How to get paid acting work

To get paid acting work is of course the goal for every actor. Every one of us dreams of being able to make a living from doing what we love but it is never an easy path.

The first, most obvious path is by having an agent to put you forward for castings. It is naturally in their best interest to get you paid work as they are making commission from your earnings and they will normally only put you forward for paid work. It helps also that they already have well-formed relationships in the industry to get you in the door with the paying companies.

If you don't have an agent then it can be more difficult. In any instance you will normally have to start out doing low/no paid roles to gather Showreel footage and to make connections. It also gets you out there and shows on your CV a vested interest in your career. It also means you always have something to say when someone asks you that standard question "So what have you been doing recently?". You also then have the opportunity to have something to show to potential agents/employers. You may begin doing profit-share theatre roles as many actors I have seen, but it only takes one of these creatives to get a break with a budget and your name will be on their list!

With something such as Casting Call Pro you have the option to apply for either Paid or Unpaid work but bare in mind that if an employer is looking at paying out for your services it's a good idea to have something already on your CV that demonstrates your desirability. Credits are the first step but then showreels or clips of your work are the next way for you to put your best foot forward and show your potential.

You do have to justify your employment in one way or another and the more work you put in yourself for free, the more impressive your CV will look when someone's writing a cheque. So Get those credits and gather that footage and you are then in a very strong position to start requesting payment for your services. Best of luck!