The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

TAPED AUDITION 2 (DUAL PERSONALITIES OF HANNAH MONTANA)

Auditioning doesn’t have to be Sawyer (e.g. Lost) style – anger and hostility will work with some characters, but open and willing personality types have added pizzazz in some auditions.  Hannah Montana child star Miley Cyrus launched her career as a pre-teen by going the extra mile.  She is reported to have taped her audition almost 20 times in the initial submission.  Miley and her parents moved quickly in order to allow themselves the time they needed to perfect her audition tape. Submitting each take to her agent and working on the feedback given before submitting her to casting made all the difference from the beginning.  After securing their attention with her initial taped audition, Miley had the opportunity to attend callbacks in Los Angeles, where she used her natural personality and energy to not only nail her character, Hannah, but to also show a little of herself and her other artistic abilities.

Cultivating acting skills and responding quickly to direction given where only two keys to what made Miley a success.  What else do you notice that makes her stand out?

 

 

 

View this link if the video is not viewable:

http://youtu.be/dc6BkTUPdlw

BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP

Supermodel Iman talks about the deeper beauty of charity, love, and sharing, despite her superstar livestyle.  Being married to rock star David Bowie, launching her own makeup line, and still looking like a supermodel after decades of work . . . it's easy to think her life has been simple and breezy.  In this interview from Cat Greenleaf at NBC New York, we get some insight into the inner beauty that matches Iman's physical outward beauty.  This is the kind of combination that makes a superstar.

View more videos at: http://www.nbcnewyork.com.

 

 

 

THE TAPED AUDITION ("LOST" IN TRANSLATION)

When a talent doesn’t have the advantage of being physically present with the casting director for an audition, there may be an option to submit a taped audition.  Making a strong impression via video footage is all the more challenging, so how can you set yourself apart without the live energy that human nature naturally favors.

We’ve discussed the value in taping yourself and learning to critique your submissions.  Beyond that, using the internet to study great taped auditions is a valuable resource.  The embedded taped audition is Matthew Fox who held the lead character on a major network television series for six years.  Intensity and strong character development were the most obvious factors that separated him from his competition.  The first audition is reading the sides for Sawyer, the character played by Josh Holloway.  The second audition is Matthew Fox reading for the character which he was cast to play, Jack Shepherd.

Note that this taped audition does contain strong language.

 

 

What did you notice that made this taped audition so powerful?

ARE YOU READY TO HAVE A REEL?

The link below contains a great discussion between a Los Angeles casting director, Ivy Isenberg, and talent manager, Ryan Glasgow posted by The Virtual Channel Network.    Ivy and Ryan try to give insight into the age old question of WHEN a talent is ready to put a reel together and the detrimental effects of a pre-mature reel.

 

http://www.virtualchannelnetwork.com/channels/reel_deal/ep125.cfm

USING THE EMOTIONAL PITFALLS FOR GOOD

Falling in the quarry of depression can really take the wind out of your sails, but while you’re climbing back out with that handy-dandy list of techniques you made, how about collect some pretty rocks for your coffee table display?

Identifying and picking up the worthwhile pieces of a negative time in our lives can be challenging, but as a model or actor, being able to portray those emotions at a later time can strengthen your craft.  It may not be fun to sit in our own misery, but exploring all the pieces, angles, and colors will do you good when you need to portray those emotions on camera. 

Accept that you don’t like what you feel, but then be brave enough to check it out.  What does it “feel” like in your stomach?  What does the world look like through your eyes?  What human emotion is causing the pain?  What other situations might cause a similar emotion to surface?  Dissect the pieces of where you were, how you got there, and where you want to be instead, and put them away in a mental Tupperware (be sure that lid is on tight!) until you need them again.

It might sound like I’m encouraging compartmentalization.  Perhaps I am, but your business is portraying emotions and you have to feel them in order to sell them.

What emotions do you pull to the surface easily?  What emotions are more difficult for you?

MASTERING THE EMOTIONAL PITFALL

No matter what part of the world in which we choose to function, all humans suffer from the occasional emotional jab.  Most of us have ways of recovering from simple trips, but when we are tripped over and over again and then fall flat on our faces and break our nose . . . it’s what I call an emotional pitfall.  How do you recover when all the blows seem to pile on top of each other and drag your spirit down into the quarry of depression?

