Have you ever had an awkward encounter with that person who just won't open up and sends a very closed-off signal? Have you ever been that person? Scott Powers, casting director, has something to say about the signals people give off.
Everybody sends out signals to other people. There are clear, positive winner signals and negative, loser signals. Too often the sender may not be aware of how they are affecting the sendee.
It's easy to spot the one that brings in bad vibes into a room. They seem to have that perpetual thundercloud above their head, complete with a permanent bolt of lightning. The emotional vampires; black holes, absorbing all light and energy within 100 yards. Other people tend to move away from them. Then there are those who light up a room. People want to be around them, for the positive, uplifting experience. "Stars" as we know them in our business and in the heavens, coincidentally, give off light and energy.
A winner or star can walk down a street and all heads turn in their direction. They command attention. They look important, like a somebody - a somebody that might be able to do something for you. Conversely, a loser everybody looks through them; just a fuzzy blur never in focus.
What kind of signals do you give off? How do you change the feel of a room by you being in it? Did you know you DO have the capacity to change the feel of a room? Did you know you have the capacity to affect a number of peoples' day? That's pretty powerful. Just make it for the better!
Agents, casting directors and managers all interface with hundreds of actors as part of their job. What kind of signals do you give them? Somebody they want to work with? Do you look happy? Giving off a good vibe? Like a winner? Somebody they'd like to some spend time with? Somebody to send out and you'll make them look good? And possibly come back with the job? And even if you don't come back with the job, they'll want to send you out again, because they KNOW you'll eventually get the "big" one!
On a clinical side, some clients we work with when we have a casting demand we put on the stat sheet an actor fills out and brings in the audition room with them, the numbers 1 - 10 in the smallest type size possible at the bottom of the sheet. We are then told to look at that actor: how do they enter the room? What are their clothes like? Their hair? Their complexion? Do they look you in the eye? Happy to be there? Focused? Have their act together? Own the room? Own the copy? And after the read, how do they exit? Strong? Like they already have the job? Like you'd want them around for eight hours on a set? Then we're asked to assign them a number: 1 to 10. The sum total of what we have received from the actor It's all part of the audition. Some clients say keep 8s and above, toss 7s and below. Very surgical; no time for humanity. Thank you, Mr. or Ms. Client!
Everybody has the capacity to determine the signals they send out. You are the captain of your own ship and you can do with it what you want. What a marvelous position to be in! If something needs "recalibrating," get to it. It is behavior modification - and not necessarily done overnight: it takes work on a consistent basis and it can definitely be accomplished. And the interesting thing of all this is that not only will you positively affect everybody your coming in contact with (and significantly advance your career), but you'll feel better for the effort as well. And all this doesn't cost any money! Talk about a win - win situation!
Game plan:
Write down five "signals" you think just might need to be "recalibrated."
So when do you start this potentially life-changing "signal recalibration?"
How about right now.
What kind of signals do YOU send out?
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