I’m a professional “working” actor (graduated 2 years ago and have booked a couple things every year) and wish there were more communities for professional actors to chat.
I don’t want to gatekeep the profession but it seems like most online forums/ facebook pages / Reddit threads are oversaturated with questions about drama school auditions- how to get an agent etc, which are valid questions- but it’s entirely different.

I know in the US there is far more transparency and open communication about auditions and the industry with forums like callback corner etc- we lack a UK equivalent- and it means myself and many other actors friends feel totally out of the loop if we don’t discuss current auditions- which you don’t always want to bring up in a social context where you just want to relax.

I’d like somewhere we can speak openly about auditions, experiences with casting directors, upcoming projects, etc.
I can imagine if spotlight had a forum for members only it would be great.
Does anyone else relate?

I recently did my first few projects. In a couple of cases I was disappointed to see what I (and my scene partners) thought would be good for our reel not make it in the final cut. After seeing the final product, I would agree that those scenes in their entirety do not support the story so as a director, I would’ve cut them as well.

On the flip side, a few other scenes were rewritten to include my character so there is that.

Having said that - I would still like to see it to learn and use.

Do you ever ask for footage that didn’t make it? Asking for me and a friend. 😀

Just interested in polling whether most actors here/in general will read or watch the full play they’re auditioning for when first auditions only consist of a monologue from any play. Obviously for new works if or if they provide it to you (usually for callbacks) that’s one thing, I’m more talking about EPAs or appointments for non-union theaters where the first round is just a monologue.

Hi, I'm sure this has been asked a million times, but I'm new to the community so wanted to hear what people think - I have an offer from a Manager, their commission is 15%. Historically managers I've worked with have taken 10%, how common is 15 at this point, in other folks experience?

Hey everyone!
I’m looking for advice from actors who have filmed their own scenes or short films to build their reels.
I’m trying to get more footage that reflects my casting type and the kinds of TV/film roles I want to book. Unfortunately, some of the projects I’ve worked on either weren’t filmed well or didn’t give me usable footage.
I’ve looked into professionally filming scenes, but even getting one scene done can be pretty expensive, especially when you’re trying to build a solid reel with multiple clips.
For those who’ve done this on a budget, how did you go about it? Did you collaborate with other actors, hire a small crew, work with film students, or just shoot everything yourselves?
I’d love any advice on keeping costs low while still getting footage that looks and sounds professional enough to use for submissions.
Thanks in advance!

This was my first in person callback and principal for a commercial. It’s like a be yourself commercial. Never done one and didn’t know what to expect, but I’m typically a shy person but was comfortable to be myself and had good reactions from the person interviewing me and the director. But I’m also new and didn’t know what to expect or etiquette. Thanks!

Hey! Have you heard anything about Barbizon’s Passport to Discovery? I’m wondering if it’s actually worth it and worth the money, and if it’s genuinely good or just sounds better than it actually is. I’d love to know if you’ve heard anything about it or know anyone who’s done it! 💗

I'm applying to colleges and I'm auditioning for their theatre program or whatever it's called in each school and one of the colleges didn't ask me to introduce myself, do i just not do it then? like I'm asking because the others did ask and i know that in general in auditions you need to slate it so...

Hi newly represented actor, I haven’t got an audition in almost two weeks when I usually get about 2-3 a week sometimes more. I just want to check in and make sure everything is okay, but I also don’t want to be annoying if I’m in a slow period. Wonder if I’m on hold or something. Would I be bothering them by asking? Is this customary to do?

Has anyone had any experience using this app for monologues and line memorization?

I’m seeing an increasing number of backstage listings have prescreens and I’m wondering, from the casting side, what benefit they provide? From the actors standpoint I kind of think they’re a waste of time: why should I go through the effort of essentially taping a whole audition before I even know if I’m being considered? For all I know casting could look at my headshot, decide I’m not the right look and not even look at my prescreen. And I can’t imagine casting has time to sit and watch hundreds of prescreens. So I’m honestly curious-what is the benefit? I have multiple reels on my page if you want to see my acting, and if you think I could be a good fit send me an audition and I’d be more than happy to tape your sides.

On another note, if you are casting a project and put up a prescreen, do you consider applications that don’t film the prescreen? Or are they immediately disregarded? From my point of view, if I submit to 25 projects in a week and 10 of them require prescreens with multiple pages of sides, that’s an unrealistic amount of work to get done in one week on top of any actual auditions I get, as well as classes, day jobs, etc.

