DONT LET PPL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR EXCITEMENT: A VA TIP THREAD

Vet your clients BEFORE you audition. Do they have a website or some sort of online presence, social media, etc? If so, check for quality & bad behavior. Do they have examples of their work? If no, red flag.

Be wary of people who name drop, promise to recommendation you to their agent not long after meeting you, or overstate/exaggerate their experience. Successful people are not that desperate for your admiration. Look for proof to back up their statements. If none red flag.

It’s great to take classes but make sure your coach is QUALIFIED to teach you. A great actor doesn’t always make a great teacher. They ideally have a teaching certificate and/or a proven history of PRO work. Don’t ask advice from ppl that have never been where you want to go.

If your goal is pro level, get a pro demo if you can afford to & when your talent is at a good level. It’s half about quality & half meeting the right ppl. Agents do ask what pro studio did your demo. Until then your current demo is fine. A coach can help know when you’re ready.

Have interests outside of your chosen career. Having varied life experience gives you a deeper well to pull from when creating characters. You may be able to add or ad lib something you love into a character to make them more than 1 dimensional.

Did I miss anything (of course I did)? What are some other ways you can make sure you’re not taken advantage of in this business??