Author: Amber DuPuy

ARE YOU READY FOR A TALENT AGENT?


Austin acting talent agent

 

Are you ready for a talent agent in Austin, Texas?

A talent agent finds jobs for the actors or models they represent. Agents are licensed which gives them the legal right to solicit employment and negotiate contracts. Most professional projects with major studios and networks will require an agent to submit on an actor’s behalf. 

As a new actor, you first need to develop your skills before you submit to a talent agent for representation. I believe a new actor needs one, preferably two, years of acting training to hone their chops. As with any profession, skills and experience are required for credibility and success. 

Once you’ve developed skills and confidence, your next step is to procure work. You can start building your resume by winning roles in unpaid projects like student films or local theater shows. Eventually, you’ll want to be paid for your expertise. That’s when having an agent is almost always necessary. The question is – are you ready?

YOU KNOW YOU’RE READY TO SUBMIT TO A POTENTIAL TALENT AGENT WHEN:

  1. You’ve trained with qualified teachers whose names agents will recognize.
  2. You understand the business side of the industry. You know what kind of parts you want to play, what your brand is, and how you’ll likely be cast.
  3. You have headshots, a resume, a social media presence and a reel.
  4. You have the time to commit to acting. You are available to go on auditions.
  5. You’re in the union or working toward joining one. If you have your SAG-AFTRA card, your agent can submit you to more roles than otherwise.
  6. You have industry connections. You know an industry professional who is willing to vouch for you.

In sum, you’ll know you’re ready for an agent when you have trained with recognizable acting coaches, you know your brand, have the time to commit to acting, have put together headshots, a resume and a reel, and know someone in the industry who can vouch for you. If you aren’t in a union yet, that’s okay, you’ll get there. For now, it’s time to submit!

Want to hone your skills so you’re ready for an agent? Sign up for an acting class today.

Are Online Acting Classes Worth It?

Online acting classes; man sitting at white table with his laptop, smiling

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I did what all acting studios had to do and moved my classes online. Now that I’m offering in-person classes again, I can reflect back on almost two years of online-only classes to answer this question: are online acting classes worth it?

In my honest opinion, there are pros and cons to acting online versus in person. 

The Pros of Online Acting Classes:

  • If you are new to acting and feel nervous, taking a class from your home feels comfortable and safe
  • You can act with scene partners from all over the world
  • You get to see other people’s acting close up and study them better
  • Your acting teacher sees YOU close up and can give you detailed feedback
  • You get comfortable being on camera

The Cons of Online Acting Classes:

  • You don’t get to fully block the scenes
  • You can’t work with your scene partner in person
  • You miss out on the energy of in-person classes

In my experience, online classes can still be fun, educational, and challenging. They are a great place for new actors to find their footing or for experienced actors to challenge themselves with a new medium. Plus, getting comfortable being on camera is a great way to prepare for doing self-tapes and virtual auditions, which are more common now than ever.

I also think that you can feel a lot of energy in online acting classes. In my classes, we spend the first part of class doing movement and focus exercises so that everyone is alert and engaged. 

Final Thoughts 

Good acting can transcend the online experience. When two actors do a scene together that they have emotionally prepared, which is another skill I teach my students, it feels like the walls of Zoom go away and you are watching a movie in real-time. 

The connection that the scene partners have can penetrate through the screen and it feels like they are in the same room together. At the end of class, you are amazed that you just witnessed such powerful work on Zoom! 

While I am excited to return to in-person acting classes in Austin, I appreciate the time I’ve spent with my students online, and I plan to continue offering both online and in-person classes. You can also book an online one-on-one coaching session with me. Contact me today to start your acting career on the right foot.    

How to Find Theatre Auditions in Austin, Texas

Theatre auditions in Austin, Texas

There’s nothing like live theatre. It’s an exciting, dynamic, and immersive experience for the audience and performers. Do you dream of being a theatre actor? It’s hard work, but it’s rewarding, and you will grow as an actor.

Austin has great opportunities for theatre actors, and after a long hiatus due to COVID-19, the Austin theatre community is finally coming back to life. In this guide, we’re going to discuss how to find theatre auditions in Austin, as well as other tips you need to know to become a great theatre actor. Let’s get started. 

How to Find Theatre Auditions in Austin

The best online resource for theatre actors and audiences is ATXtheatre.org. You can find information about all 85 theatre companies in Austin, as well as production dates and info. They also spotlight a theatre every month that you can learn more about.

