The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

STARS RANDALL FRANKS AND SOREN FULTON in "BROKEN"

Randall Franks and Soren Fulton on the set of "Broken"
(http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0291684/ )
 
Randall Franks (In the Heat of the Night) recently starred in the role of "Marv Headly" for director Damian Fulton for the feature film "Broken." Los Angeles casting director Gabrielle Evans-Fields cast Franks, who plays an investigator working to recover Soren Fulton's (Thunderbirds, Justice League) character, a kidnap victim, from Joe Steven's (True Grit) character.
While working since April to raise $1 million to rebuild homes for tornado victims in his hometown of Ringgold, Ga., Randall has fulfilled requests from four directors to join their films.
To support the effort to help Randall's neighbors, visit http://randallfranks.com/ or www.CatoosaCOAD.com.

 

Congrats Randall!!

 

THE WORLD OF TELEVISION

Another aspect of entertainment in the acting world goes to television.  TV series (or also called episodes) are an American pastime.  The average 65 year old American will have spent almost a decade of their life glued to a television set.  Needless to say, a lot of talent can build careers from starring or making cameo appearances in a hit series. 

Before a talent hits superstardom in the world of television, they will frequently do extra work or work as a day player.  A day player is usually a smaller role, like a character with lines and an applicable purpose to the storyline, but not a character who will be on future episodes.  Day players are called so because they are only on set for a day or two at a time usually.  They make a day rate negotiated upon being hired.

Day players get the opportunity to practice a wide variety of character types and personalities.  It is also a great opportunity to build the actor’s network by cultivating relationships on different sets.  (The hope being that the day player experience will lead to future work with that production.)  Day player roles are also a great way to begin building footage for a reel.

Who is a day player (or their character) from a television sitcom or episode that really made an impression on you?

TAPED AUDITION (THE NOTEBOOK with RACHEL MCADAMS)

With reportedly less than a full day to learn her lines and build her character, Rachel McAdams is amazing in her audition for the movie, THE NOTEBOOK.  This is the kind of taped audition that books major roles in major movies . . . and can launch a career.  Study her performance carefully and learn to have such a brilliant audition the next time you're in front of the camera!

(Thanks to our summer intern, Jabe Holloway, for sending us this taped audition for you to study!)

 

Breaking rules can lead to some really great ideas, not to mention a fun campaign!  Editorial shoots are known for their serious and dark portrayals of fashion models.  But take model Kristina Salinovic's fun new spread in Vogue Paris, for example.  The usual brooding demeanor she's known for was replaced with personality to boot and featured on models.com's Daily Feed!

Kristina Salinovic brings her dimples to the pages of Vogue Paris in an unusually upbeat story by David Sims. Cheerful girls smiling and jumping seems worlds away from what we expect to see in VP, but we can’t help but be won over by Kristina’s enthusiasm. Emmanuelle Alt‘s precision styling hones in on a series of coveted pieces, from Dolce & Gabbana omnipresent star prints to a chic Balmain jumpsuit.

RESPONDING TO REJECTION P3

Rejection is one of the hardest things we face as humans.  Our nature is to want to feel accepted; and even beyond that to feel appreciated, valuable, and respected.  When those needs and desires aren't meant, we are left with a choice.  How do we respond to rejection?

This week's posts are in the words of other working actors.  Glean what you can from their perspectives and try each philosophy until you find one that works well for you.  As unique as you are, your needs are unique as well.  What works well for another talent may not work well for you . . . but you'll only find what does work for you by practicing suggested philosophies until you find that what you are practicing is more comfortable than your current response.

How do you respond to rejection?

Alicia Minshew
New York; credits include All My Children, Going P.O.S.T.A.L.

Although overall I have been relatively fortunate, there have been times [that] made me wonder what the heck I was doing. Early in my professional career, I quickly booked a couple of commercials. However, there have been years when I went on literally hundreds of auditions and booked nothing. Then I'd book a small job and then go for another 200 auditions with nothing. But I knew I'd booked in the past, so that helped to keep me going.

