The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

SETTING YOUR SIGHTS: WHERE TO NEXT?

Once you have a handle on the basic ideas of what NOT to do and where you are at the moment, you can set your sights on the future.  What is your ultimate goal?   If you had to blink before answering, you might not have a clear direction.  Without direction, you aren't likely to grow far from where you are now.

Tip 3 - know where you're going

As stated [before], many small business owners (in fact I would say most from our experience) are in business as a result of habit rather than on a clearly defined journey toward a destination of their choice. Can you imagine a potential Olympic athlete who approaches his or her sport with the idea of, "If I turn up to training a few times I might win a race or get selected on the team and I could even win an Olympic gold medal one day."

As we all know, an athlete requires far greater dedication to achieve Olympic Gold and so do you if you are going to be successful in your own enterprise. Having said this, however, it's important to realize the size of obtaining your "gold" may seem overwhelming so, like the potential Olympian, you have to break down the big picture into manageable chunks so you can see how far you have come.

Maybe you aren't an athlete, but your dreams are big and pursuing them can be as scary as thinking about being in the Olympics!  That long term goal you set for yourself a few blogs back might seem impossible, so take some time to give yourself smaller goals along the way.  Successfully reaching the small goals will help generate momentum to get you to the big pay off!

What is the first small goal you want to achieve?

SETTING YOUR SIGHTS: WHERE ARE YOU?

Your career is a constantly changing thing.  You are growing; you are learning; and new opportunities will naturally present themselves.  But before you can effectively set your sights on getting ahead, you have to know where you are right now. 

Maybe you aren't in Kansas literally or figuratively, but being able to put the pin in the map of your career is important!

Tip 2 - know where you are

This may sound stupid but in reality you must ALWAYS know where you are at in your business. You have to be able to identify your strengths and areas of challenge. You have to know when you require assistance (and have the courage to seek it). You have to know how much money you have and how long it will last. In other words you have to be constantly aware of your current reality rather than getting lost in the rose-colored glasses view of how you believe your world should be.

There are lots of places you could put your pin in to identify your location.  Starting with your marketing, where are you?  In your relationships, where are you?  Financially, where are you?

SETTING YOUR SIGHTS: WHY SOME TALENT SUCCEED AND OTHERS DON'T

You like this world of acting or modeling.  It's fun.  It's exciting.  It's potential is uncapped in many ways, including financially.  All these things make you feel good about being an entreprenuer and about running your own business.  That said, it's time to talk about that dreaded idea:  being a business person.

According to research done on small businesses (which is what you are as an individual), owners start their small business because they think they can do something better themselves; or they have substantial cash flow for an idea or fall upon a large sum of income; or they are chasing a dream.  As talent, you could fit in any or all of these categories, which again, confirms that you are running a small business.  Irrespective of your motivation, I doubt you're going into business with a desire for failure and I suspect you might welcome the tips to follow in this next set of blogs that can help you achieve long term success.

As a business owner, the first thing you need to understand is why most small businesses fail.  It's not because a certain percentage of them are doomed from the start, so breathe easy that you aren't fighting Fate! (Business Tips in red courtesy of Anthony M Turner)

Tip 1 - understand why most businesses fail to reach their full potential.

Yes, there are a multitude of reasons/excuses why business owners fail to reach their full potential -- but the two most common REAL reasons are that business owners are unclear about their goals (or have lost sight of their original goals as to what they want to get out of their business) OR business owners don't really know what's going on in their business.

Talent find themselves in the same quandary.  Setting goals for your new year is crucial, but having short term and long term goals are just as important.  Take five minutes right now to stop and write down your short term and long term goals.  Second, ask yourself if you really know what is happening with your business.  Do you know and feel good about what you did last year when it comes to marketing, networking, studying, and working on set?  If you dropped the ball in one or more of these aspects of your business, what can you do to start improving?

