The Steps for Breaking Into Hollywood
A common image of breaking into Hollywood is heading over to “La-La Land“, showing up and being discovered by someone who can give you your big break. So maybe you are wondering…
…how realistic is this?
Although being discovered happens, the process of acting in Hollywood has changed a lot since the golden age of cinema. The breakout movie stars like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe were a product of the time, but things have changed a lot since then.
Understanding the modern landscape of the film industry will help you navigate it with more confidence. If you are working from an old model chances are you will find yourself lost and disappointed.
Many new actors, screenwriters and filmmakers struggle to break into the film industry the way they dream of because they simply do not understand how things work. They are using outdated methods and this is holding them back from making an impact.
These 10 steps for breaking into Hollywood solve a lot of those common challenges. The aim here is to help you understand how the business of film works so you can show up in a way that makes an impact with decision makers, and maybe become a decision maker yourself.
Maybe “getting a break” is not something we can control, but we can set the stage for it to be a lot more possible.
How to Become a Movie Star Actor?
Specifically, for the actors out there. If you want to become a movie star or a household name, there are a few things that must be said.
First of all, understand that there is no guarantee that you will become a movie star if you work hard and do all the right things. Not even having incredible talent or a great look will mean success at this.
Be prepared… you are entering an extremely competitive industry that is not always going to be fair. It’s not for the faint of heart. Taking on an acting career will test you on every level you can imagine.
So, if that does not discourage you, read on. You might have what it takes to go all the way. These 10 steps will get you moving in the right direction so you can create career defining opportunities.
In the meantime, enjoy the process. Learn the craft of acting and build your confidence with it. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Give yourself time to develop and make in-roads with people.
STEP #1:
DARE TO BE WHO YOU ACTUALLY ARE
Simple right? Just be who you are. Actually, this is not always as easy as it sounds. The pressure to “be somebody” in this world can leave you feeling like you don’t add up no matter what you do.
It takes courage to be yourself in an industry that is constantly posturing and flaunting an image of success. Not playing that game can give off the impression that you don’t belong or don’t add up.
With social media this is amplified. Be careful not to compare yourself to others. Their image of success is often far from reality anyway. Being who you truly are is keeping your head, while others posture.
The one thing you must accept at some point is that you are enough as you are! You are so much more than enough. Maybe you don’t believe it yet, but this is the number one awareness to achieve.
In any creative medium, a sense of self-doubt is common for all artists and it can be a challenge to deal with. The path to overcoming it is to give yourself radical self-acceptance. Embrace the mess that is you and find the courage to share it in your work.
If you knew your value and had the self-love to appreciate it you would discover unfounded levels of potential. The trouble is we live in a world that tells us to fit in, to be normal, to be cool… Or else!
...Or else what?
Or else you get bullied, rejected, made fun of, or excluded from the group? This scares most people into fitting in. They live a life deathly scared to do anything outside of what is common.
News flash… common is boring. Common doesn’t stand out from the crowd. Worst of all… being common is being fake. It’s a cover of who we really are. It is fear manifested as an act we play to be accepted.
If you want to do anything truly meaningful in this life you need to dare to be yourself. It takes courage. It means facing your fears.
To be yourself, follow your heart, embrace your vision, act on your dreams and live your purpose. Instead of trying to get approval from others invite them to join you in a meaningful life of authentic expression.
It’s funny because we admire the people who do this, yet in our culture we’re scared to do it ourselves. Likely we admire those who do it because they are doing what we only wish we could.
So step one is finding the courage to be yourself. If you achieve only one thing, make it this. It will make everything else far easier.
STEP #2:
DO WHAT MATTERS TO YOU, NOT THEM
Learn how to say “no” to projects or roles that do not fit your vision or your values. How do you know when to do this? You start by defining what your vision and values are.
…Get clear on what “you” want.
There is a tendency for film artists is to say yes to every single opportunity that comes their way. This is a symptom of the scarcity mindset.
The opportunities can feel few and far between because they don’t know how to create more of them. So they settle. They take what they get.
They don’t want to miss their shot so they just accept any role, any job or any work with anybody who will hire them. It leads to compromising on what matters most. Over time they lose touch with why they started out on this journey in the first place.
