We here at YII are huge fans of creative marketing. Over ten years ago, while hiring for entry level positions at a studio-based production company, I got a resume submission from a young man in Florida. Now, normally, I would toss a resume submission from someone who didn’t live in L.A. in the trash. (You can’t hire someone who doesn’t live in the city where the job is, no matter how much the potential candidate says they are committed to relocating.) But this submission caught my eye because the cover page was laid out like a newspaper headline. “ANDREW PASKOFF IS HEADED FOR TINSELTOWN,” it read.

Below the headline was a clever mock-interview with Andrew. Attached was his resume. When he called a few days later to follow-up, I happily talked to him. By the time he got here, he had several hiring executives eager to meet him and he quickly got his foot-in-the-door job. Though I did not provide him with that first opportunity, I remember him well. Not only did he amuse me while I was slogging through a tall pile of resume submissions, his follow-up was impeccable. I still have that initial packet, the updated resume he sent when he got settled in L.A. and the handwritten thank-you note he sent me following that.

I got a similar charge from finding Playbills vs. Paying Bills as I did when I received Andrew’s initial resume submission. Out of hundreds of actor blogs, here was something with a fresh idea and top-notch execution. Playbills Vs. Paying Bills was put together by three fellow grads of the University of Colorado’s theater program, Ben Whitehair, Joe Von Bokern, and Emily Beuchat. They launched the blog after they fanned out to three different cities, Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, respectively, to begin their professional acting careers.

The blog shares information on their own careers, as well as a lot of valuable takeaway for other aspiring actors (as well as recent college grads trying to launch life after school). It’s quickly becoming a favorite of actors and those who work with them. YII recently caught up to ask Ben, Joe, and Emily a few questions about their career choices and their blog.

Why did you choose your respective city in which to launch your acting career?

Ben on the set of STORYBOOK ENDING

Ben (Los Angeles): This is actually at the crux of why Playbills vs. Paying Bills was started. As I looked towards graduation, I knew that I wanted to pursue my career as an actor professionally, and it quickly became apparent that Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City were the best places to do so. I visited all three cities, and spoke with working actors in each place. Ultimately, I decided that based on my look, experience, and connections, Los Angeles was going to be the best fit for me. Primarily, it made sense to me to start my career in film, and I really resonated with the city of Los Angeles itself. 

Joe (Chicago): Chicago and I actually came together on a whim. I was working with a buddy of mine at a restaurant in Boulder, Colorado, and one day he turns to me and says “Hey, let’s move to Chicago, yeah?” I had never even been to Chicago, but I knew it was a great theatre town and I had several friends already living there, so I figured what the hell! I have since fallen madly in love with Chicago and have had an incredible time discovering myself as a professional actor in a city that welcomes newbies with open arms.

Emily (New York): It’s safe to say that I am the more “traditional theatre person” of the three of us, Ben being more of a film actor through and through and Joe being a tremendous musician, comedian, stand-up artist, and actor combined. I find myself dreaming of the classic stage, the lights, and Broadway (classical theatre, musical theatre, and straight plays). When I was making my decision, I knew it wasn’t about where I wanted to go geographically, but what sort of career I wanted to have. Of course, I know you can do theatre in L.A. and you can do film in New York, but I knew that I wanted more opportunities for the stage so I went to the “center of the American stage.” (I put this in quotes because Chicago has nearly as many equity, non-equity, regional, and community theatres as New York and often is referred to and self-references as the new theatre capital of the United States).

What is your favorite thing about your blog? 

Joe: I should preface my answer by saying that I LOVE my alma mater, the University of Colorado. But one of the biggest problems that I faced upon graduation was that my University theatre training in no way prepared me for life as a working actor. In a way, Playbills vs Paying Bills is the site I wish I had when I graduated college. My favorite part about our blog is being able to provide resources and advice to young actors who find themselves asking a lot of questions they never knew they had. We encourage readers to share their feedback, thoughts, experiences, and advice in the comments below every blog entry, and some of the stories our readers have shared are really quite remarkable and always very inspiring.

Emily on the Colorado U stage

Emily: I think my favorite thing about our blog is the idea behind it. One of our main ideas was to create a place for ‘new career’ actors and performers to find the information that they really just don’t teach you in undergraduate BA and BFA programs. I felt fully prepared to be an actor on stage but, after over a year in New York and a year-and-a-half out of college, I still feel fully unprepared to be an actor in the industry. These are two very different educations and the idea of being able to help other actors while simultaneously learning about the business for ourselves is one that really excites me. 

What is the best connection you have made for your career through your blog?

