The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

THE POWER OF PR

Public Relations, commonly referred to as PR, is hands down the best way to stay seen and available.  Celebrities hire firms to do nothing other than keep their face and name in the limelight and on the collective public mind.  That popularity pays off in high dollar endorsements, advertising, spokes-modeling, and lead film or television roles. 

 

If you can’t afford the costs of the high powered PR firm yet, there are other ways to accomplish staying visible in your local market. 

 

One of the most simple ways to stay in the public eye is to do something positive in your community.  Charities always need entertainers for fund raising events, for example.  If you’re willing to get your hands dirty, volunteering for manual labor projects like Habitat for Humanity are a good fit.  Serve food in a homeless shelter, assist in growing the arts in your local school system, or put together an improv troupe to bring smiles and laughter into a nursing home.  The possibilities are endless, but choose something you will love so it doesn’t feel like an obligation.

 

Being active in community efforts and improving the lives of the people in your immediate surroundings is not only a good way to stay connected and in the public eye, it’s also fulfilling!  Being able to fully appreciate your good fortune will help keep your chin up through all the hard knocks of entertainment, too.

 

GET DIGITIZED (WEBSITE MEDIA PART II)

Database profiles are important, but still they are only one part of the myriad options for communicating with clients.  Each client will have a different preference on how they like to receive submissions.  Some prefer to receive old fashioned hard copy prints in hand.  Others like the “greener” option of online submissions, while some clients still want to be able to do all the work themselves by sifting through websites for faces to hire.  Part of your agent’s job is to keep all of these media options readily available to appease each client’s request.

 

Remember in an earlier blog going over the importance of keeping an updated headshot/resume on file in your agent’s office at all times?  Your digital profiles and web presence are every bit as important and should be updated regularly, too!  Agency websites are used daily by clients doing more research, discussing options with other decision makers, trying to find talent they have previously hired again, etc.  This website is one more of your many marketing tools, so fees to keep this medium accessible to clients will be passed down to the talent. 

 

Agencies choose different ways to process these costs, so check with your agent to get more information on their guidelines.  The point here is that any online presence incurs costs and you can expect it to be a part of your business overhead.  Even databases or agencies that don’t itemize a charge for these services will pass the cost along. 

 

Fees range from a few dollars per month to hundreds per year.  Figuring out what these services are worth to you as an individual will vary from person to person.  My best advice is to trust your agent’s guidance for at least three years.  (It’s unlikely you’ll be launched into superstardom overnight.)  After all, you’re allowing them to handle your career, so trusting their advice on the best forms of marketing should be included in that trust.

GET DIGITIZED! (WEBSITE MEDIA PART I)

In today’s world of technology, having digital materials with which to market yourself is imperative.  Not only is it faster and more convenient for your client, but it’s also one of the most cost effective ways to get your face and name in front of the decision makers! 

 

Online database profiles are springing up by the week and offer many different ways to showcase your skill set and experience.  So which databases should you be using?  This question may not have an inclusive answer for all our readers, but here are some of the more prominent sites you should check out:

 

1.)    Actors Access

This profile links to your agent’s Breakdown Services account.  Currently, you can have two images, your resume, and special skills listed as part of your profile package.  Extra bells and whistles like uploading your reel, adding additional images, or submitting yourself (rather than your agent submitting you) are upcharged.  See www.actorsaccess.com for more details on pricing and special features.

2.)    Now Casting

This profile is popular in the southeastern US currently. Like Actors Access, the basic images and resume are included in the profile creation.  Additional features and upcharges can be found on their website at www.nowcasting.com.

3.)    LA Casting

This profile is one of the leaders in the heart of Hollywood.  Most agents in LA will require their talent to be listed here.  If you are not living in this market, be wise about creating a profile here.  Submitting yourself to work in cities where you are not readily available for an immediate audition can leave a sour taste in the CDs or client’s mouth.

 

There are many other profile options out there.  Some are great resources for your local market, whereas others just take your money and don’t return much opportunity.  Be wary of what you are signing up for and consult your agent before creating new profiles.  Most importantly, be sure you are being seen where your agent needs to have access for submitting you!

 

THE LOCAL NETWORK

 

Networking is easy-breezy for some talent, but even with the stereotypically extroverted personalities, it isn’t a given ability.  Where some talent may make good impressions at a first meeting, a lot of them are unable to develop that relationship further.  So how can you work on building meaningful connections with people?  Get involved locally!

 

There are many opportunities to get involved with entertainment in facets other than being the headlining act.  Talent who take a responsibility to develop their market and give back to their communities build stronger networks and stay forefront of the minds of everyone, including decision makers.  It’s the same process that a PR person might take with keeping a celebrity in the limelight, on tabloids, and in the news.

 

Politics might be an area of interest to some talent since it involves passionately delivering a message to the appropriate parties.  Whether lobbying for a candidate or bill, or persuading voters to choose entertainment friendly legislation, talent can find a way to use their skills to give back to the community while building their opportunities and network.

