r/acting

Honestly, why do reps even do this? I find this so heartbreaking and disrespectful of our time. I know i probably dodged a bullet but i can't help but think that this is my fault, or if i said anything wrong towards the end of the meeting. I've been cold emailing for a while so i was really happy that i received an offer. To the agents who do this, honestly fk you.

Edit: sorry guys, just frustrated and wanted to vent it out

Can anybody kindly walk me through how to add a representative? I haven't had to do it since they switched to the new format and I can not for the life of me figure out what to do past clicking on the pencil icon next to Contacts, lol.

Thanks in advance! :)

I (F20) have been in college studying theatre and acting for three years now. Every semester I have auditioned and every semester I never make it into a show. I have gotten call backs the last three times and still have yet to get a role and I’m exhausted. Biggest of all my school requires all performance majors to have been in 4 shows to graduate, I’ve been in none and graduate next spring. I’ve spoken with my advisor who spoke with the dean of my college and he said we could make it work but once again I simply don’t get casted. I’m now at a point in which I think I simply suck. I feel as though I’ve hit a wall and now just wanna quiet. This has been my dream since I was a kid yet I’m getting nowhere. It making me think I won’t make it in the real industry. Yet I often get praise in class on my use of voice. I feel like a fool. I should note there is one major issue I have in auditions that I don’t have in callbacks or when performing, that is a shake like a leaf. It’s horrible and downright debilitating and I have no clue how to combat it. So if anyone has advice or is in a similar boat I’d love to hear about it.

I just got the offer of a supporting role at an indie production - it's unpaid, which is fine for me as I'm just building my resume, but some clauses make me weary, are these common? I dont have any rep...

- unlimited use of my likeness in any and all media, including AI...!!!

- waive any claims to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the filmmaker - meaning they can't be held accountable for anything if shit hits the fan?

- voluntarily assume all risks on set....???

All this and no clause for guaranteed credits or footage?

Any advise/experience helps! I don't want to put myself in a situation I cant get out of later.

Looking for a friend. I think their daughter is absolutely ready for the camera. And she's only 8 weeks!

I’ve worked in the film industry for over a decade, and I made a conscious choice to pursue acting about 2 years ago. I did everything I thought I was supposed to do, took classes, headshots, got two agents, the works. At the time I had a very flexible job that allowed me to sustain myself economically while doing all this on the side, and in my mind it was just a matter of time before I booked something that would allow me to fully switch careers.

Anyways long story short I lost my job, in a messy had-to-sue-my-employer way. Took the time to fully commit to acting, and sent as many self tapes as I could (in the hundreds), networked, took more classes, yadda yadda. After a year, I booked a tiny role in a movie and a lead in a short film. Combined, I got $350 out of this. After spending ten times that amount of my savings trying to make it happen.

After a year, my savings are now gone. Three months ago I was approached by a pretty big international company and today I was offered a position. It would be the most stable job I’ve ever had, still in film, but now as a 9-5 full time employee, a tiny cog in a monstruos content-pumping machine. The benefits are insane, and I mean unreal. Like my friends don’t believe me when I tell them I’d get 5 different insurance policies and a retirement plan and that’s not even the half of it. They’re only opening two spots for the entirety of the continent and after three months of interviews and meetings I’m the first candidate they picked. So to say it’s a ridiculous opportunity is a severe understatement, especially in my country where everyone in the industry (wife included) works as a freelancer with literally no safeguards against sudden loss of work, or 16 hour shifts, or injuries or anything else. It’s the holy grail of job security for people in film.

Anyways. Accepting the offer would mean completely giving up on acting. I know some people find other outlets and act in community theater and such. That’s not really an option here, as this job will be exceedingly demanding.

I feel both blessed and distraught. I allowed myself to dream big but I’m not a teen still living with their parents. I’m a married man who needs to pay rent and feed his cats. Bittersweet endings all around. Mostly I’m just venting here. It’s gonna be awfully awkward facing some peers with whom I very enthusiastically voiced my future plans. Ah.

Met with a bunch of reps recently as I’ve got a movie coming out next month, so I’m finally at the point of narrowing things down.

