The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

RAW SOLSTICE-ANNE HARTLEY

On June 21st, 2012 RAW Nashville put on an event at Mercy Lounge that showcased the work of independent local photographers, fashion designers, artists, singers and film makers. One of the local talent showcased was April Nicolaides, owner of Ferocity jewelry.  The Avenue's Anne Hartley walked in Ferocity's show and we asked her a little about her experience.

Was this your first time walking in a fashion show? How was it?                                               

    This was the 2nd fashion show I've done. It was great! I had a lot of fun and met a lot of really cool people there. 

What was your favorite part?

    My favorite part was walking! I love the rush it gives me! I also liked getting my hair and makeup done, because it's mostly a surprise--they don't show you what it looks like until you're done, and I didn't look anything like myself. It was awesome!

As a model, how does this compare to the other jobs you've had in the fashion industry?

    Runway is more exciting than other things I've done as a model, because unlike photoshoots, it goes by quick and it's less standing around and having your picture taken--which is great too! it's more nerve racking though, because there's tons of people watching and you have to be careful not to fall.

Is fashion a big part of your life? Are you always up to date on the current trends?

    Fashion is a HUGE part of my life. an entire wall in my room is covered top to bottom with fashion photography shots from Vogue and Teen Vogue magazines. I love reading fashion blogs and I'm always shopping!

How was working with the designer, April Nicolaides? Did you enjoy modeling her jewelry? 

    I really enjoyed working with April. she was really nice and I loved her jewelry--it was so edgy and unique!!

To keep up with everything Ferocity, follow April on twitter, or like her on Facebook! And keep an eye out for Anne Hartley on the runways! Cant wait to see what the future holds for these talented young ladies!

Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry in your closet?

 

 

TALENT WARDROBE 101

Knowing the right clothing to wear in your headshots can be a tough task for some, especially if you haven't been blessed with what they call the "style gene". But that's why you're reading this, to help you prepare your wardrobe for the photoshoot. While reading these tips, remember this number one rule: Keep it simple!

1. Stay away from prints and bold patterns since these will distract from you. Also limit (or avoid altogether) accessories for the same reason.

2. Solid colors always work best on camera (still or video).  Avoid logos or typeset.

3. For these purposes, color is your best friend! Find a color that works best with your skin tone.

4. Wear clothing that flatters your figure.  Loose clothing does not work well on camera and actually makes you look bigger than you are -- fitted is the way to go!

5. Make sure that clothes are clean and wrinkle free! The camera will pick up wrinkles.

6. The last, and maybe most important tip, is to wear clothing that you feel comfortable in! If you are uncomfortable in an outfit, that will come out on camera. You will get the best shots if you are confident and feel great!

Below are examples of what to wear and what not to wear to your headshot session.

                               
            DONT!-crazy print, not fitted                                                      DO!-great color, fitted, plain, timeless

Erika Ludwig, a Minnesota based photographer, tells you how to prepare and what to bring to a headshot session. She has also attatched several photos of great headshot examples to give you ideas!

What pieces in your closet are your go-to choices for auditions and your marketing or promo materials?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUDITION REPELLANT

Anyone in our life who is overly needy can drive the most patient person to insanity. Well, neediness drives casting directors, agents, producers, etc. crazy too.  Bonnie Gillespie, blogger for The Actor’s Voice (check out Bonnie's column: http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/index.html), expands on this topic.

Actors are constantly asking, "What can give me the edge?" "How do I get noticed amongst the bajillion other actors out there?" "I'm talented, but I just need a chance I'm not getting. How do I get that?" "What do I dooooooo to prove to them that I deserve a shot?"

You stop needing it.

Because NEED is "casting repellant." It smells like a bad date who leans in too closely when you know you're not feeling it. You'll end up saying, "It's not you; it's me," but, honey, we all know it's him. Or her. Or whomever. The needy thing? Totally unattractive. Both in the Law of Attraction sense and in the actual attractiveness sense.

We want to put people on set whose vibes coast at the, "I've got this. Watch me nail this. I do this all day, people," speed. We want pros. We want folks who don't live and die for each audition, because they know they're in it for the long haul. We certainly don't want to watch you and think, "Wow. If he's this freaked out by the process of auditioning, imagine how nervous he'll be on set!"

 
Be smooth and confident in your performance skills—it will greatly increase your shot at getting booked. Before your next audition, say to yourself “I’ve got this”—and sure enough, you’ll have it!

