The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

THE MODEL’S MARKETING MATERIALS (TEAR SHEETS)

The model’s ultimate goal is to build a book that is full of high profile tear sheets.  What’s a tear sheet?  If you are asking, you are off to a great start already – getting answers is the key to keeping forward momentum, so pat yourself on the back and then keep moving forward. 

 

A tear sheet is published work featuring the model.  They get their name from the model actually “tearing” the printed material out of the magazine and placing it in their book, ripped edge and all!  Tear sheets can be from magazine advertisements, catalog work, brochures, or any other printed materials.  It is the model’s responsibility to follow up on finding copies of the material after it is published.  Be sure to find out while you are on set how to know when it’s published and where you can get a copy.

 

A book with all tears can be powerful in the go-see sessions.  At this point, though, a model will likely start finding the majority of their work starts to come through direct bookings, too, which cuts down on the amount of go-see time.  This model has been successfully branded and will soon reap the benefits of having worked hard to position him/herself professionally above their competition!

THE MODEL’S MARKETING MATERIALS (PORTFOLIO)

The portfolio tells the client who you know, what you’ve done, what you can do, and just how versatile you can be when put in the spotlight.  Since they loved your comp card, they are going to hope to see more amazing footage in your book.  Models who don’t have a lot of experience can test with photographers to build their experience and diversity of the images.  However, the experienced eye sees an obvious difference between a model’s book which has been built by testing and a model’s book which has been built with work itself.

 

The look and size of portfolios can vary from decade to decade and market to market.  Seek advice from your agent about the best choices before investing in a book.  You agent may also request a second copy be kept in their office to overnight out as clients request.  A lot of agencies are relying more on using online resources for books, as clients become more open to electronic communication.

 

How far you make it in the process generally speaking can tell you a lot about the effectiveness of your materials.  Competition is fierce, so if you are making it to the final go-see (also called a “look-see” in some markets) you can rest assured your materials are high quality. 

THE MODEL’S MARKETING (COMP CARDS)

Models primarily use two forms of marketing materials:  portfolios and composite cards.  These items go by many different names depending on your market and the era in which you were working, but might also be referred to as a book, comp card or zed card.

 

Comp cards are primarily used by the model’s agent.  They are sent to clients who request models in a certain demographic.  The comp card shows the client a teaser (like a movie trailer) of what the model has to offer.  A model’s card may have tear images from work or highlight a certain feature the model is known by.

 

If the client likes your comp card, they will usually ask you to attend a go-see, which is a form of audition.  The photographer or ad agent wants to meet the model and is looking for several things.  First, they want to see the model’s book, which should have a more comprehensive show of their experience.  Second, they want to be sure the model really looks in person like they do in their images.  Too often images are retouched and the model has blemishes in real life that the client didn’t see on the card.  Third, they want to find out if the model has a personality.  There are a lot of brunettes at an “All American Girl” type casting – of course they want to work with the beautiful brunette who is the most fun!  Go sees can be scheduled once for a job or multiple times depending on the client’s request.

 

Each step of the way narrows the competition and helps the client create an ideal mental image of what they want to achieve. If any one of these materials is lacking, the model will be overlooked somewhere in the process.  If a model’s comp card, book, and personality are all stellar, though, he/she will likely be booked many times over and build a solid career. 

MARKETING 101 FOR TALENT

In the world of marketing, messages can be sent and received in myriad ways.  The best PR and advertising firms have an edge up on their competition because they know which ways are the most effective.  So the question must be asked . . . are your marketing materials effective?

 

The question begs to be asked, but few want to verbalize the answer when they are in the hot seat themselves.  So what is it exactly that makes some materials effective where others are not?  Some simple answers are things like clarity, lighting, expression, and print quality.  Images that are blurry or do not clearly show the talent’s face or body are not as effective since the client is unsure of what they will end up working with on set.  Poor lighting or print quality can also be damaging to a talent’s opportunity if skin tones are not even or shadows darken an image.  Printers know how to make color pop off of paper, but images printed on poor paper stock or with bad color presses can actually make skin, hair, and even eyes odd shades of their true color.  And what does your expression say?  Or, perhaps we should ask, does it say anything?  Images without personality are certain to be passed by – no one wants to work with a dud! 

 

A truly great image hides imperfections and accentuates physical assets.  It also captures something in the actor or model’s eyes, body language, and/or personality that we can read into farther.  In great headshots, we can imagine what you were thinking, saying, or could be doing. 