I’m basically down to two; one at Untitled Entertainment and one at Anonymous Content.

Both are great, both have strong rosters, and in both cases it feels like I’d stand out and actually get fought for, which is the main thing I’m looking for.

Just trying to figure out what actually matters more at this stage - packaging power, long-term trajectory, access to the right directors/producers, etc.

Has anyone here had experience with either? Or any insight on how they differ in practice rather than on paper?

I signed across the board with an agency that I knew wasn't the best. I had a few friends with them, and some said they go out every now and then for network roles, and others have said they were with them for over a year without a single audition. I didn't get a single email back from other agencies I submitted too, despite consistently working and booking principal roles on my own, so I figured I'd give them a shot, in hopes of them getting me higher end auditions.

I originally wanted to just sign theatrically with them, but they suggested I also sign commercially with them, cause I'm SAG and its slow right now, and they want to get me as many auditions as possible.

They were very sweet during our meeting, no red flags at all, and we had the same mindset about the industry and being a proactive actor.

But it's been 3 months, and I haven't gotten a single audition from them. I haven't even heard from them. I'm self submitting and getting SAG auditions and booking them, but still I dont get anything from them. I know 3 months is probably too soon to drop them, but my friends who are my same type and with other agencies are getting called in a good amount right now. I know most TV shows are on hiatus now, so I'm stuck in what to do.

Advice?

Also a little background: I'm a very pro active actor. I dont just sit and wait around for an agency to bring auditions. I self submit, I'm in acting class every week, my headshots are updated and strong, I just wrapped 3 lead roles on thesis films for some big film schools out here in LA, and I'm in stunt classes every month. I was thinking of asking for a submission report from them, so I could target some CD's over the summer in workshops, but also use that as an excuse to see if I'm actually getting submitted to stuff.

I have been represented by my agent for 2 years. She has always “slipped up” sometimes by misgendering me and I always professionally corrected her and moved on (she’s older). However I booked a role. And in the email traffic (she didnt know I was CC’d she misgendered me in over 6 different emails on the chain 100% of the time.

I dropped her effective IMMEDIATELY. How does this work seeing as how I found this out via a role I booked directly through her?

Also I pass except for my voice mostly if that matters.

​

I've booked multiple things with them through the years but then after my agent in the agency passed it just didn't feel the same. Yes I have been getting less auditions and I know the entire industry is but it felt like I wasn't getting into rooms I should be getting into and I felt forgotten. So out of the two auditions I got in the past 4 months I booked one. I had to find out through a friend of mine on the same project that he got paid before I asked them where my check was and it was a whole fiasco of not finding my check but oh finding it when I said I'll file a claim to sag since apparently this production still hasn't paid me. I just felt like I didn't trust them anymore. And now I'm writing on reddit because I have the whole imdb list of agencies pulled up and I'm not sure where to start or what if I don't find anyone and I'll just fade out of this industry. IDK I know I'm not making sense but my anxiety is really just spiraling me into these thoughts of what if I made a huge mistake and what if I cant find someone else.

I don’t know if any other actress/actor that has inattentive ADHD and dyslexia could relate to this, but I often find myself struggling to find the lines within my head it’s very odd it’s like I’m constantly searching for them which is very irritating because it feels like I’m multitasking trying to understand and live within the character while also trying to remember/find lines. Does anyone have tips to combat this? is this normal or is it because of my disorders

Hey y’all! I had a chem read/cam test for a low budget feature last week that went great — chatted with everyone for about an hour afterward and they said they’d be in touch. I’m fairly sure they’d let me know whether yay or nay but I didn’t get a timeline on when to expect hearing back. Would it be out of bounds to ask my agent to reach out to casting for a timeline or is it best to just wait it out? Took a month to hear back after taping for the callback so I’m maybe just being a bit impatient.

Hello, I’m looking to move from charlotte to chicago. Ive been pursuing acting in charlotte since 2022 and have a SE agent, but only been able to do student films and my agent sends mostly background work and commercial auditions. I’d really like to pursue tv/film professionally and im very open to theater, but the opportunities just aren’t here for me, and I also never get ATL auditions either.