 

Charitable acts, services, and donations are another healthy way to invest in your local market.  Charities need celebrities and entertainers for fund raising events, auction memorabilia, or press coverage.  This is an opportunity for the talent to not only stay visible, but to also touch the lives of individuals affected by a concern near and dear to that individual talent’s heart.  The celebrities we see in this capacity tug on our heart strings and generally build our willingness to like and support their endeavors.

 

There are many ways to give back to your community and market, so don’t limit yourself to these suggestions.  Find something that you will enjoy so that your heart will be fully committed and you’ll enjoy building your network and being visible.

 

BE SEEN AS AN ENTERTAINER!

I was once told . . . and frequently repeat the adage, “It’s not the talent’s job to sit in from the TV watching soap operas, eating bon-bons, and waiting for the phone to ring.”  You may read this quip many more times, but somehow it always rings true.  Staying in and waiting is the most ineffective way to run your career, not to mention a lazy and unproductive business model.

 

In this world of entertainment, the paparazzi and celebrity sightings are literally what make the world go ‘round.  Without the constant news about their projects, personal lives, and scandals, we forget them and move on to the next hot topic, right?  It’s human nature.  Apply that psychological principle to your career and you have the core ingredients to a recipe for success.  Staying in the line of sight is not something to be thrown by the wayside!

 

But that’s my agent’s job, isn’t it?  Sure, your agent will market you and that will put your headshot in front of decision makers, but your agent can’t build personal relationships for you with the myriad opportunities that exist in your demographic.  That’s why the talent makes the majority of the money in the relationship!  Your physical presence constantly around the right individuals (and then your professionalism too) is key to building and maintaining those warm fuzzies that make their final choice to be hiring you over someone else! 

 

Opportunities to be seen are endless, and talent should readily commit to any and all of them!  Try social medias like Facebook, MySpace (more for musicians, from what I understand), Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.  You can also use parties, which most talent enjoy.  Check out your local city’s organizations or chapters for entertainment professionals.  Get involved, invest your time and skill-set into something bigger than yourself, and the profit will naturally come full circle through connections, relationships, and a solid network of individuals ready to repay favors and who just might call your agent and start asking for you BY NAME.  And to an agent, that translates into more work, which means higher dollar time value and higher profit for both themselves and you as the talent.  Oh, I guess the easier way to say that would be “welcome to success”!

RELATIONSHIPS ARE FOREVER (THE PRODUCER)

In the production setting, if the Director is the creative mind behind the final footage, the Producer would be the logistical and/or financial genius of the team.  There may be multiple producers on any production team, who each hold varying positions, but almost all of them revolve around finding the funding to get the project completed.  In essence, the Producer is the production’s fund raiser!

 

Producers have to stay well connected to the industry, which makes their relationships and network paramount to their success.  Not only do they have to cultivate trust with the financiers who have the capital to invest in entertainment, but they also have to develop and maintain the contacts at studios, with directors, and even other producers.  Those relationships may be the bread and butter of the Producer’s income and the direct reflection of their credits, but that isn’t as far from the talent realm as you might think.  Often times, the Producer will continue to utilize talent who have made their sets more successful and functional in the past. 

 

This is where YOU come in!  Talent and Producers don’t always see eye to eye or understand one another’s language, which can make solidifying these relationships a challenge.  The creative brain of the talent communicates and hears in the opposite way that the analytical brain of the Producer might communicate or hear.  That said, it usually falls on the talent to bridge the gap in communication.  Talent who can sympathize with the Producer’s plight are better able to fulfill the Producer’s requests.  If you naturally have that analytical business brain as a talent, it will serve you well over and over again.  If you only rely on the strong right brain creativity, though, this might be a good time to start doing some personal research into a new character study!  However you see fit, get to know what the Producer faces and look for opportunities to relieve some stress on set in the future.

RELATIONSHIPS ARE FOREVER (THE COACH)

In an industry where there are so many critics and so few confirmations, talent need a safe haven to comfortably grow in their skills and knowledge while still being challenged and held accountable.  Your agent, manager, or talent friend may not be the most readily available sources of positive interaction, but a coach is almost always a great way to build confidence!  (And if you find a coach who does not build you up, consider that a red flag.)

 

Coaches, like business people and talent, have their strengths and weaknesses.  Most coaches choose to focus on instructing in the areas they enjoy most, which generally tend to coincide with their natural strengths.  Each time you start working with someone who really challenges you or just inspires you to infuse new life into your career, start your relationship knowing that at some point you will outgrow their forte.  For our Star Wars cult followers, you may consider yourself the young Padawan and your coach the Jedi Master – at some point a good coach will push you out of their nest and on to bigger and better things!  Transitioning can be painful, but really is in your best interest.  If your coach doesn’t push, however, you will likely get a nagging feeling in your gut when it’s time to press on.  Trust it and know that your coach will support you in your choices . . . the same as they’ve done along the path you’ve walked together until now.  The coach should be well compensated for their services, which you will benefit from throughout the lifetime of your career. 