The problem in thinking and acting this way is that you train yourself to undervalue what you have to offer. You become just another hopeful out there in Hollywood begging for crumbs.
Most of the “Hollywood hopefuls” have no clear vision for themselves. If they do, it is severely compromised. Don’t let this be you. Having a vision and being clear on your values will set you apart from the crowd in more ways than you may realize.
If you want to make it big you need to stand out, not fit in. The best way to stand out is to stand for something. So the first decision you can make is knowing what you want to do and what you don’t want to do.
No matter how sweet the opportunity is you have to be able to turn something down that doesn’t align with your creative values.
So start now. Set your standards early and look at it as a career you are building upon. Something you can look back at and be proud of. You’ll be thankful for this later.
Doing this increases your perceived value by others, but what is even better than that is that this helps you have a sense of value for yourself. It takes courage to set standards for your life this way.
Everyone else is chasing the industry, taking every opportunity they can. Don’t follow the crowd. Define yourself as an artist and let go of any opportunity that does not fit with your vision and values.
It is not about the amount of work you do, it is about the quality of work you do. If you focus on the quantity you’ll have a lot of mediocre work that keeps you invisible.
To have the “it factor” or that “star quality” it begins by being selective about the work you do. To be a film industry leader stop following the crowd and start carving out your own path.
STEP #3:
MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU TO BE DISCOVERED
In Los Angeles, people are always looking for talent. Signing the next big movie star can define their careers and put them into a new stratosphere of success. Discovering someone with that “special something” who audiences love is a big deal.
What you need to understand is that being discovered is not about you, it’s about what you can do for others. The people that can give you a break are not doing it out of the kindness of their hearts. They want to get something out of it as well.
So, make it easy for them to see how you make their life better. Always think about what you can give, what you can offer, what value you can provide. Take the attention off yourself and put it on other people and how your presence or ability can improve their lives.
This is not about saving the world or even about being a good person. This is simply how business works. People do things because they see a personal benefit in it. Identify what they want and deliver on it. If you do you will discover what it’s like to be in demand.
The more you benefit others the more valuable you are to them and the more they will help you, because it helps them. Understand that giving you a break is not as much for you, as it is for them.
So with all of this in mind, you now have clarity on how to “get a break“. The concept of being discovered is much like finding a diamond in the middle of nowhere. For the person who is discovering you it is a lot like striking gold. They see incredible value in you.
Now, if you are looking for someone to validate you then you are setting yourself up for serious trouble. You have to be the one that knows your value. You have to be the one that affirms it.
Consider what you can do to set yourself up in a way that provides value to others. For an actor, maybe it’s having exceptional talent, maybe it’s being super fit or maybe it’s having a huge social media following. The more rare it is, the more valuable it is.
If you can offer something that most cannot you become more valuable in the world. It’s a matter of supply and demand. If there is low supply and high demand we consider it valuable.
A great option for building value is to take control of your creative career. You can make a movie or write a script and play the leading role in a project designed perfectly for you. Creating a showcase piece of what you can do as an artist is a very effective path to take.
Instead of waiting to get hired, create the work and hire people to help you get it done. Work with professionals. Create opportunity for other people. Be a leader, offer value and carve out a path of your own.
The best way to get discovered is to get yourself out there. Using social media is an effective strategy and having something to show for yourself is where you can really make an impact with it.
Whatever strategy you decide to use consider that the other people who want what you want are not waiting around. They are taking action and getting the attention that could be yours. If you want to get discovered, make it easy for someone influential to find you.
STEP #4:
GET OUT THERE & START MEETING PEOPLE
The saying “it’s who you know” is thrown around a lot in the film industry and there is some merit to it. It does matter who you know, but what matters even more is how strong your relationships are.
It’s also not about being able to name drop either, a lot of the time it’s about having a few solid people that will really have your back on the way up. People who will help you out when you need it, invite you out to meet people and be there for you when you are down.
This is a relationship centric industry. If you make a career in film you will likely meet 5x times as many people as the average person meets in a year. A common challenge is making meaningful connections that last with most of them. Staying in touch takes work.
It won’t be the number of people you meet that matters though, it will be the quality of the few that you retain a real relationship with that do. So this is a quick guide on how to get socially connected in a way that will help you and others get a break in the film industry.
