Returning to acting after a hiatus can

feel like standing at the base of a

mountain wondering

where to start the climb.

Now, whether you took a break to focus

on family, another career, or you

simply needed time for yourself, re

entering the profession can seem daunting.

The good news is that you are not

starting from scratch

your building on your previous

experience.

On today's episode, I'm going to give

you a step by step guide to help make

your reentry manageable.

And dare, I say, even exciting?

This is casting actor's caste.

Well, hello, and welcome to today's

episode of casting actors cast.

I'm Jeffrey Dresbach.

I am a casting partner with McCorkle

casting in New York.

How are you?

I hope you haven't a good day.

I'm really looking forward to this

information today about reentering the

career.

If you've been away for a while, I

think you're going to find these eight

steps extremely helpful

as you contemplate

jumping back into the profession.

But first, this is that moment of the

podcast where I get to say thank you so

much for tuning in to gazing actors

guest.

I am so grateful to all of you who have

written to me, who've left a review or

thumbs up, or shared it with another.

It means so much to me.

After all, I don't ask for anything in

the podcast.

These are all free.

You can just kind of it cost you your

time, I guess.

But I believe that this is providing

information

that is really helpful.

And I don't think today is going to be

any different, at least my ego is

telling me that it's not.

So, thank you for tuning into casting

actors.

Cas, I invite you to check out the

website, casting actors cask all one

word com.

You find all kind of information on the

website.

You're going to find that my new book

jeff's jots is available right now

jeff's jots, the actor's career

playbook, on Amazon, but there's a link

on the website.

I invite you to check that out.

I think you're going to find that

really helpful.

Also, there's a little form on that

landing page that says, dive into the

talent pool.

And if you do that that's going to just

open up a whole bunch of stuff for you

as a free video casting secrets, what

they don't tell you.

But it's also

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hosting, a book called conversation

pieces out of the studio, the voice

over workshop for professional actors.

Also there is a blog and a

corresponding show, notes downloadable

for you that corresponds to each of

these episodes.

So as I give you a lot of this

information today, you might want to

have kind of a sheet to use as a

reference point or something to go back

to.

Because today it's going to feel a

little bit like a checklist, I think.

All right.

So once again, thank you so much for

being here.

Let's jump into this subject, shall we.

So I have these eight steps, these eight

in this order, I would ask that you

think about these.

Just working on them in a slow,

methodical pace, I believe, is

something that's going to really help

you feel comfortable and confident

about jumping back into the profession.

So let's start with number one.

Number one,

reflect on your why.

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So before diving back in, I think it's a

really good idea to take some time to

reconnect with why you want to act again.

What drew you to acting in the first

place?

What was that singular event

in your life

that made you say,

I want to do more of this?

The reason why that's really helpful, I

think, is because it gets those juices

going again.

It gets the emotional

to what it is to being a performer

back in the forefront of your brain.

And that's why, I think it's really

helpful.

It could have been the thrill of

performing, or it could have been just

the fact that you're a storyteller,

that connection with other actors,

connection with people in the industry,

that's a big motivator as well.

So connect with your why.

Then it's important to think about

what's motivating your return.

Now,

why are you coming back in?

Why is this something that you're

interested, excited wont to do?

It could be whether it's reigniting a

passion, for example, or it could be

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just exploring

untapped potential.

You see, I think understanding your why

will ground you and fuel your journey

forward.

I think it's

valuable to think of it as you're

creating your north star.

It will guide your decisions and help

you stay focused when things feel a

little bit overwhelming.

So start with your why.

Step number two, I think in order, this

is most helpful.

Start with self assessment.

Self assessment.

So after time away,

it's kind of natural to wonder if your

skills are still sharp, or if kind of

you feel like you've fallen behind a

little bit.

But let me tell you something.

This is a secret.

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No one expects perfection on day one.

I promise you.

It's not expected that you have to jump

right in with both feet and feel fully

accomplished.

That just doesn't make sense.

So don't put yourself

through that struggle.

Here's what you can do.

Revisit old work.

Watch your past performances, or review

your portfolio to see how far you've come

and where you might want to grow.

Did you like out my voice?

Read up really high there.

But how you want your future

to go as it relates to participating in

the business?

I think there's value in identifying

strengths and areas to refresh.

Here's an example.

Maybe your improv skills are really,

really good, and you feel confident

about that.

But you might need to brush up on

camera techniques

or monologue work.

A little self awareness, I think can go

a long way.

All right.

Moving on from there.

Step number three,

update your tools.

Now you probably knew this was coming,

but your headshot and resume are your

calling cards in the industry.

So honestly, it's valuable to make sure

they reflect who you are today.

Please do not be concerned about that

space between gigs,

then versus.

Now,

who you are today is how you're going

to be cast.

live in that past angst.

And that, as we talk about the tools,

for example, headshots,

invest in professional headshots that

showcase the role you're targeting now.

So as you're watching film or watching

television, or you're watching theater,

where do you see yourself now?

