I got pinned for 2 series regular roles last week. Here’s how it happened… 

I’ve been a working actor for years and boy are there days that I wish I had known then what I know now.  

But, I’m grateful for all the lessons because today my career has hit a new level. 

I’m going to break down exactly WHY I’m regularly in the running for bigger roles than ever plus I keep booking consistent work below.  Let’s get going… 

1) NETWORK COMEDY TV PROJECT

My agent had to convince the casting director that I might  be a fit for this role before I was invited to self-tape.

I imagine one reason I didn’t initially get the audition was because I have zero single-camera comedy clips on my reel. But thankfully, he trusted me enough to champion my work.

So, what did he do?

He got creative (and you and your reps can do the same!) and sent 2 audition tapes for comedies that had a similar pace and vibe to this project.

One of the audition tapes was for a recurring guest star on a mockumentary show from TWO years ago. And the other audition tape was for a comedy audition I just submitted a couple weeks ago.

My agent’s creativity and persistence paid off! I was invited to self-tape.

If you don’t have hard working reps, that’s okay. YOU can take these same bold and creative actions to bring in opportunities on your own.

It’s something I see Elite clients and grads of The Relationship Roadmap do all the time.

P.S. It’s SO important to develop a strong relationship with your reps and you can definitely use some of the strategies I’m teaching in my  The Secret To Booking Film & TV on Your OWN Workshop to deepen your relationship with your rep so you can be a client that your rep fights to get you auditions for.  

Okay, back to my story…

WHAT I THINK WORKED ABOUT MY SELF-TAPE:

One of the tools in my branding tool belt is my boldness with physicality.

In my 2nd take of my Scene 1, I turned what was written as a probably 2 second physical comedy action into about 7 seconds that had very distinct beats and an arc.

It was a risk, but I believe in taking risks that are FUN for us to do and still feel aligned with the writers’ intent.  I cracked myself up while rehearsing these comedic beats and thought, “this tickles me, and if they don’t like it, well...

Understanding the genre was really important as I could see many actors going way too broad with their comedic choices.

Now, let’s talk about the second project I was pinned for last week…

2) NETWORK DRAMA TV PROJECT

I had already built a strong relationship with this  casting office. In fact, as soon as I entered the producer’s session Zoom room, the Casting Director told me she was talking me up to the Showrunner and Director.

“Well, that’s so lucky of you Jona, how NICE for you,” you may be thinking.

It’s nice because I put in the work to build connections. You can do that, too. In fact, relationship-building (especially with all the controversy about self-tapes circulating right now) should be a top priority on your list.

I’ve always prioritized building relationships over just chasing auditions. And it’s paying off.

I’m not bragging. I’m encouraging YOU to do the same thing. You can learn how during my free workshop happening next week. Click HERE to sign up.

When I first started as an actor, I literally knew NO ONE in the industry.

And my parents both worked at Monsanto at the time, which wasn’t the best ice breaker here in California. So, I had to start from lower than zero 😛

I felt like an outsider for so long and desperately wanted to feel like I belonged in this industry. When I started to reach out via cold-outreach to industry professionals I respected, prioritizing deepening relationships with the new connections I was making, getting auditions and bookings became MUCH easier.

So, when I landed this drama audition, I went in already knowing that casting was rooting for me.

I’d invested time into cultivating that connection and that effort continues to lead to amazing opportunities.

WHAT I THINK WORKED ABOUT MY SELF-TAPE:

Since this TV show is centered around an ensemble, I focused on how my character fit within that ensemble in terms of archetypes and the role she played within the group. Also, I leaned in, once again, to more physical boldness by making the sickness my character was feeling in one scene a big obstacle. And buttoned that scene at the end with a moment where I gagged and it turned out to be a fun comedic ending.

If you feel inspired by anything you’ve read today, it’s a sign you’re ready to up your relationship-building game.

Whether it’s with your reps or directly with casting, producers, or other creatives…there is a way for EVERY actor to form reliable connections with folks who can make a difference in your career.

Here’s exactly what you’ll learn: 

• 10x Your Auditions: Creative ways actors generated a TON of INCREDIBLE auditions & bookings
• The Audition Leapfrog Technique: PROVEN approach for auditioning for LARGER roles even if your credits are smaller
• The Magnetic Actor Method: The 6 Key Differences between actors who struggle and actors who work 

I am excited to help guide you on being the actor who already has a connection to someone on that project you’ve been dying to work on!

~ Jona