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it’s a full q&a episode this time and you guys came with a range: we’re talking: -asking a friend for a referral -when the auditions go quiet -on-set snacks for night shoots -dream biopic roles -casting your own short film resources: submit your questions here: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp Amy's podcast rec: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/full-actor-q-a-finding-mentors-staying-ready/id1275621498?i=1000734119490 the Take Your Time link: https://youtu.be/mPmvRq9nLyc

today we're talking about playing the game that's actually in front of you (not the one you wish you had, not the one your friend from class is playing, the one that's literally on your plate right now) we're talking: the 99/1 problem: most actors obsess over the 1% (going viral, the big break, the fluke) and completely neglect the 99% playing your market: why resenting your city, your union status, or your resume is the fastest way to stay stuck comparison and "i don't have the resources": the game changes every year the small, unglamorous game right in front of you q&a: nonunion print add ons for...10 years?!? resources: the way of excellence: https://amzn.to/3UGUaIY submit your questions here https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

doing my august review with a 'four question actor system check-in', then answering a listener q on taping auditions while traveling we're talking: the 4 question monthly review: steal this! my actual august numbers audition coaching math rehearsal apps i'm testing protecting open space: why my september goal is not doing more q&a: taping on vacation: what actually goes in my travel audition kit and the time i taped 6 co-star auditions from a rental in hawaii resources: Amazon travel list: https://amzn.to/4i7q7UC TM Waitlist: https://the-membership.kit.com/waitlist2026 Submit your questions: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

i LOVE my Q&A eps, we've got six actor questions today covering everything from printed headshots to multi-market commission splits to self-tape audio hacks. recorded on aug 17th so if you dropped q's after that, i got em for later! we're talking: hard copy headshots in 2025: do you still need a printed headshot and resume? commission splits across multiple markets: breaking down the mysterious "7-7-7 split," and how i handle my commission cross-market auditions and who gets paid: what happens when your LA agent submits you for something shooting in another city, and how to communicate with all your reps self-tape audio and lens settings on iPhone: sound and settings relocating markets without losing career momentum: advice for an actor moving to nashville, how to use your LA credentials to your advantage, and building a rep team in a new market Links: submit your questions here: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp my fav iphone mic: https://amzn.to/4gghVPg black magic camera app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/blackmagic-camera/id6449580241 filmic pro app: https://www.filmicpro.com/

we're talking: why you need an audition tracker: the data point that actually tells the truth when your brain is convinced you're not getting auditions anymore building one from scratch: a full walkthrough on setting one up in google sheets for free what to track and what to skip finding your own patterns q&a: reps and union goals: when to tell your manager you want to go union, and how to know if your package is actually competitive enough to have that conversation resources: sample audition tracker: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rGmttXU3q7ZRqM-6l4GY0vQFDGCPohIGZ9dZIekz2s0/copy 10 self tape traps PDF: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2rik0kv2fejadt7q2fhwf/10-Self-Tape-Traps-and-how-to-escape-them-v2.pdf submit your questions here:https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

vas from the online actor and we're back for part two, closing out the list of 10 self tape traps (there was too much good stuff to fit in one ep, sorry not sorry) we're talking: * head stuck: when script analysis takes over and you can't let it go to actually play the scene, and why "prepare so you're malleable" beats over marking up your sides * disconnected state: feeling like you're just saying lines and going through the motions, and how to mine one or two grounding thoughts to make even a throwaway scene feel alive * overshooting regression: the law of diminishing returns on takes, why take 16 usually isn't better than take 2, and the "auto tuning your work" trap * behavior suppression: stiff, overly controlled choices because you think screen acting means stillness, and the 80/20 exercise for breaking out of it * character detachment: the fix isn't transforming into someone else, it's the "parallel universe" reframe, playing the character as you with different circumstances * a full q&a on managing pets (and kids) around unpredictable actor schedules, building a community safety net, and making decisions about work that protect your family resources: the 10 self tape traps: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2rik0kv2fejadt7q2fhwf/10-Self-Tape-Traps-and-how-to-escape-them-v2.pdf?rlkey=dvxhfuwf6l0yv0pa5q6je5i6u&st=1j2wopih&dl=0 vas saranga, the online actor: https://theonlineactor.com/ - discount code SAM20 for 20% off coaching in july and august submit your questions here! https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

