Off Script: The Actor as an Entrepreneur

In this Off Script episode, recorded as a live-stream, The Late Bloomer Actor discusses the often-overlooked business side of acting, emphasizing the importance of treating an acting career like a business. He explores the entrepreneurial mindset actors need to adopt, the necessity of diversifying income streams, managing finances, and building a personal brand. The conversation is filled with practical advice for actors looking to navigate their careers more strategically and successfully.

Takeaways

• Acting requires a business mindset.
• You are your own brand and marketing team.
• Diversifying income streams is essential for financial stability.
• Managing finances and budgeting is crucial for actors.
• Invest in your career as a business expense.
• Building a personal brand is key to success.
• Headshots and resumes are your business cards.
• Online presence matters for actors.
• Creating your own opportunities is vital.
• Networking and marketing are essential skills for actors.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to the Business of Acting
• 5:52 The Actor as an Entrepreneur
• 13:31 Managing Finances and Budgeting
• 18:43 Building Your Personal Brand
• 22:32 Episode Recap

Transcript

The Late Bloomer Actor (00:00)
And you are live with The Late Bloomer Actor here in Adelaide, South Australia, trying to sound like a radio host. I don't know if that's working. Good afternoon, everyone. Good morning, good evening, wherever you are coming from in the world.

Now, I don't have any tech support and I believe we are live in YouTube under the Late Bloomer Actor and we're live in Facebook but under David John Clark actor who is also me aka the Late Bloomer Actor. I was supposed to be streaming to Instagram and I also tried to stream it to the Late Bloomer Actor Facebook page but no luck.

We should also be streaming to LinkedIn if you are a business professional and you like to use LinkedIn. So there you go. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for dropping in. It is 2025 and because we have you live, I would just like to say Happy New Year. We've already dropped an episode, of course. So hopefully you've checked out the WeAudition episode with Darren. That was wonderful. It is live now in all your podcast platforms and YouTube if you wish

to listen to that there, it's certainly very good. And that is the introduction to the theme for this year. And the theme being the business side of acting. Yes. The side that is sometimes neglected, unfortunately. Well, yeah, unfortunately for actors, because it is a harder thing. You know, trying to learn your craft and make your craft work and be found and work on set, et cetera, et cetera. And we tend to forget the bits that have to be

done in the background and have to always be done. So this year, that's what we're going to be focusing on. So thank you very much for joining us on this Offscript episode. As I said, we're going to be diving into the business side of acting. And I've got a bunch of topics that I'd like to sort of address and a few things that I've written down. I don't proclaim myself as an expert. And I also, I've always said that I like to share what I've learned.

And I like to share the people that I've come across with. So I don't try to sell anything. I don't sell you that I'm an expert, that I know everything. Information I have, I like to share it you take it with what you have. So before we go into what I've worked out and as we're trying to let more people drop in, I'm just gonna, we will stop occasionally because we are.

So if you're not watching this live, if you're listening later on, you may be listening to this full stream. I may even have it edited so you'll get a more streamlined episode.

I'm here using Riverside FM, which is my recording platform and streaming platform. And obviously I've got a few bugs to iron out, is possibly my own fault. It's difficult. Unfortunately, technology doesn't work as well. But the great thing about the chat is that once I am streaming to all the platforms, I can see all this chat come in on the one

area. So don't need to have multiple windows open or be switching cameras or anything like that. the concept is brilliant and that's what we're doing. Thank you very much for joining us. It's an awesome pleasure to be coming to you today.

I'd to throw a shout out to my supporters. That being Castability and We Are Audition. If you're keen on improving your audition skills, then you have to check out castability.com. And if I'm getting the knack of my streaming software, we will be able to throw Castability promo code, the Late Bloomer Actor downstairs. You can follow that link too on your YouTube channel if you're watching there, and it'll take you to Castability. And you can use the promo code, the Late Bloomer Actor.

and you'll get a discount off your first monthly membership. So how's that? That's fantastic.

And when the auditions start rolling in or even for Castability recordings, when you're doing your monthly episodes, you can find a reader at weaudition.com. And here we go again, we audition promo. Look at that. Almost like a professional. Ladies and gentlemen, you can click that link to go straight to we audition and use the promo code latebloomeractor. And you get a wonderful 25 % off your ongoing membership. That is every month.

as long as you stay a member. You'll get 25 % off the standard membership thanks to the Late Boomer Actor. So feel free to check that out. I've talked about both Castability and WeAudition a lot in the past. I am not just promoting them. I am a customer of them as well. I use Castability to improve my audition skills and I also use WeAudition as a reader. I read for others and give them advice as much as I can.

