The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

MAKING CONTACT WITH REPRESENTATION

You’ve researched your market and the agency options.  You’ve collected talent feedback and used online resources to gain farther knowledge.  Now you have a list of preferred agents for representation, right? 

 

Great, it’s time to take action!  In your online research, you likely found a website for each agency.  Most agencies list directions on how best to apply on their website, so comb through their online information carefully until you find it.  No matter how inconvenient the process may seem to you, it is crucial that you follow the directions given.  You may be able to submit online, in hardcopy via mail, or by dropping your package off, but the key is making it convenient for the busy agent whose #1 focus is the talent on set and the clients making their phone ring.

 

If you are sure there are no directions listed, here are the usual options. Most agencies will want you to apply online – it’s fast, convenient, and free.  If you have an email address or contact form (from their website), submit your information online.  Note that when submitting online without being directed to do so, you should write one sentence letting the receiving party know that you can forward this information to the appropriate source if they will be kind enough to direct you to the person in charge of New Faces.  You may not be able to access online contact information, in which case you would want to submit with hardcopy information. 

 

One last option (and definitely not a wise choice for the majority of the talent pool) is to drop off your package in person.  Let me clarify that most people are not so dynamic in person in the matter of seconds that this would be beneficial to your cause.  You are more likely to disrupt a busy office and irritate the booker by showing up.  However, there are those 2-3 people in a million who are so stellar in a few seconds of meeting them that they can wow their way into an agent’s line of vision. Unless you are 100% positive you are one such person, do not try to drop off your submission for representation.  That being said, if you are sure that you are so dynamic, be professional enough to walk in, sparkle, hand the package to the receptionist, thank him/her, and walk out the door.  Do not ask questions or demand to see an agent immediately.  The receptionist will likely find you so charming that she’ll pass the information along to the appropriate person.

SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE

Like Robin Williams’ famous phrase “Nanu, Nanu” confused American television viewers at first.  Industry lingo can be just as confusing to the green talent. (If you aren’t familiar with “Nanu, Nanu”, think of Charlie Brown’s teacher speaking to the kids – completely unintelligible!)  To walk the walk, you need to talk the talk -- learning the vocabulary of the talent world is imperative!

 

The obvious terms are “booking,” which refers to the job at hand or the fact that you have been confirmed (as in “you are booked/you have the booking”).  The audition seems to be a generally understood term, as well, referring to the opportunity to try out before anyone is booked.  The most confusing terminology seems to be:

a)     casting

This refers to the actual audition for on camera work (and has started being used for modeling go-sees as well) and is frequently done through a Casting Director.

b)    call back

The second casting when the director has narrowed down the talent of interest for each role.  Directors are sometimes in the call back session to see or work directly with the actors who have been called back.

c)     hold

A talent is put “on hold” or on “1^st refusal” when the client is seriously interested in booking the talent, but not ready to solidify the booking.  There are many reasons that a client may choose to put a talent “on hold,” including to hold a backup actor should their first choice not be available or to clear up production or budgeting issues before committing to hire a talent.   There are many other reasons a talent may be put on hold, depending on the given situation.  While on hold, the talent is agreeing to be available to the client (and should not schedule any other commitments) should they choose to confirm the booking.

d)    release

The agent will release a talent when they have been put on hold should the client choose to not book them.   A release does not mean that the talent did anything wrong.  It’s a positive situation wherein the client had enough interest to make that talent a top pick for that role/part.  In this case, the client is expressing an interest and will likely come back to book the released talent on another production in the future.

e)     the cattle call

This term is used when a client or marketing scheme open their doors to the world.  Any person anywhere who wants to be a talent can walk in and audition.  Do quality clients ever offer cattle calls? Yes, but it’s not usual.  Expect to wait in long lines and be in uncomfortable conditions when attending a cattle call. 

 

Of course, there will always be a learning curve, so continue to ask when you hear unfamiliar terms.  Learn the new lingo the first time you hear it and you will have smooth sailing navigating the ocean of information around you as talent!

 

BEFORE THE AGENT

There are some basics that you should know before getting an agent.  Most talent don’t know what to expect, and therefore, can’t accurately assess whether or not they are in a position to be able to do talent work. 