We're no longer shocked by the blank faces of business owners when we ask them why they are in business. After talking for a while, they start to remember their original reason for starting. A balanced lifestyle is one of the most popular reasons but often hard to believe when we see them (the business owners) working incredibly long hours for little return and often feeling trapped like those hamsters on a wheel who keep running faster and faster whilst getting nowhere.

Working on set for long hours is part of the business, so we can consider the balance in overall time spent since you aren't on set every day.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't be working at least 40 hours a week on your career, though.  If you spend 10 hours on set one day, you should have 30 more hours of committed work time toward your craft.  But committed work time is only beneficial if it is focused in the right areas where you can earn a return in the future.  Off set, how are you spending your time?  Telling yourself as you read is not enough.  Stop and write down what you are doing so you can see it on paper and then honestly assess how many hours each week you spend doing those things you wrote down.

Not knowing what's going on in the business is also extremely common and relates to knowing your KPI's (key performance indicators) e.g. how many people you have to connect with to get the right percentage to walk through your door and the right percentage of those to purchase and the right percentage of those who purchase to become loyal clients and/or referrers of others to your business.

Talent work, like sales, is a numbers business.  Smart talent can you tell right now exactly what their casting to booking ratio is.  This business thought can be difficult to follow, but what they are saying is . . . do you know how many times your headshot has to be submitted before you get called in to audition?  Do you know how many auditions you have to attend before you will book a job?  Do you know how many times you have to work with a new client before they start asking for you by name and become a repeat customer?  The numbers build only as fast as the statistics show, which is why the more proactive talent build successful businesses faster!

If you haven't hired a manager (which talent working in secondary markets don't need to do or spend the overhead usually), these are all things you will have to do yourself.  More tips to follow, but for now, you should have a list of short term and long term goals; an idea of what you did last year for your business and how your time was spent; and a way to track your numbers for the future. 

Of these ideas, what aspects did you do well last year?

BEING ON SET PAYS OFF!

"Mom, I'm the one in the T-shirt!"
 
 
Almost every actor has experienced being on a set with lots of downtime waiting . . . waiting. What happens too often? Lots of moaning, groaning, gossiping, spreading negativity, and staring out into space.
 
Look, you can't go running around town, or be in a workshop or otherwise do the myriad errands we always have to do. So what's the best solution? Turn lemons into lemonade, as the saying goes. Turn this "paid confinement" shoot to your advantage. So by the end of the day, you'll have a great sense of accomplishment, while given the opportunity (hopefully) to do some fun work and earn (somewhat of) a salary, too. Can't beat that!
 
(1) Bring your laptop - if you can keep it in a safe place when you're on set and if WiFi is available. Work on your career. Check out the casting notices, look at Actor's Access and your other online profiles. Visit some totally trashy website (set a time limit on this one!)  Work on that long-overdue new monologue. See #2 below.

(2) Need to get a new or additional monologue? Now's the perfect time to work on it. It's recommended that actors have four monologues always at the ready for auditions. Two comedic (one classical) and two dramatic (one classical). This is also a good opportunity to time their length. If you need a one-minute monologue, make sure you have one that is! Nothing destroys an audition quicker than being called "TIME" during an actor's monologue and seeing the embarrassed offender slink off.

(3) Read the trades. The trades should also include Variety, The Hollywood Reporter - to set your acting aspirations higher (the "go to" people read them, the stars read them, shouldn't you?) and even Advertising Age - to get a feel for upcoming trends in commercials and print ads.  Know who's doing the hiring and getting the jobs.

(4) Always had a hard time finding time to send out your headshots (with those pesky cover notes) or picture postcards? Not now! What better time to get that chore done.

(5) Watch the shoot! The big name actors and models you recognize know every detail about how a shoot is done. Now it's your turn. Think of it as paid education. And they put this who production on just so you can see how things work!  And, be politely in front, if possible. Let the decision makers see you showing interest. When the time comes to think of who would be a good stand-in, photo double or upgrade, that face time of yours will come in pretty handy.

(6) Quality of Thought. Use this time to focus -- a clear channel of white light -- on your career and strategize on its future and how you're going to get there. Really have that inner dialogue with yourself - which is especially difficult for actors because they work mostly in the land of make believe. But, we all have to do it once in a while and this is as good a time as it gets.
 
