How to Be a Working Actor in Hollywood

A great Hollywood headshot

Even if you're an experienced actor, Hollywood seems like a foreign country if you've just arrived here. These are some important tips for the actor trying to make it in Tinseltown.

Things You'll Need

• Good headshot
• Resume with decent stage credits (New York or Chicago)
• Reel of work on film and TV if you have it
• Wardrobe of three or four smashing outfits

Instructions

1. Do local theater. Find a good theater company (they're called waiver productions here, showcase in New York) and audition as often as possible. Your goal is to get into a good play. If you don't love the script, refuse the role. But keep auditioning until you find something worth promoting.

2. 

   Get a great postcard designed and made and send it to every casting director and agent in town.

3. Get online. Put your information on the Web at Now Casting and any other online service you can afford. If you can do it, set up a Website and keep it current with news and photos.

4. Research and attend every worthwhile casting director workshop. A couple of good ones are One on One and Seenworks, but there are several others. When you meet a casting director, make note of his or her contact info and stay in touch every couple of months with postcards.

5. Go to agent workshops and use every other connection you can think of to get meetings with agents like family friends, friends of friends and directors.

Tips & Warnings

• When you start getting auditions, keep close track of all the people you meet so you can stay in touch via postcards. Remember yesterday's receptionist is today's assistant is tomorrow's boss. So be nice to everybody you meet, always. When you book a job through a casting director, it's a good opportunity to get an agent -- or change to a better one. Have the agent negotiate the contract for you.

• Don't fall prey to depression if you can help it. Hollywood can be both inspiring and deadly. Remember that your most important asset is your sense of self. Success is never as important as your own good health, physical and mental.

Resources

• What Every Hollywood Actor Needs to Know.