To begin, there are advantages to being connected in the industry with people who have status, power, prestige and so on. This is not the point though, it is more like a bonus.
Also, there are lots of people who will name drop in Hollywood, but that doesn’t matter if “so & so” won’t show up for them when they need it. Name dropping is often just someone padding their ego.
Nobody in the industry who is going anywhere with things likes talking to a schmoozer. Schmoozing is making unauthentic connections and those interactions rarely lead to anything of value.
What you want to do is build authentic connections. A real connection is refreshing in Hollywood because there are so many people who are faking it until they make it. The insecurity is palpable and the last thing you want is to come off as fake and desperate.
Be ready though, even if you are genuine not everyone will be open to connecting with you, at least not initially. Don’t let that discourage you. It’s just a by-product of the social environment.
What you need to do is focus on what is within your control. Get involved in things that other likeminded people are involved with. Join a class, go to workshops, accept invites to parties and social events.
It only takes one person to connect you to more people. Start by making one friend and build outward from there. Stay in touch with people, check in just to say hi and introduce yourself to others.
When you go out there to meet people focus on what you can give to others. Really listen to them and think of ways to help them with their goals. Be of service and you will get much in return.
Your social network is one of the most powerful resources you can build. It can be helpful to know a lot of people, but the aim is to develop those quality relationships. Get out there, get involved and connect with others. This is one of the best ways to break into the film industry.
STEP #5:
HELP OTHERS BEFORE YOU ASK FOR IT
This goes with the last point, getting out there and meeting people. You are going to make solid connections if you become a person of value for others. Be known as a giver, not a taker.
A good rule to follow is to give at least three times before you ever ask for anything. If you are hanging around the right people though you will find that they will give you value in return before you ever ask.
That being said, don’t be taken advantage of. If you find yourself being used by someone make a judgement call. Confront them on it if they are doing so innocently, but drop them if they are doing it intentionally. It is something that comes with the territory of being a giver.
As you set out to provide value keep in mind that it takes time and effort to build real, valuable connections. Don’t expect things to come back in return immediately. This is a process. By offering a lot of value to others over time you earn a trusting relationship with them.
Consider this popularized saying; “easy come, easy go“. It means if you get anything too easily it won’t last. Solid connections are hard earned. In some cases you may not be appreciated, but that is a small price to pay for earning a solid reputation with everyone else.
Keep in mind that the person who has many shallow relationships with people may seem to get ahead quickly, but when people discover they have been used they rarely forget.
In the film industry real people can be hard to come by, but when we find them we tend to want to keep them around. We tend to want to help them get ahead. This could be you.
You want to be someone people value. You achieve this by listening and going out of your way to help them without being asked to do so. Make an effort for others because the appreciation has lasting effects.
It’s about walking the extra mile. You don’t have to do it, but you do it anyway because you know it makes a difference. When everyone else is just doing the bare minimum to get by, which is most people, you be the person that goes above and beyond.
The solid connections you earn will become one of the most valuable things you have, not only in your career, but in your life. They will be the ones you count on, rely on and build your empire with.
That is of course if they prove to be the kind of contact you want to be associated with. Not everyone will be a fit for you, you’ll have to be selective of your tribe from the beginning of your journey all the way to the end of it. One day people may be “name dropping” you.
You are building a community that has one thing in common after all, you! You are the one who is the glue that ties them all together and you can choose who you will introduce and who you won’t.
For now, aim to be valuable to everyone you know. Breaking into the film industry is not hard if you are valued by the people who are in it.
STEP #6:
CONSIDER YOUR LOCATION & APPROACH
When it comes to the film industry some places will simply have more opportunities than others. They may have more productions going on or more chances for smaller roles to be filled by unknown people. At any stage of your career the location to live is worth considering.
Most would likely agree that the hub of the film industry is Los Angelas because it is where the majority of mainstream productions originate. It is where the big agencies and the major studios are located.
That does not mean that other film cities do not conduct high-end deals in getting film and television made though. The rise of the independent producer / filmmaker has changed the landscape in a massive way. So opportunity is not limited to Hollywood alone anymore.