Check out this website! It has a lot of great, helpful tips for your next audition: http://www.takeabowproductions.com/audition_advice.html

BRANDED

Everybody has, or should have, a brand that they live by. If you had to describe yourself in only three words, what would they be? Do you portray your brand to the people that you come across, especially in your career? Who else has a similar brand to you? How can you develop your brand? Erin Cronican, acting coach, has some advice as to how to create and develop your brand:

 •Start by thinking about what kind of medium(s) you want to work in: film, TV, theater, musical theater, commercials, industrials, etc... What are the similarities between the actors in this medium? What are the differences? Where do you fit in?


• What kind of genre(s) are you interested in: comedy, drama, horror, thriller, romance, etc... Again, look at the main players and then see how you compare. Is there anything lacking that you think would be useful?

• Who are some of the people who have the career you could easily step into? What do they have going for them that you could add to your arsenal? How are you different and, thus, will be able to stand out?


Ignoring typecasting is not going to make your career any easier - the more you can take control over your career and present yourself in a clear, unique, and easy to understand fashion, the easier it will be for you to do the kind of work that inspires you.

Think about what direction you want your career to go in, and try to create a brand for yourself. 
What does your brand say?

 

THE BUSINESS OF BRANDING

A common word thrown around the industry is “branding”. You probably hear it in passing conversations with your agent, casting directors, etc. But what exactly is branding? Erin Cronican breaks it down for us.

Branding, or “the brand” is the company's message to its customers/clients. What are they trying to say? What is their position in the industry? What do they have to offer? For many companies, this includes their logo, the colors on their website, the slogans they use, and how they choose to position themselves. Think of one of your favorite products, and then think about all of the things that make you love it. What do you think/feel when you see their logo? How do you describe the product to your friends? This is their brand - and their job is to a) make sure it always stays positive and favorable, and b) to communicate this to their customers.

As an actor, your job is to figure out what it is that you have to offer that is unique and valuable, and then communicate that to the industry. Your brand is not just your talent, but also your point of view, your connections, your tenacity, your willingness to try anything. It includes the roles you choose to play, the clothing you wear to auditions, what wording you use on your website, how you choose to answer questions in interviews... all of these things reflect your brand. And like all other businesses, in order to be effective in the market your brand needs to be developed and honed before you take your message to your audiences.

If you didn’t create a brand before jumping into talent work, it’s not too late!  Start now by sitting down and answering these questions. Then review them before you put yourself in any entertainment situations (castings, bookings, networking events,etc.) to be sure you are focused on building your brand moving forward.  How do people view you now?  How would you like them to view you differently?

Make sure to check back on monday for more specific ways to go about building your brand but if you want to start now, check out this website:http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/your-personal-branding-worksheet/. Provided for you is a personal branding worksheet to guide you through the process of creating your brand!

YES!

What goes through your head right before you walk into an audition? You probably experience some
sort of excitement, nervousness, and maybe for some, even nausea. I’ve heard talent even call themselves a failure if they don’t end up booking the job. Acting coach Erin Cronican has a different
perspective that you should think about.

When I coach actors on setting goals, I teach them how to look for results that are manageable and empowering. Instead of "My goal is to be cast" (which you cannot control) I encourage actors to strive to be put in the “YES pile." YES means that you have what it takes to compete, and they'll keep giving you chances until something connects perfectly.

As someone who has cast a fair number of shows, I can tell you that getting into my YES pile is ultimately more important than getting cast. If I like your work and your spirit in the audition room, I will do whatever I can to get you cast in my projects because you are going to make me look good- bringing in good actors impresses the producers and means job security for the casting director. So I would bring you in every time a role is right for you until something clicks. 

So, strive to be in that YES pile - go into the audition prepared, listen to what is being asked of you and act accordingly, be respectful and HAVE FUN! You'll find that if you show up to auditions using these principles you will be a much happier actor and you'll quiet that little negative voice inside you!

Instead of treating an audition as a make-it-or-break-it move for your career, focus on making the casting director’s job easy.  I’ve seen casting directors go out of their way to audition the same talent they obviously like over and over until they are booked . . . and even then continuing to bring that talent back in again.  A talented individual is worth a lot, but a friend in the casting room is priceless. What will you do to make it into the “YES” pile at your next audition?