A few other things kept me going. First, I have a wonderful and supportive family. My father is a minister, so if there was ever a question of "keeping the faith," well, that was infused in me at an early age. My mother is an aerobics instructor, and that's all about consistency. I was brought up to work hard and to believe in myself, but not at the expense of others, and [to know] that if I worked hard enough, I could reach my goals -- or at least grow while making the effort. Also, when I began my professional career, I was lucky enough to find a manager who went through all the rejections with me, kept my head held high, and said that he thought anyone who didn't hire me was crazy.

Also, I always kept myself very busy taking classes as well as having all those survival jobs. Let me tell you, if you are too busy, you don't have time for self-pity. I was always focusing on my next class, my next session with my scene partner, and my next challenge. I really did enjoy the process because each audition held unknown opportunity.

RESPONDING TO REJECTION P2

Rejection is one of the hardest things we face as humans.  Our nature is to want to feel accepted; and even beyond that to feel appreciated, valuable, and respected.  When those needs and desires aren't meant, we are left with a choice.  How do we respond to rejection?

This week's posts are in the words of other working actors.  Glean what you can from their perspectives and try each philosophy until you find one that works well for you.  As unique as you are, your needs are unique as well.  What works well for another talent may not work well for you . . . but you'll only find what does work for you by practicing suggested philosophies until you find that what you are practicing is more comfortable than your current response.

How do you respond to rejection?

Stephen Katz
Los Angeles; credits include Skid Marks, the "Montana Meth Project" commercials

This is one of the most popular questions I get asked from actor and nonactor friends alike, and I always answer the same way: by having self-confidence and believing in myself. I know that I will not be right for every role I go out on, and I understand that. I also understand that a career as an actor is a journey, and a solid career takes years to build. Every audition I go on, I learn something and have benefited, regardless [of whether] I book the job or not.

For example, I had a callback for a guest-starring role on a one-hour drama on a major network. The meeting went great, and after receiving a great compliment from the director, I thought I had the role. Well, little did I know the show was canceled a short time later and that episode was never shot. Was I disappointed? Of course. However, instead of focusing on the negative, I patted myself on the back for everything I accomplished: getting the audition in the first place, getting a callback, making a great new relationship with a very popular casting office, and having a very well-known director praise my work. It all is a matter of perspective and how you choose to view the world of auditioning. You can either view it in the negative, which will cause you to beat yourself up and lose faith in yourself, or you can view it in the positive, and as a result you will have a much happier journey as an actor and pick up a lot of self-confidence on the way.

RESPONDING TO REJECTION P1

Rejection is one of the hardest things we face as humans.  Our nature is to want to feel accepted; and even beyond that to feel appreciated, valuable, and respected.  When those needs and desires aren't meant, we are left with a choice.  How do we respond to rejection?

This week's posts are in the words of other working actors.  Glean what you can from their perspectives and try each philosophy until you find one that works well for you.  As unique as you are, your needs are unique as well.  What works well for another talent may not work well for you . . . but you'll only find what does work for you by practicing suggested philosophies until you find that what you are practicing is more comfortable than your current response.

How do you respond to rejection? 

Terri J. Freedman
Los Angeles; credits include Confessions, The Journey

Most of the rejection I deal with, thanks to high school, is second nature, and I just move on. But when I don't get called in for a role or get called back or book a role I would have given up my car for, I rely on the belief that there is a reason I didn't get it. I try to see the situation as a gain. Did I meet a new casting director? Did I learn a little more about my most, or least, marketable type? Did I figure out why [that big agency or client] hasn't called?

