Navigate the Industry
CAREER GUIDANCE in Los Angeles
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You can be an excellent actor and still struggle in this industry. Not because you lack talent, but because the business of acting is a separate set of skills that most training programs completely ignore. Learning how it works, how to navigate it, and how to position yourself within it can make all the difference in the world.
Career guidance coaching at BLS addresses the business side directly.
This isn't motivation. It's strategy. Specific, honest, practical guidance on how to build and sustain a career in the most competitive entertainment market in the world.
The Business of Acting is Its Own Skill
What Career Guidance Covers
Understanding Your Type and Casting
How to use platforms like Actors Access effectively. What makes a strong submission. How to pursue auditions without representation. Which opportunities are worth your time and which aren't.
Materials Assessment
Goal Setting and Momentum
Representation Strategy
Submission Strategy
Navigating the Industry
Honest evaluation of your headshot, resume, and reel. What's working, what isn't, and what needs to change.
How to approach agents and managers. What to have ready before you pursue representation. How cold submissions, referrals, and services like TalentLink actually work. What to look for in a representative and what red flags to avoid.
Union vs. non-union decisions, set etiquette, industry relationships, how to evaluate opportunities, how to handle the rejection that is inherent to this career without letting it derail you. For more on the mental health dimensions of this, read Mental Health for Actors.
Before you can pursue a career effectively, you need to know how you should be sold. What roles are you right for? Where do you fit in the market? This is often where beginning and intermediate actors have the most confusion and where clarity creates the most immediate progress.
What you should be focused on right now, given where you are in your career. How to build momentum when things feel stalled. How to evaluate whether you're moving in the right direction.
What This Isn't
Career guidance coaching is not therapy, motivational speaking, or a guarantee of bookings or representation.
It's honest, direct, practical counsel from someone who has spent nearly two decades acting and coaching actors in Los Angeles at every level, from first auditions to series regular roles.
Who This Is For
• Actors who are technically trained but unsure how to pursue work
• Actors who have been auditioning but not booking, and want an outside perspective
• Actors who are pursuing representation and want to approach it strategically
• Actors who are considering a major career decision or transition
• Actors who are new to Los Angeles and need to understand how the market works
*During the regular hours of M-F 10a-5p Pacific Time. Coachings outside of these hours are subject to a 1.5x overtime rate.
Pricing
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$150 / hour*
($75 / half hour)
Or start with an Intro Eval if you're not sure whether this is right for you.
What is career guidance for actors?
Career guidance is about understanding how the acting business works and figuring out what you should actually be doing to build and navigate your career. We can look at where you are now, where you want to go, what's getting in the way, and what your next steps should be.
Who is career guidance for?
Everyone. Beginners can learn how the business works and avoid common mistakes from the start. Experienced and working actors can use it to reassess their strategy, make better decisions, or figure out what to do next.
What can we work on?
Whatever is relevant to your career. That can include finding representation, approaching agents and managers, audition strategy, headshots, résumés, demo reels, casting type, branding, networking, social media, online casting platforms, building credits, choosing training, marketing yourself, evaluating opportunities, and developing a longer-term career strategy.
Can you help me if I don't have an agent or manager?
Yes. Career guidance can help you understand when you're ready for representation, what kind of representation may make sense for you, how to approach agents and managers, and what you should be doing while you're looking.
Can you review my headshots, reel, résumé, or other materials?
Yes. We can review the materials you're using to present yourself to the industry and look at whether they accurately represent you and support the kind of work you're trying to get.
Can you help me figure out what roles I should be pursuing?
Yes. We can look at your strengths, experience, appearance, abilities, training, and the kinds of characters you can realistically play to help identify where you may be most competitive.
Can you help me understand online casting platforms?
Yes. We can discuss how online casting platforms work, how to use them effectively, what opportunities make sense for you, and how to approach the material and submissions you're making through them.
Can you help me find an agent or manager?
I can advise you on the process, what to look for, how to approach representatives, and how to evaluate potential representation. I don't guarantee representation or make promises about getting you signed.
Can you help me understand contracts, rates, or legal issues?
I can help you understand the general business context and questions you may want to consider, but I'm not a lawyer and don't provide legal advice. For legal questions or contract matters that require professional interpretation, you should consult an entertainment attorney or other qualified professional.
Is career guidance the same thing as acting coaching?
No. Acting coaching develops your craft and performance. Career guidance focuses on the business and strategic side of being an actor, including understanding the industry, presenting yourself, finding opportunities, and making career decisions.
Do I need to know exactly what I want to do before booking career guidance?
No. That's often the reason to book it. We can start with where you are, what you're trying to accomplish, and what you don't understand, then figure out what makes sense from there.
How much is there really to learn about the acting business?
A lot. Talent is only one part of having an acting career. Understanding how casting works, how representation works, how actors present themselves, where opportunities come from, how to evaluate those opportunities, and what to do at different stages of your career can make a significant difference. There is a business to learn, and most actors aren't taught how it works.
Can career guidance be done online?
Yes. Career guidance is available in person or online worldwide. Most of the work can be done effectively through video coaching.
