About the Book:

A working actor, writer, producer and un-acting coach shares with you the inside secrets of how to master the screen actor's career in the twenty-first century.

Hollywood is a complicated place, but workshop leader and noted acting coach Peter Skagen is happy to decipher some of its unwritten rules. In How to Succeed in Hollywood Without Really Acting, he covers how to break in, what they're looking for, film vs. theatre acting, how to identify and promote your brand, how to set up shop, how to understand story and screenwriting, how to conquer auditions, and how to work on set, and other basics. He encourages you to stop thinking like an actor, and start thinking like a filmmaker.

Sub-titled Practical Inspirational Insider Secrets to Achieving Your Potential, this witty, easy-to-read, action-packed how-to also includes: rants, grudges, jokes, quotes, tales from the trenches, insider secrets, tricks of the trade, lists, exercises, examples, trick questions, the top fifty audition mistakes, the top four on-set mistakes, complete instructions on how to become inevitable, and most importantly, how to stop acting and start working.

Students, parents, stage and screen actors, comedians, filmmakers, theatre professionals, television presenters, writers of all kinds, movie buffs, even corporate sales professionals (because the world is a stage) can all benefit from this charming, inspirational, and incredibly informative book that finally explains the Business, and how to make it YOUR business.

What people say:

"No one else could have written 'this' book 'this' way. It's hilarious. It's unapologetic. It hits the actor with every tool they'll ever need so I don't have to." — Deb Green, Casting Director (Brokeback Mountain)

"He cares. He has a wealth of knowledge because he is out there in the trenches. A working actor makes the greatest teacher of all. His students work." — Amy Lyndon, Booking Coach

"Peter Skagen's book is as blunt as I am! I loved it! Tells the truth about what it's like to get through the process in this biz we call show. So many actors walk into this blank canvas and have to learn as they go and make some mistakes that follow them throughout their career. Reading this book, you can walk on your first set as a pro already knowing who's who, all the jargon, the curtsies, the dos and don'ts, so you can look and act like you were born to be there. I applaud Peter for such honesty about this very tough business." — Dori Zuckerman, Casting Director

"Peter Skagen's manuscript is a winner on so many levels, and should be required reading for any student of acting. While the title implies the craft of film acting, many of the lessons are of universal importance, whether acting for film, stage, or promoting a stand-up act. If you cannot actually take class with this man, buy this book. You will not regret it." — Dr. Reid Spencer, Mount Royal University

"How to Succeed in Hollywood Without Really Acting ... offers tips about on-set etiquette — how to deal with wardrobe and makeup, how to work with directors, blocking, hitting your mark etc. — and wider career concerns such as 'how to determine your brand' and the importance of demo reels." — Calgary Herald

About the Author:

Peter Skagen has over 30 years of experience as a professional actor, director, singer, teacher, and booking coach. He has taught workshops at many faculties, including Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and has also provided entertainment and image consulting to thousands of actors in the United States and Canada. Calgary born-and-raised, he moved to Los Angeles in the early 1980s. He earned both BA and MA degrees in Film Acting and Screenwriting at California State University, Northridge Department of Fine Arts, before moving back to Canada.