I landed on Chicago as an affordable place with a nice arts scene (concerts and touring theater shows are very important to me also) and a place where I can hopefully book 1 or 2 professional jobs. Where would be a good place to move in Chicago? In person acting class recs? Im looking into submitting to Chicago agents also. I also have a remote job so dont have to factor that in. Any help is much appreciated!!

Hey everyone, getting into acting again after a long break. During the break, I came to terms not mapping neatly onto a gender binary and have recently embraced the fact that I’m intersex. I do appear as a woman to most, I’m not “visibly intersex”, and I am not currently on hormones. I do know that many will skip over me if they see my pronouns based on only that, but I am wondering if anyone has any insight into how hard it is to get taken seriously if you enter the industry as an openly nonbinary person. My interests currently lie primarily theatre but I would like to explore screen acting a bit. I do not mind playing women at all, nor would I mind playing men or characters beyond the binary.

Looking for honesty more than reassurance. I am at peace with the idea that this could stop me from being able to seriously pursue this, but I also don’t want to assume it’s fucked if that isn’t the case. Thank you!

Casting Director workshops are mentioned a lot in this sub. These workshops are often held by Casting Associates and Casting Assistants, but unless otherwise noted, I'm going to refer to all of them as CD workshops in this post. And I'm also only referring to CDs that cast full-scale union projects.

I'll also mention that this is very specific to NYC. California had a big scandal some years ago around CD workshops. People were arrested, it was a very serious thing. So I have no idea if these workshops still happen in other places. All of my experience with them is in New York.

A lot of people are against them. They're referred to as a cash grab, and the CDs who do them are called washed up or out of work or scammers (in fact, it was seeing someone refer to them this way that prompted me to write this post). While I'm sure there are many CD workshops that are worthless, it is simply not true of all of them. But some people believe that they're all worthless, and there's nothing that I can say that will convince them otherwise. So I want to be clear that I am not trying to convince those people. I just want to provide info to those of you who are curious about them, or who are doing them and not sure how to get the most out of them.

Worth is also different from person to person. If you can't make your rent, you probably shouldn't be spending money on any kind of acting-related classes, but that's none of my business. So I'm going to steer clear of giving advice on how much you should invest in workshops.

I'm going to say up front that it is absolutely possible to break into full-scale union movie and TV productions without attending CD workshops. But if you don't already have an agent or manager, CD workshops may be your only way in, because you won't even be able to see the roles that they're casting. Over the years I have seen non-represented actors get auditions (and even get cast) directly from casting director workshops. So If you don't have an agent, or your agent isn't getting you these types of auditions, then CD workshops may be worth a try.

I have also seen people get called in right after attending a CD's workshop for the first time, but in general, this is a long game. The CDs want to see improvement over time, professionalism, and the ability to take direction.

Also, and this is important, don't do these when you're brand new. Wait until you have experience in classes and with some auditions. If you make a terrible first impression on a CD, it's going to be hard to overcome.

For those who don't know, a CD workshop is usually run like a lot of on-camera classes. You bring your own scene (although a few casting directors like to provide scenes so that they know it's not one you've been doing for years). A reader is provided. Each actor does their scene, the CD gives them some direction, and they do it again. There are variations of course, but most of them are run like this.

So, here's how to get the most out of them.

Choosing a CD Workshop:

• Identify which CDs are casting projects you would like to audition for, and try to see these CDs two or three times a year until they're calling you in. Don't stop seeing them in workshops if they start giving you auditions, but keep in mind that an audition counts as them seeing you.

• Try to see the CDs in person. There are a lot of CD workshops on Zoom, but I consider this a chance to literally get in the room with them, and it's just not the same over Zoom.

• The CD should be currently casting something. The exception to this is if they've been with a show for a while and the show is on hiatus, but try to see them when the show is just about to start up again. If the show just ended the CD is going to be exhausted, and some of the streaming shows take a year or more off between seasons, and you want the CD to remember you when they are casting.

• The CD should be a good teacher. The goal with these, of course, is to get called in by that CD. But even if you aren't, you should be learning something.

• Ask around in your community What this CD's workshops are like. If you don't have a community, that's a different post, but I'll just say, get into some classes and meet people.