Check out Erin’s blog here: http://erincronican.blogspot.com/

3 MINUTE MANICURE

There's been so much hype about fingernail art these days. You know, the ones with neon stars, gemstones, the whole 9 yards. Check out these below:

                                                

We all want to make an artistic statement, but for the working model and actor those cool designs and colors are just not practical. So, how about trying a simple polish-less manicure that you can do at home? Glamour Magazine has come up with a 3 minute manicure perfect for both men and women. The manicure process is laid out step by step here:

Glamour magazine(http://www.glamour.com/), in its June 2012 issue, shares a step-by-step guide on how to give a quick and simple polish-less mani. This is perfect for male clients or customers who want their nails looking fabulously natural.

Step 1: File nails

"Shape your nails into a soft square using a thin file," says celebrity manicurist Jin Soon Choi. "If the grain is rough, go in only one direction to avoid making ridges."

Step 2: Clean up

Push back cuticles with an orange stick. Then use either that little nipper tool or a cuticle eraser.

Step 3: Buff 'em

"Find a buffer that has one fine-grain side and one rubber side," says Choi. "It won't wear down your nails." We like OPI Brilliance Block. Go back and forth with the rough side, then repeat with the smooth side for crazy shine.

Take some time for yourself, have a do-it-yourself spa day and get ready to not only show off an amazing skill set, but also a polished appeal!

Have a day off and feeling creative? Visit Pinterest for awesome ideas on how to take your nails to a whole new level! http://pinterest.com/search/?q=nails

SEE YOUR NAME IN LIGHTS!

A lot of celebrity singers and actors get their start on the big stage in their little towns. I bet you’re wondering what that big stage is? Well, it’s the Theatre stage! These celebrities are examples of what can happen if you give theatre a shot: Nick Jonas, Jesse McCartney, Kristin Chenoweth, Al Pacino, Jennifer Aniston and Emma Stone just to name a few. Kristin Chenoweth, a southern gal from Oklahoma with Nashville roots, recently sat down with Nancy Rosati of Talkinbroadway.com (http://www.talkinbroadway.com/) for an interview.

 When asked “Did you want to act too or just sing at the time?”

 

Chenoweth responded: I thought that I wanted to be a recording person. I was really into ballet too. I went to college and got my undergraduate degree in Musical Theater and that's when I started doing plays. I did a drama in high school, but really it was in college where I gained so much experience and started getting hired to do summer stock. I was very lucky because I got roles. That's the best teaching tool that you can get - by doing it. That’s sort of what happened to me.

 

 

 You heard her-get out there and do it! Have you ever been in a play?

 

Check out a local show coming up:

Event: Totally 80’s, Totally Murder- A murder mystery dinner

Location: Chaffin’s Barn Theatre, 8204 Highway 100, Nashville, TN 37221

Time: 6:00 pm Dates: 5/4/2012-7/22/2012

Website: http://www.grimprov.com/Nashville-Dinner-Theater/

 

R-E-S-PECT

How many times when you were growing up did your parents tell you that you needed to respect other people, or cooperate with others?  Well, it's good advice and you should apply that to your agent!  Scott Powers (http://www.scottpowers.com/), Acting Coach, expands on this topic.

If it's one thing for years that agents, managers and casting directors say in interviews, at forums, seminars and classes all over town and agree upon, it's that they want personality from the talent. Talent and good looks figure in somewhere down the list, with talent sometimes near the bottom.
 
More recently, two more attributes have been making enough repeated mentions to make them eligible to join the firmament: Respect and Cooperation. Perhaps this is a manifestation of the current dismal, unresponsive economy and the corroding desperation that is seeping into our society. As a result, there has been a marked increase in surliness and meanness. While it is never welcome in any circumstance, in our industry it can be especially damaging.
 
It would be wise to have Respect for those who can hire or represent you. It has always been a buyer's market and always will be. To quote a prominent agent: "We only work with the people we want to." Remember, these industry professionals are here to help you and guide you. They want you to succeed. And, of course, they benefit as well. Resisting their well-intentioned efforts never ends well. Keep in mind that agents, casting directors and managers all work killer hours, don't make as much money as you think, work with unreasonable clients, and you should be a bright spot in their day, not yet another source of friction. Do not treat them like dirt. Similarly, they don't have to be put on a pedestal, either. I recently watched in amusement as an actor tried to have an argument with a director. The results were as expected. Director won, actor lost. More precisely, actor fired. Moral of the story: Do not argue with "them." If they make a suggestion, it's for your own good, and for the good of your relationship with them. Do not practice the "tell me the truth as long as it's what I want to hear" syndrome. That actor went on to make snarky comments about the incident. It only served to make him more of an untouchable in the eyes of those who could hire or represent him in the future. Remember, you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
 