Ben: There are almost too many to list. Not only have I been cast in a number of roles as a direct result of someone reading the blog, but I’ve also been able to form a much stronger connection to the actor community as a whole. And I am extremely humbled to have casting legends and leaders in our community such as Marci Liroff, Heidi Levitt, and Bonnie Gillespie read and promote the blog. Their endorsements mean the world to me. 

Joe in action on stage

Joe: One of my favorite things about Chicago is how close-knit the acting scene is. I know it’s a cliché we’ve heard over and over, but it is such a small community, and everybody really does know everybody! When I’m introduced to people at a theatre or film event, Playbills vs. Paying Bills inevitably comes up, and I am constantly amazed by how many actors in Chicago have actually heard of the blog and read at least a few of the articles! My biggest connections made through the blog have been in the form of these hard-working actors, directors, and playwrights, many of whom I now call my friends.

Emily: New York is a harder animal to wrangle, let’s say, than the industry monsters of LA or even Chicago. I have heard stories from Ben and Joe that they have had a tremendous amount of feedback, connections, and even castings as a result of the blog. I, however, have not really had any sort of career-related goings-on as a result of this blog. I also am the younger member of the team (having about a year behind both of my constituents in the “adjusting to the new life and real world” spectrum), so I find that my posts tend to be a bit more “how to survive in the world” based and less on career connections and how to mingle. On that note… I fail at networking, schmoozing, mingling, connecting, etc. (And dating… for that matter.) So, those are things to work on. So then, to answer your question, the best connection I have made with this blog is the strengthening of my relationship with these two incredible guys, Ben and Joe. I know that I have life-long friends and career partners who I can really trust and go to with my industry and personal questions. They inspire me daily and have taught me so much through this process. I only hope that I can do the same for them and for our readers.

Where are you in your acting career?

Ben: As a result of the blog, hard work, and tons of amazing people, my career couldn’t be going better. I’ve worked on dozens and dozens of projects since I moved to Los Angeles a little over a year ago– short films, feature films, web series, commercials, and the like. I recently signed with CESD Talent Agency, and have continued to develop excellent relationships with managers, agents, casting directors, and other industry professionals. Admittedly, I am still very much at the beginning of my career, but I absolutely love every second of it. It’s very clear to me that it takes years, often decades, to build the career most actors aspire to; a reality I find important to remember. That said, what’s amazing about the entertainment industry, more than any other, is that every single step along that path proffers opportunities to inspire, create, collaborate, and do (daily!) what it is that we love.  

Joe: I have been blessed with opportunities since coming to Chicago, and have gotten to work with a ton of growing theatrecompanies. Earlier this year, I joined up with The Consortium Project, a theatre company dedicated to making a direct difference in the community by producing theatre and donating a large percentage of ticket sales to related charitable organizations. I completed the long-form improv training program at iO earlier this year and have been performing with the same improv team, Hugs and Pullups, for over a year. This summer, I began exploring film acting with the help of some incredible young filmmakers from the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia University, and DePaul University. I am currently seeking representation.

Emily: My career, on a whole, is going well, but is very, very new. Very. In Denver/Boulder, I was having a fair amount of success. I was in my second season in the acting company with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival and had just gotten a dozen more points on my Equity Membership Candidacy. I am still ‘non-union,’ though I am EMC (equity membership candidate). I am un-repped, but I hope to change that in the next year or two. Auditions are going well, but are very difficult to get. (This is the greatest challenge I am having.) I just completed a small, off-off-Broadway touring Showcase production of Medea that was very well received. I have also teamed up with some National Theatre Conservatory graduates from Denver who have their own company here and have had me perform in a few of their productions. In New York, I find more than anything (and more true than anything they will tell you) is that it really IS just who you know. So I am looking into making those connections and possibly working with companies by taking classes or getting those connections and more training through grad programs. Fingers crossed.

Of course, pay a visit to PlaybillsvsPayingBills.com and check out the personal websites of Ben, Joe, and Emily for updates on their careers.

Hollywood can be challenging for those who are just starting out when they have no connections and no insider information. Actors without representation or notable credits often turn to background acting to get connections, experience, and a little money. Others who want to be in the industry and on camera but without further acting aspirations pursue background acting as a profession.

The good news is that this path can actually turn into a valid way to make a living for those with the chops and the savvy to survive on a professional set. But because background work is so sought after and it can be difficult to break in, unscrupulous individuals have created various ways to make money preying on eager newbies who think they are getting a way in.

That’s why the Background Actors blogsite  is so valuable to the community. Creator and Managing Editor Lary Crews has created a place for those who are just starting out to get the dos and don’ts of background acting, as well as finding out about popular scams to avoid. Tips on breaking in, surviving, and even thirving as a background actor can be found on this site. Check it out! 

Know anyone who could use an entertainment industry insider? Encourage them to sign up on the YII home page to receive our Mogul Mindset eBlasts today!