Self-Promotion for the Actor
by Katherine Mayfield
If you're thinking about becoming a professional actor (or if you already
are), you need to know how to promote yourself. The competition for
roles, especially in large cities, can be staggering, so the more you know
about self-promotion, the easier it will be for you to get your name and face
in front of the people who matter.
Self-promotion begins with the right marketing "tools", which you're probably
already familiar with: the headshot and resume (if you need more information
about these, keep reading articles on this web site). Once
you've got a headshot that you're proud of, and checked your resume to make
sure that it has no errors, you're ready to send this "calling card" off to
promote yourself. How do you send it? And who do you send it to?
The answer to the first question is to prepare a cover letter to send along
with your photo/resume. The letter should be brief and to the point. Introduce
yourself and state your purpose for contacting this person. A simple cover
letter might read like this:
Dear Mr. Hireme:
My name is (your name here) and I'm new to the Los Angeles area. I've relocated
here from New York City, where I studied at HB Studios, and appeared for three years
as Sammi on the daytime soap "It's a Fun Life, Isn't It?".
I'd enjoy meeting with you for an interview or audition, at your convenience. I also
have a videotape of clips from my performances as Sammi. If you'd be interested in
viewing it, I'd be happy to drop it by your office.
Thank you for your consideration, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Your Name
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You'll want to personalize the letter in whatever way you can because agents
and casting people get so many submissions from actors. You want yours to
stand out but keep your tone professional and clear (i.e., don't get too
weird). If you can be funny, so much the better - everyone loves a little
humor. You'll probably refine the letter over time, as you grow and gain
experience. Don't be afraid to experiment, to change it until you feel
you've got a great letter.
Now that you've got a letter ready to use, who do you send it to? If you're
in one of the larger cities, check newsstands for the weekly theatrical
newspaper (in New York, "BackStage" is the best; in L.A., it's "BackStage
West"). If you're in a smaller city, look in the phone book under
"Theatrical Agents," check the local paper's arts listings for auditions,
and visit online casting webs sites.
Keep track of the people you've sent photos to, and follow up with a flyer
for the next show you're in, inviting them to come (offer them complimentary
tickets to the show). Once you've made a start on your "mailing list," send
flyers and photo postcards to those same people every time you're in a good
show or film. Persistence is all-important: you need to keep your name and
face in front of the people who matter, because they'll eventually begin to
recognize you, and one day they might give you a call to come in and audition
for a great role. Good Luck!
Katherine Mayfield is the author of
"Acting A to Z"
and "Smart Actors, Foolish Choices"
Copyright © Katherine Mayfield. Used with permission of the author. All rights reserved.
Not to be reproduced or distributed.
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