make sure that you Google yourself regularly. You may have old social media profiles or reviews out there that those in the industry could find easily and could hinder your ability to get hired. Set up a Google alert for your name and stay on top of any mentions of your name that you do not want in public!
Don’t forget IMDB. If you don’t have and IMDB profile make sure to go through the steps to set one up. If one has been created for you make sure to review it regularly to add more recent work and correct any inconsistencies you may see.
Promote Your Work
Once you have your work platforms set up, promote your work! Add videos of scene work you have participated in, promote upcoming shows, and show some love to your fellow actors. Also be sure to join appropriate Facebook Groups that can connect you with others in the industry. Our top suggestions are:
- Texas paid Crew and Casting calls
- DFW Actros community
- Dallas & DFW Film and casting network
- Talent Managers for actors
- Acting auditions and casting calls
If you still do not have an agent, it’s also a good idea to follow the local agents to see who resonates with you and who you think might be a good fit once you do decide to seek representation.
Network, Network, Network
An internet presence is one thing, but old-fashioned networking still goes a long way in this industry. Joining an acting class and keeping up with your classmates can land you future jobs. You never know who you might meet or how that could lead to the next opportunity. Another good idea is to join local acting associations or clubs to meet up with like-minded professionals in your area.
There is a lot more to acting now than ever before, however, all of these tools are free opportunities to brand yourself! Take advantage of them and don’t be afraid to promote yourself and your work. You never know if you land your next gig because of your self-promotion!