Cooperation is also becoming more and more an issue. This industry is based on projects: a show, a commercial, a film, etc. All different skills must mesh together seamlessly to produce the final product. An actor should stand out by fitting in. There is no "I" in team. Being a team player is critical. Being a rock in the stream of progress is a quick way to no-pay-land. I once had a discussion with an actor who claimed he wanted to act in films and said the reason he wanted to be an actor because he didn't want to be a team player. Needless to say, he didn't last long in this business. If somebody asks something of you, please do it. Everything you do must make their job easier. Asking, "What can I do to help you" is music to their ears. It's no different than any other job, except you're still hoping to get the job or representation after each short term job won. For all of those who have had the experience of working n the "real world," if you can't (or won't) work with the boss, you're SOL. No different here. Is someone is still intent on alienating everybody around them, the best answer is to put together a one-man show and head off to Don't Tell Mama's with relatives and any friends in tow to provide the comfort blanket star reassurance. If that's not in your career game plan, cooperation might come in handy.
 
All the agents, casting directors and managers we work with here have huge respect for actors. They all know the incredibly tough job an actor has, day in and day out. "They" are all hired in one way or another to get the best output from the actor. Collectively, actors are "the money." An individual actor may not be.
 
A close cousin of Respect and Cooperation is Be Nice. As always, you don't know who can help you or who can hurt you. You may never know who really gave the nod to hire you. Or said, "Mmmmm, we'll pass." It's easier to hire a nice person than a thundercloud looking like the world owes them a living. Have you ever noticed that successful people tend to smile a lot? There's a lesson there they've learned a long time ago.
 
The next time you interface with "them," think about how you can add just a little bit of Respect in the interface. Then add, How can I introduce Cooperation into this equation? No, you're not going to be a suck-up -- that's easily detected. Every interaction should be a positive experience, initiated by you. You're being professional and you're making yourself easily hired. Add in a dollop of Be Nice and that's a winning actor out there.
 
You'll notice them; they're the ones always working.

 

If you want to be successful, take your parents age-old advice--it will get you places.  What can you do to be more respectful and cooperative?

LITTLE MISS PERFECT

In the entertainment industry, people are looking for perfection.  You need to have the perfect look, body, skill set, etc., if you want to succeed.  How is the celebrity A-listers secret?  Ron Padgett, from The Writer’s Almanac, gives us some tips on how to be perfect:

Get some sleep.

Eat an orange every morning.

Be friendly. It will help make you happy.

Hope for everything. Expect nothing.

Take care of things close to home first. Straighten up your room
before you save the world. Then save the world.

Be nice to people before they have a chance to behave badly.

Don't stay angry about anything for more than a week, but don't
forget what made you angry. Hold your anger out at arm's length
and look at it, as if it were a glass ball. Then add it to your glass
ball collection.

Wear comfortable shoes.

Do not spend too much time with large groups of people.

Plan your day so you never have to rush.

Show your appreciation to people who do things for you, even if
you have paid them -- and even if they do favors you don't want.

After dinner, wash the dishes.

Calm down.

Don't expect your children to love you, so they can, if they want to.

Don't be too self-critical or too self-congratulatory.

Don't think that progress exists. It doesn't.

Imagine what you would like to see happen, and then don't do
anything to make it impossible.

Forgive your country every once in a while. If that is not
possible, go to another one.

If you feel tired, rest.

Don't be depressed about growing older. It will make you feel
even older. Which is depressing.

Do one thing at a time.

If you burn your finger, put ice on it immediately. If you bang
your finger with a hammer, hold your hand in the air for 20
minutes. you will be surprised by the curative powers of ice and
gravity.

Do not inhale smoke.

Take a deep breath.

Do not smart off to a policeman.

Be good.

Be honest with yourself, diplomatic with others.

Do not go crazy a lot. It's a waste of time.

Drink plenty of water. When asked what you would like to 
drink, say, "Water, please."

Take out the trash.

Love life.

Use exact change.

When there's shooting in the street, don't go near the window.

Sometimes, things are out of our control.  So instead of stressing about how to be perfect, take a deep breath and relax.  Look at Ron’s tips because he’s got some great advice.  What tips do you have on how to achieve perfection?

Not only is Ron an expert on being perfect, he's also an acclaimed poet! Check out The Writers Almanac to read all of his poems: http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/author.php?auth_id=1206