 

How do you know if you have a great image?  The most telling factor is whether or not you are being booked directly off of it.  Direct bookings only happen when talent have created a brand clients ask for by name or when an image is strong enough that the client feels confident in putting money on the line.  Another confirming factor might be the amount of go sees or auditions you go on.  One image can open or close doors that you never realized were possibilities!

 

If you aren’t convinced that your materials are the most amazing version of YOU possible, start back at square one and get some that make you feel like a rock star.  You don’t need to look like someone other than you, but you do need to look like the BEST possible version of you.

THE TALENT’S EMOTIONAL LIFE (BREATHING TECHNIQUES)

There are times when our emotional reactions are heightened and we may not be able to seek the solace of a trusted friend or have our journal handy.  When circumstances like time and location impede you from accessing your chosen source to regroup, another valuable skill to learn can be breathing techniques.  Learning to control the physical element of our body can help us better control the emotional side.

 

Believe it or not, your physical body is directly connected to your emotions.  In fact, masters of meditative techniques say that they can quickly change their emotional state by focusing on their breathing.  Perhaps meditation isn’t your thing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn how to use your breathing to better deal with advancing your career. 

 

For example, slow steady breathes that completely fill your lungs and then are slowly released will actually slow down your heart rate, which in turn will slow blood flow and bring down your sense of frustration or anger.  In contrast, do you ever need to work yourself up for an emotional scene?  The opposite practice will speed up your blood flow, heart rate, and send your body into preparations to escape or defend as it feels threatened.  Meditation, yoga, and some aerobic training classes can help you learn and develop these skills, but so can you natural awareness of what is happening in your body during heightened emotional states.  Pay attention the next time you feel elated, overwhelmed, anxious, fearful, angry, etc.  That just might be the best way to tap into those emotions on a whim in the future and to control them when they start to surface at inopportune times.

THE TALENT’S EMOTIONAL LIFE (VENTING)

Part of what makes talent so successful in their modeling or acting careers is the fact that they can wear their emotions on their sleeves – readily available at a moment’s notice if needed.  On set, this is an asset.  In a talent’s daily life, however, it may not be.

 

When put in an emotionally charged situation, it’s difficult not to be ruled by our fears, hopes, dreams, and insecurities.  If we’re going to be honest with ourselves, it isn’t only the talent who struggles with maintaining control of their emotional life.  (Even corporate America finds it challenging to control emotions when feeling betrayed, criticized, or shamed.)  Since “talent” is our blog’s common bond, however, let’s focus on some good techniques to have a successful career while maintaining composure in the real world.

 

You may find that venting is an effective form of organizing your thoughts and emotions.  The hardest part can be getting to the safe place to vent, which we will look at in a later blog.  If you can stay the emotions long enough to walk away from the situation, using “venting” as a coping mechanism allows you to release tension prior to approaching an issue.  Venting can be done in many forms, including sharing with a trusted friend, writing in a diary, or using art forms such as dance.  

 

If you are venting to a friend, be clear about your intentions from the beginning.  Let your friend share your agenda by saying, “I am upset about ____ and hoped I could vent for 15 minutes about it.”  Also be clear about whether or not you’d like feedback, suggestions, brutal honesty, or ideas.  If you just want someone to listen, give your friend the advantage of knowing that’s what you need.  By sharing the guidelines, your friend will know what their role is and be better able to fill your need.  You will also be committing to not letting your emotional worries overrun your time together or corrode your friendship.  When the time is up, move on to something else.

 

If you aren’t comfortable or don’t have someone to involve in your venting session, writing poetry, diary journal entries, or a letter to the person/entity with whom your emotions are heightened might do the trick!

 

Sometimes simply having time to think through your emotional reaction and the reasoning behind it can help you deal with and discuss your concerns in a more professional manner . . . and everyone will appreciate you for having been able to do so!

THE TALENT’S EMOTIONAL LIFE (SENSE MEMORY)

If you haven’t heard of sense memory, it might be worth looking into!  When it comes to maintaining a healthy emotional life while still being able to perform as needed, sense memory seems to work for a large number of talent.

 

The basic concept behind sense memory work is that sensory cues such as touching your skin in a certain place and manner can cause a specific emotion to be readily available.  For example, one of my actors can cry on cue by gently rubbing her bicep.  Sounds weird?  Well, our major senses are readily connected with our emotional life!

 

Other techniques find actors so far into character when they are at their best performance-wise, that they struggle to get out of character in their personal lives.  If you are in Leave It To Beaver, that might be nice for everyone around you, but goodness forbid you have a character who is cynical, negative, or downright violent!  The bottom line is that talent who can find a way to separate their professional and personal lives (and personalities) will have more healthy and longer lasting friendships . . . and maybe even better publicity.

