The Business of Acting: A Beginner & Refresher Intensive

(Virtual 1-day Workshop) 

$150 Sunday, January 11th, 2025 - 10:30am - 12:30P

Industry Foundations from a Casting Director’s Perspective
Led by Thea Washington, CSA

Who This Is For

• Brand-new actors with little to no industry experience

• Actors returning after time away who want a clear reset

• Creatives transitioning from theater, social media, or modeling into on-camera work

• Adults and teens seeking to understand how the business actually functions

• Anyone confused about submissions, auditions, or next steps

No prior training required. This is not an acting technique class.

What You’ll Learn

1. How the Industry Actually Works

• The difference between film, television, commercials, and new media

• The roles of Casting Directors, Agents, and Managers — and how they interact

• How projects move from breakdown to booking

• What beginners and returning actors realistically book first

2. Getting Started the Right Way (Without Wasting Money)

• What you need now vs. what can wait

• Headshots, resumes, and training — when they matter and when they don’t

• Common financial and strategic mistakes new actors make

• How to avoid spending money in the wrong places

3. Where to Find Legit Acting Opportunities

• Trusted casting platforms beginners and returners actually use

• How to identify real casting notices vs. fake ones

• Open calls vs. agent submissions

• What types of projects make sense at each stage of your journey

• How to build experience without putting yourself at risk

4. Submissions, Auditions & Self-Tapes (From Casting’s View)

• How submissions really work behind the scenes

• What a self-tape is — and what casting is looking for

• Beginner-friendly audition expectations

• Common mistakes casting notices immediatel

5. How Not to Get Scammed in the Industry

• How legitimate casting communicates

• What real offers look like

• Red flags: fees, fake checks, urgency, off-platform messaging

• Common scams targeting new and returning actors

• What to do when something feels “off”

6. On-Set Basics & Professional Etiquette

• What actually happens on set, step-by-step

• Set vocabulary every actor should know

• Professional behavior that gets you rehired

• Why reliability and preparation matter more than talent early on

7. Building a Sustainable Actor Mindset

• Managing nerves, rejection, and expectations

• Understanding timing and patience in this business

• Creating momentum without burnout

• How to grow responsibly and realistically

What You’ll Walk Away With

• A clear understanding of the business of acting

• Knowledge of where to find legitimate opportunities

• Tools to protect yourself from scams and bad actors

• Confidence to submit and audition responsibly

• A realistic roadmap for starting or re-entering the industry

Details

• Virtual, live instruction

• One-day intensive (2–3 hours)

• Investment: $150

• Includes live Q&A

The Reset: A Working Actor Intensive

A 2-Hour Career Realignment for Actors Who Want Results

Sunday, January 25, 2026
10:30 AM EST | Virtual (Live + Replay)
Investment: $125
Led by: Thea Washington, CSA
Casting Director | Producer | Consultant

This is not a motivation class.

This is a career reset. Strategy to exist within the shifting industry.

The Reset is for actors who are done guessing, chasing, and burning themselves out doing “everything” and still not seeing traction.

If your submissions feel random, your materials feel outdated, or you’re unclear on what actually moves the needle in today’s casting landscape, this intensive is designed for you.

Who This Is For

• Actors who feel stuck or plateaued

• Actors overwhelmed by advice, reels, classes, and “shoulds”

• Actors booking occasionally but lacking consistency

• Actors returning after time off or recalibrating for 2026

• Actors ready to work smarter… not harder

What We’ll Do in 2 Hours

This is a working session, not a lecture.

You’ll get:

• A clear breakdown of what casting is actually responding to right now

• Guidance on what materials matter and what no longer does

• How to audit your headshots, reel, self-tapes, and submissions with intention

• Common mistakes that quietly keep actors off shortlists

• How to stop chasing every opportunity and start targeting the right ones

• A realistic framework for building momentum without burnout

No fluff. No vague advice. No influencer talk.

What You’ll Leave With

• Clarity on your lane and how you’re positioned

• A personalized checklist of what to fix, update, or stop doing

• A smarter submission and self-tape approach

• A clearer strategy heading into 2026

• Confidence rooted in information not hope

Why Learn This From Me

I sit on the other side of the table.

I review thousands of submissions, reels, and self-tapes every year for TV, film, and commercial projects.
This intensive is built from what I actually see working and what quietly gets actors passed over.

Important Notes

• Live attendance encouraged (limited seats to allow interaction)

• Replay provided for registered attendees

• This session is foundational and pairs well with ongoing training, agents, and coaching

If you’ve been doing “all the right things” but still feel stuck…

This is your reset.

The Parent Playbook for Young Actors

Raising a young actor can be exciting—but it also comes with real responsibility. Between auditions, emails, DMs, and “opportunities” that move fast, parents are often expected to make decisions without being given the full picture of how the industry actually works.

I want to offer you clarity.

That’s why I created a FREE resource↗️ for families navigating this world:

📘 HOW NOT TO GET SCAMMED
A Casting Director’s Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Kids

This guide breaks down:

• The most common casting scams targeting families

• What real casting does—and does not—look like

• Red flags every parent should know before responding to an opportunity

• How to protect your child’s safety, money, and confidence

Once you have that foundation, The Parent Playbook for Young Actors goes deeper.

In this live virtual session, I’ll help you understand:

• Your role as a parent in the casting process

• What to say yes to, what to question, and what to walk away from

• How to support your child without pressure, burnout, or confusion

• How to move forward strategically—whether your child is just starting or already auditioning

This isn’t about fast fame.
It’s about education, protection, and sustainability.

📅 Sunday, February 1 | 10:30 AM
💻 Virtual Session
💵 Investment: $125.00

👉 Download the FREE guide to get grounded!!!
👉 Join the session to feel confident moving forward (seating is intentionally limited.