Self-delusion aside, when I consider that my career isn't limited to a single pilot and episodic season [but] rather, decades of seasons -- and people say L.A. has no seasons -- I feel ridiculous having gotten so upset at one single loss. The beauty of Hollywood is that stories are always regurgitated, and you will get many, many more chances to play the role of your dreams. Sure, there will be plenty of rejections coming my way -- bigger and better ones. It's a sign of greatness, really. But, lest we forget the most important thing, [casting director] Donna Cassell and [acting coach-author-director] Judy Kerr remind me, "You will work again in this business."

THEATRE GOES ON CAMERA

Even the theatre world is starting to get excited about the option of on camera casting.  Young hopefuls interviewed for the New York Times submit taped auditions for the reinvented "Annie" to hit Broadway in the near future!  See some of their auditions and see how the industry becomes a little more technically able in the casting world.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/09/theater/hopefuls-sing-out-from-afar-as-broadway-scouts-go-online.html?_r=2&hp

Do you think it's likely that the actress cast as Annie will be found via a taped audition?  Or is the old tried and true live audition going to win out?

TRUSTING THE UNIVERSE

Karen Bystedt recently posted a blog in The Network's Talent Community page highlighting some of the struggles of stars before they hit celebrity status.  What did famous actors like Brad Pitt find most challenging about a fledgling career?

Brad Pitt and Trusting in the Universe

By Karen Bystedt 

Breaking into the acting or the modeling industry can seem like a daunting task at first. Walking into your first auditions may make the most self-confident person feel insecure. The fears arise, and suddenly your goals and dreams can appear unreachable and unrealistic. Quite an overwhelming feeling, yet very normal; in fact, these fears have been experienced by even the biggest celebrities such as Brad Pitt, as quoted from my interview with Brad Pitt from my book THEY DARED TO DREAM available on my website and at the Hollywood ArcLight Store.

“I got an agent… but then that was half the battle. Here I was sitting in those audition rooms with all those people who I’d watched on TV and film my whole life, and I was intimidated as hell. I freaked out and couldn’t do anything for months. Nothing came out cause I was also intimidated by the casting directors. I finally had to kick myself in the butt and say, ‘Let’s go, cause here it is. Here is your dream, sitting right in your lap.’ And so I went.” - Brad Pitt

The trick is to work through those fears! Here are a few helpful hints:

• Casting directors are also praying to find the right person to fit the role. You just may be it, and discovering you could potentially be very good for their career as well. They might be looking for you!

• When you walk into the audition room, slow down and take your time, this is your time to shine!

• Trust in something higher than yourself!

“I just know that when you are one with God then credit’s going to go where credit’s due. The key is to rely on that and not to worry about things. DO NOT WORRY. Everyone worries out here. Worrying is the biggest waste of time, because things will work out if you have faith.” - Brad Pitt

Stress and negative self-talk will prevent you from reaching your dreams. The only person standing in the way of you is you. Fear is a very real emotion, yet there is nothing more refreshing, more positive, or more rewarding than doing the opposite of feeding the fear - Trusting. It can be a process, but you will break through if you believe in yourself, persevere, and trust that things will work out… and they will!

Check out Karen Bystedt's Hollywood ArcLight Show airing from July 19 to September 15th!

Karen Bystedt has photographed everyone from Johnny Depp, Djimon Hounsou, Sandra Bullock, and Brad Pitt, to Andy Warhol. She has appeared on many TV interviews and speaking engagements, and continues to photograph up-and-coming actors and models, while living in Hollywood with her husband Fredrik and their bulldog, Gunnar.

She has just released a book on actors, "They Dared to Dream," with early photographs and inspirational interviews, as an eBook, available on Amazon Kindle, iPad, Nook and all eBook formats.

CAROLINE LIEM'S ADVICE FOR ACTORS

The Virtual Channel Network features Los Angeles Casting Director Caroline Liem, and asks her to generously share her time and insights with the VCN audience.  Caroline Liem, CSA, services all genres including television, film and sketch comedy.  To hear her talk about how she started casting, what advice she would give an actor, and what she looks for in the casting room, click the link and watch the video.

Caroline Liem, CSA Interview with VCN