Between Gigs? Three Things You Can Do to Jumpstart Your Acting Career

Do you sometimes feel unprepared and a little rusty when you walk into an audition? Because of the dry spells that come with the acting business, it can feel a little hard to keep your momentum at times. But with just a little focus of your attention you can keep yourself "in the game" so you're ready when opportunity finally knocks. Here are three things you

can do between gigs to generate some energy and jumpstart your acting career: 1. Film yourself doing a monologue once a week.

Being good at auditions is a skill just like anything else. Simply practicing - even just by yourself - can help you to feel more "on top of it" and in the groove in auditions. I recommend, pulling a short monologue off of the internet once a week (Try this website: monologueblogger.com) and then filming yourself doing it. Set up a place in your house where the light is good (near a window) and it's easy to place your camera phone on a window ledge or a bookcase and just start filming without much fuss.

2. Find out what's filming in your town

It's good practice to know what's filming around you and to be familiar with those shows - the style of acting, the pacing, the characters etc. - on the chance you get an audition for one. Here's a good website that has What's Filming in SFand I'm sure a little Google search will turn up similar sites if you happen to be in a different city. You can even take it one step further and dig to find out who the casting directors for those shows are.

3. Make friends outside of acting.

Go to where the writers, producers, directors, filmmakers, lighting designers, set stylists, art directors, etc. are! Making friends with other actors is great, but you are more likely to land jobs from the inside by making friends on all levels and areas of the industry. The key to being successful at this strategy is to really be open to making friends with whomever you gravitate towards - don't attempt to "climb the ladder" or only glob onto the "big" powerful folks, but rather make friends everywhere based on a genuine connection. You never know: that unknown writer today could be a big name five years from now. Focus on building relationships first without asking for anything in return. Whatever you do, keep believing in yourself and stay in the game. There is never an end to opportunities flowing towards you, but sometimes you have to get a little momentum going to be able to jump in at the right moment!