Working Actor cover art

Working Actor

Breaking in, Making a Living, and Making a Life in the Fabulous Trenches of Show Business

Preview

Try for $0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Working Actor

Written by: David Dean Bottrell
Narrated by: David Dean Bottrell
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $20.40

Buy Now for $20.40

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Veteran character actor David Dean Bottrell draws on his 35-plus tumultuous years of work in the entertainment industry to offer a guide to breaking in, making a living, and making a life in the fabulous trenches of show business.

Covers every facet of the business, including:

  • Capturing the perfect headshot
  • Starting (and maintaining) your network
  • Picking an agent
  • Audition do’s and don’ts
  • Joining the union(s): SAG-AFTRA and Actors Equity Association (AEA)
  • On stage vs. on screen
  • Paying the bills
  • Self-promotion
  • Late bloomers

When to get out David Dean Bottrell has worn many different hats during his decades in showbiz: television actor with appearances on Boston Legal, Modern Family, The Blacklist, Mad Men, True Blood, NCIS, and Days of Our Lives; screenwriter for Paramount and Disney; respected acting teacher at UCLA and AADA; and regular expert columnist for esteemed acting site Backstage. In Working Actor, Bottrell offers a how-to manual jammed with practical information and insider advice, essential reading for any artist (aspiring or established) in need of insight or inspiration.

Mixing prescriptive advice ("Getting Started", "Learning Your Craft", "Finding an Agent") with wisdom drawn from Bottrell's own professional highs and lows and those of his acting compatriots, this book's humorous, tell-it-like-it-is tone is a must-have guide for anyone hoping to successfully navigate show business.

©2019 David Dean Bottrell (P)2019 Random House Audio
Entertainment & Performing Arts Management & Leadership Personal Success Business Celebrity Inspiring Witty Comedy Entertainment Business Acting Business
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What the critics say

"Witty, candid and compact.... A kind of start to finish-line approach to handling everything from auditions, agents, classes, and networking to self-promotion, self-preservation and self-esteem.” (The Los Angeles Times)

“It’s like practical magic...a deeply personal, yet universal guided tour into the world of acting and the business of show. Loaded with lessons for the beginner and reminders for 'the vet'." (L. Scott Caldwell, series regular on ABC's Lost and Tony-Winner for August Wilson's Joe Turner's Come and Gone)

“A witty and honest peek inside the world of show business, through the eyes of actor/comedian/storyteller, David Dean Botrell, as he recounts his three decades in the business. It’s a must read for anyone pursuing this crazy profession.” (Margo Martindale, Tony nominee, three-time Emmy winner, Justified and The Americans)

What listeners say about Working Actor

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.