The Actor's Business Plan: A Career Guide for the Acting Life

by Jane Brody

The Actor's Business Plan is a self-directed practical guide for actors graduating from formal training programs, as well as for those already in the business whose careers need to move ahead more successfully. Using the familiar language of acting training, the book offers a method for the achievement of dreams through a five-year life and career plan giving positive steps to develop a happy life as an actor and as a person. It assists performers to flourish using the same kind of business/career planning that is a necessary part of life for entrepreneurs and business people.

This introduction to the acting industry provides essential knowledge not only for how the business actually works, but also describes what casting directors, agents, and managers do, demystifies the role of unions, discusses how much things cost, and offers advice on branding and marketing strategies. It differs from other such handbooks in that it addresses the everyday issues of life, money, and jobs that so frequently destroy an actor's career before it is even begun.

While addressing NYC and LA, the guide also gives a regional breakdown for those actors who may wish to begin careers or to settle in other cities. It is loaded with personal stories, and interviews with actors, casting directors, and agents from throughout the US.

The Actor's Business Plan is the answer to the common complaint by students that they were not taught how to negotiate the show business world while at school. It is the perfect antidote for this problem and can easily fit into a ten or a thirteen-week class syllabus.

Offering support as a personal career coach, empowering the actor to take concrete steps towards their life and career dreams, The Actor's Business A Career Guide for the Acting Life is a must-have book for actors who are determined to be a part of the professional world .

Genres: Theatre

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2015

Reviews

[Kate Lingoni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great for people just getting into acting and learning about the industry in general. Very informative, and I loved the applied approach to mapping out my plan of action. The exercise of writing down your dreams & goals and then working backwards to identify actionable steps to take towards achieving them was very empowering for me. Too often we get lost in "actor busy-work", but this is not that. I highly recommend this book to actors looking to better define a path for themselves and set achievable goals.

[Kasey Cañas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great road map to making goals and achieving them in both the acting profession and other area's of one's life.

[Brooke Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful guide to the acting industry, with practical exercises for inputting the advice and guidance into your daily life.

[Mills College Library]

792.02802 B8649 2015