I swear I’m not trying to be disrespectful, I’m honestly curious to get other people’s perspective on this and see if I’m thinking about it the wrong way.

Hey everyone! Thanks for being so helpful as I navigate getting new management. One of the things that has been mentioned is working an exit clause into the contract (like, if within 3 months you're not getting ample opportunities, you can re-evaluate and leave).

I've brought this up in 1-2 manager interviews and they've balked at the idea, saying they wouldn't want to invest in someone who would leave so soon. On the flip side though I don't want to get stuck giving 10% of everything I do to a manager who CAN'T land opportunities (I learned the hard way a lot of them talk a big game just to get you a cut of your wins).

For those who got one built into their contract, how did you bring it up? And what language did you use in the contract?

Thanks so much all <3

I’d love to find a class that doesn’t require weekly meetings, as my schedule and I’m sure many others can’t commit when work schedules are crazy! Any recommendations?

Before watching clay face,(very good btw) I was really thinking about quitting acting, but after coming out of the movie, I feel like I can still do this if one of my fav Batman villains/fav comic villains oat can make it to the big screen I think I have a chance, a very very very small chance but I rather die on the road then never been on the road at all if that makes sense. Watching the movie brought back so many childhood memories of me watching the 2004 Batman and Batman brave and the bold cartoon with my aunt and brother and falling in love with superheroes and growing up with the dark knight trilogy I always wanted to play a in a comic book project and i’m not talking about just DC and Marvel i’m talking about any kind of comic book project like the boys, the mask, hell boy, transformers, tmnt, walking dead, and even the spawn movie, Todd McFarlane keeps delaying. But the problem is I’m self taught and I know that’s not an excuse a lot of famous actors are self taught like Jim Carrey Tom Cruise and indie navarette for example it just takes time that’s all. But looking at where the film industry is going with A.I and rarely giving a nobody a chance and basically giving myself false hope,but I thought what Denzel Washington said about acting, that it’s the actors job to act not lighting and filming that’s the director’s job and if u want to learn acting the theater is the best way and it connects to the new X-Men casting. Maya Boyd who is playing storm in the upcoming x men movie is a broadway actress and that got me thinking is it better to work your way into the film industry with theater or is it better to make your own short films and acting in them. Well I just want to get that off my chest thank you to who ever is reading this have a good day or night and wish u the best of luck

Guys, I’ve been landing these great auditions, put out my best work, but not getting called back. People I work with say I’m great to work with and I continually get asked to be in their projects. I do CD workshops and they say my work is really great. I’ve been in grad school for acting so I must be good at acting at some level. But I’ve started to get fixated on the not getting called back part. Like I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. And I know I must not be doing anything wrong. But how do you guys overcome the need for approval in the form of callbacks or booking the project? I feel like it’s human for me to feel upset and gutted and disappointed if I don’t get called back for something but I also don’t like feeling this way. Advice?

Hi everyone!

I had a pretty awful experience with an NYC manager so I turned down my renewal with them. Am fortunate that several managers are interested in me but I'm very scared to sign with another agency who's going to shake me down for 10% of everything I do without actually getting me auditions and opportunities.

Can anyone give me insight into:

Untamed Artists

Key Talent Management

The Green Room

Encompass

Citizen Skull

Kurt Patino

TalentOne

Art Haus

Zero Gravity also reached out and said they wanted to take a meeting, they're my dream but didn't respond after I sent the tapes they asked for. Hoping they're just busy but will followup (EDIT: I followed up today with a feature film booking and still didn't hear back, which kind of sucks)

Monologue recorded for a workshop/training.

Working-ish actor, acting / teaching full time for the past 3-4 years (theatre/immersive in the UK, mostly screen in Greece). Agency repped, hoping to move back to the UK eventually.

Context: a year ago, I moved from the UK to Greece. I started teaching and attending classes from the get-go, but. Wow, it is a different art form here, 99% psychosomatic and method. I have yet to cone across any local workshops that teach Meisner/Mamet or you know, an actors' gym kinda place. My coach was my lifeline in the UK, plus topping up my training with semi- regular classes and workshops.

My worry is that since I am working exclusively with greek directors for the past year, in projects that require a specific, heightened type of acting, I am losing all the qualities that got me auditions for UK / US based projects.

Agh, tl;dr, let me know what you think, spiralling atm 😅 chat, am I cooked?