Choosing a Scene:

• Pick a scene that ideally has two characters, or at most, three.

• Choose a scene where your character undergoes some kind of transformation (new and important information is introduced, the character comes to a realization, etc.).

• The scene should be a couple of pages at most (four if it's formatted as a half-hour comedy, since those are double-spaced).

• Don't pick a character that is the complete opposite of the roles you're likely to play. You're not trying to show your range in one little workshop, you're trying to show your competence and your castable type. Besides, if you're at the level where you're doing CD workshops, you should really be leaning into your most obvious type to help get you in the door.

At the workshop:

• Be off book.

• It's important enough that I'm going to say it again: be off book.

• Get there early, so that you can get settled. If the CD is there early you might even get a chance to chat with them.

• Be professional. If you talk while somebody else is performing or asking a question, if you are distracting in some way, the CD will notice. If you can't even behave in a classroom, there's no way they'd want you on a set.

• Do not eat. Do not use your phone. Pay attention to the notes the other actors are getting.

• Take notes on a piece of paper, like on the back of your sides. If you take them on your phone it might look like you're playing on your phone instead of paying attention.

• Once you've done your scene, take notes about how it went and what they said to you.

• Do not ask questions that make you sound unprofessional. Don't ask if they ever give auditions to non-union actors, if they remember that terrible audition you did for them last year, or if they could get you someone's autograph (yes that is a real example). You don't want to present yourself as a newbie who doesn't know what they're doing.

• Don't ask the CD if they can get you an audition for such and such, they know why you're there. They're under no illusions that you think they're the best acting teacher in the world and that's why you're sitting in their class. If they like you and they think you're right for something, they will call you in.

• Don't complain about self tapes. Most CDs are simply not in control of this. In-person auditions are something that the productions used to pay for, but once they stopped during the covid lockdowns, the productions just didn't put them back in the budget. Almost every single CD I've ever spoken with would rather be in the room for auditions.

• Do ask if they like actors to keep in touch when they have news, like a great booking or new headshots or a new agent. If they say yes, ask them how they prefer to be contacted (email, message on Instagram, etc.).

• Do ask if they like to be invited to plays that you're in.

• Do ask if they like actors to use props or costumes in their auditions, if they like one take or two to be sent in, if they like actors to improv a bit or if they should stick to the script, or if they like a blank background or if they like the actors to tape an audition in their kitchen, for example, if the scene is in a kitchen.

• Do ask them questions about their careers. Most of them love to talk about how they got into casting, what their favorite shows are, who their favorite actors and directors are, what their funniest audition story is, etc.

• Present yourself as someone who is ready to be on set, a professional who knows what they're doing. You want the CD to see you as someone they can send up to producers with the full confidence that you won't embarrass them.

After the Workshop

• Do not stalk the CD to the bathroom or the elevator or their car. If they want to talk to the actors, they will hang around in the classroom.

• Put your notes into a spreadsheet or other document about the workshop. What they said to you, what they like in auditions, if they want you to keep in touch, etc. If you get an audition with them, make sure you refer back to those notes.

• If they asked you to send headshots and resumes and links, make sure you do that within a few days, so that you're fresh in their mind.

• Always make sure that your headshot is in the signature of your email, as well as your full name. Some of them are great with names, some of them are great with faces, and some of them are great with both, but don't take any chances.

• Keep all emails short and sweet. They're busy, get to the point fast.

• If they said you could update them with news, do that, but make sure to keep it to the really important stuff. Unless you're just doing amazing things, twice a year is probably about right. But definitely no more than every few months, no matter how much news you have.

• If you know that they like to be invited to plays that you're doing, offer them a comp ticket. Many will refuse if they know that you're actually buying the ticket yourself, but you should ask the production if they provide comps for agents. Many do, since it can benefit the whole cast.

That's all I can think of. I know there will be people who won't find any worth in this post because they simply don't think the workshops themselves are worth it, and I understand that view, so I'm not going to try to convince anybody of anything in the comments. I don't gain anything if you believe me, I'm simply sharing what I've learned over the years. But I'm happy to answer any questions or clarify anything I've said.

Edited for formatting.

Hi yall!

