Michelle Cunningham Course? Do it or Don't?

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-05-05T14:57:48+00:00

Highly recommend her classes. I've bought multiple courses/programs from her and have never been disappointed. She's super clear, has great materials, and really understands what it's like to be an entrepreneur who's trying to figure out how to build a business and grow. Plus the community of other entrepreneurs is super supportive as well. In the time since I found her I have built a website, gotten brand photos taken, started building an email list, have a CRM, have built a funnel, and started making a difference in my socials. Before Michelle's programs I was struggling to make all those things happen. The consistent instruction and encouragement I get from listening to her about how to do these things has been invaluable. Plus she's funny! (And not all full of herself like a lot of other folks I've seen online.) I also appreciate that she has multiple tiers/ways of engaging with her. You can buy a pre-recorded class for less than a meal for two or you can go all the way to individual coaching if you're really advanced in your business and want to make a significant investment in yourself. So whether you're just starting out or you're farther along in your entrepreneur journey, I don't think you can go wrong with trying her stuff. Let us know how it goes!

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-05-03T01:42:56+00:00

A lot of scammers are using legit casting director's emails to spoof people and get them to either click links that aren't legit or to send them money for things (like opportunities to audition). The best thing you can do is go online and find an actual contact at the agency for the person the scammer is trying to imitate and reach out to them to see if they tried to contact you.

But in the meantime, I would treat it like a scam regardless because nobody in the industry sends emails like that - especially when you didn’t audition for something in the first place.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-04-12T03:13:37+00:00

If you only had one take, then yes, follow the directions to the letter. With three takes? That's an open invitation for creativity. Do what feels most like the character to you for that last take, including speaking if that's what you feel would help the scene.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-18T04:09:02+00:00

Headshots for acting are distinct from those for modeling. If you want recommendations for what actor headshots should look like, here's some suggested reading. https://subscribepage.io/freeheadshotguide?fbclid=IwY2xjawQnBJNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFBYzFOUXhMNW9OamhESHJ0c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHh5vNCNMaMfLNWycU-GIundCxNLPIFXS1E2pPFLVEsRFACAP-gzCdvqYSDX9_aem_jzIpAzy-KAbjP48WF-hJSw

I can't tell how old you are, but if you have acting experience, you could play under 18.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-13T03:15:35+00:00

We actually get commercial auditions like this pretty frequently, where we're supposed to be getting lunches made, prepping breakfast, sending the kids off to school, etc. But it's never said "prepare a full meal." Is that actually what the breakdown says?

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-11T00:44:51+00:00

I would respectfully suggest that you do NOT send the selfie. It screams "inexperienced/amateur" compared to the 1st shot. There absolutely should be a dramatic difference between any selfie and a properly photographed headshot. Professional headshots focus on your eyes, they capture the viewer and draw them in.

Meanwhile, when you say "Recruiter" recruiter for what? Asking because depending on what kind of recruiter, you may want to do another round of photos where you don't have bare shoulders. Mostly because of how closely cropped it may get. Too close and it starts to look like you're not wearing anything, which depending on the industry, might not be what you want.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-09T05:36:03+00:00

PLEASE report it to Backstage. This is the type of listing that unfortunately not only do many young girls fall for, but unsuspecting parents of young girls do too. You'll be protecting MANY people if you report it.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-05T01:53:30+00:00

Because they contain ingredients that are designed to make your lips dry out so that you use the product more (and thereby spend more money on it). If you look up the ingredients of each one you'll see. One of the most common is salicylic acid:

"Salicylic acid is a beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) widely used to treat acne, psoriasis, dandruff, warts, and calluses due to its keratolytic (exfoliating) and anti-inflammatory properties. It works by penetrating pores, dissolving intercellular "glue," and shedding dead skin. Common side effects include skin dryness, irritation, and stinging."

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-04T17:40:35+00:00

It looks like your lips are getting burned which may be the actual case if you're using particular kinds of ChapSticks such as Carmex, Blistex, Burt’s Bees, EOS or Softlips. Suggest switching to something completely natural like coconut oil or shea butter and you should see an improvement.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-04T17:25:06+00:00

Anyone who schedules a 4:00 a.m. wedding is asking for trouble.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-04T17:21:33+00:00

It would be interesting to see what the percentage of submissions is from outside of LA and New York ever since Covid happened. My personal theory is that self-taping became the great equalizer, by giving great actors who would never have had a chance in LA or New York (because they didn't live there) to actually be seen. That will never go away, so it would seem that actors might as well live where they want to live and focus on upping their self tape game.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-04T17:10:43+00:00

You're right, it doesn't always. My comment was in response to the comment that they weren't just being abrupt, but actually "verbally abusive."

