Modeling & Acting 101 - A Model/Actor's Diary

Not gonna lie: I was tempted to play hooky and let August's blog post slide. But as busy as I am, I just couldn't sleep at night knowing I couldn't find a few minutes to write ONE blog post a month.  So I'm patting myself on the back for my progress in the accountability department. Anyway, enough about me...August is almost over and I thought I'd share some quick life hacks for you actors and models out there when it comes to staying prepared for shoots no matter the size, scope or budget. Some of this stuff might be common sense but we all know the saying so enjoy this month's post. If it helps even one of you, then mission accomplished! While we all strive for those big budget projects where everything is provided for us, the reality is that the majority of the time, that's not going to be the case. Even well budgeted gigs have instances where the talent is responsible for providing certain items. Instead of huffing and puffing about it, do yourself a fav...

I can't even comprehend that 2025 is a little more than halfway over but here we are in mid-July! This month I wanted to touch on the topic of being a "local hire" and "working as a local."  Newbies are probably wondering what this concept means, while those with a bit more experience are already in the know, but might be struggling with how to tackle this when it comes to submitting to acting and modeling gigs.  So let's get to it. WHAT DOES "LOCAL/LOCAL HIRE" MEAN? When you see this term/phrase in a casting breakdown, it means they're looking for talent (actors/models) who live within the city limits. There isn't necessarily a specific distance you have to live from said location where the project is taking place, but a decent rule of thumb I like to use is within 1-2 hour's drive. Honestly, 30 minutes to 1 hour is more ideal for clients. Can you be slightly outside that? Sure, BUT clients want the reliability of someone who doesn...

Full disclosure: I technically wrote this post in May but got so busy that I forgot to post it! Haha. So I'm gonna have this be for both May and June because it's my blog and I can do what I want.😁  Alrighty, on to the info! I've been seeing a number of casting sites posting away for various projects and I have a feeling with summer around the corner, the amount of gigs for actors and models is going to increase even further.  For May, I'm keeping this month's blog post pretty light but still touching on topics that can help inform the moves you make with your own acting and modeling careers moving forward. Because of social media, the concept of using hashtags in captions is nothing new. However, there are still many out there who either don't use this nifty symbol or don't quite realize their importance when it comes to posting and sharing content.  BENEFITS OF USING HASHTAGS Helps You Appear in Searches Did you know that a lot of people use hashtags to s...

Happy April, readers! I know most of us are not thrilled that tax season is upon us once again so hopefully this month's blog post can be a bit of a distraction for you. Speaking of money, I wanted to do a bit of a shorter post that's still very much relevant to one of the big perks of pursuing acting and modeling professionally: getting paid.  I wrote at length back in October's post  about how actors and models get compensated for their services, but I want to focus on the importance of understanding invoicing -- specifically as it relates to common payment terms like Net-30 arrangements. This post will be mainly beneficial for freelancers without agency representation. Some castings state that payment will be made to actors/models using a Net-30 arrangement. If you've seen this term before but aren't quite sure what it means or if you've never heard of it at all, let's break it down. The main part you want to pay attention to is the number after the word ...

March is here and it's time for another blog post to enlighten all you actor and model hopefuls! Building a website, setting up social media accounts, and establishing an online presence is much more accessible to the every day person than it used to be.  We've all seen the disastrous effects misinformation has done when it comes to news/media outlets and social media platforms, which begs the question: how does anyone stand a chance at knowing what's real and what's not anymore? While there is never a 100% foolproof way to safeguard yourself, it is entirely within everyone's power to take note of important red flags and to spend a little extra time doing your due diligence to try and suss out whether a talent/modeling agency is legitimate or not. Let's review a few that can help make the process of seeking representation a little less stressful. ***This post is directed towards those who have randomly been reached out to by someone claiming to be from a model/t...

It's already mid-February, you guys! I realized I needed to get this post up before I blink and we're suddenly in March.  Social media has evolved and forever changed the way we connect with each other. It's no longer far fetched to imagine being in communication with your favorite celebrities and brands.  But we all know shady people are always looking for ways to misuse and abuse these platforms. Sadly, the entertainment industry isn't immune. The ease of access to people from all over the world can make it that much more challenging to tell whether an opportunity like an offer for representation from a talent/modeling agency is legitimate or not. BEWARE OF "AGENCIES" SLIDING INTO YOUR DMs Sure, direct messaging is the fastest way to reach out on social media, but your first instinct should be one of caution if you happen to get a DM from an "agency." The age old saying, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," still applies to...