Many aspiring actors are prone to dismiss any on-camera gigs that don’t include a paycheck. And while these types of pro-bono projects do not immediately add to your bottom-line financially, there are some important benefits to having these gigs on your resume which might be reason enough to go after them.
The first reason to act for free is experience, otherwise known as credit. Whether you’re just starting to build your acting resume or looking to add more experience, acting for free is a great way to go, because they are great tools to market yourself for your next role.
Frequently, the credit goes beyond simply having your name scroll on the screen at the close of the film. Many independent filmmakers will submit their work to film festivals and go through the procedure to get their movie mentioned on IMDb. In fact, one of my first IMDb credits was from an independent film role for which I received no pay beyond a great lunch at a local diner.
Film festivals also give out awards, too. And being named “best actor” or being a part of “best short film” can be quite a feather in your cap. It’s also a great thing to mention on your postcards when you’re marketing yourself to agents and casting directors. It may be just the thing that gets you the call for an audition.
The second reason to act for free is to get clips for your reel, otherwise referred to as copy. Having a reel of various different video clips helps you show casting directors your range. Your headshot and resume are the first step to getting a casting director to notice you, but the reel can sometimes act as the audition for you. It allows those who can hire you for a paying gig to see your talent on camera before they call you in.
Another reason you may want to consider acting for free is that it can give you an opportunity to play against your type. Acting is a business, after all, and often producers are unwilling to take a financial risk to cast against type. But if you have a resume credit and reel copy of your playing the sort of role they are looking for, it’s a much easier sell.
Acting for free is also sometimes the only opportunity us professional actors get to accept major speaking roles. The harsh reality is that unless you’re a star with your name above the title, odds are when you book a role on a movie, TV show or commercial you may only get to say a few lines at all. And while we all like to get paid to work as actors, most of us chose acting as our careers because we enjoy acting. And committing to a project that gives you a really great role in which you can sharpen your acting chops can be a reward in itself.
Like all on camera projects, paid or not, working on set is a great opportunity to network with other actors and filmmakers. You get to see first-hand what they are capable of while you get to show off your talent as well. So even though you may only be getting paid in pizza, remember to do your best work and behave professionally on the set, as you never know what doors may open as a result of your having worked with that group of people.
Types of pro-bono projects to consider as an actor include student films, public service announcements and independent projects.
With student films, quality, of course, varies, but it does give you an opportunity to get in on the ground level with some up-and-coming directors. It is possible that after these students graduate and have paying gigs to offer, their gratitude for your being in their student production could prompt them to recommend you for the job. The other great benefit from working with students is the auditions. If they are taking the time to hold auditions, then you owe it to yourself to hone your audition skills – without the pressure of needing to get the paying gig. Using student film auditions as practice, can be an important step to improving your on camera audition technique.
Public Service Announcements or PSAs are also a good opportunity to get credit and copy to further your acting career. Though be careful, and make sure you only agree to do those which are in line with your own convictions and beliefs. You wouldn’t want to be labeled a hypocrite and be remembered for a PSA about the dangers of smoking and still maintain a pack-a-day habit in your real life, for example. Some announcements are of a more political, religious, hot-button or emotional issue, however. PSAs are more about you being yourself, advocating for a cause. Although there’s rarely much acting involved with these sorts of projects (though some are more creative than others), the clip could show what you are capable of as an on camera spokesperson.
Finally, there are independent films to consider. In the digital age, nearly anyone with a little bit of start-up capital and know-how can become an independent filmmaker. Many of these filmmakers are just like you as a professional actor – tired of waiting for the big break to happen, so they are producing their own work. And since many of them still maintain their “real jobs” usually the shoots are scheduled on weekends, so you don’t even have to give up a paying gig or other non-acting related income generating activities in order to participate.
So be on the look-out for some volunteer acting opportunities to help beef-up your resume, give you some speaking roles which may let you be cast against your type, and, of course, free pizza.