For context, I am a 16 year old actress based in the Bay Area, I recently got dropped my pretty reputable agent for declining a type of audition I wasn’t comfortable doing which I stated before signing with them, and I am signed with a manager who reached out to me through CN. I don’t have any professional credits on my resume other than training over the years and so far in 2026 I have received 30 auditions, but no booking. That’s the most auditions I’ve ever gotten in such a short amount of time considering we’re only 4 months into the year.

Now, one of my auditions was an in person screen test back in march, and I was reached out to by 2 people from the same screen test who had watched the tape and thought I would be a good fit for their short films! So I just had my first booking EVER, then followed up by another role offer from the same workshop/screen test!

It’s set to film a few days in may, and I am aware this isn’t a huge feature film or recurring role, but I am proud of myself as I am finally seeing results in my almost 4 years of self submitting, auditioning, and investing into headshots and other necessities. It’s also great to have some actual proof that I’m able to work and book to add onto my resume.

I was recently feeling like I should give up as well and that there’s no point in continuing wasting my parents time and money as I am a minor and they were the ones investing everything into me, but this has given me courage to keep going, I guess I’m just worked up and thinking about how at least having 2 short films credits is better than none and can maybe get me into more opportunities. But if you feel like giving up during these slow times, this is your sign not to because you will foreveerrr regret not working towards what it could’ve been, I know everyone says “you shouldn’t give up on your dream”, but there’s truly no way of believing that unless you experience the thrill and joy of the outcome.

I was also hoping you guys could give me some tips and ways to prepare to be in front of the camera for the first time ever, and how to turn more of my auditions into bookings! Please let me know your thoughts and feel free to ask questions!! Thank you

So, I haven't had the opportunity to do any acting due to living overseas. I'm back in the states now, and making plans to get an agent and all the other important stuff set up. My only concern is... I want to transition. I don't plan on getting any surgeries for a while, but I would like to go on HRT. I am short, my voice is high, I keep my hair long and I have soft features, I don't really pass. Would deciding to transition nix my chances in getting roles? Or should I try and start my transition *before* getting set up with an agent or agency? ​Any advice would help. Thank you.

Open call for a regional theater production. The role I've been working toward for three years. I've performed scenes from this play in class, in workshops, in showcases. I know these lines the way i know my own name, but there were five people at the table and a camera i wasn't expecting and something just stopped mid monologue. The words just weren't there. I did the thing where you go silent and try to look like you're making a choice. It didn't work. One of the casting directors gave me a line reading which is the most humiliating thing that can happen in an audition setting. Finished somehow they thanked me and I left. Never gone up in performance never just in the one room where it actually mattered. I know this is a technical thing that has a technical fix but right now i just want to know if anyone else has been here.

Hi all!! I’m currently about to graduate high school this year and I was looking into the NIDA and WAAPA diplomas as I’m thinking to audition (I know it’s extremely competitive and I am not expecting an acceptance for next year) but I’m wondering if anyone has any advice on whether it’s worth it??

I don’t know whether to just go straight into the acting world after I graduate, get a diploma (or Bachelor’s degree), or do a gap year and THEN go to drama school.

Another thing is I don’t really want to commit to a full 3 year degree as I feel as though I might miss out on some great opportunities if I’m in such a demanding course (however please let me know if this is worth it). This is why I thought the one year diplomas are a good idea but then again I don’t know if I should do it straight after I leave school or do a gap year and travel. However, then that would be 2 years without fully committing to auditions and stuff. Is that bad??? I’m not sure!! I have no idea what path to take or what to do after school and I’m feeling really lost and confused.

Just as a bit of background info: I have an Australian agent and have landed a few commercials and short films as well as a big role in an animated series and some really close calls with some great theatre productions through that.

I’m unsure if I’d have a good chance at getting in though as I know some friends of mine who got into NIDA and they had already been apart of the NIDA open courses community for a long time beforehand which I have no experience with.

sorry for this long rant but if anyone has an tips or suggestions on what they did after they graduated high school please let me know 🙏🙏🙏

Long story short, I did a workshop the other day and the casting director ended with "I recommend you reach out to your reps and let them know we met". Do you guys tell your reps? I guess it couldn't hurt, right?