It’s a tough question that I can’t pretend to be able to answer.  The answer looks a little different for each individual and each situation.  Some people can just “pull themselves up by the boot straps.”  If that works, it’s probably the most simple answer – to just keep going and let time bury the pains of the moment.

When the boot straps have ripped apart, though, there are other options.  A stable non-biased supportive individual like a counselor or life coach can be helpful.  Speaking our concerns to a stranger, rather than a trusted friend, empowers our natural ability to heal and find answers.  Our friends want to help and having support is beneficial in the right setting, but can also sometimes hold us in a rut that is causing the pain.

There are temporary personal fixes to our frustrations as well.  Some people find solace in writing, singing, volunteering, giving back to their community or loved ones, or exercising.  There are even physical things to consider in the doldrums, like the do-good effects of sun rays, ocean water, and long walks.

Make a list now of things that lighten your spirit and refresh your motivation.  You’ll be more likely to identify these outlets while you feel positive!  Then, when the hard knocks hit, you’ll have a plan of action to go back and work through until you find the sunny skies.

What specific things lift your spirits and help you work through those tough times?

I NEED HELP ON SET! (In a “For Dummies” style series)

Once again, stripping the panic back in a scary situation and sticking to the universal truths set up to protect the talent are easier to identify when things are simplified, as the “For Dummies” series focuses on doing in so many other fields of work. 

Things don’t always go smoothly in the production world.  A talent doesn’t show up.  Some key individual ends up with the stomach flu.  Permits on a location can be pulled unexpectedly.  Last minute fires are a way of life in entertainment, which not only makes flexibility an asset in this industry, but can also put talent in a less than desirable situation on a moment’s notice.  When your bat signal needs to go up and nerves start to flutter, who you gonna call?  Your agent or manager!  (Sometimes we feel like the Ghost Busters, but we wouldn’t go so far as to give ourselves superhero status.)

Basically, any question that starts with, “When _______ happens to me as a talent, who should I contact” can be answered with the phrase “your agent or manager”.  When you are panicked about something unrelated to your work as a talent, we probably can’t help, granted.  Keeping your agent or manager in the loop when anything out of the expected happens is vital to your partnership and career.  If it isn’t an immediate emergency, a simple follow up email might suffice, but knowing all the little things can help you both walk the path of least resistance together.  And less resistance means more open doors, which of course translates into more opportunity!

COMMUNICATING (In a “For Dummies” style series)

Communicating is the foundation of a lucrative career in entertainment and the blog addresses this issue frequently.  Like the “For Dummies” series in your nearest Barnes & Noble store, sometimes stripping a concept back to the basics is the most effective way to succeed in the long run.  Communicating can be challenging when we become overwhelmed with the details (e.g., semantics, tone, body language, cultural nuances, mode of communication, etc.), so focusing on the big picture (or message) is often most valuable.

The chain of communication is one area where the big picture can help a model or actor navigate their career successfully.  The chain may start with the actor or model, who is the working talent in the final production, but it doesn’t end there.  The talent is responsible for communication with the manager or agent directly concerning any and all business matters.  The agent (or sometimes manager) will then communicate any necessary information along to casting.  Casting then shares information as needed with the director or ad agent.  The director carries that information along to the producer (or producers in some cases), and decisions are made.  Those decisions fall back down the same chain of command until it is given back to the actor or model.

Like most things in life, when steps are skipped, small but important links are lost and can wreak havoc down the road for everyone.  Stepping outside this given chain of command is putting your own well-being as a talent at risk.

Sure, you can tell the casting director that you’re available on Tuesday if booked, but your agent might have known about another project interested in you and been able to better direct your future (and bottom line profit).  The things that may seem insignificant at the moment could be costly to you down the road.  Let the system work for you the way it was meant to.  Communicate within the chain of command and you will be assured the most lucrative opportunities and relationships possible!

HEY! REMEMBER ME?