 

Castings, go-sees (also called a look-see), and bookings all happen with 24 hours notice on a common basis.  I tell my talent when they come in for an initial interview to plan to have 24 hours notice.  “I will call you today; you will have to be somewhere tomorrow.”  It’s the standard issue answer when I’m helping a talent decide if this is the right industry for their individual situation.  Of course, there will be exceptions.  I have called a model with only a few hours notice for a direct booking when another model broke bones during a rehearsal.  We have also had clients want to secure talent a month in advance.  Those cases are not the norm, however.

 

Before contacting any of them, figure out how flexible your life can be.  Can your day job be flexible for casting opportunities?  Do you have vacation time or can you take time off for bookings?  Some talent are able to work out details with their employer before getting started, which works well. Others have to find a new job – which is why so many talent end up being servers or valets.  See if someone at your job can pick up shifts for you (and you for them) on short notice.  Teamwork can make your life so much easier!

 

If this is what you want to pursue, you will need to position yourself so that you can be available to the opportunities that present themselves.  Contrary to popular belief, the client will not rearrange their schedule for the right talent.  They won’t fly you across the world, either.  Everyone is on a budget in today’s economy and as a talent, you must realize that the client has other options (and local ones, too)!  So it is your job to be available when they need or want you.  Am I saying that you should ask “how high” when they say “Jump!” . . . well, yes I am.  You are running a business, and it’s your job as the business owner to accommodate your customer’s needs!   The flip side of this situation is that you have to pay your bills, and talent work is not full time or consistent for the majority of the talent pool.  Find a job that can be flexible, but where you can make a living. Mutually respect between yourself and your employer (or your customer/client) is the key to lasting relationship and long term growth when building a successful business!

 

What consistent jobs work best for talent to live a healthy lifestyle, but still work bookings and make casting calls?

 

THE NECESSARY RESEARCH

Before diving into the talent pool head first, do your research on agencies!  In the end, it may be possible to qualify some agents as “good” and some as “bad,” but your search should go much deeper in order to find the best option for a partnership.

 

Agents have personalities, too - just like each talent, each casting director, each director, each producer, and so on.  We are each unique individuals with unique desires, goals, insecurities, fears, communication styles, and personalities.  The best partnerships are made from complementary personality styles and goals. 

 

You should we doing extra work or non paying projects at this point if you are keeping up with previous suggestions.  And you will likely want to continue to do that type of work until you can glean enough information to make an educated decision.  Ask the other talent who they work with and what they love/dislike about their relationship.  The naturally dramatic talent will be more than happy to spill the beans.  You will know you have done thorough research once you have collected at least some positive and at least some negative on all the agency options. 

 

Word of mouth can be positive, but keep in mind that it is based on a personal opinion, which may or may not be applicable to your situation, so do your homework, too.  Check out each agency’s website.  Rather than being caught up in the glitz and glamour that marketing can create, look for valuable content.  You may not get much more than background on the company, but some red flags to watch for would be pricing information (agents make money by booking, so there should at most be a commission percentage) or details on schools.  [We’ll talk more about modeling schools later.] 

 

If you can access the talent pool, look for other talent who are in your same demographic.  This doesn’t mean that you won’t be a valuable addition to the roster, but it is worth noting for when you secure the interview.  See if there are letters of recommendation or accreditations.  Is the agency union affiliated?  [This is a must for union members.]   Google the agency’s name and collect any more solid information you can.  You never know what will come in handy and when it comes to a partnership, you want to have as much knowledge as possible!

 

On a side note, what the agent or bookers at any given agency do on their own time is not relevant to you as a talent.  Only collect information involved in their business practices.  Trying to friend an agent on Facebook or MySpace who doesn’t know you makes you look desperate – and that agent will be watching what you do down the road when you do meet.  It’s one of the tell tale signs of how a talent will treat others on set, which can make or break relationships for the agency! 

 

GET A QUALITY AGENT

What is a quality agent?  Well, what may be great for one talent may not be for another, so the quality part comes in mostly when considering the quality of the relationship that you will develop with your given agent.  This does not mean that you will hang out, grab drinks, or become their first born child’s godparent.  What a quality relationship should include is good communication, personal attention when discussing castings or bookings, and basic advice given to help you as the talent grow and profit.

