Jeffrey Dreisbach 0:00

The title building your character may sound like the start of an acting class. Or it may feel like a self help ethics lecture.

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Actually, it's neither. What I would like to talk about today is making the right choices for growing your career by building your resume the right way, making the best decisions for taking on roles that look great for your castability on paper, and with your personal experience, qualifications are happening on this episode of casting actors cast the podcast for actors from a casting director.

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This is casting actors cast. Jeffrey Dreisbach brings you insights and inspiration, make a difference in your acting and your acting career. Here's Jeffrey Dreisbach.

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We're gonna jump in right after this. Well, hello, and welcome to today's episode of casting actors cast. I'm casting partner Jeffrey dries back. I'm with the McCorkle group in New York. How are you hope you're having a good day, I'm looking forward to talking to you about building your character. In other words, showing your talent and your abilities through a well crafted resume. I think you're going to find this really, really valuable. Whether you're new to the business or whether you've been doing this a long time. I think the information in today's podcast is going to serve you in a big, big way. But first, this is that moment of the podcast where I get to say thank you for tuning in. We've been doing these patios, podcast videos for gosh, six years now. And I'm only just feeling like I'm getting started.

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So thank you so much for tuning in. Hey, listen, I'm on the Broadway Podcast Network. So I invite you to tell your friends also, you can check out the website casting actors cast all one words.com. There, you're going to find some information about my new book, my new book is out called Jeff's jots the actor's career playbook. Additionally, you're going to see a form that says dive into the talent pool, filling out that form will open up these freebies, which is a free book on doing voiceover work, and also a video called Casting secrets, what they don't tell you, it's absolutely free. Also, I want to just share with you that the course that I have also put out there through creative coaching partners called The Art of the audition is still available. And I invite you to check that out. There's a link on the website, as well. So there's lots going on.

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This is kind of a really interesting time, I think for actors in that if you're not doing your summer theater thing, or you're maybe taking some advanced classes, or perhaps you're taking a little bit of a break. All three of those are really good times to take a look at your resume and filter it through some of the suggestions I'm going to be making with you today. And then finally, I just wanted to say, a shout out to my good friends at actors connection actors that connection.com/new York. Thanks. So it's time to analyze your performance experience, and prioritize or filter your list using the following criteria. So when you put together your resume, you might want to take an old resume out and take a look at it. But now we want you to look at it in a slightly different way. Here's the criteria. Number one, what roles projects are reflective of who you are now, in other words, age, the style, what I mean by style would be Shakespeare versus musical theater. So those roles are those past experiences that make you castable now make you look like the character that you played now. So whether it's age or medium, whether it's film or television, it doesn't matter. But really take a look at those roles that can benefit you with the casting that's going on right now. Number two, what roles or projects provided an exceptional statement about your talent. What do I mean by that? Well, you know that there are certain productions there are certain projects there are certain television series or shows that require very specific kinds of skill sets. And the one that comes to mind immediately is a Law and Order SVU. You know, we all know law and order. Dick Wolf Productions is a very specific style of acting that take place when you are on any of those shows. So if you've been cast in any of those shows, or here's another example just off the top

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Have my head bridgerton For example, there you have sort of a heightened reality with a little bit of Shakespeare thrown in. But you've got a sort of a formal language. But yet there's a very contemporary acting style at the same time. That's what I'm talking about certain roles or certain projects, make certain demands on actors, that is really valuable information that you might want to include on your resume. Here's another one, what roles or projects show a unique skill, or can demonstrate a professional relationship. So if you are in a theatre production, and it's Shakespeare, and you worked with a very, very well known director, that's the kind of thing that I'm talking about. So now you've got something that you've been casting, now you've got something that is castable for you right now. Now you're working with some other professional so those become a higher priority for your resume.

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Finally, what roles or projects could be put in a separate category. So not everything belongs just on one page, you don't have necessarily a film and television category, you don't necessarily have a separate theater category, you can even get finer than that. So keeping each of those categories, perhaps separate for yourself and deciding which would be effective categories for my career, based on my career goal. So once you've looked at the performance experiences that you've got down on paper, it's now time to arrange the credits. Arranging the credits is the most valuable aspect of everything I could teach you today. By that I mean, what you are interested in, and what work you've already accomplished, can fit together in a cohesive way by number one, the most castable, and most valuable for where you see yourself now. So if you're interested in doing more film and television work, and you don't have that in any film and television credits, perhaps there's some theatrical experiences that might relate or transfer, because of the nature of the writing, or that particular production. For example, if you were in a small, intimate black box setting, perhaps that's that play has a very intimate kind of quality that translates well for film and television. So you see where I'm going with this without doing too much of a stretch, you can really see how you shape and stage those past experiences to reflect where you want to go next in your career.

