My most financially lucrative acting gig to date was the product of a headshot and resume I merrily sent along via regular mail in response to a breakdown I saw on Backstage during my very first few months in New York. It was for a firm that makes industrials, which I knew at the time to be great money for actors who could get those jobs. I kept my fingers crossed for a whole week after I mailed out my stuff, but alas, nothing happened. I eventually forgot I ever sent it.
About six months later a call came from out of the blue– would I come in for an audition? It was the industrial people! Who knows why they hadn’t called earlier, all that mattered is they called. I came in and they put me on tape reading some ridiculous pharmaceutical copy. I re-crossed my fingers but after another week of no feedback I figured it didn’t work out, and that was that.
About six months later the industrial people called– would I be available for a two-day video shoot for X,XXX the next month? Of course! I did the shoot and had a great time.
About a year later one of the producers from the shoot called me directly and asked if I would be available for a live industrial event. Naturally! They flew me out to the location, all expenses paid, plus a healthy four-figure stipend that was worth more than what I made in two full months at my old restaurant job.
A little more than a year after that they called again– was I available to go on location for another live industrial? Heck yeah!
Despite all appearances to the contrary, ours is not an industry of instant gratification. Even if you are fortunate enough to be drop-dead gorgeous and naturally brilliantly talented it will still take a long time– many years– for the news about you to generate a tangible result, and that only assumes you are working hard to market yourself in a positive and effective way. To put it another way, nobody– no producer, agent or casting director– is sitting here waiting for you.