As we power through this year, it's easy for resolutions and goals we made early on to end up on the backburner. If we don't have a clear vision, we can get distracted causing us to fall short. One of my resolutions is for better communication, personally and professionally. As an agent, I set personal goals for myself, shared goals with my KMR team and our clients. If I can be clear about what I want for myself, our department and our clients, it will be much easier to achieve our goals together. 

If you haven't made goals for your career this year, what are you waiting for? Here are a few to help you get started:

There is no reason to start looking for an agent until you have a decent headshot, commercial technique or improv class on your resume, some recent on-camera footage and a flexible side hustle. Most of our clients come from referrals from managers, casting or other clients however we've signed great clients without a referral. The actors that stand out are those that put in the work prior to sending a letter seeking representation.

The actors that treat auditions as their job are the actors that book. You likely will have a few side hustles throughout your career (and that's OK!) but you must be willing to put them in second position when your agent calls. You didn't move to LA to wait tables, right? The number of times you turn down an audition or ask for a time frame will slowly chip away at your agent's patience. Casting directors also keep track of those actors who consistently are late, flake or ask for time frames. If I'm pitching a last-minute replacement or working on a breakdown that is casting that same day, I'm going to pitch the actor I know won't have an issue with dropping whatever they have to make it. You should remember there is always another actor waiting in the wings ready to take your place.

This is Los Angeles so no matter where you're going or coming from, there is going to be traffic. If you don't give yourself enough time and you know you're going to be late, be a professional and call ahead. One of the reasons actors are dropped from our roster, is because of poor communication.  If you're unavailable to do your job (i.e. audition) you need to tell your team and book out ahead of time. As a reminder, there are auditions on the weekends, holidays and after 6pm.

If your agent is asking for new photos or suggesting a commercial technique class, there is a reason. Even if you think your look hasn't changed, it's always a good idea to refresh your materials every few years as trends change. There are some great, affordable professional headshot photographers and you don't need to spend thousands on a session. If you have an agent, loop them in as they might have a list of referrals and want to go over specific looks ahead of time.  It's so important to have a great headshot that pops off the screen when casting directors are looking at over 2500 tiny photos online to select who they want to audition.

If you're new to commercials or haven't booked in a while, a commercial technique class is always a great idea. You will learn invaluable information in 4 or 6 classes instead of burning through 20 auditions without getting feedback. If you're going to take a class, you should sign up with someone who is teaching a current technique. Commercials change over time and you don't want to take a class with someone who hasn't booked a commercial or ran camera in over 20 years.  There are classes taught by casting directors or session runners, who see hundreds of actors weekly and know the techniques that actors use to book.

It's no secret that I am a proud Union supporter. I received my SAG card in High School on a Union commercial and now I'm married to a Union actor. I believe that as a professional actor, you should be paid fairly and receive benefits just like any other profession. If you're in this for the long haul, make sure you also have a team that supports your decision and has the same goal. If you are just starting out and non-union, continue to take advantage of the non-union work that is out there. Make casting director fans and build up your resume. Once you put in the hard work and can join the Union, support your other Union brothers and sisters and only work on Union jobs.

Being a commercial actor isn't easy, but it can be very rewarding if you put in the hard work. There are times when you won't be what the advertising agency has in mind, the best actor doesn't always get the job and you might go months without having an audition. You need to stay focused and keep working on making yourself a better actor than you were yesterday. Don't sit around and wait for the phone to ring. Make your own content or join an improv team and just stay busy creating so you're ready for that next call.

No matter how big or small your resolutions and goals are, today is the day to put your plan into motion. Don't stop until you achieve what you came here to do and know that I am in your corner rooting for you!

Born and raised in Chicago, Jamie knew early on that she wanted to be in the entertainment world. By high school, she had an agent and joined SAG/AFTRA by booking commercials. After earning her BA in Theatre from Columbia College in Chicago, she moved to Los Angeles and started working with actors, casting directors and agents at TVI Actors Studio and realized her passion was developing and promoting actors.

In 2009 Jamie began as an agent trainee at Special Artists Agency, and soon after was promoted to head of the scale Commercial and Voice Over department. Jamie made the move to KMR in 2011 and is thrilled to represent some of the best in the business. A proud supporter of Union commercials, Jamie was an integral part in opening the KMR New York commercial department and continues to support actors making a fair and living wage. Jamie and her husband Steven are blessed with wonderful families, multiple god-children and their aggressively-friendly rescue pup, @adventures_of_La_Luna. When they're not traveling to see family in Chicago or Texas, they're likely drinking over-priced micheladas at Dodgers games.

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