And I also use WeAudition when I need a reader. Follow those links when they're there. I can put them up again later on, or if you watch back, they will be there. They're great supporters of the show. As I said, I'm a long-term user of both services. So, all righty.

Let's get into the nitty gritty of this. Now, I watched a live stream the other day with the guys from Riverside and they were just so more smoother than me. But maybe that'll come. As I said, I was trying to sound like a radio host and I'm getting that pretty good. So hopefully as we improve, we get better. You almost need a producer here, don't you, to figure it out.

So what I'd like to talk to you about today that's it we're kicking off a business focus series with something crucial today the actor as an entrepreneur. If you've been in this industry for a while you've probably realized something.

Acting isn't just about the craft. It's also about the business. And guess what? As an actor, you are a business. You are your own brand, your own marketing team, your own CEO. Like me running this show today, I am producer, director, host, and tech support and everything. So you are your own team. So today we're going to break down what that means and how you can apply an entrepreneurial mindset to your acting career and why it can make all the difference in your success.

So why do actors need to think like business people or entrepreneurs? We need to start with this big shift in thinking. Why shouldn't actor think like one? Well, let me ask you this. If you were running a small business, would you sit around and wait for customers to magically show up at your door? No, of course not. You'd be out there marketing, networking, developing new skills, improving your product. Acting is exactly the same. And here's the reality.

Most actors work job to job, gig to gig. And that's on the acting side. Let's not, not even discuss the fact that we have to have a full-time job usually or a part-time job somewhere to feed ourselves and pay the bills. But there's usually no stable paycheck, no set career ladder. That means you're responsible for generating your own opportunities. And that's where your mindset comes in. Entrepreneurs don't wait for opportunities. They create them. They diversify their income.

You have to diversify your income streams, invest in new skills and they treat their careers strategically and as actors we have to do the same. I can see people rolling their eyes. Really? Let's talk about income streams because let's be honest, acting alone

doesn't always pay the bills, but the good news, there are so many ways to make money in this industry, just beyond booking film and TV roles. You know, come up with some examples. You can do voice-over work, audio books, commercials, animation, video games. And that's huge. I've listened to a heap of podcasts of late teaching you the voiceover side of things. And some actors actually, yeah. And you don't want to this and we don't want to do this because we're actors, but some actors make a full-time career now out of

voiceover is how popular it is. I was almost going to say, look, you don't have to worry about how you look, but you don't, you know, so there's a lot of other things there. is, just about your character that you can develop, deliver, in a voice. So it's a different aspect of acting and it's brilliant. So certainly  have a look into something like that because that's a way of diversifying your income. So you can focus on your, your acting career and keep it rolling.

Another stream is teaching and coaching, helping others with acting, dialects, audition prep, identify where your strengths are in these areas. And as I said, I have a lot of imposter syndrome and people have asked me, well, how come you don't sell a package or do some teaching that because I really don't have the time. And I don't know if I'm ready to say, Hey, I'm going to tell you how to do it.

As I said at the start of the show, I like to deliver people the information that I've learned from others and what I got out of it and then let you take that information and build on yourself. But if you have a particular niche that you're really good on, hey, Connor, my son and I were just talking about we need to go and get horse riding instruction because that's a great thing for actors. So let's say you're a huge horse rider and you're good at it, well, there's a skill set that you can then...

on-sell, not just as a teacher of horse riding, but for actors, you can have that niche that certainly is a great option there. If you're into martial arts, know Aron Giagu is great and he teaches the street craft for filming fight scenes based on his background. So you can do that as well if you have that. And then we move into another area and I know this is big. Everyone says that as actors we need to

we need to make our own stuff. And I do that through my podcast, my monthly episodes and off script episodes and some stuff that I'll put ad hoc on the internet. I do the 48 hour film challenge each year. That's my way of making a short film or putting something together. And there's plenty of other people that make their own content. So you look into that and that develops your networks as well. So YouTube, TikTok, Podcast's, as I said.

