Self Evaluation For Actors

Business of Acting 2020

Another year has gone by and we are into a new decade as well. Happy New Year!

If you’ve followed my blogs over the past several years you’ll notice that in January I start with a conversation about the Business of Acting – that you are a business, and that you need a business plan. It is important to set goals, create and execute tasks, and have accountability. You are your own boss.  Each January, I have a workshop where we face our demons, set goals, and put ourselves into action. For some it can be an extremely confrontational experience.  Just training the craft is not enough, you need to make business decisions and take business actions. We start the conversation with each actor assessing the past year and evaluating where they are in their career.   If you did this exercise last year, it is an opportunity to see and evaluate what shifted and moved from last year. So once again, I repeat my checklist to complete and review. Based on the results it can give you a perspective of what areas are strong and what needs to be improved.

Actor Evaluation Checklist

Rate yourself 1-5 (5 being best)

Training

1. Emotional Preparation ______
2. Audition skills with script in hand ______
3. Commercial auditioning skills ______
4. On Camera auditioning ______
5. Memorizing Lines ______
6. Working with a scrip in hand ______
7. Script Analysis ______
8. Improv skills ______

Experience

1. Performing on Stage ______
2. On Camera ______
3. Auditioning ______
4. Voice Over ______
5. Improv ______
6. Play Readings ______

Credits

1. Web series ______
2. Theater ______
3. TV ______
4. Student Films ______
5. Other/ Industrial/ training videos etc ______
6. Commercials ______
7. Print ______
8. Modeling ______
9. Voice Over _____ _

Headshots

1. Look one ______
2. Look Two ______
3. Look Three ______

Film Clips (30 sec to 1.5 min)

1. Look one ______
2. Look two ______
3. Look three ______

Web presence

1. IMDB ______
2. Personal Site ______
3. Other locations ______

Your network

1. Casting director relationships ______
2. Director relationships ______
3. Producer relationships ______
4. Theater connections ______
5. CD Workshops ______

Representation

1. Agent ______
2. Manager ______
3. Now Casting ______
4. Actors Access ______
5. Casting Frontier ______
6. LA Casting ______
7. Other ______
8. Union member ______

Personal Promotion

1. Writing ______
2. Developing project ______
3. Personal Project ______
4. One person show ______
5. Theater group ______
6. Web series ______
7. Stand up ______
8. Other – List ______

If there is anything else you find pertinent for your career that serves you, list them. __________________________________________________

How did you do?  How did it compare to last year’s evaluation? It’s a chance to see what is strong and what needs work.

It’s important to evaluate yourself, your progress, and what needs to be worked on. Self evaluation for actors is important to do from time to time. 

I’ll leave you with a quote from a great actress:

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” – Audrey Hepburn

My best wishes for a productive year for you!

Fran Montano