With these options, you'll be amazed how fast the day goes, how much you have accomplished and even made a few bucks in the process. Now that's working smart!

What do you spend doing during your down time on set?

WHAT DOES 'ON TIME' MEAN ANYWAY?

Production only sees two types of talent.  One talent type is always early . . . while the other talent type is always late.  Surprisingly, both quandaries cause issues for production.

Obviously, we all know that being late ruffles feathers in the casting room and on set, but what qualifies "late" exactly?  If your call time is 10:20 and you arrive at 10:19, you're late.  It may sound harsh, but call times are the hard and fast dial on the clock when you are expected to be entering the casting room.  What will cause you to be late walking in the door at 10:19 is administrative - paperwork, snapshots, signing in, etc. 

The stuff that most talent enjoy the least, right?  But consider if you don't take time to sign in, fill out your paperwork, and submit your headshots/snapshots, what might happen a few hours later.  Without that administrative step, the director(s) and producer(s) and/or ad agent(s) aren't able to communicate about who they want to book -- it might have been you!  But you would never know because you wouldn't get the job.  I make a ridiculous point because you know you have to help everyone stay organized, but don't make the mistake of undervaluing it's purpose.

What some talent don't realize, is that showing up early is a big problem as well!  A call time is set for a reason -- to keep the day flowing smoothly and everyone on task.  Executing a flawless casting or production is nearly impossible!  When a talent shows up to a casting or a set 30-45 minutes early, some of the same challenging problems arise.  They create a distraction for those talent who are trying to stay focused.  They take up space that is too limited in everyone's world, cramping those who are trying to stay focused.  They blow their agents phones up because no one is there yet or they interrupt something important because no one is expecting the extra body, noise, presence, distraction.

On time is tricky, but not impossible.  A wise talent knows that arriving early is never a problem.  Where they convince everyone else they are a professional is by not entering the call space until 10 minutes before their call time.  They sit in their car and read a book, play a game on their iphone, listen to music, and use the time to focus on their character.  They don't make their presence known until it's time to do administrative tasks that will prepare them to do their job as a professional.

So the blog begs to ask the question -- are you a professional?

IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR AGENT IMPROVING YET?

More ideas on developing a star-studded relationship with your partner and agent . . . 

Sometimes it's so simple, it seems silly, but these other 8 principles of relationship building with your agent will ensure you sit pretty on the agency's A-list of talent!

(9) If an agent asks you to call them, call them. Don't email them. If an agent asks you to email them, email them. Don't call them. If an agent emails you and asks you to call them, call them. Don't email them. There is a reason we're  saying this!  

(10) If you are going out of town on tour, on vacation or just going out - of your mind, make sure your agent knows this. Book yourself out.

(11) Dress appropriately for a casting, meaning in the style of the part. Don't go overboard, it could boomerang on you. You'll have a better chance of getting the job.  If an agent does not give you information about the dress and you are questioning it, ask them what to wear.  That is part of their job.

(12) DO NOT BE LATE! Do not be late EVER for a Casting, an appointment with your agent or a job.  Always take into account late trains, traffic jams and that unexpected buffalo stampede down Park Avenue. If you are going to be late for an appointment with your agent, call them.  If they can't see you later, don't get upset.  Ask them if you could reschedule. If you are going to be late for a casting, do not call the Casting Director direct. Get your agent to call for you. Never be late for a booking! 

(13) Re-inventing yourself? Changing your look? Hair? Weight? Overall look? Exploring Goth? Transgendering? LET YOUR AGENT KNOW. And be sure to update your headshots to reflect the latest you. And make sure anything that's on a website or online profile is also updated.

(14) An agent is one part of a professional marriage. You are other part. To make any marriage work, requires work on both sides. Work to develop a harmonious relationship. In doing so, however, please keep in mind that these are very busy people, spending time hopefully getting you opportunities for work. Don't unnecessarily spend their time (and yours) when on the phone with them on unnecessary details - life's story, the subway, the ailing gerbil, etc.  Being succinct (but friendly) with your conversations with them will earn you great things being said about you - and being thought of more often! 

