How Strategic Actors Build a Power Network—And Get Seen By the People Who Matter
Stop chasing contacts—start creating the kind of visibility and conversations that actually move your career forward.
👋 Hey, I’m Christine. I’m an award-winning actress, industry consultant, and entertainment insider with decades of experience in global film, TV, and theater. My work has been featured by major networks like HBO, Disney, and Ubisoft, and I’ve built a career helping actors gain visibility, land roles, and position themselves for long-term success.
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There’s networking—then there’s Power Networking. One is about collecting contacts. The other is about engineering the conversations that move your career.
But real power networking goes deeper than any single conversation. It’s about building a system: knowing exactly who matters, staying visible to them, and creating reasons for your name to keep coming up—even when you’re not in the room.
Actors think networking is showing up at industry events, sending LinkedIn requests, and hoping someone remembers them. That’s entry-level thinking.
Here’s the reality: Decision-makers have the most important conversations about casting behind closed doors—often when actors aren’t present. The names that come up in those meetings are the ones who get real opportunities.
Your job is to make sure your name comes up, consistently, in those rooms.
This article will show you how. This isn’t guesswork—it’s the strategy behind how working actors get on the radar, sign with top reps, and get called in before breakdowns even go public. If you want to get out of the “audition lottery” and into the pipeline where you’re actually considered for real roles, read every line.
Before We Dive in
If you missed these two articles, make sure you read them first:
They Don’t Speak Actor: Here’s How to Talk So Decision-Makers Actually Listen—and Offer You Work
What Happens When You Treat Your Acting Career Like a Corporate Job?
Why start here? Because before you get in front of decision-makers, you need to understand how they think—and how to communicate in their language. Building a real career isn’t just about talent. It’s about adopting a strategic, business-first mindset and mastering the language of the room.
All the deep-dive articles on Cast Forward are designed to build on each other. When you master each step—how you think, how you communicate, and how you build relationships—you’ll move beyond surface-level networking. You’ll be able to see new angles, spot hidden opportunities, and approach your career with a sharper, more strategic edge.
If you haven’t read those pieces yet, take a few minutes to catch up. Everything you learn there will give you the foundation you need for this Power Networking strategy.
To make this process easier—and to help you actually stay organized with all your follow-ups, connections, and industry intel—there’s a tool I use and recommend: the Actor Operating System (AOS).
AOS is a digital workflow built for working actors. It lets you track every project, decision-maker, networking move, submission, and follow-up—all in one customizable Notion template. If you want to put everything in this article into practice (without getting overwhelmed or letting leads slip through the cracks), AOS is the perfect companion.
You can get the Notion template for $27, or the full AOS course + Notion template for $47.
And if you are a VIP member, then it’s part of your subscription.
What Is Power Networking?
Power networking means you’re not just present—you’re relevant. You’re on the radar of decision-makers, not just as another name, but as someone associated with opportunity, reliability, and value. In practice, it’s a system for:
Identifying who truly drives decisions in your field (not just titles, but actual influence)
Mapping the networks and patterns of how opportunities flow
Consistently positioning yourself so that when deals, jobs, or introductions happen, you’re already a trusted name in the room
This goes beyond surface-level connections. Power networking is about engineering influence—where you get talked about and brought in because your reputation precedes you.
Understand Who Actually Moves the Needle
Stop chasing “connections.” Start targeting Decision-Maker Clusters.
Most actors waste time networking with other actors or random “industry people.” Instead, build a Decision-Maker Map—the actual people who greenlight, influence, or recommend you for work.
Decision-Maker Clusters (DMCs):
1. Project Greenlighters
These are the people who can say yes and make it stick:
Investors & Financiers
Producers (studio, indie, commercial, theater)
Development Executives
Networks & Streaming Executives
Showrunners (especially for series—sometimes double as producers)
Why group this way? These are the ones who control the money, greenlight the hire, or have final veto power. If they don’t sign off, you don’t book it—period.
2. Creative Influencers
These people can push hard for you, but usually need sign-off from above:
Directors (influence depends on project type)
Casting Directors & Associates (gatekeepers with limited final say)
Writers, Staff Writers & Writers’ Assistants (valuable on shows if they’re close to the showrunner)
Note: Writers’ assistants may not be “decision-makers,” but they’re access points. Reclassify them as connectors or intel sources if needed.
3. Access Controllers (Gatekeepers & Champions)
Not final decision-makers, but they can put you in the room or influence who’s seen:
Agents & Managers
Casting Associates & Coordinators
Agency Assistants (often screen submissions, flag promising talent, and help decide which actors are highlighted to their bosses).
Pro Tip: Emphasize assistants and coordinators as strategic targets—they’re often the ones actually sorting submissions, handling scheduling, and flagging talent for a closer look.
When I was younger, I interned as an agent’s assistant at a well-known full-service agency in LA. They represented actors, writers, voice-over artists, and more. I saw firsthand how much influence assistants have over who gets considered. I was even trusted to read incoming scripts and give my honest recommendation on whether they were worth the agent’s time—and would pass along my notes if I thought the script deserved a closer look.
4. Non-Traditional Decision-Makers
Key in specific sectors like commercials, VO, and influencer work:
Advertising Agency Producers & Talent Buyers
PR, Brand Partnership & Digital Campaign Managers
Festival Programmers & Jurors (if you're in the indie/award circuit)
This expands the field of opportunity, especially for actors who are multi-hyphenates or building brand deals.
5. Department Heads & Recurring Hire Authorities
These are power players on long-term projects:
Heads of Hair/Makeup, Costume, and AD Departments
Stage Managers or Assistant Directors (in theater or TV)
They won’t cast you, but they can vouch for you, request you back, or blacklist you quietly.
Example of Decision-Maker Clusters by Career Level
Pro Tip: If you don’t have a Decision-Maker Map, you’re invisible to 90% of the industry. Build one now.