vas from the online actor (coach, actor, and certified TM member who's been in my dms since day one...we don't talk about it) brought a list of 10 self tape traps he's clocked from thousands of self tapes and coaching sessions, this is part one of two! we're talking: -line locked: why you keep saying the wrong words even when the script is right in front of you and how to break out of word perfect brain -pattern locked: the muscle memory trap that makes every take feel identical and how to force new choices on purpose -prep guilt: why feeling like you didn't "prepare enough" is a lie your brain tells you and what actually counts as prep -performance perfectionism: chasing a perfect take that doesn't exist instead of exploring different levels (the goldilocks method: too little, too much, just right) -cycle of self consciousness: the spiral of "am i believable" that pulls you out of the scene and into your own head, plus the four types of on set consciousness (actor, character, process, subconscious) PLUS a full q&a on how to actually get a rep's attention when you have zero credits, including the tier system for agencies and why signing too early can hurt you resources: the 10 self tape traps (pdf): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2rik0kv2fejadt7q2fhwf/10-Self-Tape-Traps-and-how-to-escape-them-v2.pdf?rlkey=dvxhfuwf6l0yv0pa5q6je5i6u&st=1j2wopih&dl=0 vas saranga, the online actor: https://theonlineactor.com/ (discount code SAM20 for 20% off coaching in july and august) submit your questions here!: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

i am fresh off a commercial shoot in ATL, and we are talking: - the exact breakdown of what it costs to (theoretically) fly to atlanta, rent a car, find a place to stay, and eat for 10 days as a local hire - what i actually made on this commercial, fitting fee, session fee, overtime, meal penalties, per diem, all of it - what's left after agent, manager, and taxes take their cut - residuals math estimates Q&A: is a blank wall and a ring light still enough for self-tapes, or do you need studio lighting now? anonymous wants to know, and i have thoughts. --- resources: three-point lighting youtube breakdown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SVesm1p8Bg&t=2s 2026 commercial contract: https://www.sagaftra.org/sites/default/files/2025 Commercials Contract Rate Sheet - Year 2.pdf video from this episode for apple: https://share.descript.com/view/7UQxI7lYrM0 submit your Q&A questions: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

i got a Q&A from an actress asking whether it was even worth tracking shows that film outside her particular market (including Canada)...let's deep dive: we're talking: - why filming location and casting location are not the same thing - how to use imdbpro to research any show in ~20 minutes and know exactly where the cast is coming from - the LA actor / NY show situation and when you actually need another agent - international productions in Canada and the real info you need the headshot class (use the code in the episode!): https://www.themembership.co/checkout/the-headshot-class-2026 drop your q&a questions: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

folks have been sliding into my dms every time i post an audition and saying some version of "sam... isn't that too much work?" so today we're actually talking about it. the audition landscape has shifted in some real and specific ways, and i want to break down what's actually different. topics covered: -the vibe shift: what's actually changed -the new formats multiplying on us -the pendulum swing -what's actually working right now -the identity part (and this is the real stuff) -Q&A- sarah asks about a casting database form from damian bao casting that's asking for date of birth. we look at the form live. drop your q&a questions: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

this episode is a full YOUR q&a and we cover a lot of ground, so buckle up. we're talking: why submission reports can mess with your head (and what to actually do with them) LLCs vs. S corps for actors and whether you even need one yet verticals: do you owe your agent commission on jobs they didn't submit you for? paying residual commission to reps you've already left how to get seen by reps in LA when cold submissions just aren't landing a breakdown of how i actually hit my SAG health insurance earnings this year resources: SAG-AFTRA earnings benefit manager: sagaftra.org california LLC registration: ftb.ca.gov legalzoom: legalzoom.com submit your questions: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