(15) Respect. Agents should respect you and you should respect those who work for you. Contrary to popular belief, agents are human, too. Some of them actually have feelings!  A companion to respect should be to always have a great attitude with everyone. It will get you much further in this business.  Don't lose sight of the fact that your agent works for free - until an actor they submit books the job. That's a big leap of faith! So be nice to 'em! 

(16) Finally, keep in mind we're all in the same boat: agents, actors, casting directors, managers. We're here to serve the client by providing the best talent available - and that's... you.

What have you discovered receives positive feedback from you agent?

HOW'S YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR AGENT?

Always be prepared when an agent calls you for a Go-See, Audition, Interview or Booking.
 

Howdy Partner!

Here are a few tips to making your working relationship with your agent a good one.

(1) Have at least two ways to contact you, so there is a back up. Make sure the agent has these primary and secondary options for you. These are good choices to use: a fully charged smart phone such as iPhone, Droid, Blackberry, texting, and, still, a land line.

(2) Have an industry-dedicated email address. Be able to receive a message within 30 minutes of it being sent to you -- and get back to that agent within 30 minutes.

(3) Pay all your bills so everything is working. And add these tertiary options (no kidding and only to your agent): emergency contacts such as a parent, boyfriend/girlfriend, if you hang out in a local bar, etc. It could be the difference between landing a great job and nothing!

(4) Have a pen (that writes) and paper handy (larger than a Post-It).  Have an extra pen handy just in case your first pen runs out of ink. Similarly as advised above about emails/texts: return immediately.

(5) If your agent leaves you a message, listen to the message first (!) and then call back immediately! It could be a matter of a booking or at least a potential booking. Also keep in mind, some agents may call 10 actors for 5 audition slots. The first 5 that call back get the audition. Were you one of them?  Point made. 

(6) When calling your agent back, say: "This is 'so-and-so' returning 'so-and-so's' call regarding a casting (for whatever). Saves a lot of needless questioning on their part to you. You are now low maintenance and on the "quick-call" list!

(7) Make sure you write the information down, and then repeat back the information that the agent gives you. This will confirm all the information. And have an app such Google Maps, Siri (on your iPhones), HopStop, etc.on your smart phone to help guide you to your destination -- and reliable transportation, of course!

(8) Make sure you have your date book or Droid/Blackberry/iPhone with you. Check the dates that they ask you about. Once you have commited, your agent cannot "uncommit" you.  It makes your life easier if you don't double book yourself. 

Are your conversations with your agent seemless and easy?  Take all the big hints to heart and see how simple our life can get!

HOW TO SWALLOW CRITICAL FEEDBACK AND COME OUT AHEAD

Critique.  Feedback.  Direction.  At the end of the day, these words are interchangable.  It's just semantics.  Feedback is almost always critical.  Direction is communicated feedback.  So how do you swallow the feedback you receive as an artist and still maintain your confidence?

Entertainment attracts one type of person -- the emotionally vulnerable.  From agents to producer and directors, every person working in entertainment has a creative gene and an emotionally vulnerable side.  That can make receiving feedback, critique, or direction challenging.  The key is perspective!

Allowing fear to take over in a moment of direction leads human nature to become defensive -- it's in everyone!  But becoming defensive about feedback is dangerous to your long term career.  And that's what we all want, right -- the long term career?  Of course you do!

Critique, feedback, and direction are all one thing only despite how they are delivered -- it's communication.  And generally speaking, we have a choice about who we communicate with, right?  If that's the case, then we can agree that we frequently choose to only communicate with those whom we like, enjoy, or want to get to know better.  Like, enjoy, and "want to get to know better" are all positive feelings, which is encouraging.  So the bottom line is that no matter what the cirtique is, someone is reaching out to communicate only because they like us, enjoy our presence, and want to get to know us better.  Those things should make you feel pretty good!

