Amy McKillop started acting later in life, but she was always a performer. Whether she knew it or not, her talent as an actor was always waiting to emerge. Now, she’s building a thriving career for herself on Casting Networks, picking up gigs in the growing UGC (User-Generated Content) space. McKillop gave us a peek into her journey, filled us in on why UGC works for her and shared advice for her peers.
Insights: Lessons From Amy McKillop
- Update all your sizes and profile pictures regularly.
- Bring your personality into every audition.
- Make sure that you’re signed up for Casting Network’s text notifications
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How did you decide to become an actor?
My journey was probably a little bit different and [more] unconventional than most. When I was younger, I did plays, was a cheerleader, sang and was in the band. I think I was always a performer in a sense without even realizing it.
I have a 13-year-old son. He wanted to act a couple of years ago, so I asked around. I followed a few people on Facebook and Instagram, and I saw this [casting call]. They were looking for a mother who had blonde hair, blue eyes, my age, everything. I had no experience, but I just [submitted] my name [along with] my picture, and I got it. I didn’t even have to audition. It was kind of crazy.
It was for the Florida Department of Health. It was a big role. I was portraying a mother whose daughter passed away because she smoked pot laced with fentanyl. Unfortunately, it’s a true story. It was heart-wrenching. I had to cry, too. This is my first day on set, and they’re telling me to cry. I was like, “What am I getting myself into?” The people that I worked with were amazing. They put me at ease. The makeup artists gave me a little trick on how to cry on cue, so now I know for the future.
From there, I saw another [casting call] for Disney, but it was a “real people” one. I [submitted pictures of] my friends: we do this running group. We have, like,10 girls, and we all do the Disney runs. I put in pictures and videos of my friends, and we got it. Again, no audition. I’m thinking, “Wow, this is pretty easy.” And then I realized—it’s not that easy. Luckily, I found an agent right away. I’m with the Peas and Carrots Agency. [My agent] was just starting, and she took me on as a client, [along with] my family.
How did you discover Casting Networks?
From my agent, we got more Disney jobs. I had other people saying, “You should do this. Everybody wants you to get on Casting Networks,” which I hadn’t heard of at that point until Peas and Carrots told me to get on it. Once I got on Casting Networks, it opened a whole world of opportunities.
I have an account for me, my family, my son and my husband. We all do things together. Through mine, I saw a few UGC products or UGC jobs that were available. I looked at what it was going to pay if I got it, and what it costs to be on Casting Networks. I said, “I’m going to give it a try. I’ll do it for a year. If I don’t get any jobs, I won’t do it anymore.”
Well, let me tell you, I got that first job. It paid seven times what I had to pay for Casting Networks. That first UGC job paid for itself for years to come. Then I got another one with First Day vitamins, which is amazing. They’ve called me back four times for other jobs. This is only my second year with Casting Networks.
You’ve booked lots of UGC jobs from Casting Networks. How does a UGC audition go, and what’s the process like for a UGC job? What’s different about this from any other acting work?
They want to see your experience. If you have different experiences, you send them the videos. They want to see current pictures. They usually want to see pictures or videos of your home. They want to see your kitchen or your bathroom or wherever your product is that you’re going to be selling. Mine normally is in the kitchen and the living room. Send them pictures, and if they like that, then they’re going to reach out.
The next step is they will usually send you a script to self tape at home. There’s a lot of work out there in UGC. Once you start getting into it, it’s lucrative and it’s great. For me, I’m a stay-at-home mom. It works into my schedule.
What are some of the brands that you’ve done UGC work for?
Badlands Ranch Dog Food was the first one. They sent me the dog food, and I would give it to my dog, and she loved it. It’s an amazing product. I did five different videos over a span of let’s say, six months of what I found, [showing] the differences in my dog. Every time I sent them a video, I got paid. It was a contract for six months, and that was super fun and easy. The dog food is amazing, which is great because a lot of times with UGC, they send you a product so you’re trying something new. So far, I’ve loved everything I’ve tried.
The other one is First Day Vitamins, which is very funny because my friends tell me all the time “You are blowing up my Instagram! Your commercials for First Day are constantly coming up.” And it’s true. Those are really fun to do because I could do them with my son and it’s repeat business.
Another one was for Sparks. I had to get my whole family in and we had to dance. I’ve done a lot for different skin creams. I do auditions all the time and the jobs keep coming in. It’s great.
Do you have a feature on Casting Networks that you prefer?
I have three different agencies that I’m with right now. I am on Casting Networks literally every day, either looking at the auditions I need to do, or the Casting Alerts.
When I first got on Casting Networks, I was just a little nervous. I didn’t know what anything was. Now, when I put in for a job that I didn’t put in with my agent, [I’m looking at the Role Tracker feature and asking myself], “Did I get a green next to my audition?” You want green because that means you’re in consideration.
Between my three agents, I get a couple of auditions a week for either me, my son or my family. It’s super easy to upload your documents, your videos, your pictures or whatever [casting directors] need. I’m a big fan.
What would you say helps somebody succeed on Casting Networks?
I think you need to make sure that all your sizes and your pictures are updated because people can lose or gain weight, or look different a year or six months from now. If you’re a kid, you change. I think just making sure that everything is updated and current helps because that is what people are going off of.
When a company like Disney, let’s say, goes to your profile, they are thinking that you’re going to look like [your picture]. If you got your hair cut five months ago and it’s short, but you had long hair in the picture, that’s not going to be good. When you get an audition and they say “Send pictures,” they’re looking for recent pictures — not filtered, and more real. Everyone’s headshot looks perfect, but they also want real pictures that are more current.
Another thing that’s really important is to make sure that you’re signed up for the text notifications. I’ll be at the grocery store and all of a sudden I’ll get a text saying, “You have a Media Request.” Then you’re excited to go home and do the Media Requests.
I don’t always check my emails that much throughout the day, and if I waited just to see the email for Media Requests, I may not get that done for another day or so. Usually, they want your audition within 24 to 48 hours. You can at least plan your day and say, okay, “I’m going to go home, get ready and do this one.” I love getting the texts. It’s a nice perk.
What’s some audition advice that you could share with your peers?
I look back at my audition tapes from a couple of years ago, and [when] I look at them now, I feel like I’m more real now. I think at first you’re just nervous. You don’t know what you’re doing. I think if you sit down, you look at them like, “What am I going to do in this? Am I a policeman? Am I a mother? Am I a grandmother?”
Whatever you’re going to be for this role, you have to sit down and think, “What would I say? What would I say in this scene?” It’s going to be completely different if I had a friend over here doing the job because everybody’s different. Maybe I get the job, maybe they get the job. It’s whatever the casting director is looking for.
I don’t know what they’re looking for. I just do it as real as I can be to me. I try to bring my personality into every audition and just pray for the best. Just be real. Be yourself.
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