1. Get a solid, yet flexible, side job! Yup, that’s right. I know you don’t wanna hear it, but you can’t wow them at auditions if you have no stability at home. So work on finding a good side gig that will give you the money you need to survive independently in LA. Some of the best actors we know work part time as bartenders, social media gurus, personal assistants, trainers, or web designers. Once you have the funds for an apartment to go home to, food in your fridge, and a car to transport you – you’ll be ready to tackle your acting career head on!

2. Get out of the house! You can’t meet new people if you never leave apartment 3B. Go to everything you are invited to, you never know who you are going to meet. Practice meeting new people, share resources, share a good laugh. All this will make you a more positive presence in the audition room and help you build a sense of community here in the City of Angels.

3. Take a class! You’re skills will be sharp and your confidence will soar if you are constantly practicing in class. (You’ll also inadvertently accomplish tip #2 if you do this!) Don’t be intimidated by the ton of options here in LA, just take advantage of the fact that many studios offer free audits of their first class. This way you can find a teacher and studio that speak to you before investing moolah and committing.

4. Take a (realistic) look at yourself! This is harder than it seems, but it’s so important. Ideally, yes, we all want to work in all areas, on all shows, with all directors, all the time. But think about what types of roles you could realistically book right NOW. That’s what you want to focus in on, and then once you are successfully working you can branch out. Keep a working list of celebs people say you remind them of (not just celebs who you admire) and of the shows & films you feel you could be most easily cast in. Then you can work from there researching which casting directors work on those projects, so you can eventually target them!

5. Love yourself! (This will feel especially good after tip #4!) Remember that there is always work to be done on ourselves, but there is also room for every one of us in this crazy business! Not everyone needs to look like the next Brangelina to be successful. So work on being the strongest actor and happiest person you can be, and treat yourself to a date with your favorite artist – YOU. Go to the beach, see a movie, get a fro-yo… And smile knowing that YOU are the next big thing!

Break legs!
Megan Manzi & the Michael Roud team