Building an audience can lead to monetization. And while we're talking about monetization, remember if you love this show, the podcast, and value for value is a big thing in the podcast networks. Please make sure you, if you can consider supporting the show, you can support for as little as $3 a month. Link are always in the show notes, or you can reach out to me and I'll let you know how to do that. You can cancel at any time. So if you get value for listening to me or what I put out there, then

little bits can help to keep this going. Moving on, corporate and commercial work. This is a big one. see a lot of this in Star Now and I know a lot of people roll their eyes again at Star Now, but it's a great avenue, Star Now is now linked to Backstage, to other areas that aren't acting per se. Now always be mindful of the online sites, make sure you're not being...

taken advantage of and that's why it's great if you've got an agent to run things by them, et cetera, et cetera. But a lot of the corporate commercial work out there now is with training videos and industrial films or local commercials. So that is certainly another stream that you can keep going as well. And we have writing and producing. We're all creatives. We all have our own strengths, pros and cons and creating your own short films, plays or web series is...

something that you can do, especially if you're good at it. then go content, make your own content straight from it. Write a play, write a short film and then film it or get your team on board, get your contacts on board, make it yourself. Successful actors know that building multiple income streams doesn't mean they're failing. It means they're smart. I have a full-time job, so I'm lucky there because that pays my bills and feeds me and my family and keeps the house above my roof. So I don't need to find

other multiple streams. But that's also for me, that's a full-time job. So there's a negative there. So if you are wishing to be a hundred percent actor and, and, and do it all the time, then there are ways of promoting yourself and making money on the side while still being available as a actor. It keeps you financially stable. So you can focus on your craft without desperation. And that's huge. Alrighty.

Another area that we can talk about is managing finances and budgeting. And again, we all roll our eyes. It's not good. No, managing finance and budgeting, if you've got no money. But we need to talk about money management and there's plenty of podcasts that talk about this, both on acting areas, as well as general information, if you wish to get it. It's an area where a lot of actors struggle. And I get it. Our income is unpredictable, but...

why we need to think like business owners when it comes to finances. A few things to keep in mind is budgeting. Know your fixed expenses versus your fluctuating income. You need to plan for the slow months. It's a bit like the farmers, you know, they have good years and bad years, so they can't go out and live the high life when they have a great bumper crop, because next year might be the storms or the fires or just bad weather and they don't get the same income. So you need to...

work out a way to plan your way forward. And it's a bit like having, it's a bit like putting money into superannuation, so to speak, superannuation, if you're here in Australia, 401ks for the Americans, apologies to my UK counterparts. I'm not sure what your superannuation plans are or those in Europe, but every country has a similar one. And that's planning for the long-term. And again, that's something you need to think about. How are you going to put money into that so that when you do retire, you've got a retirement plan there.

But if you can come up with some sort of system to put money away with you investing in the stock market or that sort of thing to get a bit of income on the side, then every small bit helps out, doesn't it? So as I said, make sure you plan for those slow months because you're not always going to have work. Taxes, this is a heavy area and it's very different for every country as well. So I really can't go too deep into it, but actor's, we have a lot of...

deductible expenses. So you need to keep have a record system because it's money in your pocket. Taxman's going to look at your thousand dollar commercial, your thousand dollar job on Home and Away that you got and take his 38 % or his 30 % and be done with it from that $1,000. But you have expenses that came out of that. You can reduce how much  tax he take's out of it. Headshots, classes, self tapes, anything you spend on promoting your

or making your acting work is claimable. And as an actor, you just have to show that you are an active business actor, you're doing the job, whether you have other jobs here or not, those expenses there. And I think my expenses far outweigh my income as an actor, and they build up as a loss over years. So then as they roll over each year, when I do get work, then it's deducted from it. So make sure you have a spreadsheet for them and claim them each year.

And it's very worthwhile having an accountant for that so they can understand what you are claiming. An emergency fund. I sort of leaned on this a little bit, touched on this a little bit when we were talking about superannuation. Okay, and everyone has a different number and it's quite easy to say when someone's sitting here talking and saying, hey, you got to have this money in the bank account so you've got it. But they do say aim for three to six months of expenses saved up. So you've got...

money in there so that if you've got no income coming in there and your side hustles aren't giving you any money, you've got cash there for three to six months of expenses saved up. So you don't have to move out and go back with mum and dad or crash on someone's couch or anything like that, or heaven forbid not be able to feed yourself. So this industry is full of highs and lows. So ride the highs, ride the highs and make sure you understand that the lows are going to be there. So.

