Networking for Actors

How to create your community…without feeling fake

Networking is everything in the entertainment industry. Collaboration between writers, directors, actors, producers, and everyone in-between is the way we’re able to tell such incredible stories. Fostering strong relationships with other creatives not only ensures you’re producing good work, but gets you in the room to create more in the future. Directors like Mike Flanagan often use the same actors in their projects because they’ve built a good relationship and can trust a high caliber of work that fits their aesthetic; Sean Baker famously wrote the Oscar-winning role of Anora just for Mikey Madison. But how do you create strong relationships like that with directors in the first place? How do you make genuine connections without feeling like you’re “using” people to further your career?

Reframe Your Mindset. Start with changing the way you think about it. Art is all about collaboration. When you make a new connection, you’re not “using” them to further your career. You’re helping them out too! If you meet a budding director who finds your creative input insightful and loves working with you, you’ve now given them a new actor to elevate their work. Directors, producers, and creatives want you to be the puzzle piece they’ve been missing, in the same way you’re hoping they’ll be the answer for you too. Work hard on developing your authentic voice, keep putting yourself out there, and trust that the relationships will come.

Support the connections you have! If you see an open call that you think a friend would be right for, send it to them! Watch your friends new films—even if you’ve only just met them. Go to their film premieres. Support their projects. The more you champion the creatives around you, the more they’ll want to support you in return. Though it may feel like it sometimes, auditions aren’t a competition to beat other actors out of a role. It’s a communal endeavor to find the best people for a project and create something everyone feels happy with.

Find networking events & groups. If you’re someone who doesn’t find small talk easy, look for structured events that make it easier to open up! An actor’s walking club, a weekly film-watching group, or an industry game night are all great ways to meet people while having structured activities to make getting to know others feel smoother. Facebook has a plethora of groups for actors and creatives where networking events are posted. @bleachsocial on Instagram hosts frequent walking clubs for entertainment industry members in NYC or LA. Taking an acting class isn’t just great for building your performance skills; it also helps you meet fellow performers. Going to an open-call audition is an opportunity to audition AND make a new friend or two. When you place yourself in environments that encourage connection with others, it’ll be much easier to form your community.

Be that person on set. Introduce yourself to everyone. Ask lots of questions (as long as you’re not getting in the way of work). Just because the lighting guy isn’t a director doesn’t mean that isn’t a valuable connection or they won’t have insight that can change your perspective. You can learn so much from EVERYONE on set—advice you wouldn’t have gotten if you hadn’t put yourself out there. And if you decide to make your own projects, now you’ve got a good friend who might not mind helping out with your lighting.

Keep a journal. Keep track of the people you meet in auditions & on projects. Write down their name, role, the project, and any insight they gave that stood out to you. Using a journal helps you remember all the people you worked with so you can make your relationships stronger and approach them with intention. Remembering someone’s name from a project you did a while back and how you bonded over a favorite movie or book means a lot!

Make your own work! You can’t always wait for the work to come to you. If you’ve got a lot of friends who want to create something, but don’t have many opportunities, get together and make that opportunity for yourselves! Even a silly sketch filmed on your iPhone gets you more practice. Use independent projects to strengthen your friendships and learn how you work together in artistic collaboration.

For your young actor: If you have a little one in the industry, all of this advice still applies! Acting classes are a chance for them to meet fellow performers and find companionship with like-minded kids. Encourage friendships by facilitating play dates and supporting those friends successes! Teach your little one the importance of community and being supportive and kind on set. You can learn a little something from everyone.

Forming your creative network isn’t an easy task, but it is essential to your longevity in the entertainment industry. Go to networking events, nurture your relationships with the friends you have, and find opportunities to work together. Focus on being genuine and forming connections from a communal point of view—we’re all in this together and the more we support each other, the better our art will be.

If you want to get into an acting class with like-minded performers, look no further than Actorsite classes! From exploring in Scene Study to leveling up in Audition Technique for Kids/Teens and Adults, our results-driven training for artists of all ages will leave you feeling understood, challenged, and ready to take on the industry with confidence.