You see your look

may and probably likely has evolved,

right?

So it's important that casting

directors see the current you

next is your resume,

update your credits, and remove

anything outdated or unrelated.

What I mean by unrelated, by the way,

are roles

that you probably aren't going to be

playing.

Now,

I know that's a tough one for a lot of

you.

If you've been away for a long period

of time, and you were in azureneu and

now you're a character actor, that can

be pretty challenging.

So I'm not asking you to kind of charge

ahead and just remove everything that

you wouldn't be gasped in.

But I would love for you to frame it

and look at it in such a way that makes

sense to a casting director looking at

it now, it could be an amazing director

that you worked with.

That's great.

It could be a cool theater that you've

worked with.

It could be

a network

gig, a network television show that you

were in at that time.

All of those things are giving me

information about your level and where

you are at in your career.

So I don't want you to throw all of it

out, but really

use a discerning eye.

That's a good way to say it.

So that if there's a gap, for example,

I don't want you to stress.

I think there's more value to focus on

the skills and experience that you

bring to the table

today.

And I've always mentioned to actors

that they really should spend some time

bingeing some shows of film.

And television is where you want to be

at.

Find those shows that you say to

yourself, gosh, I could play that role.

That's really helpful, because then you

can do a little research, you can look

up who the casting director is, and you

can see the kind of writing that's

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taking place today,

because it's different than it was ten

years ago, twenty years ago.

So there's value in looking at what's

coming over the air now, so to speak,

and where you see yourself in that

place.

Ok?

Another tool is a demo real.

Now listen, if you don't have recent

footage

chill out it's ok.

Consider you could certainly film new

material.

Now, even self tapes,

really well produced self tapes, but

you don't want to call it a demo reel

or a show reel.

You want to say, here are some recent

auditions as a self tape that could go

on your website, for example.

Or if an agent might be interested in

working with you and they say, do you

have any tape?

You would just simply say, I have

an example of myself tapes that would

probably help you to see how I look on

camera.

You see what I'm saying?

Because the skill set of having a good

self tape goes a long way with agents

today.

And so if you've got a really well

produced self tape, that's going to

help that agent make the decision to

want to work with you, because they

don't have to teach you.

You already know

good.

All right, just simply remember that

you're presenting yourself as you are now

authentic

and ready to work.

Moving on from there.

Four, this is reconnect with training.

You see, I think acting is like a

muscle.

It gets stronger the more you use it.

So if you've been out of practice, it's

just a matter of jumping back into

training to rebuild your confidence and

refine your craft.

How do you do that?

Well, you take a class,

you look for workshops or ongoing

classes in areas like scene study, on

camera, technique or even voice work.

Not only will you sharpen your skills,

but you'll also meet other actors and

start rebuilding

your network.

Network.

Network network,

I think there's value also,

to work on your own,

read plays,

work on your monologues.

You should have two or three monologues

in your back pocket.

Anyway,

why not look for some new monologues,

some fresh material, or put that

monologue on a self tape?

When you do self tapes

for yourself,

you're really honing several skills at

once.

One is you're getting your confidence

boost.

The two is that you're seeing and

correcting and working on how you are

being seen.

And that is nothing but invaluable for

your own confidence level, like I said,

but also the future relationships that

you might have with representatives

like agents and managers.

So

consistent practice, I think, will help

you regain

your rhythm.

And I also think might want to consider

exploring something new.

Try a class outside your usual

wheelhouse.

For example,

improv is really useful,

just to maybe a movement class, or even

a voice over class.

It's a great way to expand your range.

And,

I don't know, rediscover the fun of

acting.

This should not be thought of as a

burden.

This should be an exciting time for you.

And keep that perspective

as you start ticking off some of these

items I'm sharing with you today.

Next item

we're going to talk about, rebuild your

network.

And we're going to cover that right

after this.

Welcome back.

So this is number five, rebuild your

network.

Your network is a key part, I think,

for re entering the industry.

Reaching out can feel very, very

intimidating.

I know that, but most people are more

supportive than you might expect.

So it's a matter of reconnecting with

old contacts.

Perhaps you already have a LinkedIn

page.

Maybe you have some socials that you're

already doing or performing.

That might be

the time to announce your return.

I would suggest reaching out to former

teachers.

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Maybe there are some agents you worked

with in the past,

maybe some casting directors, or even

fellow actors,

let them know that you are back and

you're eager to work.

A quick email or coffee meeting can

really open a lot of Doors.

In addition to that I suggest that you

join the community more, feel more

connected to the community

by attending industry events

like workshops or networking nights.

Being present in the acting community

will absolutely help you feel plugged

back in, and that's not only good for

you, but that's good for people in the industry.

Now I mention social media platforms

like Instagram and LinkedIn they're all

really powerful tools for sharing your

journey.

I think it's a good idea to post

updates about your return,

your training, or

maybe something new to help announce

you coming back into the profession,

or whatever projects you get or might

be working on to stay visible.

