Tag: Acting advice

by Chris Agos All actors need reels. The question is how to build an acting reel that works. In Part 1, we talked about the reasons for having an acting reel (showreel), covered the hierarchy of reel footage sources, and highlighted the importance of building an actor’s credibility through a reel. By the way, notice I’m not calling them “actor demos” or “demo reels”. Demos are for voice over. Anyway….

by Chris Agos If you’re an actor and you don’t have an acting reel showcasing your work, you’re doing it VERY wrong. I don’t care how much or little experience you have if you’re pursuing an acting career, a reel (or showreel for non-US readers) can be the first step in getting work you’ll be able to book again and again. Why?  The number one question casting directors have about actors…

by Mandy Walsh Being an understudy is a crazy ride, but I think it’s important for every actor to do it at least once during their career. Being an understudy is a unique opportunity to learn about your own personal process since so much of the work must be done on your own. Plus you have the different perspective of creating a performance from the outside in. You get the…

Check out ASC’s 2023 Online Acting and Voice Over Classes! If you have visible tattoos and you book a commercial or TV show, know that an actor’s tattoos will either need to be covered OR you must provide a release from your tattoo artist(s) before you can appear on camera. Even if the images on your body have not been copyrighted by the artist, production companies and their clients are…

Deciding when to join the actor’s unions is an important step for every performing artist. Whether it’s going Equity or joining SAG-AFTRA, the question of if and when you should start paying dues is an important step in the process of becoming a professional actor. It can be a little confusing as to whether or not it’s a good idea at this point in your career. Luckily, one of our…

I’m a dreamer. I believe that a dream without a plan is just a wish. Two years ago, I decided that after years of begging my parents to let me pursue acting, I was going to take control of my career and follow my dreams. My parents didn’t support my aspirations because they thought it’s a waste of time, I knew if I wanted to do this I would need to be…

By Sylvie Sadarnac Last December, in this very blog, Elohim Peña described how a dozen or so of us decided to form a post-Acting Studio Chicago actors’ group. We had all studied under Janelle Snow and wanted to continue setting goals, broadening our training, and generally supporting one another. It’s titled “3 Benefits Of Being Involved In An Actor’s Group“. Eighteen months after we started Beyond Janelle, our group is…

More and more frequently, you’ll find yourself opening your email to see a message from your agent with the subject: Self-Tape Request. You could certainly tape the audition yourself (see the previous blog post “3 Tips for Self-Taping At Home”), but as the need for self-taping grows, you might find it’s easier to create your self-taping with a professional. When you hire someone to record your audition, there are a…

by Kate McCoy As the demands of casting offices and production companies evolve, the requests for self-taping has increased. You might opt to have your audition professionally recorded, in which case a lot of the work is done for you. If, however, you choose to tape the audition yourself – either your schedule doesn’t allow you the time to go into a studio or you simply want to save money…

The following is an excerpt from Acting In Chicago: Making A Living Doing Commercials, Voice Overs, TV and Film And More by Chris Agos, and has been reprinted by permission.   If you don’t know what an ear prompter is, you’re going to thank me for introducing it to you. Ear prompters let you deliver your lines word for word, without memorizing them or holding a script in your hand. It’s sometimes…