I've been acting for about 7 months now and I think I'm doing well although I don't know exactly what "well" means. I've been told that I'm very marketable and after I got my new headshots I've been fortunate enough to book more student films and projects. Here's my headshot:



And here's a video of a commercial I did before I chopped off the facial hair:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhr5Z8exSes

I ended up doing the pay to play thing and also did some send outs early on and I'm currently freelancing with Abrams (on-camera commercial/commercial print), CESD (commercial print), Paradigm (on-camera), Prestige(on-camera commercial/commercial print), Avalon, Ramona’s, Peter Coe, Ken Park and I'm just got started with Monarch Agency.

Before I was getting sent out about once every month or two, but after my new shots it's been more. I'm very grateful for more opportunities for auditions as I've been getting call backs. I just finished a callback yesterday for a small role in Law and Order: SVU! Fingers crossed!

I have about 7-8 short films under my belt and I should have about 10 by the end of the year including an indie feature so I should have enough film to create a reel.

I was wondering what I should do as my next step??? I want to start playing more in the big leagues as I'm SAG eligible and I want to go on more SAG auditions and more TV auditions. Should I wait and build more credits? Should I do a send out? More pay to plays to meet with casting directors and agents? I'm constantly self submitting but I've realized that those projects don't pay as well and the big auditions come from the major agencies.

I would love your advice! Thanks!

Sincerely,
Trevor Zhou
http://trevorzhou.com <-I made the website myself!
Videos

Congrats on everything!

Stay SAG-E until you book another SAG job and have to.

NICE ASIAN FRO! You put Daniel Dae Kim's curly hair to shame.

Congrats on all the success. You should be extremely proud of yourself for only being in for 7 months. How did you end up in those freelance relationships, if you don't mind me asking?

Anyway, whatever you're doing is obviously working. So, just keep pushing forward!

AAAAHHHHH!!! I just booked Law & Order: SVU!!!!! And to answer your question, I went to these pay to play places and read copy, or did a monologue for them and ended up getting called out to audition. I'm freelancing with all of them as I think I'm a bit too green right now, so no one is looking to sign me. I've also been open to opportunities that arise, sometimes talking with other actors on shoots, or just being kind to someone or striking up a conversation with a stranger! You never know who you'll meet!

Trevor

quote:

Trevor

Website: trevorzhou.com

Congrats man!

Working will lead to more work.

Kindness and manners. Gets it everytime. Plus you are incredibly talented and perky. Hope you aren't some dark and creepy serial rapist on SVU. You'll get signed soon enough, just keep sending out your stuff, you're ready!

congrats on the success!

Congrats on all your successes! It's encouraging to know that hard work does pay off.

I'm curious to know which of the pay to play seminars you had luck with? I'm so torn about doing them, and don't know which ones would be worht while. I mean, some are CDs, some are only Assistants, so can they really even cast you if they like you???

Any thoughts from your experiences?

Thanks! I've only gone to the Network since they are the cheapest out there. I haven't had the best success with seminars except one. I had more success with their fests where you meet around 7-8 agents/casting directors and do a reading for them. I also got signed up with agencies through backstage, word of mouth and just talking to people. The thing I've found most useful is to treat everyone with the respect that you'd like to receive. Because, in the end, we're all human and want to surround ourselves with good people that give us positive energy and support.

I've also had a bad experience at the network with a CD that told me good things like I have good instincts, etc. Then one day I saw her doing a casting, and as she was leaving, I just wanted to say hello. So I stopped her and said "Hi ____, do you have a moment." to which she responded "Nope" and turned and walked away.

I good way that I gauge the type of person someone is is by how they treat people that "don't matter" in their lives...and she failed that litmus test as there were so many other ways she could've handled the situation in a much more positive way.

So I guess that's my two cents...

I totally agree! You can tell so much about a person by how they treat people that they aren't benefiting personally from. Too bad for her. You seem like a really nice guy to work with. Good luck!

Congrats Trevor! I think we worked together on a shoot this summer...job we got from a Network CD referral? wanted to PM you but still figuring out this board

Oh, was it the "Robber Barron's of Wall Street" or something like that? I don't think I can ever do non-paid extra work unless it's for a friend...haha