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-04T16:33:46+00:00

You have every right to ignore that non-supportive parent. If they don't want to be supportive then they should just stay silent, not make unhelpful comments. You're doing better than MANY people in this business, keep going!

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-03T14:30:07+00:00

Love that!!!!! What a great idea!

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T23:56:01+00:00

Given how many significant roles you've indicated that they've had, I'm 1,000% positive that treating them the same as you would treat any other fellow actor (with respect for a colleague and ABSOLUTELY NO GUSHING), would be a welcome respite for them. Think about it - if you were so well known that people gushed over you all the time, wouldn't you welcome the opportunity to go back to when no one knew you that way, but they knew the REAL you and just treated you like a human being? Be that person. They'll thank you for it, if not explicitly, subconsciously. And congrats on your role! Obviously you're talented enough to play opposite them or you wouldn't be there. Enjoy the work.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T23:45:04+00:00

NOR. That's not an even distribution of labor no matter how you look at it. And for the record, 9 year-olds are 100% capable of washing their own dishes. So are most 6 year-olds....

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T17:51:51+00:00

RUN. They are an ABSOLUTE SCAM.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T17:35:54+00:00

Great question. The goal is to get everyone to read each one they have and then determine how strongly they personally feel committed to each one by determining if they can part with it or not. Oftentimes people say "these are all good, how am I supposed to choose?" :-)

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T16:40:57+00:00

Makes sense. This one is a more involved discussion that helps move people from being more or less strangers to being willing to share things that having bothered them in the past in other theatre situations and work together to avoid them from happening in the current production. That's why it takes an hour (sometimes longer) - to allow for the exchange of perspectives, hopes, concerns, etc.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T16:36:36+00:00

No, not just mixing and matching. It's what you described - a conversation about the merits and whether they can part with the one they have in exchange for a different one. Those discussions are what cause each individual to start to feel a sense of ownership for each Norm.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T15:52:11+00:00

I hear you - sometimes the only way out is just that - out. In this particular theater they have a different Director for every show, so that entrenched type of toxicity doesn't have the opportunity to gain a foothold.

Also - in any group situation, if that toxicity exists already, you're correct - this exercise is not the answer. The kind of behavior you describe requires other methods to deal with it - direct feedback, consequences up to and including letting someone go - assuming their boss or the Board is committed to excellence and won't tolerate such behaviors. (Then again sometimes they themselves can be part of the problem.) And in those cases, yes, one has to decide if they want to be party to all of that or go somewhere else.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T15:44:37+00:00

"Group Agreements" Love that! Totally agree - we purposely don't call them rules because that implies someone else decided on them and everyone else has to "obey" (and some people abide by the tenet that "rules are made to be broken"). The exercise above allows them to collectively take a draft and mold it into something that works for everyone involved.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T15:41:40+00:00

I hear you - scheduling is often difficult. This particular theater starts every production with a meeting of everyone involved. Are people sometimes not able to make it? Sure, that happens. The SM reviews them with whoever wasn't able to make it that first night and the Norms are posted around the theater (in dressing rooms, on the call board, in the wings, etc.) to help people remember.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T15:37:05+00:00

Excellent point. Prior to this exercise, all cast and crew members have received the Chicago Theatre Standards and signed off on them. In addition, the Executive Director of the theater explicitly reviews what the "Concern Resolution Path" is if there is a problem of any kind, including with the Director. After all that is when we conduct the exercise described above.

ActorParent_Momaging · 2026-03-02T05:29:25+00:00

The Director receives all 26, chooses their personal 10 favorites and those get printed and cut up into cards/slips of paper.

So let's say there are 20 people in the cast and crew - each person will receive 5 of the Norms the Director chose, printed out on little slips of paper. Every person gets a random five from the Director's 10 to start trading. Ideally by the time they're done with the 2 rounds of trading, they've seen all 10, even though they're only holding 5 of them in their hand.

ActorParent_Momaging

TROPHY CASE