← Back to Home

The Secret Actor Society Blog

Articles on the business of acting from Kym Jackson, working actor and author of The Hollywood Survival Guide For Actors.

The Academy Awards casting series

For years we wished the Oscars had a category for casting directors, so every awards season we made our own list: every casting director behind the films nominated for acting, directing and Best Picture. In 2026 the Academy finally presented its first Oscar for Achievement in Casting.

• 2024Oscar nominees and their casting directors
• 2023Oscar nominees and their casting directors
• 2022Oscar nominees and their casting directors
• 2021Oscar nominees and their casting directors
• 2020Oscar nominees and their casting directors
• 2016Oscar nominees and their casting directors
• 2014Oscar nominees and their casting directors

How the business works

• What Defines a Studio Film?What makes a film a studio film, how it differs from an independent, and why it matters for the actors and filmmakers working on it.October 2014
• How to Create a TV Series Pitch PackageWhat goes into a TV show bible and pitch package: logline, pilot, characters, episode ideas and more, for writers and actors creating their own series.September 2013
• How an Independent Film Is SoldTerritories, sales agents and distributors: a quick, plain-English rundown of how an independent film gets sold around the world.July 2013
• The Stages of Script DevelopmentFrom spec script to green light: the stages a screenplay goes through in development, and who is involved at each step.June 2013
• Casting Office Staff Positions ExplainedCasting director, associate, assistant, intern: who does what inside a casting office, and what each role means for the actors who audition there.May 2013
• Who Makes the Final Casting Decision in Independent Film?Producer, director or casting director? How the final casting decision really gets made on an independent film, and what it means for actors.May 2013

Getting paid

• Commercial Residuals: How Actors Get PaidHow commercial pay cycles, holding fees and residuals work for SAG-AFTRA actors, and what a buyout really means for your earnings.September 2013
• Understanding Residuals for ActorsWhat residuals are, how SAG-AFTRA residuals are calculated for film and TV, and when actors can expect to be paid for reuse of their work.September 2013

Building your career

• Creating Your Own Content as an ActorWhy waiting for the next job is a trap, and how actors who create their own content take back control of their careers. A story from set.December 2015
• Preparing for LA: What to Do Before You MoveMoving to Los Angeles to act? What to do right now to prepare: saving money, training, materials and research before you arrive.August 2013
• Creating Your Acting WebsiteWhat an actor website is really for, what to put on it, and the mistakes that make casting directors click away. A practical guide.August 2013
• Networking for Actors: What It Is and How to Do ItNetworking without the ick: what it really means for actors in Hollywood, where to do it, and how to build relationships that turn into work.June 2013

Mindset

• You Are NOT Too OldYou are not too old, or too anything. A short note for every actor who has ever been told they are not right for this business.February 2016
• Where Focus Goes, Energy FlowsWhere focus goes, energy flows: how keeping your finger on the pulse of the industry helps actors spot opportunities and create their own luck.February 2016
• Remember to Live Your LifeA New Year reminder for actors: your goals list should include living a life worth bringing to your work, not just booking the next role.December 2015
• Focusing Your PassionCreative people are passionate about everything. What would happen if you pointed all of that passion at your acting career instead?July 2015