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Here's another one unique skill set, or interesting experience that is usable for future credits.

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Many times I see resumes where the theater is listed, but yet not the director, or I see the director is listed, but I don't see where the theater is. Every time I get additional piece of information, it really contributes to what you are saying about you. After all, your resume is a one page layout, a magazine layout, if you will, about everything that you've done to this point.

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Number three recognizable relationships, directors that you've worked with, maybe you had the pleasure of working with a well known actor, might be a good idea to have that on your resume. Because anyone who's been who's working with another professional that is of some note, or some notoriety can really make a statement about who you are. So anytime there's a valuable association that can be made. That's the time to make it. Now the next step, you've done all that work. Now review the work and design a strategy for your character. Build your character, who you are with your resume. How you want to be perceived by others, is what the resume is all about. What skill sets you possess, that would make you an interesting, viable, creative choice for casting is what the resume can do for you. So which roles align with your future goals that would have a place of prominence I think on your resume, theater, film and television could be separate categories. If you don't have enough credits in those categories. That's okay, have performance, background or performance experience, and then list each of those things in a way that looks interesting and creative.

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Number two, which future roles that you're interested in would show interesting ads?

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aspects of your talents and abilities. Now,

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see, it's not just a matter of showing what you've done, but you can imply what you are ready to do, based on the way you position those credits on your resume.

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what areas need to be addressed is another question on your resume. In other words, if you have some exceptional experiences in Shakespeare, for example, but you're more interested in the film and television career, perhaps you need to address the film and television opportunities. Maybe not had yet. But you've certainly could by taking those classes or workshops or working with somebody in film and television. So now your resume has a little more emphasis and focus on what your goals are, what your area is.

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Now, speaking of your special skills section, or that separate education section, drill, do those sections reflect future interests. Again, it's not just about your qualifications now. But it's also about those qualifications you have that apply for future roles that are being cast.

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So when we talk about character building, I am not talking about an acting class, I am really talking about how you can represent yourself on your resume, and how really important that can be. It shows through your past experiences, where your future lies. So I'd like it to taking a snapshot of where you are now. And that can give you really valuable insight into where you can tweak and edit those credits that don't serve your future goals. Are you wishing for acting success? Are you ready with audition techniques for theater, film and television? Are you ready with proven methods for growing your talent? Are you ready to boost your business? It would help if you had a playbook to guide you now, there's Jeff's jots the actor's career playbook by Jeffrey Dreisbach, Jeff's jots@amazon.com casting actors cast.com available in paperback hardcover or ebook, stop wishing and start doing with Jeff's jots the actor's career playbook. I know that this is a difficult task, but one that will and can move you into a new arena of focus and confidence that can impact your life and your career. Here are a couple of additional examples I want to share with you. One, I still see actors that list their extra work in a film and television category on their resume. Let me just say that I think that that's problematic. Extras, by their nature, in the business are a completely separate organization. Although Yes, you are on camera, perhaps but your background or you're in an audience, or you're just walking behind in a television, commercial. Those are all great experiences for a newcomer for an actor, because you really get to be on a set, you get to see what that situation is like. But promoting that on a resume is making a different kind of statement about you. Do you really want to be known as that actor who does extra work? My thought is? No, no, you don't. If you really are interested in a lifetime application of your career, my suggestion is rack that up to personal experience that does not need to be seen on a resume. I also see so many resumes that are so jammed packed, because the actor might be of a certain age that they've listed everything that they have done going back 20 years. And

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the reason why that's not helpful, is I love the idea of a lot of experiences. But I don't need to see all of that because why? First, practically it's very difficult to read. I still get resumes where people have hand written in additional new stuff on it. They have a thing called a word processor now where you can really print out a fresh resume every time. So be very selective in terms of shaping that resume for the career trajectory you want and you're going to find yourself in a much better place it builds confidence and makes you feel so much more part or a part of the environment or a part of the profession.

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I hope that this has been helpful to you and I encourage you to check out the website casting actors cast.com Also, if you haven't checked out the video

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knows all of these are simulcast on YouTube casting actors cast is the YouTube channel. I look forward to seeing you next time out. Let me know. Okay, thanks bye

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please don't forget to review like and share casting actors cast I'm Meghan Grace Martinez.