I’ve started to notice something recently.
Every time I see friends and ask how they’re doing, they always say with an exasperated sigh, “Argh! I’m sooooo busy.” Or, “You know, I’m just going and going and going, never time to rest!” Or, “Ugh. I’m exhausted. So much to do.” It’s often said with an equal mix of angst and a little pride, so happy to be able to report that things are happening but being overwhelmed by what it’s taking to get there.I’ve been a guilty of this too. I mean, it’s harmless, right? The short answer is no, as evidenced by a situation one of my students went through recently.This actor was part of several developmental readings of a film, creating great relationships with the producing team in the process. Each time the actor spoke to them, he excitedly talked about all the projects he’s been a part of and how busy he’d been, hoping they would see how in demand he was and that he was a viable, working actor. He finally saw a breakdown come out for the project and noticed that the role he had read was pre-cast—with someone else. Hurt and embarrassed, he reached out to the filmmaker to find out

Q: What’s the best way to bring your own take to a character that’s already written? Should you stick to the script or try to make it your own? —Mike W.
I firmly believe that what makes an actor stand out is not her talent, training, experiences, or connections. Instead, we get hired because of our unique interpretation of the text, a skill that comes from our years on the planet coupled with our life experiences. The more empathic and curious an actor can be, the more interested she is in learning about others, which will make it easier for her to bring her own take to a character.
When it comes to how to do this, it depends on how the material is being used. There’s some wiggle room when using established text in an audition, because the actor’s job is to take a scene and create an arc as though it’s a stand-alone piece. There are liberties an actor can take with her imagination, answering questions like:
Who is the character talking to? What’s happening in the scene? How does it mirror something that has happened in my life that I can relate to? What problem is the character facing and how can she overcome it? By choosing this piece, what do I want to say about who I am as an

Today I want to address a big issue in our industry that few people are talking about, an issue which has the majority of actors spinning their wheels and wasting precious time and resources. Some call it being an innovative game changer. I see it as a game-ender, one that’s killing your precious career aspirations.
What is it? Resorting to gimmicks.
Let’s start with an example: Many years ago, an actor I knew was feeling frustrated that her mailed submissions weren’t getting results. She had a great resume and cover letter but wasn’t getting any bites. She’s always been innovative in pursuit of what she wanted, so for her next mailing, she did something unprecedented. Instead of the traditional white border, she printed her headshots with an aqua border. Guaranteed to get the industry’s attention, right?
Sort of. Unfortunately, this gimmick got her noticed for all the wrong reasons. Casting directors thought, “What is so wrong with what she’s offering that she has to resort to tricks to get noticed?”
Some may think looking at the industry standard and turning it on its head is a great way to prove that we can think outside the box. “Look at me! I’m exciting!

I follow a number of marketing blogs and one of the most fascinating topics I’ve seen is how word-of-mouth referrals work in marketing.
Common sense tells us that the best referral is one that comes from the heart, when you’re so certain about that referral’s value that you would stake your reputation on it. Common sense also deems that the higher the price for the good or service, the more important the referral becomes.
Ponder this for a second: audition appointments are technically referrals. Casting directors make a word-of-mouth referral of actors to producers, and then ask the latter to choose. And these are high stakes referrals, as the casting director’s future jobs might depend on them.
So imagine how risky it is for a casting director to give an audition appointment to an actor they’ve never met. In order to preserve their reputation as a dependable casting director, they have to make darned sure that every actor they bring in passes muster.
Which is why it’s so vitally important for actors to develop meaningful, trust-filled relationships with industry folks on an ongoing basis.
Once, while assisting casting on a major production, I met a dashing leading man at a