Books on the Business and Craft of Acting

I have a lot of actors asking me about which books I read when researching the business, as well as the craft of acting. So, I thought I would give a brief run down of the books that I currently have on my bookshelf (or have come highly recommended), along with links to buy those books if you find them interesting. This list is, by no means, complete — and I reserve the right to add to it as the days, weeks and months go on. But I think it is a great place to start.

I also want to say that I am not a book reviewer and don’t intend to give “yays” or “nays” to anything that list. I’ll leave it up to you to decide if the books are useful to you or not. The books have either been listed because a) the book came recommended, or b) I found the book at a time when I was searching for that specific topic, and I found it helpful. So, hopefully these books will give you the same support and inspiration that I was searching for. I have listed them in no particular order.

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Can SAG Actors Do Non-Union Theater?

One of my students is an actor who recently moved to NYC from LA. She had a question about building up her theater resume in non-union theater as a SAG member – many actors have the common misconception that if you are a member of only one union, you can still do non-union work in other unions, as long as you are not a member of those unions.

This topic has created quite a bit of confusion, so I thought I would share our conversation.

As you know, I am already a member of SAG. Do you think it’s smart for me to join AEA if I haven’t had a lot of NY theatre experience yet? Once in AEA, one can’t do non-union theatre right? Is there such a thing as non-union theatre in NY?

Outstanding question (and one that LOTS of actors have asked.) Since you are SAG you aren’t supposed to do any kind of non-union work- no non-union theater and no non-union commercial/industrials. The Global One rule states that once you join one union, you no longer are allowed to work for a producer unless they are under a union contract. Most people assume that this rule only applies to the union that they joined, but it applies to all of the unions because they have a “sister union” solidarity agreement. Read more

The Excuse Cocoon

I have a friend in California who is a producer of a festival where new plays are given lively readings by a troupe of actors. Several times per year, she solicits submissions from local playwrights, and hand picks a group of actors to bring each play to life. It’s a short commitment – just 2 rehearsals for the one-night reading – and the actors and playwrights really enjoy the art being created and community being built.

But no matter how many plays are produced, or how happy the participants are to be involved, there is always one actor or another who drops out of the festival last minute. And they almost always use the same excuse, “I’m sorry, turns out I my job needs me that day. I know I committed to the project but I can’t really afford to miss this day of work.” And, as usual, the producer doesn’t argue with the actor and struggles to find a last minute replacement. I mean, seriously, how can you argue with an actor who is short on funds? We’ve all been there. Right?

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How To Leave Your Agent Early

Written by Erin Cronican

This question, posted by Cindy, is specific to those who sign contracts when they are minors, but I thought the advice would be useful for anyone who is thinking of dissolving their contract with the agent earlier than stipulated. There are lots of things to think about, and it all starts with looking at your contract very carefully.

Cindy writes:

Hi, Erin. I love your posts!  Thank you for the wonderful questions and especially your wise answers.  Here’s my question…is a contract legally binding if an actor under 18 signs it with me (his mother and his guardian) signing it as well?  My son signed a contract with one agency 3 weeks before his 18th birthday and a very prestigious agency has asked him to sign with them.   He turned 18 years old yesterday and he feels career wise he should sign with the better agency.  We think that since he was a minor when he signed the original contract, he will need to sign a new contract as an adult making the contract signed 3 weeks ago legally void. I hope I’m making sense.  We live in the State of California.  Thank you so much.

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Why Actors Need Websites – 6 Money Saving Tips

Imagine this: You are in your car (or walking to the subway) and you suddenly get a call from a casting director. They are interested in submitting you for an upcoming project, but need to forward your headshot & resume to the director within the next 30 minutes. You’re not at your computer, so you cannot email your materials to them. And you’re nowhere near their office, so you cannot just drop by with a physical copy of your headshot/resume. What can you do?

