Elizabeth Jankovic Talks Hand Modeling, Booking Spots for Instagram and Panera Bread | Success Story

Elizabeth Jankovic’s journey into acting began in a high school English class, where simply reading Shakespeare scenes sparked a clear sense of purpose. Now, with a blend of formal training and hands-on experience, she shares insights into navigating the industry.

Jankovic took the time to share details on how she books digital campaigns for major brands like Instagram and Panera Bread, as well as how to master the nuances of self-tape auditions.

Insights From Elizabeth Jankovic

Always respond quickly to casting calls and keep your photos and materials current.

Use submission notes to clearly communicate your relevant experience and contact information.

Approach self-tape auditions with preparation, keep takes limited, and show your personality when slating.

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How did you decide to become an actor?

I was in high school and taking theater classes. I knew [I wanted to pursue acting] after eighth grade, when we had [to read] A Midsummer Night’s Dream in English class. We did a final for it [where we were] reading scenes. That was my first time acting, and my English teacher was saying that I was really good at it.

It was the first time I felt like it was something I could pursue, so I figured, “Okay, I’ll stop sports in middle school and when I go to high school, I’ll do theater.”

I did all the plays that I could, and knew I wanted to go to a college where I would be able to act. I knew coming to New York City was going to be the best opportunity. I went to a college in the city and minored in theater, just taking all the acting classes and learned, I would say, half of what I know from acting — not from school, but from real-life experience. At this point, probably 75% of what I’ve learned is [from] on-the-job experience.

How did you first discover Casting Networks?

Honestly, [I] probably [heard about it in] one of my acting classes in college. I was so determined to ask every single question I had about how to get into acting, and I would hear my classmates or professors recommend certain websites for acting. Casting Networks was one of them.

Which brands have you booked through Casting Networks? Can you walk me through those experiences, from audition to set?

I think the two main ones I’ll talk about from this year are Instagram and Panera Bread. Instagram was something I submitted to in December.

Basically, Instagram was casting 20 different creators to do content. This was a work-from-home job, creating by yourself at your apartment or at locations outside, and submitting videos for their team to edit together into ads for online usage and stuff like that.

I had an initial call where they discussed the details in the initial call: what it would require and what it would look like. I was cast as their sustainability and lifestyle creator because I’m vegan and I have a vegan food blog on Instagram. They saw the reference that I submitted, and it was cool to know that this was a big reason why they selected me for the creator role.

It was basically three concepts: one was a healthy meal, one was sustainability — thrifting with clothes — and another was working out and movement. I was talking to them about how to film, what to film, uploading the content and revisions.

The process took maybe two months, with submitting content and having revisions done because they were dealing with a lot of time in between the client getting back to them. That was really cool because even though it was for such a big brand name, it was still an at-home job and it was kind of based on having my other Instagram page, which was super cool.

Can you also talk about the Panera Bread gig?

Panera was an in-person job. In May, I got contacted on Casting Networks because I hand model as well, and have quite a big hand modeling portfolio at this point. Panera had a commercial, and there were a bunch of different roles, and I had submitted to a few, but I got a text requesting some info for hand modeling information, and [telling me that] it was shooting at the end of May.

I found out recently that a lot of the time, when you’re dealing with a casting director versus the actual client, you only know so much before you get to set. I wasn’t even sure what this commercial was and how many people were going to be there, but I was booked for two days.

It was really exciting. I got to do a bright red manicure [because] I knew it was for their Italian summer series.

I got to set the first day, and there were actors filming on the set, and I was just the hand model waiting to be used. The schedule went over on day one, so I wasn’t used to it at all. Day two was more hand modeling, but it was just one scene that they used me in. I was pushing the sandwich to add a crunch and see the cheese and gooeyness of the sandwich melt.

It was an easy day, and it was cool to be in a studio where they literally built a Panera booth. It was really just lifestyle shots in a restaurant at Panera. My hands are in it for a very short period of time. Super cool experience.