You need to invest in your career and thinking of acting classes, workshops and marketing materials as business expenses, not just costs. They, they're a must have. And so the best way to avoid financial stress in this industry is to plan ahead. It's not just about making money, becoming famous. It's about managing it wisely. Okay. And part of that is as an actor, building your personal brand.

We need to talk about brand building. I know again, this is something I get a lot in podcasts that I listen to or seminars that I go to is about what is my brand. And that's a whole another area as well. Maybe we'll talk about later on, whether you realize it or not as an actor, you are a brand just in yourself. Okay. So don't think about, am I, you know, am I drama,

cowboys or anything like that, not brand, but your brand as an actor. And it's not about changing who you are. It's about showcasing what makes you unique. So here are three things every actor should focus on. Your headshots and resume. These are your business cards, guys. And I reckon my headshots are probably getting due for a shot. The beard's getting a bit greyer for those watching on YouTube. You can see that. So...

They are your business cards and they should be professional and reflect your type. Your online presence. Do you have a website? You don't need one, but do you have some sort of link? An IMDB page. I am going to look at IMDB separately later on because I think that's a big thing and it's a very important tool and also it's a showcase of what you've done and who you are.

Make sure you look into that if you haven't got it or if you're not on top of how it works. Some people got multiple credits across multiple pages. So you need to bring them all into your own page. Happy to help anyone. If you reach out to me, I'll let you know how I set it up. And a social media presence that represents you well. So on Facebook, having a separate page to your personal page. For mine, I have a David John Clark Actor.

That is my acting page as well as obviously The Late Bloomer Actor Facebook page. Same on Instagram and the same on TikTok. I have acting pages there. I actually don't have a personal page on Instagram or TikTok. They're both directly either David John Clark actor or The Late Bloomer Actor. So that is your online presence and just make sure you understand that social media is always out there. So as much as it is difficult these days to

hold back your political thoughts or your political beliefs or to be involved. Just be aware that we live in a different culture now, the cancel culture there. And it doesn't mean about not saying anything to it. Just being mindful of how you say things and participating in those sort of areas, even if on your personal page. And because you don't want that coming back to you and making things difficult, that's for sure. So your consistency from your acting choice to your self-tape backgrounds, everything should align with the type of work you want to book.

Casting Directors and Agents Google you and have you done that? Have you Googled your own name? Try it. you can try me. Google David John Clark actor. Sometimes that helps. If you just typed in David John Clark or David Clark, you tend to get the headsets for pilots as a David Clark brand. So I've got Dave Clark five, the band, but I come up reasonably consistently under David John Clark, especially if you had the word actor to the end. So try that yourself and see what comes up and see what's

out there that's not directly to your own webpage or your own Facebook page or IMDB. Very interesting. It's a good tool. What they find should tell them exactly who you are and what you're bringing to the table.

So thoughts out to everyone in LA, of course, going through the fires there. I'm thinking or hoping all the fires are out, but certainly some devastation there. So if you're watching this later on or listening later on on the podcast, then hopefully you've got something out of it. So we'll do a quick recap, acting as a business and you are the CEO,

of You Incorporated. Thinking like an entrepreneur means creating your own opportunities, diversifying your income, managing your finances wisely and building a personal brand that opens doors. And here's your challenge, challenge time. I should have got some music.

You try to take one step this week to treat your acting career more like a business. Maybe setting up a budget, updating your headshots, finally making that website. Or as I said before, IMDB. Make sure you've got that out. I'd love to hear what you think. Reach out on social media or leave a comment if you're watching this on YouTube. And if you found this episode helpful.

Please share it with a fellow actor who could use a little entrepreneurial motivation.

Thank you very much. It's been an awesome pleasure. All the best with your acting careers and reach out to me. Don't forget to support the show if you can. Like, subscribe and share amongst your networks. The more the merrier and the algorithms work better when there's interaction. So let's get some interaction and we'll see where we go with that.

So thank you very much. It has been an awesome pleasure and we'll see you next time.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, that's it for this Off Script episode. Until next time, keep creating, keep growing and keep acting. And as always, I'll see you on set.