Figuring out the best location for you to live in so your film career can flourish requires a few factors to be looked at. They are;
– experience level
– skill level
– contacts
– credits
– education
– approach
Early in your film career you are establishing a name for yourself and if you are still brand new that comes with a series of challenges. If you don’t know anybody in the film industry it will be very hard to get your foot in the door so someone will take a chance on you.
You need to take an honest look a t a few things before you make any big decisions. Start by evaluating your education and experience level. If you have none then this is your first task to take care of. You need a good teacher, coach and/or mentor to help you learn the ropes.
There are many film schools and teachers out there, but not all of them are going to be a good option. Some charge an extraordinary amount of money, but they are just there to make a buck off of you. Some teachers think too small or can damage to your confidence.
How do you choose the right place to go? There is no easy answer since different things will work better for different people. What you need is a coach, teacher or mentor that understands you and cares about helping you get what you want. Finding them may take work.
At Breakthrough Film School we aim to provide a personal touch so that your journey into the film industry sets you up properly. At the very least, it is a place to start so you get the knowledge and experience you need to step out on your own and determine what you need to succeed.
If you have some real world experience, an education you can trust and a credit or more under your name a lot of doors begin to open. To get that far you’ll likely have a few contacts as well.
So your next task is to connect with even more people. Connections are vital for success at this. The film industry is all about collaboration and working together. Nobody does it all alone.
The other factors that matter are developing your skill level at the craft and figuring out what your approach will be for creating a film career.
Many actors focus on auditioning, while others take the approach of producing their own work. Maybe for you it is a little of both.
If you are living in a small town with no film industry then you will either have to make your own production or you’ll have to go somewhere else. If moving to a film industry city interests you start doing some research on what places would be a good fit.
It may not be best to start out your film career in Hollywood. Consider beginning in a city that is less competitive so you can get some credits under your belt first. Status, experience and being proven will open far more doors for you when you take on a film career in Los Angeles.
STEP #7:
BE PROACTIVE ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED
If you want to have a thriving career in the film industry it is vital that you figure out how to break the ice with people. Understanding how to get a conversation started is an incredibly important skill to develop.
For some people this is a real challenge, but it’s one of those things you simply have to overcome. Occasionally you can get by without being all that social, but it tends to be that people work with who they know and who they like. You got to get yourself out there if you want this.
It may surprise you, but many of the best artists out there are introverts. Maybe this is because they are often creating and developing from a rich internal world. If you have a vivid imagination and a deep emotional well you might not look for external stimulation very often.
For the introverts out there, take solace in the fact that you simply have not yet developed extroverted skills. All you need is a little practice and they will come. It may be uncomfortable at first, but like anything, you work at it and soon enough it’s easy to do.
If you are extroverted already this is an easy direction to take. Simply go bigger, be bolder and use your charisma when the opportunity arises to do so. Just make sure you are genuine about it, otherwise you may find that you are met with coldness instead of warmth.
Now, putting this into action can come in many forms. In some cases you will be at a live event with a lot of people, or you will be at a smaller venue with a more intimate group. In other cases it will be on set or it might just be through social media in some form.
If you are at a social event focus on approaching one person at a time instead of trying to meet everyone at once. It is better to have a few real conversations with a handful of people than to have a whole bunch of superficial ones with everybody there.
At live events introductions are one of the best ways to connect. Be someone who introduces people. Be a connector. The more you do this the more you will find others will introduce you to those they know. You can ask for an introduction, but be a giver more than a taker.
Invite your friends to events and aim to introduce them to people as you meet them. Do not get stuck in the comfort of only talking to the people you know. Aim to meet someone new every single time you go out. Make it a point of focus. Break out of your shell.
Another way to be proactive about connecting with people is to use the power of social media. Private messages can be effective, but many times they will be ignored if you are a stranger to the person. Don’t take this personally. Modify your approach and be patient.
One of the common errors people make is trying to be interesting when they approach people. This is a huge mistake. It reads as desperate and people get repulsed by bragging or showboating. Instead, be genuinely interested in them and you’ll get much better results.
The point is, opportunities come to those who create them. If you are waiting around for things to happen you’ll likely be waiting for a long time. Be proactive about whatever you do. Get involved in things and you’ll begin to see that opportunities appear everywhere.