In their actor’s tab, you can learn about local Austin theatre actors, like award-winning actor Marc Pouhé.

To find upcoming auditions, you need to make a free account in the “members hub.” With an account, you can stay up to date with future productions and learn more about the theatre industry in Austin. They also have an Austin TV and film guide for theatre actors, and they are working on a page with other theatre job listings.

If you want to dive into theatre in Austin, I encourage you to take full advantage of this resource. 

Tips For Becoming a Great Theatre Actor

If you’re new to theatre, get prepped for success with these tips:

  1. Get in acting class. In my scene study class, we do several theatre scenes. It’s a great way to learn how to break down a scene, find your character’s objective, and emotionally prepare a scene. You can take what you learn in class into auditions with you, so start taking classes now to sharpen your skills.
  2. Read plays. To be great in theatre, you need to study the craft. You can find several scripts for both classic and contemporary plays online. Try to read one play a week. 
  3. See live theatre as much as you can. Use ATXtheatre.org to keep up with productions in Austin, and see as many as you can. You can even find last-minute deals on tickets in the “members hub.” Seeing local theatre is a great way to get to know the various theatre companies you can audition with, and you will learn by watching great theatre actors.

When you’re ready to start auditioning for theatre, use my audition tips to make a great impression.

Start Studying to Become an Austin Theatre Actor Today 

Are you itching to perform on stage? Start your career and get ready for theatre auditions in Austin with scene study classes at the DuPuy Acting Studio, where serious actors go to learn. You will grow your skills as an actor, develop as a person, and have fun. 

Register for a class today or contact me to schedule a private coaching session to discuss your goals.

 

Tips For Auditions: Make the Reader Shine

tips for auditionsAll new actors want to know the major do’s and don’t’s for auditions, and we’ve heard the horror stories about auditions gone wrong. Luckily, I have one major tip that will make the whole process simpler for you: make the reader shine.

This tip comes from Vancouver-based acting coach Matthew Harrison of The Actor’s Foundry. Matthew has coached several major actors that you see in TV and film today, and he is my personal acting coach. 

In this guide, I’m going to break down what it means to make the reader shine, as well as other audition tips you need to book jobs. Let’s dive in.

Who is the Reader?

Regardless of whether your audition is in person or online, there will be a person there whose job it is to be your scene partner. This person is called a reader because they typically read the lines straight from the sides.

Focus On the Reader, Not the Auditors or the Camera

For all auditions, you need to be prepared, polite, and present. This means you have worked on your script and memorized it; you are open and generous –  directors and producers want to work with you! And you have the capacity to truly listen and be present in stressful situations. 

When the camera starts rolling, however, the most important person in the room is the reader. Your job is to be in a relationship with the reader and effect change in them. When you make the reader great, you are great, and your scene comes alive. That’s when your performance “pops out of the camera” and you become memorable.

When you are finished with your audition, always thank your reader before you leave.

More Tips For Auditions

Focusing on the reader is your job in the audition room, but your prep work should start way before you step foot in there. You should always analyze your scene and be completely off-book for every audition.

To analyze your scene, use the same method that we use in class. Find the two conversations, your character’s objective, character statement, emotional core truth, and realizations and decisions. 

If you need help with this process, you can schedule a one-on-one session with me to break down your scenes before your audition. Check out my guide to memorization blog to get completely off-book. 

The more you prepare beforehand, the more confident you will feel in the audition room, and the more you can set yourself aside and focus on making the reader shine.

Get Started With Classes Today

Every great acting career begins with foundational training. In my classes, you will learn the vital tools you need to feel confident in any audition room. Register for classes today to get started on the right foot, and stay tuned for more blogs with tips for auditions and acting. 

What All Actors in Austin Need to Know About Working in Texas

actors in austin

The film and TV industry is full of opportunities for actors in Austin; however, working in Texas is different from working in Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and other major industry hubs. In this guide, I’m going to break down what every new actor needs to know about working in Texas and becoming SAG-AFTRA eligible.

Texas is a “Right to Work” State

The first thing to know is that unlike California and New York, Texas is a “right to work” state, which means unions work differently here. Essentially, Texas has union prevention laws, which means you aren’t required to pay dues to a union even if you work in a unionized workplace.

There are right-to-work pros and cons, but for the most part, union prevention laws favor the guys at the top more than workers. Unions can still fight for you, but they have limited resources.