This is the fun one. Part one was the more important work, but this is the part where you actually get to see a difference: today we're getting into your physical space, your gear, your wardrobe, and what's actually worth keeping around. Download your Part 2 Checklist here: https://sam-valentine.notion.site/the-actor-spring-cleaning-checklist-2 We're talking: - Filing and digitizing pay stubs, contracts, and tax forms (and the app that makes it painless) - Audition space assessment: lighting, spike tape tricks, and setting your space up so it's actually ready to go - Prop box edit: what's worth keeping and what needs to leave - Desk and workspace clutter and why it matters more than you think - Your life bag: what should actually be in there, including the very unglamorous Ziploc method - Hair and makeup streamlining: go-to products only, labeled brushes, and what to donate - Wardrobe audit: trying on your go-to looks, the packed box method for the stuff you can't let go of, and getting honest about what's still serving you **Q&A:** Nick asks about reaching out to southeast agents when you already have non-inclusive rep in the region, and whether to loop in your current agent. **Resources:** CamScan (free app for digitizing documents): https://www.camscanner.com/ Out of the Closet (LA thrift/donation): https://outofthecloset.org/ Submit your questions: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

i genuinely did not realize how much of my actor life was living in random dropboxes and cloud folders i was paying for until i started thinking about this topic, and now i can't stop. this episode is part 1: the digital reset. get your downloadable spring cleaning pdf checklist: https://sam-valentine.notion.site/the-actor-s-digital-spring-cleaning-checklist-1 we're talking... personal audit of your content/materials cleaning up your self-tape drives, phone storage, and editing apps setting up inbox filters and a rep contact label to make bookout season way easier and social media clean up too spring cleaning part 2 is coming next week, we're going physical next time (self-tape setup, wardrobe, the whole thing). q&a: mel asked about where to start when writing your own content mel's thinking about writing a short or micro-short that fits her casting and wants to know how to get started when inspiration isn't striking yet. submit your q&a questions: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp headshot class patreon discount - use code PATREON75 - https://the-membership-ee5120.circle.so/checkout/the-headshot-class mentions: audition tracking episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/1-audition-56639832?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link peerspace (for scouting shoot locations): peerspace.com

**wait first, send me your questions! i'm out!** https://shorturl.at/dHVZp we're getting into the part of market research that actually requires you to look in the mirror and assessing where *you* fit into your market and who's already working in it. it's less about gathering info and more about knowing what to do with it. specifically: - why your "type" might shift depending on what market you're in - auditing your materials (headshots, reel, resume) against what's actually casting in your area - how training and credits can be strategically mapped to your market - why one of these whole step should be skipped if you're in a spiral and yes, part two only makes sense if you've done part one! --- **q&a: union work in right to work states** shannon asks about being SAG eligible in the southeast, getting almost zero union commercial auditions, and whether to start declining non-union work to push the needle toward more union jobs. 📧 shaine griffin: [email protected] submit your q&a: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp

The concept of Market Research isn't new at all and I am the last person to get on board because frankly, I needed a process. It felt so unclear and never-ending...what's filming, who's being cast, and where I fit in. This episode kicks off a two-part mini course breaking down exactly how to research in a digestible and tangible way, no matter where you are. We're talking: How to clarify your market: your city, your region, and what you're actually pursuing right now Where to find what's currently in production (including free and low-cost resources) Building a master list of projects and why keeping notes is non-negotiable How to study supporting roles Using IMDB Pro and Actors Access together Part Two will get personal and help you find yourself in the data. For our Q&A: First, a real answer to Willow's question about navigating career momentum while caring for a family member who is nearing the end of life. Then, Lauren asks how to update her reel and materials as a broke actress who's been doing mostly theater and wants to break into TV and film. Resources mentioned: Audrey Helps Actors IG: https://www.instagram.com/audreyhelpactors UpToDate Actor: https://www.uptodateactor.com/ SAG Indie: https://www.sagindie.org/ IMDB Pro Actors Access custom link trick: resumes.actorsaccess.com/[actorname] The Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/1174599293/d7bd6d6b82?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci Submit your questions: https://shorturl.at/dHVZp