**Interviewer:** Greg, thank you for joining us today. You are the Director of Talent Development at the Green Room Acting Studio. What does that entail?
**Greg James Blount:** Thank you for having me! Yes, my job is to help onboard and track the development of the actors who join our studio. There are a lot of acting studios out there, so we want to make sure we are a good fit for the actor and that they understand our development process.
**Interviewer:** Yes, I heard that the studio offers an online paid trial acting class so students can see what the studio is all about.
** Greg James Blount: ** Yes, it’s important to let people try one of our acting classes. We have excellent instructors here at the Green Room. Some are well-known casting directors, and some of our team are acting coaches from LA, New York, or Miami. Afterward, they decide if we are a good fit and enroll in the studio.
**Interviewer:** Excellent, so let’s say they enroll in the studio. What happens next?
**Greg James Blount:** That is when my job starts to kick in with the actor. I sent a detailed questionnaire that helped give our team some background perspective. After they do that, I schedule a one-on-one ZOOM meeting, and we develop a strategy and training plan for them. This is also when I send them our acting resume format and encourage them to update it immediately.
**Interviewer:** I heard you are an acting resume specialist.
**Greg James Blount:** I am. In any industry, a resume gets you a job! If you wanted to be a chef, you would go to school, gain valuable training, get some experience, and all that goes on the resume. If you wanted to get a job at a great restaurant, the owners would look at that and determine, based on your credentials and experience, if they would give you a shot. For an actor, it is no different for a talent agent, manager, or casting director. 99% of actors don’t care about their resume.
**Interviewer:** I hope the actors reading this learn from this great advice. Can you expand a little bit more?
**Greg James Blount:** Sure, you could take classes at a local acting studio, maybe a university or other theater program. When you are trying to break into the industry, a talent agent, manager, or casting director will review your resume. Suppose you have trained with an acting coach or casting director they know. In that case, they will respect your training because they know the person, so picking acting classes and training with well-known casting directors or acting coaches matters, as it is communicated on their resume. This business is all about who you know and who you train with!
**Interviewer:** That’s a valuable perspective, Greg. So, the resume is a vital tool. I heard you highly recommend switching teachers every 2-3 months at the Green Room. Why is that?
**Greg James Blount:** Absolutely, their resume is “key” to their success as it tells a story… it could tell a good or bad story. Still, industry professionals can easily decipher an actor’s backstory and training within seconds. The resume is like a road map of their experience, so I encourage them to update it each time they take a new class or earn another credential. We have twelve amazing instructors who teach here, some are casting directors, and some are acting coaches. First, I want them to learn the craft from multiple people. Every acting coach teaches the craft in their own way, training and with their perspective. I want the actors to understand that and get different insights and exposure to various training methods, so we recommend that each student rotate classes every 2-3 months.
**Interviewer:** What advice would you give aspiring actors just starting their journey?
**Greg James Blount:** Being an actor today requires much more than just the craft itself. While honing your acting skills is fundamental, understanding the business side of “show business” is equally vital. This means recognizing the importance of branding, marketability, and continuous self-promotion. Actors must cultivate a strong online presence and effectively engage with their audience. It’s essential to be adaptable, embrace new trends, and learn to navigate the ever-changing industry.
**Interviewer:** That’s excellent advice. Moving on to the business side of things, what do you think it takes to be a successful actor in today’s entertainment landscape?
**Greg James Blount:** It boils down to combining talent, training, and networking. While learning the acting craft at the Green Room Acting Studio is essential, we also emphasize the importance of understanding “show business”—what agents and managers expect and how to market oneself. We prepare our actors with real-world experiences, including mock auditions and industry acting workshops, which help them build confidence and refine their skills. Establishing relationships with agents and managers is equally crucial, something I prioritize given my experience from my years at Peter Glenn Publications.
**Interviewer:** Any closing advice?
**Greg James Blount:** My advice is to be passionate and persistent. Dedicate yourself to learning— treat each acting class, audition, and performance as an opportunity to grow. Seek feedback, be open to constructive criticism, and remember to embrace rejection as part of the journey. It’s also essential to build relationships within the industry. Networking can open doors, and having a supportive community or mentor, like what we have here at Green Room, can make all the difference.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Greg! Your insights inspire anyone looking to break into the acting, modeling, and the talent industry.
**Greg James Blount:** Thank you for having me! It’s been a pleasure sharing my experiences and hopefully inspiring the next generation of actors.
About Greg James Blount
Greg has spent over 30+ years in the talent and entertainment industry. Greg is the Director of Talent Development at the Green Room Acting Studio and the Publisher of Peter Glenn Publications. This 68-year-old publishing company published the famous Model & Talent Agency Directory, which listed legitimate model & talent agencies worldwide.
About the Green Room Acting Studio
The Green Room Acting Studio is an online acting studio that has helped thousands of aspiring actors and parents better understand the talent industry and develop their craft. The instructors are well-known casting directors and acting coaches from LA, NY, Atlanta, and Miami. To learn more about the studio and their instructors, please visit www.GreenRoomActingStudio.com