STEP #8:
CREATE THINGS & INVEST IN YOURSELF
This is arguably the most important step you can take. It’s one piece of advice that can make all the difference. This is what will separate you from most of the people out there. It will put you on another level.
...Have you ever heard of the 80/20 rule?
It works like this… the top 20% of people will get 80% of the jobs. Then the top 20% of those people will get 80% of the top jobs. It goes on and on. So life is hard if you land in the 80% of people in your field.
If you want great opportunities you need to rise above the crowd and do what they won’t do. Do what only 20% do, or better, do what only 5% do. It will put you at the top and that is where the rewards are.
Most people talk a big game, but only a few actually take action. Up until now, a lot of these steps for breaking into Hollywood have been focused on being social, connecting with others and building relationships. This is the step where you see the true benefits of all that.
Make this your motto:
“If I create nothing, I add nothing“.
Talk is cheap, so don’t just talk, take action. Create something. Invest in yourself. Use your time, energy, money or whatever you have available to get your dream project made. Cast yourself in the dream role. Show the world what you can do by doing it!
Whatever you do, produce value. Create outlets for yourself and for others. It may mean that you write a script, make a movie or simply put an acting scene on tape. Get people to help you do it.
Team up. Organize it. Just don’t sit around talking all day about what you could do or should do. Take action now. Start today. Make a phone call, get someone else interested in what you are up to and maybe you can get their help to make it happen.
If you want to figure out how to become a movie star in today’s world, take control of your destiny. Never has it been easier to create your own work in film. If you want be the leading actor make yourself known by casting yourself in the roles you dream of doing.
There are no excuses these days. All the resources are available to you if you truly want this. You’ll learn the most of what you need to know by doing it. You’ll learn screenwriting by writing scripts and you’ll learn filmmaking by picking up a camera and filming something.
You don’t have to do it all yourself either. If you are making connections you can get people to help you do whatever your vision is. People are out there waiting for an opportunity, so create one and invite them to yours. You’ll be amazed at what is available to you.
Finally, if this is too overwhelming and you don’t know where to start, get help. You can set up a free strategy session at Breakthrough Film School or use our free resources to create a project all on your own.
Just take action now. Stop waiting around for the right time. Everyone else is waiting and hoping for it to feel right. Only by taking action can you truly get anywhere. Go for it when others won’t because if you wait, someone else will take what could have been yours.
STEP #9:
USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO EXPAND YOUR REACH
On your way up you can build a loyal following and develop your own personal fanbase with social media. You can also have a reach far beyond your location by connecting with others as well.
There are many different social media outlets to choose from. Some will be better for connecting with people, while others will be more effective for building a fanbase.
The takeaway from this section is simply understanding the fundamental principles around building an online presence. For now, the aim with this action step is to cover the basics of what you need to know to be effective with social media in your film career.
To start, be a creator and a connector, not just a consumer of the content. Let’s clarify these terms so you’re using these tools properly.
– Creator: creates the content that gets consumed.
– Consumer: consumes the content that gets created.
– Connector: interacts with the creators/consumers.
As we explore this step keep in mind that social media is a powerful tool that can be used by you, or it can use you. It’s important to draw healthy boundaries with it if it is actually going to help.
Aim to eliminate your consumption of social media as much as possible. It can easily become a distraction. Unless it is helping you create better content or connect better with others, it’s a waste. That time and energy can be used in much better ways.
You’ll have to watch yourself. Be honest with the role that social media plays in your journey. Stay on point with it. If you are finding you don’t have enough time in the day social media consumption could easily be the cause. It may help to limit your use of it each day.
The discipline required for this step to be effective is you must become a consistent creator of content and connection. So start by making a plan about how you will use it moving forward.
A suggestion for a routine might be something like this:.
1.) Make a post, a tweet or share something cool once a day that provides value for potential consumers of your content.
2.) Send a personal message out to a fellow creator, follower, subscriber or fan once a day to connect somehow.
3.) Share something personal about your journey once a week. Let your people know a success or a struggle you had.
4.) If you have a big win let your people know about it. Only do this one occasionally though, keep it to once a month.
