The entertainment industry is rampant among populated cities and states around the country. Commercials are being shot, theater productions are being produced and feature films are being written. The trick is to know where these opportunities are and meet the people behind them.
Look for local networking film events in the area. Many free search engine websites offer mixers for people wanting to get involved in the entertainment industry as actresses. This is helpful in finding work and getting important questions answered. Go to as many acting-related events as possible and it is very likely a talented director, agent or producer is in the room ready to help.
As an actress, the most important tool one has is their headshot, resume and reel. A headshot is a professional photo taken of the face that highlights the eyes and personality. These are duplicated and made into an 8x10 size and sent out to agents and managers. This acts as a calling card for any working or aspiring actress.
The second necessity is drawing up a resume. Once valuable experience has been had, highlight this on a resume; this could range from a high school play to a local commercial to an on-camera acting class.
The third step is to edit a reel. This is a compilation of previous on-camera work. It sometimes can take an actress many years before she has enough material to make a reel. Don’t be discouraged if this step takes longer than expected.
Once a headshot has been taken and a resume has been made, it is time to submit to agents and managers.
The majority of cities in states all across the country offer a handful of agents and managers. Many of these agents are connected to larger markets such as Los Angeles and New York. It is extremely beneficial to become represented by an agent in a smaller market. An important tip is to choose agents in the biggest area closest to home. This will not necessarily be in California; there are hard working agents in Louisiana, Florida, Arizona, Nevada and South Carolina, as well as many other places.
Do your homework and search on the Internet for agents and managers in your particular area, or buy a book on finding agents and managers in your area.
The last step is to send a headshot, resume and reel (if applicable) to these entertainment agents and managers. If they are interested, they will contact you.