Episode 387: Why Talented Actors Stay Invisible

There are so many incredibly talented actors out there. And so many of them do not get seen.

Meanwhile there are actors with less training booking roles more regularly. And if you are one of those highly trained actors, that is so freaking frustrating. It brings up all the not so helpful questions. Am I not good enough? Why am I not getting these opportunities? Insert your favorite self-doubt here.

But here's the truth. Talent alone does not guarantee visibility. I know this as a casting director. I also know this as an actor.

Talent Is Only One Piece of the Puzzle

Acting is an art. Just like painting, just like dancing, just like writing. But the industry that hires actors is a business. And casting directors, I can certainly say this for myself, are not only looking for great performances. We're also asking very practical questions.

Does this actor fit this role? Do they understand the tone, the energy of the project? Do I feel they are professional and prepared? And then my personal favorite: does this actor know they are a good actor?

What tends to happen is actors focus entirely on craft while overlooking the business side. And if you want to make a living as an actor you need to understand that both parts matter. Actually I'd say there's a third part. One of my favorite casting directors of all time, David Katy, talks about this. It's a three part job. The art, the business, and the work on yourself.

Clarity Around Your Positioning

One of the reasons talented actors stay invisible is that casting directors don't know where to place them. Or they try to present themselves as everything, and that just doesn't work.

Confusion makes me delete. It really does. It makes me discard and move on.

Go for the low hanging fruit. If you've ever seen pictures of me I am very blonde, blue-eyed, very east coast. I look like I went to preparatory school in Connecticut. And you know why? Because that's exactly what I am. I am the boss. I am the lawyer. That's my low hanging fruit.

I'll tell you an embarrassing story. When I was 16 I went to a summer course at the American Academy of Dramatic Art in New York and I wanted to do Runaways. A show about kids on the street, in foster care, drug addicted. I would love to go back to my 16 year old self and say honey, that ain't you. Any John Hughes monologue would have been so much more appropriate. But hey, I was 16. And I met a really cute boy there so that was awesome.

The point is, be where you're at. Go for what you really are. Casting works insanely quickly and we need to understand in seconds where you fit.

Visibility Requires Consistent Action

Another reason talented actors remain invisible is that they are not consistently putting themselves out into the industry ecosystem. Most careers grow through steady participation in the professional community. Steady participation.

A lot of actors wait for the industry to discover them. They wait for the phone to ring. That is just not how it works anymore. What I call putting your business on a schedule means knowing exactly what to do and when to do it throughout the year. Auditions, networking, social media, industry relationships, creating your own work, staying engaged with casting directors and collaborators.

Gabrielle Bernstein says the energy you put out is the energy you attract. That steady participation energy is so important.

Confidence and Presence

This is the secret sauce. This is the thing I cannot state strongly enough.

I was talking to my teacher Ken Ray from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, who has taught Michelle Dockery, Damien Lewis, Joseph Fiennes, Orlando Bloom, Hayley Atwell, Lily James, Ewan McGregor. I asked him what is the thing they all have. And he talked about presence. That energy. That is what I am always looking to cultivate with my clients.

Two actors can have equal talent. The one who walks in with grounded confidence is the one who makes the stronger impression and books the job. It's the actor who is good at their job and knows they're good at their job.

Confidence doesn't mean arrogance. It means believing you belong in the room. Confidence isn't something that casting gives you. It's something you decide before you go in the door, before you push record on that self tape.

The only person I ever have to convince is me. And that just happens to be the hardest person on the planet. But that's the only person I have to convince.

The Bottom Line

Talent matters. But visibility in this industry comes from a combination of things. Craft, clarity, consistency, and confidence. It's a three part job. The art, the business, and the work on yourself.

Talent can open the possibility of an incredible acting career. But clarity and consistency and confidence is what allows the industry to really see you.

Want to Keep the Conversation Going?

For a limited time I am opening up my calendar for free 15 minute Zoom consults. Email me at peter@actingbusinessbootcamp.com for a time slot.

And as I always say, stay safe and treat yourself real well.