 

Agents are the negotiators and administrators of talent careers.  [For more on what role an agent plays, see A Complementary Partnership.]  The agent is focused on booking the talent he/she represents on jobs with the clients who are seeking a model and/or actor.  Anything else done in the agent’s day is secondary to booking.

 

Agents should work out of an office, and most talent feel most comfortable with this setting when seeking representation, but really the office space is wasted overhead.  The agent needs a computer and phone – that’s really it.  Agents work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 ¼ days per year.  Since sitting in the office every second of every day is impossible, agents frequently find themselves working from wherever they happen to be at any given moment . . . at home, in the car, on the beach, putting away groceries, in the middle of a nap . . . you get my point.  Realistically, a good agent can work from their home, their car, the beach (well, that might be a stretch, but I like the sound of it!), or anywhere else as long as they have a computer, necessary files, and a phone. 

 

THE CREW

Other people that talent meet on set may not have the high profile titles, but still have the ability to help or harm.  Keep in mind that the producer and director are hiring crew whom they enjoy working with personally.  Talent who mistreat production crew are not welcome on set again.

 

The production crew includes:

1.     Art Director / Scene Designer who take on the major artistic tasks and put together the physical set where the actors will be shot.

2.     Location Manager scouts and secures the physical locations where the project will be shot.  They also handle logistics and secure permits.

3.     Wardrobe & Makeup create individual character images, including clothing, accessories, prosthetics, and physical aspects of the talent as related to their character.

4.     Camera Operator is the friendly face behind the actual camera itself and is responsible for putting you in the shot.

5.     Gaffer and Lighting Technicians are responsible for the design and creation of appropriate lighting for the production.  Their expertise far exceeds anything you will ever realize until they actually start explaining all the details that are considered when lighting a scene.

6.     Grips are lighting and rigging specialists.   They work more closely with the camera department, especially when dollies or cranes are in use.

7.     Sound editor/mixer is responsible for getting the audio effects on set by using microphones, recording media, and mixing audio signals in real time.

 

Do you have an experience where you were able to communicate with someone from the crew while on set?

FROM PAPER TO LIVE ACTION

Another key entity in the process of creating a movie or television series is the screenwriter (or team of writers).  Writers often get started by writing on spec (short for speculation), meaning that they only get paid if the studio or client likes their writing enough to put the project onto film.  Writers can also be hired after the script has been bought to rewrite parts to fit the director’s vision.

 

Some common terms you will hear as a talent that refer to the product of the writer or director:

(a)           Storyboard.

There may be verbage used in a storyboard, but most often times it is similar to what you see when you read a comic strip in the newspaper.  It tells the story through pictures to create a vision of characters, scenery, etc.

 

(b)           Sides.

The sides are cut from the overall script and usually sent from the director/producer to the CD, who sends them to the agent to pass along to the auditioning talent.

 

(c)            Script.

This is the full story and dialogue along with direction.  Talent do not usually see the full script until they are booked on the job.

 

(d)           Treatment.

These are commonly used in music videos and commercials to tell a more in-depth story that will be cut back substantially to only a few minutes or seconds.  Treatments are written more like a storybook and sometimes include images.

 

THE PRODUCER'S GLUE

We all know that the most effective partnerships involve a creative mind (in this case, we are referring to the director) partnered with an administrative guru – cue the producer!  Working alongside the director in every aspect of the film is the front man responsible for project financial structure, scene creation, hiring key personnel and arranging for distribution.  Without any one of these, the film would most surely be a bust, so the producer is the glue that holds a film project together from pre-production to the big screen.

 

Producers are credited with the greatest degree of control throughout the film-making process in current day production.  There are several producers on any given set.  These include the:

(a)  film producer, who oversees everything – even the director.

(b)  line producer who is in charge of day to day concerns.

(c)  executive producer who might be a major investor, but is the equivalent of a CEO in corporate America.

(d)  co-producer who may only provide an investment and assist the executive producer.