So the next time a casting director tells you that you haven't given your best read in an audition, for example, thank them and know that you're getting that second chance because they want to see you succeed and are in your corner!

THE PROFESSIONAL TALENT'S BEST FRIEND

THE PROFESSIONAL TALENT'S BEST FRIEND (no, it's not a dog.)



It's the weather. With winter upon us, did you know the weather can be a tremendous factor in getting or losing a job?
 
For the professional actor, the weather works in their favor, for the wannabe actor, the weather works against them.
 
The professional actor prays for and dreams of floods, hurricanes, blizzards, even buffalo stampedes down Broadway, that approaching glacier, even an earthquake. Why? Inclement weather discourages the easily discouraged actor from going to auditions, that's why. Attendance at auditions can sometimes drop by more than 75% in bad weather. It used to be snow was a big deterrent. Now you can include ordinary rain, cold, heat and even a sunny day. (Not kidding there -- we hear it!)  So with far fewer actors at an audition, each actor's chances of getting the job soars. Our industry is full of stories of someone who showed up at an audition during a snowstorm and got the job simply because she was the only one who showed up.
 
And distance should not be a factor, even in inclement weather. We know actors who live in the most God-forsaken places who - no matter what - manage to make it to every audition, go-see and anything else they hear about, in order to get their chance at getting a job. No wonder they work a lot!
 
So when you wake up in the morning and hear the weather forecast for the end of the world, SMILE. For the professional actor, this will be a great day for you! Because you know the "others" are pulling the covers over their heads and will never make it to that audition you want to nail. Think of it this way: the worse the forecast, the better your career.
 
And always remember, the person who got the job showed up at the audition.  Was it you?

REMODELED ON THE CW

The CW is set to air the first six episodes of REMODELED starting on Jan 17 @ 9:00pm as reported in The Hollywood Reporter.  The Avenue Model & Talent Agency is a member of The Network, which the show revolves around.  Catch it and keep up with the excitement!

10:13 AM PST 12/9/2011 by Lesley Goldberg

The CW is betting big on Remodeled.

The young-skewing network has delayed the midseason returns of Sarah Michelle Gellar's Ringer and 90210 to make room for two airings of the new modeling reality series Remodeled.

Featuring modeling industry veteran Paul Fisher as he attempts to create one "Network" of smaller agencies, the CW will air the show's premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 9 p.m. following the return of 90210, which has been pushed back from its original Jan. 10 return.

A rebroadcast of the Remodeled premiere will air the following night at 9 p.m., in the same slot where the network had initially planed to launch the series. A third airing of the premiere will be broadcast on Friday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m.

The following week, the second original episode of Remodeled will air on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. and be rebroadcast Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 9 p.m.

Ringer, which was to return with new episodes on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 9 p.m., will return to its regular time slot with new episodes starting Jan. 31 with nearly all original episodes through its season finale in May.

Remodeled will air its third episode in its regularly scheduled slot on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 9 p.m.

The broad exposure for Remodeled comes two months after the CW yanked struggling reality series H8R from its schedule following a handful of low-rated episodes.

An updated schedule of the CW's midseason premiere dates follows.

Tuesday, January 17
8-9 p.m.            90210 (original episodes return)
9-10 p.m.          Remodeled (series premiere)

Wednesday, January 18
8-9 p.m.            One Tree Hill
9-10 p.m.          Remodeled (special encore)

Friday, January 20
8-9 p.m.            Remodeled (special encore)
9-10 p.m.          Supernatural

Tuesday, January 24
8-9 p.m.            90210
9-10 p.m.          Remodeled (original telecast)

Wednesday, January 25
8-9 p.m.            One Tree Hill
9-10 p.m.          Remodeled (special encore)

Tuesday, January 31
8-9 p.m.            90210
9-10 p.m.          Ringer (original episodes return)

Wednesday, February 1
8-9 p.m.            One Tree Hill
9-10 p.m.          Remodeled (original episode)