Hollywood isn’t broken — it’s just not well understood and it is changing, the industry is changing and also shrinking. Circles are shrinking especially after poorly managed unions’ actions.
As a showrunner, film director, and Emmy Awards Judge, I’ve sat on both sides of the casting table. I’ve seen brilliant talent overlooked and average actors land deals. The difference? Brand value is what matters to decision makers, not just the talent level. Talent represents only 5-10% of success!
That’s the part no one teaches at acting schools and workshops. This is why I adapted the Reverse Integrated Branding System (RIS) – a business-proven brand building and development method to help actors grow and stop playing the waiting game.
Most Actors Are Working Hard Waiting Tables or Delivering Packages While Bleeding Time & Money… For Nothing
Let’s get brutally honest:
$700- $1,500 on headshots every 6 months that all look the same? Waste.
$2,400-$5000 or more per year on acting teachers and coaches without a measurable business path? Waste.
Casting director workshops? Stop. Why? Most of them are employees. They are not decision makers. They can’t cast you, they can’t green light you, they can’t guide you, and they’re more likely to remember your Venmo handle than your name. They are not decision makers!
What most so-called “industry players” sell to actors, calling it “investment” is often just financial sabotage disguised as hustle. I understand them, they are running a business and they have to make money. I believe in creating value and offering it to consumers. However today it isn’t about them, it is about actors and actresses who are falling into these traps.
It’s not that training is bad. It’s that training without strategy is just expensive procrastination.
The Decision Maker’s Perspective: Here Is What We Actually Respect.
Here’s the truth from behind the scenes: We respect Creators. Builders. Self-generators – people who turned their name into a business and a brand.
When an actor or an actress comes to us having written his / her own script, produced his/her own content, his/her own short films or pilots, which they have properly presented, submitted to respected film festivals, received recognition, received some media attention, exposure, interest from distributors then it is a totally different conversation. If they’ve gotten investors and / or sponsors – it’s even better. Now we are on the same page and we speak the same language.
When you build your network, market and brand on and off camera – that’s when you are noticed. That’s when you shift from being an “aspiring talent” to becoming an “emerging asset”.
It is not enough to land a role in a tv show or a film, as well as it is not enough to produce your own project. You need to engage all tools which we use in “RIS” in order to make yourself seen, stand out, and recognized. The market is saturated, we have so many tv shows and films. If no one sees your work – no one is talking about you – you are not being noticed. No high-level manager or serious agent wants to “develop you from scratch” unless they deal with Nepo babies or Power heirs. You need to walk in as a brand with value on the table — not just a headshot and hope.
I’d love to quote Jay-Z: “I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man!”!
How the Reverse Integrated System Helps you (That Acting School Never Will)
The Reverse Integrated Branding System (RIS) takes a completely different path. I built it using principles from top Hollywood agencies and studios, international media systems, and national business branding models. We’ve used this system to:
We always begin with in-depth research of the market and help you to create your story that will be seen and accepted. You want to know the market, market trends and protect yourself from risks. We help build a personal or business entity’s brand and position it to land national press, attention and recognition;
We build brands that command visibility and respect. It is a long term game that we focus on, not the “fast food” culture.
We turn creatives into media-ready professionals who don’t beg and don’t chase – they attract.
What RIS does differently is simple:
It creates your story, aligns it with your image, actions and projects across every channel – from reels to red carpets, podcasts to press releases.
We stop chasing casting crumbs. We build the bakery. Most importantly — we help to create value producers are looking for.
Real-World Learning > Classroom Cycles.
Look at Quentin Tarantino. What was his film school? His film.
Look at Sylvester Stallone. No one gave him Rocky — he wrote it, he pitched it, he negotiated it and he made it happen.
Chazz Palminteri didn’t beg for roles. He built “A Bronx Tale”.
My story – I used the same exact pattern. Why wait for a paycheck if I can build value – attract investment
(I never chase) and build a legacy.
In a recent sit-down on my podcast with the legendary Ethlie Ann Vare, we both agreed on the role of branding in today’s media world. It is all about creating a brand, then marketing, and generating sales.
Small Business Administration (SBA) and NFIB leaders confirmed: A brand is the engine of the business. Artists need to stop separating art and business. They’re one.
Yet too many actors live in a fantasy where someone will swoop in and make it all happen. Always remember: Hollywood is a business of show, business comes first.
Spoiler: No one is coming. You have to build it yourself. Then the industry follows.
Stop Wasting Time. Start Building Leverage.
There’s a reason union strikes, endless acting schools, lack of legal and financial education and “wait for the right agent” advice keep actors poor. They’re not focused on building leverage.
Your value is your leverage. Your visibility is your currency. Your brand is your real agent.
RIS gives actors a system to:
Build brand equity;
Craft a strategic image that makes producers take notice;
Create and launch real content that gets press, awards, recognition and traction;
Stop looking for opportunity — and become one!
If you’re serious about acting, forget about playing by outdated rules.
Stop begging casting assistants for attention.
Stop giving your money to people who couldn’t get a job in a production office if they tried.
Start branding like a professional. Start creating like a leader. Start owning your path.
The actors who make it now are creators, not clients.
Don’t wait for a role. Write your own.
Don’t wait for a shot. Build your name and your platform.
Learn more about Victor Migalchan by following him on Instagram.