You see, in my view, networking is

about relationships,

not just opportunities.

So does that make sense?

I hope that makes sense.

And relationships

that are worth anything take time.

So please don't just think of a casting

director as a potential opportunity for

a job.

Don't think of an agent as a potential

opportunity for an audition.

Those things are not

as helpful to you

as thinking in terms of what the

relationship means to you.

So I think if you approach it with

authenticity

and patience, of course, makes a lot of

sense.

Now I'm going to move to item number

six,

start small

and build momentum.

If jumping straight back into auditions

feels a little overwhelming,

I suggest you ease in.

Take some smaller steps,

background work, or indie projects.

You know, those smaller projects that

might be out there and available in

your area.

Now, these can help you absolutely

rebuild confidence and refamiliarize

yourself with being on a set.

And you know, that industry vibe that

might be happening now, that maybe

wasn't there when you were in it.

Last

the other self tapes.

Practice auditioning at home,

treat your material that you're

auditioning with as if it's an actual audition.

That'll help shake off the rust and

help you get comfortable in front of

the camera again.

That's extremely

important.

Now, if you've not done any self tapes,

now's the time to perhaps take a class.

It's been my experience,

that a lot of actors, because I see a

lot of self tapes,

a lot of actors think they know what

they're doing.

And I hate to break it to those of you

who are doing self tapes.

If you haven't had some kind of more

formal instruction,

there might be some elements to

yourself tape that are kind of not

helping you in your audition.

So if you're re entering the

profession, now is a good time to take

a class in self tape.

Study what others are doing.

There's all kinds of stuff and

references online.

I've certainly done several podcasts on

self tape.

So you might want to consider going

back into the archives.

But anyway, back to those

opportunities.

Now, as you start easing yourself into

the profession, I think student films,

or even community theatre, is a really

good idea.

Because these opportunities

can help you build new credits, and it

can actually create fresh material

that you'll be working on, even for

you're real.

Think of it this way,

every step

counts, whether it's a big step or a

small step.

Don't underestimate the power of

gradual progress.

Ok, just a couple more.

Number seven, adjust your expectations

please.

Now it's absolutely easy to compare

your current situation to where you

left off, or where others are in their

careers.

But please remember, everyone's journey

is unique.

So give yourself grace

if auditions don't go perfectly at

first, you know what that's?

Ok?

I really mean it.

Growth comes with time and persistence.

I can also tell you, in my experience,

casting in general,

is very forgiving

and grateful for those actors that have

been away and now are coming back.

Because there is a gosh, eh, here's a

good word.

A plethora.

Come on.

That's a good word of material that is

going to be on the air in the next few years.

All of the streaming service ours,

streamick services, excuse me, they are

putting a lot of money into new

product.

So this is an excellent time for that.

Focus on the process,

not the outcome.

It's the journey, not the destination.

I think it's really helpful for you, if

you enjoy the creative work and trust

that opportunities are going to come as

you stay.

Here's the word consistent.

Finally, number eight, stay positive

and resilient.

Re entering.

Acting can be emotionally taxing,

but please don't be a victim to that

emotion.

Maintaining a positive mindset will

definitely make the process feel more manageable.

How does it feel manageable?

We'll simply celebrate small wins.

You got an audition,

great.

You worked on a monologue and you

nailed it.

Great.

I think it's valuable for you to

acknowledge

every step forward.

Find support

surround yourself with people who

understand your journey.

Extra support groups, friends, or even

a coach, can help keep you motivated.

Also keep perspective.

Remember that taking a break wasn't a

setback.

It was part of your path, your

returning with a fresh life experience,

which can enrich your work as an artist.

I also think if you set clear goals and

you have a road map, it's going to make

your return feel intentional and

absolutely less overwhelming.

Short term goals,

examples include booking your first

audition back, updating your materials or

pleading a class.

And then there are those long term

goals.

Think about the type of roles, projects

or career milestones you would like to pursue.

Break them into actionable steps.

That's going to serve you.

Goals give you direction and a sense of

achievement as you check them off.

I think it's also important, as we

close today, is to Embrace the journey

most importantly,

remember why you fell in love with

acting.

This isn't just about booking jobs or

building a resume.

It's about storytelling.

It's about creativity,

it's about connection,

enjoy the process.

Acting is as much about the journey as

it is about the destination.

Trust your instincts.

You've returned for a reason.

Trust that you belong here and have

something valuable to offer.

So here's my final thought.

Returning to acting isn't about

catching up

or proving yourself

honestly.

It's about stepping back into the world

of creativity on your own terms.

By taking deliberate,

manageable steps,

you can make your reentry into the

profession feel exciting rather than overwhelming.

Listen.

You've already shown courage by

deciding to come back

and to finish this odd guest.

So if you've been listening, I suggest

that now it's time to let that passion shine.

I'm Jeffrey dries back, break a leg.

This is casting actor's cast