What do you think helps someone succeed on Casting Networks?

I feel like having a really fast response time [is important] when you get the job notification, when a new job is posted. I’ve always heard that the sooner you submit, the more likely you will be booked, especially if it’s timely.

I have all my photos that represent my current look or things that I’ve done. I also have hand photos, editorial style and hair modeling. My current look is my primary photo, so definitely having your current look as your primary photo, too.

Also, I always put something in the submission notes. I’m adding my personal website. I’m saying where I’m based. I’m adding my cell, my email and my social media. Now you can actually link it to Casting Networks, which is cool.

If it’s a lifestyle thing, I’ll say I have tons of experience doing lifestyle. If it’s for clothes in particular, I’ll say if I’ve done work for clothing companies. Just telling them, “Hi, this is exactly what you’re asking for, and I’ve done this before.”

For hand modeling, I say “Professional hand model for two to three years,” and maybe I’ll mention big brand names that I’ve worked for to reference the credits that I have.

You mentioned the Social Linking feature. Are there any other features on Casting Networks that you find to be especially helpful for your acting career?

I like that I can add multiple videos so they can see multiple reels from me instead of just one. I feel like other platforms might have a limit to how many pieces of media you can submit.

I downloaded the app within the last couple of months, and I turned on text notifications for when I get messages or media requests, so that’s a feature I really like because my email’s not always going to load immediately on my phone, but I will see a text sooner. I think SMS text notifications for new alerts or messages on Casting Networks are a big help.

What’s the best way to approach an audition, and what tips and advice would you have for your peers?

I do a lot of self tapes. Since a lot is done on my own time, I don’t feel the pressure of somebody watching me in real time and reacting.

If it’s a self-tape audition, I’ll read the casting call. I’ll try to read the whole description of the film, and then of course the character description, trying to get a sense of whether there’s another character in the scene and what the relation of that character is to the character I’m auditioning for.

[When it comes to] reading the scene, sometimes I’ll just hit record on my phone and start filming my audition without having read the script to see if I can get an organic, authentic first read. I’m basically filming a blind cold read. That does not work all the time, but I do always try.

Sometimes they’re more technical or more involved, and I just have to redo it and read the whole thing before I start recording.

I always try to tap into an emotion that the character’s experiencing, thinking about what I can bring out of me and things from my life [that help me relate]. Maybe it’s not exactly what’s written in the script, but if somebody said something to make me feel the same way that the character’s probably feeling, I’ll tap into those emotions.

I try to be efficient with my auditions. I’m not spending so much time on them. Only two, maybe three takes, because I think we can get in our heads and overdo it to the point where it just isn’t authentic anymore.

I also think when you slate — if they ask you to slate — show your personality a bit and not hold back because they want to work with good people, and funny, friendly people. It doesn’t have to be so serious, and you don’t have to go to extreme lengths on your audition. Trying to put less pressure on yourself will provide a more organic reaction and self tape.

Final Takeaways

Elizabeth Jankovic’s path shows that success in acting comes from a mix of preparation, authenticity, and smart use of tools like Casting Networks. Her experiences booking major brand campaigns and mastering self-tapes highlight practical strategies new actors can adopt right now to build momentum in their careers. Here are some actionable tips inspired by her journey:

When a job posts on platforms like Casting Networks, submit your materials as soon as possible with up-to-date photos and relevant experience clearly noted.

Use the submission space to highlight specific skills, past work, and include your contact info and social links to make it easy for casting directors to see why you fit the role.

Approach self-tapes by reading the full casting description, doing a blind cold read first to capture authenticity, and limit yourself to 2-3 takes to avoid overthinking.

When slating, be friendly and genuine. Casting directors want to work with people they like, so let your natural charm come through.

Use Casting Networks’ tools like multiple video uploads and text notifications to stay on top of opportunities and showcase your range effectively.