If you’re not receiving as many auditions as you’d want, not enough of the proper individuals are likely aware of your existence. Agents, managers, casting directors, writers, directors, and producers are examples of “proper people” who can assist you. Raising their knowledge of your presence occasionally necessitates a pitch, and that pitch must frequently come from you, generally in writing, early in your career. The prospect of selling oneself in print may seem daunting, but it’s rather straightforward if you follow these three steps.
Select a Format
There are three basic formats for a pitch letter. You can send a cover letter with your headshot attached (or printed on letterhead with one or smaller images of yourself also printed on it), an email, or a “one-sheet.”
One-sheets, a valid alternative to letters, postcards, and emails, combine magazine-style blurbs and visuals to transmit personality and information swiftly and individually. In Chapter 15 of her book “The Tao of Show Business,” marketing guru Dallas Travers popularized this eye-catching tool and described how to construct one.
You must be concise, specific, and clear regardless of the format you employ. Your efforts will be lost if your content is too extensive, the message too vague, or your design is too crowded.
Respond to their inquiries.
No one will care about the details of your pitch until you’ve addressed these three questions in your letter, email, or one-sheet:
1) What is your name?
2) What precisely are you looking for?
3) What made you decide to approach me specifically?
Those questions may be answered in one or two short, succinct, and straightforward words. Consider the following scenario of pitch letter example:
“I am a member of the SAG/AFTRA union. When casting director Jane Smith (who had just hired me for a Pepsi commercial) found out I was seeking a theatrical agency specializing in helping great comic performers get noticed for television, she said I had to put you on my list. Next week, I’ll phone your office to see if you have a seven-minute slot open in your calendar so we can meet in person.”
Alternatively: “I’m a SAG actor looking for new commercial work. Last autumn, the advice you delivered on the panel at Actorfest struck a chord with me, and I believe we’d be a good fit.”
Attract Their Attention
You may now add some sizzle to your pitch. Pick one or two points that emphasize why the person you’re writing should meet with you, keeping in mind that brevity is still necessary.
You might highlight your most recent or greatest credit or credits and the program you recently went to producers for. You might include a list of projects you have auditioned for in the last year and casting directors who have called you in. You may discuss your current callback ratio. Include a picture of yourself on the set of your most recent film. You can talk about a fascinating specific ability or an outstanding education or training. You might include a quotation from a big magazine about your work or make a faux casting notice for a part you’d be ideal for.
You may also add some zing to your letter or one sheet by hand-delivering it to the workplace. Yes, even to agents and managers, unless you’ve heard that certain offices don’t appreciate performers showing up. Remember to be concise, courteous, and professional at all times. Even if it’s only for 15 seconds, appearing in three dimensions conveys your essence and personality significantly more effectively than any two-dimensional photograph or marketing item.
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