Or, imagine this: You are networking at an event (like the Tribeca Film Festival) and you have met so many people that you have handed out your last copy of your reel. You run into an agent who has seen you on stage, but comments that he would like to see your film work. He asks if you have a reel to give him. Sadly, you don’t, and it will be at least a week until you can get more duplicates made. What now?

If you are a business-minded actor, you would have a website and neither case would have been a problem! You could simply tell the casting director, “Drop by my website, where you can download a copy of my headshot and resume, both formatted for printing.” And for the agent, you would be able to say, “Here’s my website. Not only do I have my reel posted, but I also have clips from a few of the other projects I have done, including some singing and a few commercials.”

Having a website is one of the most important promotional tools an actor can have, second only to a good headshot. A website allows you to provide interested parties with a more full look at your body of work, your personality, and the way you run your business. And it allows them to do it in their own time, at their pace and leisure, which is vitally important in the larger, more competitive markets. The easier you can make it for a CD/agent to get to know you, the better chance you have of making an impact with them.

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Top 11 Reputable Casting Websites

One of the things that can get me incensed as a career coach is when casting websites pop up promising to give actors access to stardom. Some sites make it sounds like an actor’s big break is just around the corner, and all they need to do is pay a fee and they’re in! But most actors know that success comes with good training, strong relationship building, and the ability & wherewithal to seize an opportunity when it presents itself (also known as tenacity.) The trouble is, even the smartest actor has heard at least one rags-to-riches story, and the allure of a quick win sometimes overshadows common sense.

So, to combat the many unscrupulous characters baiting actors with empty promises, below you’ll find are 11 of my favorite reputable websites where casting notices can be found.

Actors Access
Backstage
Actors Equity Casting Call
Playbill
SAG Indie
Now Casting
Casting Networks/LACasting.com
Casting Networks/NYCasting.com
NYCastings.com
Mandy.com
Craigslist

Any of the others not listed here typically have the same notices that are on the above sites. If you are in LA or NY, I would caution you if paying to use any website other than these listed- it probably wouldn’t be worth the money. Of course, there are exceptions and I am sure a new website will come along and blow away the competition. But as of now, the above sites are the most reputable for those in the major markets.

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A Motivating Kick in the Pants

Just a few words of wisdom (stolen from a well known marketing campaign) … Just Do It. Put away the excuses. Put away the what-ifs. Put away the “when the weather is nicer and I have more energy.” The time is now. There will never be the perfect time, or the easy time, or the time when all of the pieces will line up exactly the way we want them to. So…

Just Do It.

So, I thought I would help address some of the common excuses we actors tell ourselves so I can help break that cycle:

Beware Unsolicited Offers of Stardom

This week, I have decided to tackle a very hot topic, which has spurned lots of debate by industry insiders and actors alike: Unsolicited Offers of Fame and Requests for Partnership.

To give you some background on this topic, I am going to start by sharing an email I recently received from a “manager.” (Note: All grammar and spelling has been included, as originally written.)

I was looking on IMDB and noticed you do not have a Talent Manager.  As you may  know we are doing Talent Management..  A manager is different from an agent but in a way better as I have more fields to get you work.  I feel I could be a great assett to you to help you not only get your more acting roles but we are doing something no other Management firm does.  We are also going to provide free to our clients our Publicity Services.  We are a NON-EXCLUSIVE company so if at anytime you want to end services with us that is ok.  I really hope you will give me a chance to further your career and make you more money.  If you are interested please let me know and I’ll send you my information packate. – Mike

File this one away into the “If it seems too good to be true, it is” mailbox. Of course, there are warning signs all over the above email that tell the actor that they should stay far away. So, how does an actor gauge the validity of these types of emails, which become numerous as the actor gets more and more well known?

1) Does the manager know the difference between managers and agents? (Do you?)

Agents and managers are very different from one another, primarily because it is illegal for managers to procure work for their clients. Agents are required to be on file with their state as a “licensed employment agent” and managers are not given this clearance. Thus, a manager’s job takes on a different form. Directly from the Talent Manager’s Association website: “A manager, by nature, does not seek employment for a client, but rather council, market and network on their behalf making it easier for the agent to secure employment. A client, manager and agent should function as a team.”

