Actors! How to Get Ready for the Fall TV Episodic Season

Want to be a booking machine this fall? We are rooting for you! Here are some of our tips to be READY to BOOK episodic work in the coming months.

UPDATE YOUR HEADSHOT AND RESUME

Your headshot and resume are your most important marketing materials. They need to be top notch ALWAYS! Update your resume after EVERY job and with every solid new skill obtained. If your picture hasn’t gotten you great results in the last year, now might be the time to get a new one. It should look like you on a good day, but also tell a bit of a story about what type of character you could play. Every actor should have a few different shots that showcases them as the perfect actor for each type of role they KNOW they can play right now. Headshots are SO IMPORTANT and are a worthy investment for actors! Check out some photographers we have worked with HERE.

GET IN CLASS

Say you go to the gym for 4 years to build incredible muscles. If you skip the gym for the following two years, you can’t possibly expect to be in the same physical shape. Same goes for your acting skillset. You need to be regularly using your creative muscles to stay sharp and emotionally agile for the roles you can play. Need to fine some fun classes? We offer over 130 options every month! CLICK HERE to view our list.

KNOW THE SHOWS

What market is closest to you? What shows film there? Who is casting each show? What shows are you a good fit for? Have you watched at least ONE EPISODE of each show filming in your home market? You need to answer ALL of these questions. When it comes to episodics, each show has it’s own flavor and style. In order to be successful auditioning for those shows, you need an understanding of the pace, story arc, and overall feel of the show as a whole. Don’t make guesses– good actors do their research! There’s enough left to chance in our industry– don’t chance your choices being off-brand for any production.

LEVEL-UP YOUR SELF-TAPE GAME

Poor self-tapes will keep you in an eternal booking dry spell. If you want to be competitive and stand out you MUST master this specific skill set. Your tapes MUST be well lit. No distracting shadows. You MUST be heard easily. If your device doesn’t have a good mic, consider investing in a lavalier mic that you can wear. You also need to come right out of the gate with some great specific choices. The best way to ensure you are doing that is to use a COACH! Find a go-to coach to help you with last minute self-tapes so you can be sure that you are putting your absolute best audition forward EVERY SINGLE TIME. Want someone to look at your recent self-tapes and help you determine what you can do better? Contact colleen@actorsconnection.com to learn more about our programs geared towards exactly that!

We hope this info helps you prepare for big successes for the upcoming season. We can’t wait for you to book a great job this fall! Tell Mom and Dad to get their DVRs ready!

Colleen Finnegan Kahl is an accomplished Theatre Arts Educator, author of this article, and President of Actors Connection. Colleen is an expert helping aspiring actors prepare for auditions, producing professional headshots, and acting training for theater and television.