This is the discipline of consistency. Stick to it. What this does is it builds up over time and your newer fans, followers and subscribers will have something to look back on. They will be interested in your journey to success and this is a public document of it.
What is most important is that as a creator you are providing value to others on a regular basis. That is your focus with it. Anything that is self-serving or promotional needs to be minimal or you will lose their interest. They are not just there to celebrate you.
Being a social media maestro who amasses a large following is simply a matter of understanding the game and how it works. People like, share and follow things that give them what they want, make them feel good, look good or reflect well upon them.
Give them something entertaining, fun, moving, cool or interesting and they will pay attention. This is why it is good to always be working on your own projects. They give you something to talk about. Your journey will be far more interesting if you are always up to something.
Sure, you’ll have humble beginnings with this, but don’t worry if the numbers of fans, followers or subscribers are low at first. Your social media profiles and presence are something that will build over time if create content consistently and use it to connect.
One day, you may have a large following and this can make you a lot more bankable. Producers are motivated to cast a performer who brings an audience with them. Something like this may be the cutting edge you need for helping you to book a big role.
STEP #10:
BE THE VISIONARY OF YOUR CAREER PATH
Who is in charge of your dream? Are you the one behind the wheel directing where you will go and what you will do? Do you have a vision for yourself or are you just leaving it all up to chance?
Don’t be a passenger, hoping that someone else drives you where you want to go. Making it in anything, including the film industry, is about having a vision in your mind and bringing it to reality.
Want to know how to be a movie star?
Take responsibility over it. Know what your dreams are. Be clear about it. Think about it regularly. Remind yourself what you are going for. Keep it front of mind. It’s your job to make this happen, nobody else’s.
Maybe figuring out how to be a famous actor is not what you want. That is fine. Maybe it’s not about the fame at all for you. Maybe it’s about playing great roles, being a part of great films or TV shows. The point is, get clear on what exactly it is you want for yourself.
This may change or evolve over time. That’s okay. Maybe you don’t know what you want yet. That’s okay. Start by getting a little more clear on what it might be and if you don’t know what you want, get clear on what you don’t want. Figure out what motivates you.
For this step to be effective it is very easy. Get a notepad and start writing the vision down. Get it out of your head and put it into the world as a real thing. Start now by answering these questions:
1.) What would need to happen for me to know for sure that I achieved my dreams as an artist?
2.) Why does this matter to me and why do I want it?
3.) Who will be in my life to share this with?
4.) When do I want this to happen by?
5.) How will it feel for me, my family and my friends when this happens and what would that mean to me?
Now that you have answered these questions, make a plan on how to do it. A plan makes it more real. It compounds it. It puts you into action and gives you something to do to actualize it in your life.
You can start small and expand on this later. You don’t have to know all the steps you need to take to get there either. This initial plan is a rough draft that is helping you map out what you will do.
Really answer these questions though. They will give you all the clarity and motivation you need to take real action on this.
Breaking Into Hollywood has Changed
If you want to make a name for yourself as an actor make sure you’re not working from an old model of how to do it. The film industry changes as media and technology evolve. These days you have far more options to stand out than were once possible.
At one time, it was only a select few that got to make a career, but now there is a massive amount of content being created. This means more roles that are available to play, more potential for projects to work on and more experience to get with a little leg work.
As an actor, filmmaker or screenwriter you are not only limited to only doing film and television anymore. There are streaming services, online outlets and video game developers that have expanded into the market of entertainment. They need creators and performers.
The modern challenge in carving out a film career is that there is so much noise with everything going on, it can be hard to stand out. Many creatives get lost in the mix of it all. This is why you need to be proactive about who you connect with how people find you.
Use these steps to get ahead of the crowd so you’re not lost in the mix of “Hollywood Hopefuls“. Most people are not doing these simple and easy things and if you do it will cut out most of your competition.
Taking these steps will put your film career in your hands and give you a leg up on getting ahead with it. It’s easy to put this off, so do one step today and get yourself moving in a positive direction now.
If you want guidance reach out and get a free strategy session to see if Breakthrough Film School can help. You’re not in this alone. It can feel overwhelming to take on a career in the film industry, but often all you need is a little clarity and focus on what to do.