You can see by the email above that the manager is not accurately conveying his role. This should be a very big “red flag” to you.

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Actors: Don’t Re-Invent The Wheel

I meet many, many people through my journeys as an actor and a coach, and a lot of those conversations revolve around business, marketing and motivation (I guess I’m a magnet for that kind of talk!) I have seen people at all levels of success and achievement, and everyone’s story varies – where they grew up, how much support they had from their families, whether or not they went to theater school, what city they chose to ply their wares, etc, etc… Along with all of these differences, there’s one element that was evident in nearly every successful person I’ve met:

The willingness to ask for help.

When I was growing up, my parents didn’t have money to spend on dance classes or drama camp- the training I received was through the public school arts programs. After choir concerts or school plays, people often asked me where I had gotten my training, and they seemed shocked and enthralled when my parents said, “Nowhere- this is just her natural talent.” I began feeling like my natural talent made me something special, in a way that training since the age of 5 could not. “After all,” I thought to myself, “ANYONE can train, but not everyone can have natural talent.”

But once I got to college, things got turned around a bit. All of the sudden, I was surrounded by people who had the same talent as me, and even (gasp!) MORE. Raw talent was no longer something that was unique- it was a given. People were now giving reverence to those who had solid training and industry references. So I, like every other good little college student, trained and studied and worked and walked away from school with a degree AND raw talent. And armed with my shiny diploma, I stopped asking for help. After all, I Had Made It.

Why do we stop asking for help once our formal training is done? Is there a rule that says we must figure everything else out by ourselves?

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Submitting For An Audition? Some Basic Do’s and Absolute Don’ts

Erin Cronican is the founder of The Actors’ Enterprise (TAE), a fun and inspiring one-on-one coaching service that provides incredibly affordable business training to actors who want to feel more fulfilled and in control of their careers. With an approach that is hands-on and customized for each person, we help actors set goals, organize their business, and create a plan of action with easy tools that can take them to the next level, no matter where they are starting from. Our focus includes coaching on marketing/career development, business skills, and audition techniques that help actors work SMARTER, not HARDER. Erin is a professional actor (SAG/AFTRA/AEA) and continues to work steadily in film, TV and theater. Coaching packages start at only $40 per hour (wow!)- Learn more at www.theactorsenterprise.org or www.erincronican.com.

Market Your Acting Career: Some basic casting advice

I have done a fair bit of casting in my day, and actors always seem surprised when I mention how frustrating it can be when an actor doesn’t follow instructions when doing their submissions. I am surprised at my frustration too- I mean, I am also an actor and I pride myself on creatively marketing myself. But there is a point where trying to be cute or trying to get an edge just comes across as… well, disrespectful.

The reason I am sharing this with you today is that I just read another blog where an actor was in a casting position, and she experienced the same frustration! And because of this, I felt it was worth mentioning to all of you in an effort to help you make effective marketing decisions for your acting business.

I was casting a leading male role in an indie short film- the actor had to be blond, Caucasian, in his 20s, and non-union (they had already spent their budget on several other union actors.) To promote the role, I used Breakdown Services (which gives me the option of posting to agent breakdowns only, or also to Actors Access), Now Casting, Casting NY, Craigslist and a few other small casting websites. Between all of these sites, I probably saw over 300 submissions, which was quite a number to go through for one role.

Each casting site has its own way for casting directors (CDs) to organize the information that comes in. Some of them allow you to delete the messages from those who are not right for the role, but often times the website keeps all submissions in your inbox. This means that, right or not for the role, the CD is going to have to scan over that submission every time they are on that website. Now, imagine if you were a CD casting one role for a 20-something Caucasian, non-union male (which was explicitly stated in the breakdown) and you started to receive submissions from the following types: Children. Women. Non-Caucasian Men. Grandfathers. Dozens upon dozens of them. In the case above, more than half of the actors who submitted did not fit the description of the character in the breakdown.

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