By Tony Nation

It’s film festival season! Sundance just rapped and the Tribeca Film Festival will be here before you know it! So how should you promote yourself as an actor at film festivals?  There are actually two ways to approach these events as an actor.

First, as the actor in a film that is being shown. Of course it’s the position that every actor wants to be in: having hundreds, maybe thousands of people seeing your work and a lot of that being the industry at a film festival. The opportunities are rampant from film Q&A’s with directors and stars, nominations for your work, awards, being seen by directors and producers to maybe having your film picked up by distribution companies in a movie packaging deal.

Make sure that you bring business cards with a photo on it and then have a picture and resume on hand in case it is asked for as well as a film/TV demo. I recommend photo business cards first as it’s a little awkward to be giving out headshots and resumes and then expecting the industry you’re meeting to schlep around with it for the whole evening. A business card is easy to put into a pocket or purse and then they can reach out from there.

By Tony Nation

If you are going to be auditioning for TV, you must make sure that your on-camera skills are at their very best.

If you’ve never auditioned using the pre-screen/pre-read format, I highly recommend taking on-camera acting classes in NYC to work on your auditioning skills with a reader.

You want to make sure that even if you don’t get the job, the office likes your work as an actor and that you are called in again because of the high caliber of your skills.

I also recommend that you have your sides memorized or be extremely familiar with them. It never looks good for you to be reading the scene with your head down in the page and not looking at your reader.

For more information on improving your film/TV auditioning skills, check out the FILM/TV under Acting Classes and Seminars.

By Tony Nation

New York television series come and go, but they provide an abundant amount of work to New York actors and professionals. Our main staples having been the Law and Order franchises, NBC’s 30 ROCK, One Life to Live, Saturday Night Live and several talk shows like Jimmy Fallon and David Letterman.

Do you know who casts these shows?

Do you know what the new New York television series are and who’s casting them?

Have you submitted your updated picture and resume with a cover letter to all of these offices?

Have you taken an acting seminar in New York with a casting director from one of these offices if your agent or manager hasn’t gotten you in recently to be seen?

If not, here’s the information you NEED to know! The new NY TV series and who’s casting them:

• Are We There Yet
  TBS-Todd Thaler Casting
• Blue Bloods
  CBS-Bowling/Miscia Casting
• Body of Proof (mid Season replacement)
  ABC Studios-Rosalie Joseph/Mia Cusumano
• The Big C
  Showtime-Julie Tucker Casting
• Lights Out
  FX-Alexa Fogel Casting

Our long running NY TV series/shows:

• 30 Rock
  NBC-Jennifer McNamara, CD
• Army Wives
  Lifetime-James Calleri Casting
• Boardwalk Empire
  HBO-Meredith Tucker Casting
• Bored to Death
  FX-Keller/Goulder Casting
• Damages
  FX-Julie Tucker Casting
• The Good Wife
  CBS-Mark Saks Casting
• Gossip Girl
  CBS-Bowling/Miscia Casting
• Jimmy Fallon Show
  NBC-Katie Hockmeyer
• Late Night Show with David Letterman
  CBS-Amy Hideriotis/Lorraine Galler
• Law and Order: SVU
  NBC-Lynn Kressel Casting
• Law and Order: CI
  USA-Lynn Kressel Casting
• Louie
  FX-Keller/Goulder Casting
• Nurse Jackie
  Showtime-Julie Tucker Casting
• One Life to Live
  ABC-Julie Madison/Tori Visgilio
• Saturday Night Live
  NBC-Mat McHugh (U/5 and background)
• Treme
  HBO-Alexa Fogel Casting
• White Collar
  USA-Julie Tucker Casting

By Tony Nation

If indie and feature films are what you want to be doing, make sure you’ve trained on-camera. When you are on set, most directors don’t have time to work with you and EXPECT you to be able to deliver the goods in the moment.  That’s why when you are in the audition/director’s session, your first take MUST be your best from the get-go. NEVER expect a second chance.

For actors who are transitioning from stage to film and TV and want to get the skills necessary to work in the industry, I would recommend taking From Stage to Screen led by Jeffrey Dreisbach, Casting Director.

This two week online class is designed to work specifically on TV/Film audition technique, how to work in the medium of film/TV as opposed to stage as well as a greater understanding of the industry as a whole.

by Tony Nation

When you do a student film, it’s going to be usually for NO PAY. You’re doing it for the experience, credit and a copy of the film. But sometime’s getting your footage so you have something to show New York casting directors can be a pain in the #$%.

So, my advice to you-get it in writing. Draw up a contract that you and the student director sign saying that for your time and effort, that you will receive a copy of the film by a stated date. When you have a business contract, it provides leverage.

Believe me, I’ve learned this lesson the hard way.