 

This technique may work for some, and it may not work for others.  Like most crafts, talent need to try and experience various techniques to find what functions best for them overall. In smaller markets, it may not be a well developed craft or idea just yet.  To find out more about sense memory workshops, google it and start asking around in your area. 

THE TALENT’S EMOTIONAL LIFE (YOU TIME)

We hear about a good number of celebrities who practice yoga or do some form of meditation.  I find that sometimes the word meditation comes with connotations that lead us away from the true purpose and meaning.  A simple definition of meditation is the expression or consideration of thoughts on a subject.  In that case, we all meditate off and on all day, right?

If you haven’t considered a form of meditation, I would encourage you to look into something that makes you comfortable.  (Keep in mind that for some personality types, anything new is uncomfortable, but be brave and try a few things before deciding it’s not for you.)  If you like group activities, someone to answer your questions, and physical exercise, yoga might be a great fit.  If you prefer introverted alone time, find a mentor in your area who does guided meditation.  Even ordering tapes to do at home can be a good place to start and conquer the initial fear of trying something new.

Being aware of self and your personal emotional life is a part of your job as a talent.  In fact, being more aware of your private emotions will naturally build on your skill set and help you grow further as a talent!

THE TALENT’S EMOTIONAL LIFE (EXERCISE)

When being willing to stay so open to experiences, emotions, and other people, talent put themselves through an arc of feelings.  Doing so can be hard on the psyche and body, so taking time for self-care is paramount!  One way to help your career and take care of yourself to stay solid emotionally is to build and keep a steady work out plan.  Every model and actor has a physical part of what they do and your body is every bit as important to your success as your skill set! 

Perhaps you aren’t a model – maybe you’re a character actor and thinking I don’t need to work out because my body style is what makes people book me.  I’m not going to say that your thought is not valid, but consider the need to maintain.  You want to keep your form, which is a goal we can share.  But you will also want to keep your health.  Statistics show that working out at least 3 times a week (even if it’s just walking a few miles or playing a group sport your enjoy) improves overall health and perspective.  This means that you will live to enjoy a longer career and you will be more mentally apt to handle the ups and downs that are certain to come!

If you are a model or leading man/woman, working out is a must!  Light aerobic exercise 3 times a week isn’t going to cut it.   You’ll need to watch your diet, work with weights, and do extensive cardio to keep your muscles toned.  Our bodies are as different as our emotions, so schedule time with a trainer or dietician if you need direction.  What works for Bob, may not do much for Gil.  Invest in your health and your career (and in most cases can be taken as a write off when you do your taxes). 

THE TALENT’S EMOTIONAL LIFE

Being an actor or a model is a profession that can bring extreme highs and lows.  Constant criticism and a subjective audience paired with the undercurrent of political games can leave a talent drained and feeling hopeless at the end of the day.  On the other hand, the soaring elation one feels when acing an audition, receiving a scarce compliment, or while actually on set realizing your dreams come to life, can release endorphins with which no drug high could compare.

These extremes are a part of life, but can be very challenging when living in the real world day in and day out.  This is exactly what we read about in tabloids when a celebrity is having a bad day and projects their anger toward an innocent party.  Even in the high times, a show of celebration can be made at an inappropriate time and cause a talent to seem selfish or thoughtless.  With such an extreme emotional life, it’s easy to find yourself out of control and reacting to things in ways that people around you find unreasonable or inappropriate.  So how can you reign in this rollercoaster emotional ride and still be seen as the normal human being your public wants and enjoys?  I hate to say it, but there are no easy answers to this quandary. 

Before we discuss ways to give you back the control over your emotional life, it’s important to take a moment to give yourself grace.  Close your eyes, breathe deeply several times, and realize that some part of you has an ability not everyone can share.  That ability is the ease with which you can share other’s emotional life; the power to pull on fear or malice to keep us on the edge of our seat; the potential to move us to tears in a bittersweet moment.  These faculties tell us that you are compassionate, understanding, aware, and open to the feelings and needs of those around you.  Pat yourself on the back and know that in many cases, those attributes are strengths. 

By accepting that your strengths are assets which need to be cared for with responsibility and discipline, you will be able to give yourself grace.  That self-appointed grace isn’t a license to harm, but rather a comfort to know that you can make mistakes and will have the ability to react professionally and compassionately with those who were affected when you do misdirect an easily available emotion on some innocent party.

What emotion do you keep so close to the surface to make it readily available?  Has it ever escaped unintentionally?