Oliver - also consider music videos. I started late in this field just last year (I'm in my late 50's). I haven't been to drama school.
I have been offered some other paying jobs just because of the music video I danced in for free. I am using it as my showreel for now as I haven't got anything else that I can show. Many of these videos catch the eyes of agents.
Also sign up to as many non-exclusive agencies and notice boards in the meantime. I'm with Starnow, Mad Dog, etc.
Don't limit your opportunities by saying what you can't do. Don't self type-cast. It's hard but be as positive as you can. Take out anything that is negative in your CV.
Instead, concentrate on what you can do(playing guitar is a positive thing), improve on what you can do (practise your guitar).
That puts you in both the actor and musician categories which is a good thing.
If you get the chance, go to the Surviving Actors Convention next year (it is usually held in Feb). Entry is free. There are many casting directors there. They even had 5 casting directors boxes, all of them asking for people's CV's or even just business cards (another useful thing to have).
At the convention, I had a chance to talk to casting directors who gave good advice. Irene Cotton, a casting director, said it is OK to sent a CV by e-mail to her office and in fact she recommended that people send them to all casting directors. Irene told me that she reads every single CV she is sent just in case the character she wants is there. Don't phone them though - that puts them off you.
Irene also told me that she is actually happy if someone uploads their own showreel even from their own phone. She said she rather see a good short performance on that then a poor montage. She also told me that many actors now don't have an agent and she is OK with that. At the end of the day, it is the casting directors that decide who gets the job. She told me that about 40 percent of actors don't have an agent nowadays.
One other thing that Irene told me was that you should get as many skills as you can. The more skills you have, the more jobs that are available to you.
Right now, I am being considered simply because I can scale and gut a fish!
Take a few lessons - Irene suggested to me that all actors should have a few dance lessons as she found that many lack movement and dancing helps with that. It is also a skill you can add to you list. I added it to mine and that has made a difference as well.
If you can swim, do archery, skate, etc. put that in. Put *everything* in. Even playing football, rugby, curling, etc. - put that in too.
If you have uniforms or various costumes, put that in too. Quite often that can make a difference to getting a job.
First aiders are often required and that would be a good qualification to get as major films need people like that on their set. If you have that one extra qualification that others don't have, it can make all the difference to getting that job or not.
Keep networking. Always send a thank you note if you get an audition - even if you get rejected from that audition. It will make you stand out as a nice person. Some casting directors have told me that sometimes they go back to that person for another future production just because they are nice and good to work with.
Productions are often put on Facebook.
Always keep your eye open for them. One company called "Crime Genre Films UK" has a FB page. They have just finished one film and have issued on their web site that they will be making another one soon.
The advice of others here is also good.
Emma is spot on and I would follow through on those things.
Cathy:
Thank you for the detailed pointers, much appreciated.
I was with Mad Dog Casting, they were useless, mainly just offer SA work, and they took ages to pay too.
I had to miss the surviving actors convention as I was performing that saturday in Brighton, so it was on my radar.
Its really great advice you have given, but i'm pretty clued up, even though I may not actively display it.
I just know this industry comes down to right place right time, its who you know at the end of the day.
And its hard to keep good frame of mind, when the dream seems unattainable.
Also the showreel objective is just nightmare to get going when cash is low and photography contacts are being flaky!
I will keep trying to build my skills like you have suggested, as I know its about having something more to offer than just being an actor.
I have noticed that some productions hold open auditions. Lion King is one of them. If you keep checking their web sites, they put up audition dates. You don't need an agent for these and they don't always advertise these on other sites or places including Castingcallpro.
It is always checking out big productions that way.
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