In spite of this, your goal as an actor should still be to get into the SAG-AFTRA union when the time is right.

Should Actors in Austin Try to Become SAG-AFTRA Members?

If you want to have a successful long-term career as an actor, becoming a SAG-AFTRA union member is important. Joining the union means you can go out for better auditions for better paying jobs, and it makes you more impressive to casting directors and agencies. 

However, timing is everything. Joining the union comes with some limitations, like not being allowed to work non-union jobs anymore. That includes independent films and student films, which are a major avenues for new actors to gain experience in Austin thanks to small producers and the University of Texas RTF program.

For new actors in Austin, building up your resume credits through non-union jobs and staying in acting class are essential ways to getting an agent. And you have to have agent to audition for SAG projects.

But know this, a union card is not a golden ticket to success in the industry. You still have to work hard, network, understand your brand, and nail your Texas acting auditions. 

How to be SAG-AFTRA Union Eligible

If you’re ready to pursue union membership, there are a few ways you can become eligible. The first is by booking a part on a union job. If casting directors aren’t finding the actor they’re looking for in the union, they’ll open up auditions to non-union actors. 

Another way to become union eligible is to do background acting on union sets. You can either collect three union background vouchers or get upgraded from background to a speaking role. For more ways to become union eligible, check out this Backstage article.

I think the best goal for a Texas actor is to become “SAG-Eligible” because you can still work non-union jobs AND  be eligible to audition for union jobs. If you book a union job, you will pay your dues then, but not before then (and they are expensive). To learn more why being “SAG-Eligible” is the best of both worlds, read Bonnie Gillespie’s article.

Continue Growing Your Skills

It’s easy for new actors in Austin to get caught up in becoming union eligible instead of growing their acting skills. Joining the union is a huge stepping stone in your career, but you must have the right skills first. The more you invest into your training, the more it will pay off in your career. 

To join an acting class this month and continue growing your skills, contact me today. 

How to Take Headshots For Acting

how to take headshots for acting
Photo by Joseph Gonzalez

My students always want to know how to start acting in Austin. After you have some training under your belt, it’s a good idea to get headshots made.

If you want to know how to take headshots for acting, keep reading. I’m going to give you all my best tips and the best Austin headshot photographers to book.

Use a Professional Headshot Photographer

Agents and casting directors can instantly tell between a professional and amateur headshot, so it’s worth paying for an experienced photographer. There are about to be more professional acting opportunities in Austin than ever before, which means you need a professional headshot to get an audition.

My favorite Austin headshot photographers are Kathy Whittaker and Steven Noryko. You can check out their portfolio pages to get an idea of what a good headshot should look like. Kathy Whittaker took my student DeAnna Ryan’s headshots, and DeAnna used them to get a background part on the CW tv show WALKER!

Create Character Prototypes

Your headshots say a lot about the type of characters you can play. Like it or not, a casting director will take one look at your headshot and decide what parts you are right for, and which ones you aren’t.

You can use this to your advantage and create character prototypes when you’re taking your headshots. For example, if you think you could play a nurturing character like a nurse or teacher, you can plan a whole headshot look around that character type.

Before your session, write a bio for your character. Choose wardrobe, hairstyle, and make-up based on what that character would look like. You can even bring in the music that helps you get into character to play during the session.

Create a couple of prototypes so that you have a variety of characters you can play. When you’re submitting headshots for auditions, you can choose the one that best matches the role you’re going out for.

DeAnna’s headshots are a great example of this. She created one “tough girl” look and one “straight-A student” look. When she is going out for auditions, she can use the right headshot based on the role, and it will help the casting director see her in that part.

how to take headshots for acting
Photos by Kathy Whitaker

Master “the Squinch”

New York photographer Peter Hurley has popularized the concept of “the squinch” in headshot photography. It’s a simple move that makes you look more photogenic.

He says that most people do a deer in the headlights look on camera. Squinching is when you slightly pinch your lower eyelid. It is NOT squinting, it’s a much more subtle movement that makes you look more confident.

Think about lifting your lower eyelid and just slightly lowering your top lid. I recommend practicing in front of the camera before your session so you can master it.

How to Take Headshots For Acting

Following these tips will make all the difference in good headshots vs bad headshots, and a good headshot will distinguish you from other actors.

Headshots are a great step on the path to becoming a professional actor; however, you need to start with training. Are you ready to take acting classes in Austin, TX? Sign up today to start honing your craft.