(e)  associate producer whose title may be given honorarium for a financial contribution but who more often times assists in tasks delegated from the producer.

(f)  assistant producer who works under the associate producer.

(g)  the administrative producer who advises the board of directors and publicity activities and production management.

 

Like the director, the film producer will have a hand in the project from pre-production through to completion.   Other producers are likely to be in for the long haul as well.  Managing the daily activities and responsibilities of every last person you see listed in the movie theater credits is a big task and requires a focus and finesse that only a producer can bring to the table.

 

What producers do you favor?  Do you notice that they seem to be connected with certain directors? 

The Director's Direction

Speaking of direction, the director is the artistic visionary on set and will usually have the final say when discussing options with an actor.  The casting director might be considered the director’s litmus test.  (Aha!  And you thought that high school science was never going to come into play for you as the actor/model!)  The CD may pass along information to the director on how you responded to their direction in the casting room, for example.

 

The director usually works in stride with the producer when making decisions, which can cause a blur in the lines of responsibility between him/herself and the producer.   The director will frequently communicate with the CD through the casting process, as well. 

 

The director controls the film’s artistic and dramatic aspects by guiding the crew (camera operators, assistants, wardrobe, actors, etc.) in order to capture the final product.  They are the storytellers, who use camera angles, lighting, lens effects, and set design to depict a story to the audience.  The use of storyboards and rehearsals are usually decided on by the director, who may or may not appreciate insight from crew members or actors while on set.  Directors have their hands in the project from start to finish, from rehearsals on set through to editing and music.

 

What directors do you like and why?  Don’t know them by name?  You should!  Use IMDB to look up your favorite films and get to know the creative mind behind what you love!

BEAUTY DOES NOT EQUAL SUCCESS

In earlier blogs I mentioned Steve Buscemi as being a highly respected and successful actor, but his focus was never obtaining runway status (that I know of).  The serious actor finds him/herself perturbed when professionals discuss acting in the same venue as modeling, so to those of you who are passionate about the craft of acting I extend my sincere thanks for hanging through the model discussions.  Keep in mind, however, that when you do hit it big, you’ll be wishing you had taken notes from these talented models because every successful actor is photographed and has to learn to work the still camera just as well!

 

So what are the actor’s options?  There are two basic categories of actors – the leading man/woman and the character actor.  A leading man would be George Clooney (a woman would be Jennifer Garner) while an example of a  character actor is Michael Cera or Angela Landsbury. 

 

The leading man/The leading woman.  There are only a few roles out there for this type of actor.  Think about it – in each movie or television series you watch, there are only one or two (maybe a small hand-full) of main characters.  These are the LEADS.  They are generally the love interest or seated around the dramatic climax in the plot.  Due to that fact, they tend to be the more physically attractive actors.  Since most talent vie to keep a healthy appearance and crave the most dialogue possible, they find themselves sparring for the LEAD roles.  This means they are trying to market themselves as the leading man/woman.  If you fit the mold of a leading man/woman, read the notes to models in prior blogs about the importance of muscle tone, skin, teeth, and overall health.  These attributes are equally important to the actor!

 

A flip side to this basic talent philosophy is Charlize Theron, who was characterized as a leading woman by the industry.  To maximize her exposure and opportunity, however, she learned to play character roles (e.g., see this example in the movie, “Monster”).

 

The character actor.  This actor brings the substance of quality that we look for in the leading actor, but has substantially more opportunity to appear on camera and frequently has a more diverse resume and skill set.  The character actor plays secondary leads or bit parts.  Character actors can become typecast the same as leading men/women, but it’s less likely.  Almost every movie you’ve seen has a few character actors who revolve around the leading man/woman.   Some character actors have been so successful and well-networked that they get offered leading man/woman roles later in their career, like Michael Cera, Robert De Niro, and Meryl Streep.  The character actor gets the most opportunity to stretch his/her acting muscles and practice a developed skill set in a working environment.

 

My point?  Who cares what you see in the mirror?  In acting, there is always a place for your physical type.  Embrace the opportunity and grow your network and skill set to reach your full potential!

 

Who is your favorite leading man or woman?  Your favorite character actor?