Hiya. I'm a longtime lurker but don't post on here much but I'm kind of at a loss. I'm a SAG actor currently based in LA. I moved here about five years ago. I have theatrical and commercial representation but am looking into meeting with a manager who works with actors and writers but am having a very difficult time meeting or even getting a response from anyone. I have a few notable tv credits and just booked a recurring co-star role on a long running tv show, commercially I have over 30 national spots I've booked and am currently a co-spokeperson and appear with a celebrity spokesperson in all of the spots (I am incredibly fortunate on this side). I am also a writer and have worked on a few tv shows and currently have a pitch with two names attached.

I was hoping that would be enough to hear back from managers when I cold emailed or even had references but I'm still coming up dry. Anyone have any advice of a good way to meet with managers?

Hi everyone,

I’m a mid-20s theatre actor based in the NYC area. I’ve been stuck in the beginner limbo portion of my acting career for about 3 years now. In that time I’ve done 6 community theatre productions, had 3 callbacks for professional productions, and have had auditions for multiple dozens of professional productions over sites like Actor’s Access and Playbill.

I want to start submitting myself for representation. My biggest issue is that I have not yet booked a role in a professional production. I wanted to know if what I list below is enough of a change to justify sending out a cold submission.

1. Getting brand new headshots
   
2. I’ve started taking professional singing lessons
   
3. I was just cast in another community level production

I also recently have 2 callbacks for roles in professional productions, but I’m assuming reps wouldn’t care about callbacks if I didn’t end up booking it.

Thanks again everyone.

Hi! This is a little confusing so would appreciate any guidance :)

I received an email from Actors Access inviting me to audition for a role I previously auditioned for (submitted last week). The original invitation has been archived, and the new invite is under a new listing that appears to be identical, with no additional notes or instructions.

What’s confusing is that neither my agents nor I submitted myself for this new posting. I’m not sure how I received another invitation. Also weirdly it's 8 pages of dialogue and the last posting had a ~5 day turnaround but this one is due Wednesday AM (so ~1.5 day turnaround).

Any thoughts on what is happening? Should I have my agents reach out to casting to clarify whether they want me to retape (I self-submitted so this may catch my agents off guard), or reach out directly (CD email is in the invite body), or does anyone have any advice on how to handle this? Thank you in advance !!

I'm auditioning to colleges and I've never done a self tape before, like only once a few years ago and it wasn't for a role too

it's ok if i wear my glasses right? like i feel it's a character that it would make sense for her to wear glasses

I am a middle schooler based in Hong Kong that recently picked up an interest in acting. Being the person that thinks ahead, like YEARS ahead in the future before making a final decision, I’ve thought about many problems.

Currently I am 13 years old and I’ve seen many actors that have already joined acting theatres. I’m not looking to be a child actor but I want to work as an actor professionally in the future after more experience. Unfortunately, Hong Kong is more of a commercial place than for Arts and Performances so there are significantly less opportunities here in comparison to the US or UK, especially if are English speaking. It’s technically not wasting time if you are continuously practicing, joining competitions and stuff, but am I missing out? Plus awards from small school drama competitions are usually overlooked compared to awards from famous musical theatres or Acting studios/ schools even if you have an outstanding talent in this aspect. Not to mention, being an Asian from Asia, it is much less likely to break into the industry.

If I move away for university to pursue this, by then when I officially start I will be 19( other than school drama teams.) I get that it is never too late to become an actor but I really hope to start early since many have already booked their first roles by 17. Any tips or advice?

Hey everyone!

So, I'm a pretty heavily working actor, have a decent amount of network tv credits, just had a movie come out in theaters (supporting role), etc. Sometime around September, I had an awful situation with the mid-size management company who was getting me the majority of my NY auditions . I turned down the renewal they offered me and had a ton of manager offers, but the one I chose hasn't been able to land anything AND my theatrical NY/LA agents have also not been able to land any auditions.

I'd think the problem was me except I had the busiest Summer ever, literally 20+ huge tv/film auditions a month. And my materials are still working in Atlanta and the Midwest.

So - did I screw myself by leaving the management company I've been established with for 4 years? I'm hoping that casting directors would recognize my face with a different company and still call me in. I got a submission report from my theatrical NY agents and they are submitting me, just 3 hours late to everything since they're based in LA. Or do I need stronger reps all around now?

I have a big credit coming out next month that should help me land one of the major management companies. I'm just frustrated. Also, do new photos really help?