Remember that kid in the back of the classroom who would always raise their hand to answer the question?  The guy who you could count on every day to do something ridiculous to get attention?  Those “squeaky wheel” types make themselves known . . . and even as kids, we learn the value in being noticed or known.

So what is a talent to do when experiencing a famine of opportunities to cast or book work?  Burying your head in the sand isn’t an effective way to drown your fears!

Any extended amount of time that lapses without an opportunity for you is time that could be spent preparing.  But when that lapse of time reaches an uncomfortable length, talent need to take action.  Of course, action requires physical effort on the talent’s part! 

Instead of drowning your fears in a tub of rocky road, try sending some positive reminders to your agent.  The same as you would send a thank you note to production to keep your face familiar, try it with your agent!

Sure, coffee is nice and there is a time for such a gesture, but most agents would rather be excited and motivated by your abilities.  Tape yourself doing an impressive monologue!  Find something they may not have seen you do and send it to them asking for feedback.

Even a simple email asking if they have headshots on file; if a resume could use being revamped; or if there is anything else you could be working on to elevate your craft are all great ways to say “Hey, it’s me!  I’m here!  I hope you think of me often and I’m ready to be auditioning!”

And then don’t expect an immediate response.  The longer you sit in their inbox, the longer your name is on their mind, so hang tight and know that you are doing your part.  That agent will be calling when someone is hunting in your demographic.  And finally, the professional “squeaky wheel” will be the one to get the attention when the opportunity arrives.  Happy squeaking is most productive!

WHO IS YOUR PARTNER?

Generally speaking, it’s safe to say that talent are emotional beings before they are logical.  The constant scrutiny, subjective judgments, and grey boundaries can cause significant confusion for the working actor or model.  The partnerships a talent creates can be important to their future and success, but can also become a source of frustration if the purpose is not kept clear.  On the talent’s team are the agent, the manager (usually in larger markets), the coach, and the family support structure.  So what should the talent want and expect from each partnership?

First, the family structure is what the actor or model’s home life looks like.  Family can be blood relation or simply close friendships, but these are the people who know it all and still love you for who you are at the end of the day.  Some may be individuals who are so close, they can tell us what we don’t want to hear and still maintain their value.  Some are the individuals who pick the talent up after being torn down on a rough day.  And others are the individuals in whom a talent knows they can always find rest and encouragement.  Family may be any number of other people, but they are always the fail-safe through the rough times.  Be thankful and show appreciation to your family on a regular basis by letting them know that you will be there to support them as well.

The coach is another source of encouragement, but holds a higher sense of accountability and is able to challenge the talent in their craft.  Although the talent may not interface with the coach as often as family, the coach can provide a safe environment to expand the talent’s skill set, give feedback to challenge that growth, and offer reassurance to build confidence.  The coach should always build up an actor or model’s sense of worth.

The manager is a fine balance between professional partner, friend, and motivator.  As a professional partner, the manager may not always give encouragement.  A manager is the secret weapon that keeps a talent focused and minds logistics, but they can also have the place of providing feedback and launching discussions into issues that might cause pain, but ultimately pay off in growth.  A manager may be involved in more than the professional life of the talent by being a part of their personal life and mingling with the other entities involved in a talent’s long term career, such as agents, coaches, and family.  The manager can take on the responsibilities that have not been fulfilled in other positions, which means their place can look vastly different depending on the individual needs of each talent.

The agent is the talent’s professional partnership.  Agents should not take on more than promoting, organizing, pitching, and negotiating for the talent.  This means that the agent is more than likely a personality that can handle conflict as a daily part of their partnership.  Agents fight for their talent to be given audition times, to reach the maximum of their earning potential, to book the job when things are shaky.  The agent shares feedback from auditions, callbacks, or sets.  Unfortunately, this information is not always positive, but the agent’s responsibility is to be sure the talent knows the feedback in order to grow in the future.  An agent is someone who may have a more brash demeanor, but who would you want in your corner during a good fight – your sweet Aunt Sally or your agent?  Exactly.

Showing value to each entity of your professional team is a large part of being a successful talent, so don’t overlook any one partnership as less valuable.  And don’t expect Aunt Sally to act as anything other than your sweet aunt.  Allowing each partner to fulfill their place is ideal to moving your career forward.