HOW TO LAND THAT ELUSIVE TV JOB

As an acting coach, Emily Joy has helped many actors book their first television role. In this article for The Equity Yearbook, she shares her top 10 tips for building a long-lasting and successful screen career.

1. Be aware of ‘arrival fallacy’
This is the term given to the psychological illusion that once we attain our goal, we will achieve lasting happiness. While your goal right now may be to book a TV role, it’s important to realise this will not bring you everlasting bliss. The human brain will quickly seek what is lacking − “Now I just need to book a bigger role!” − making it difficult for you to stay present and enjoy your latest accomplishment. To combat arrival fallacy, pause, release that breath you’re holding, and acknowledge what you have already achieved. Perhaps you booked a short film, participated in a great workshop or performed in a play. Progress should always be celebrated. Realise, too, that no job or pay cheque or award can rescue you from the human experience; there will always be days when you feel sad, no matter how well your career is going. Enjoy pursuing goals without the desperate need for external validation, but rather for the pure joy of acting and the wonderful, frustrating, exhilarating, joyful experiences this career path will provide.

2. Understand the television industry at large
The Australian screen industry is incredibly small. We have a limited number of funding bodies, a handful of broadcasters and only a few streaming services dedicated to making local content. While this may sound disheartening, there is an opportunity to comprehensively learn about all the players in our industry. Knowledge is power. Read Screen Australia’s funding announcements, subscribe to the Inside Film newsletter and follow Australian creatives on social media. This will enable you to build a strong knowledge base, so you have a great understanding of what is being filmed and can be well prepared for auditions when they arise.

3. Watch current Australian shows
While Australia is not able to make as much television as other markets, many shows we produce are critically acclaimed and often go on to receive international sales, nominations for prestigious awards and/or adaptations in other countries. This third tip is simple but often overlooked: watch at least two episodes of every current Australian program. Stay for the credits and take note of who produced, directed, wrote and cast the series. You don’t have to have booked a job to start engaging with the industry. If a show resonates with you, let the creatives know you enjoyed it. Often, they are not hearing enough about how impactful or brilliant their project was. Make sure your compliment is genuine and that you are not asking for anything or pitching yourself. Simply reach out and let them know you liked their work. Good relationships are a huge part of how this industry works, so you need to constantly enrich your connections and build on your network.

4. Know the casting directors
The Casting Guild of Australia website has a section titled ‘members’, where every professional CD in the country is listed. Start researching that list slowly and collate the following information; What company does this casting director work for? Who are their associates? Who is their assistant? Where did they work before? What are their recent credits? What producers do they often work with? Watch their most notable projects and study the acting; this will help you make meaningful connections.

5. Consider your casting profile
Whether you are represented or freelance, CDs use both Showcast and Casting Networks to send out audition requests. Some profile tips… If you are under 50, keep your age range to less than 10 years. For the ‘locations available in’, don’t just tick every one. Instead, mindfully write down the cities where you can easily work (casting will be suspicious if you have written more than three!). Use the ‘notes’ section for any extra information about your identity that you feel comfortable sharing. For example, you may wish to disclose your pronouns, if you have a disability, are neuro-diverse or queer. Fortunately, the industry is moving into an age of inclusivity, authentic casting and a kinder, broader, fairer representation of all Australians.

6. Stay active in independent communities
Most creatives working in television start their career on a much smaller scale. Act in short films, independent features and web series, so you can build your on-set etiquette, improve your screen-acting technique, receive footage for your showreel and, most importantly, build relationships. Most actors I’ve seen book a great TV role were working on a low-paying/independent project at the time of their audition. Work begets work; activity begets activity. Stay open, and keep an eye out for auditions posted on Facebook groups, StarNow and so on, because there are some gems out there that can help to advance your career.

7. Make sure your showreel is competitive and strategic
Take your showreel to the next level by including footage that is similar to what is being produced in your state. If you’re in Naarm/Melbourne, do you have a scene suited to a Michael Lucas-type dramedy? Or something for Belinda Chayko’s gritty dramatic writing? How about a Gristmill or Working Dog-style comedy scene? Showcasing self-tape scenes by various Australian screenwriters can increase your audition opportunities. Decision-makers do not have to think very hard to imagine you in their show; they can see straight away you know the genre, tone and rhythms they are looking for.

8. Become a self-sufficient actor
Due to budgets being so limited in Australia, time is of the essence. Typically, in television there is no time for multiple takes. This means producers not only need to hire actors who are well-suited to the character description, but also people who are able to work fast, while not sacrificing detail. Infuse your audition tape with natural behaviours suited to that scene. If you want to sit, do so. If you want to sip tea, have a cup in your scene. Do not wait to be directed through each and every moment. Give yourself permission to make choices, and offer an interpretation of the character that feels authentic and truthful to you. It’s much easier for a director to slightly tweak a performance than build one from the ground up.

9. Know the story function of your character
With guest roles and bit parts, there is a particular reason your character has been written, somehow aiding the lead actor in their journey. Supporting roles are not about displaying your entire acting range. Understanding the story and your character’s function within the series is often overlooked but will make for an engaging audition. Next time you watch a television show, keep an eye on the supporting actors and how their performances are pitched. This exercise will elevate any 50-worder or guest-role audition you have.

10. Play the long game
Ultimately, you can have a great showreel, make a terrific audition tape, have meaningful friendships within the industry and still not book the role. That’s okay. Landing the part isn’t the only aim. This industry is saturated; there are many more actors than parts available. The real goal is building tenacity, enjoying the process and learning patience. A great cure for career anxiety is remembering that you book the role and nothing more. You may or may not be cut from the edit, the show may or may not find an audience, you may or may not have more casting directors and producers interested in seeing you. There is no one job that suddenly opens up the industry and makes this hard path easy. It demands endurance. Remember why you act. Treat every audition as a privilege and enjoy it for the opportunity to do what you love. Indeed, enjoy every moment − there are much easier jobs to be doing miserably! There is no rush. You do not have a time limit. You are enough.

Emily Joy (she/her) is the owner of Joy Studio, a boutique acting coaching service in Naarm/Melbourne. Emily’s actors have secured roles in many major television projects, including upcoming series, Lord of the Rings, La Brea, Spreadsheet and Love Me, as well as American Princess, Home and Away, The Cry, Jack Irish and more. Emily’s own television acting credits include the second season of Metro Sexual, Neighbours, Tonightly with Tom Ballard and The Housemate.