In the entertainment industry, everyone wants that one “big” gig. It could be a series regular, a contract to voice a brand for a year, an opportunity to be seen daily or weekly or it could be a live event where you rise to the top.
The issue is, there is no permanent “top” of the industry. Our most successful talent on our roster book gigs from a local commercial to a hosting gig to a principal role in a film, and enjoy each and every booking equally. There is no guarantee if you start out with a small gig that each succeeding gig will be of more importance, pay a higher amount or push you to the spotlight where you are a talent who everyone wants to hire without evening auditioning. You are a risk taker, we are risk takers the entire entertainment industry is a risky move for everyone involved, from agents to talent to casting to production teams.
If anyone is advising you or promising you that this is the way the industry works, they are wrong, very wrong. Most of those who are the big talkers are actors who are struggling to get any kind of booking but always talk about their “big booking” as if that shot them to fame. Yet ask said actor if they earn money any other way and there should be a few other ways they are paying their monthly bills. Or is said actor currently receiving unemployment to survive? Yes, a miniscule amount of talent do get amazing opportunities but that is unlikely to happen for the majority of talent in today’s world of 2025. We have ongoing strikes, problems with computers generating fake people and fake voices to make your role as an actor more difficult each day to find quality jobs.
The best advice is to learn about what decent rates are. We like to access the rates of the GVAA Rate guide which, although listed for voice over talent, are very comparable to on camera rates too. In the end, every time a talent is seen or heard they should be compensated and no talent should ever do work with a promise of payment sometime in the future or for in perpetuity. Viewing this rate guide will provide a clear view of general rates in the industry and what your compensation should be close to.
The most dedicated actors with the most drive are thrilled when we contact them with any opportunity. The goal is to enjoy the ride, always be reliable, dependable and professional with continued coaching in your genre of acting.