 

Relying on the coach for encouragement and direction concerning a talent’s skill set is wise.  However, relying on the coach for work, career direction, or facets of talent work outside of the skill set (e.g., PR, communication, marketing materials, other facets of work the talent may need in which the coach does not excel, etc.) is a gray area.  Talent easily find themselves lost in this twilight zone when they do not grasp the purpose and place of the coach in their career.

 

Keep focused when working with your coach! You should not be advised on their opinions, personal suggestions, or given career direction outside of the advancement of your skill set.  You should, however, be inspired, encouraged, challenged, and have to put forth considerable effort.  If you think it’s easy, it might be time to move on to someone else’s expertise. 

 

THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY WHO’S WHO?

I regularly dine with industry people including writers, producers, production managers, actors, models, and other agents.  Inevitably, the conversation always turns to industry news and people.  To be included in the exchange, one must be able to comment and discuss the issues and people noted.  You can’t do that if you don’t keep up with the latest information.

 

Do you know who the top 50 working models are across the world?  You should.  Do you recognize their faces when flipping through a magazine?  You should.  Can you point them out by name walking through a department store?  If you answered no to any of these, break out the pen and industry text books because you have some serious studying to do!   (Industry text books for a model would be major fashion sites and magazines/campaigns.)

 

Do you know who the top 50 working actors across the world would be?  You should.  Who do you most favor physically?  What actors tend to book the same type of roles you fit?  These are the people you should be watching closely!  Do you know their latest television series, movie, or print campaign?  (Yes, actors pick up print campaigns all the time, so you should be paying attention to the modeling world, as well.)  If you answered no to any of these or have had to google or click on the links to actors previously noted in the blog, follow suit and get your pen and text books handy.  You can study right alongside the models!

 

The movers and shakers in the modeling and acting worlds can tell you who is booking, who isn’t, how much they make each year, their last major campaign, and a variety of other pertinent details.  These are the talent who will be able to hold their own and be remembered when they have the opportunity to rub shoulders with decision makers at cocktail hour.  Will you be one?

RELATIONSHIPS ARE FOREVER (THE DIRECTOR)

You’d think the talent and the director could sympathize with one another’s creative plight within the industry.  I like to think that they do, even if they are both focused on their performance or fear the scrutiny of their professional artistic abilities.  The Director’s main objective is to walk away fully content with the big picture.  The actor, however, only plays a role in that bigger picture (pardon the pun). 

 

Since the Director is on set from idea inception to final delivery, there is a lot of stress involved in carrying, birthing, and raising the idea to it’s full potential.  In essence, the director is somewhat of a parental figure, if you will.  Without making this relationship into a parent/child or employee/employer dynamic, let’s acknowledge that the Director usually does have the final say when it comes to any on-set debate.  If the talent understands where their position is in the bigger picture of what’s being made, it is easier to understand that the Director’s ideas may conflict with the talent’s opinions.  The beauty of this conflict, though, is that everything is OK.  Directors don’t have to agree with talent to get a great product in the end.  Talent don’t have to agree with the Director’s direction, either.  What the talent does need to be able to do, however, is put their opinion aside and fully listen and deliver on what the Director is requesting. 

 

As far as relationships go, the talent who can be flexible and maneuver to fit the Director’s requests fluidly on set will be remembered, appreciated, and very likely requested again in the future.  Directors like knowing that the people around them can be fully trusted and will make their day of work less stressful than working with a green talent.  When you get the opportunity to work with a new director, use that time wisely to meet their expectations and be accommodating to any requests.  The #1 way to be memorable is to be enjoyable and professional.  This one choice can make you their first consideration as their careers blossom and you just might ride their coat tails into a successful career of your own!

RELATIONSHIPS ARE FOREVER (THE AD AGENCY)

 

In an earlier blog, I noted that it would be tempting for the creative mind to share their great idea when the production has encountered a hurdle.  My advice was to keep your great idea to yourself unless addressed by the production lead to share your thoughts.  In one case, a friend told me about an incident on her set that involved a child actor, a parent, and the ad agent.  There was tension on set between the production team at a certain point during the day and the child actor was told to break while they discussed a problem in the script.  The actor’s guardian was on set and overheard the discussion.  The guardian boldly offered an opinion on the subject, interrupting the intense discussion between director, producer, and ad agent.  Unfortunately for the child actor, this outburst came at the wrong time and left a sour taste in the ad agent’s mind, who advised the ad agency to find a different child actor for future productions.

 

The ad agency is the creative force behind all the commercials, billboards, fliers, catalogs, etc., for their client.  And we should stop here to clarify that this client is the one who signs your paycheck at the end of the day.  Generally, clients are going to follow their ad agent’s advice . And, if the ad agent isn’t on your side, you’re not playing for the right team.  Ad agents work under extremely stressful conditions and have difficult demands they have to meet.  (Watch the show Madmen for a better idea of what an ad agent’s responsibilities are.  Although our culture has changed a lot since this television series, their role in entertainment hasn't changed all that much.)

 

Anything the talent (that’s YOU) can do to make the ad agent’s life easier will guarantee a long lasting relationship that will reap the residual effects of your likeness being used in their future projects.  That makes it a win-win situation, and puts you on the goal of becoming a career actor!