Time for some frivilous holiday fun! I'm one of those people who believes in extending any holiday as far beyond the customary boundaries as possible. Yup, I have been known to leave my christmas tree up well into April! Why not keep the mood light and festive until we get that great spring weather back?
At this year's holiday party, The Avenue's talent were given an open forum to record whatever came to mind. With no preparation or forewarning, many brave souls were willing and vulnerable enough to share a piece of holiday spirit with us. In the following blogs, we will share their video choices and YOU will get to decide which video will win! The lucky winner will be announced after all videos have been posted and can pick up their prize from myself at The Avenue. So tell your friends, share on facebook, and tweet away -- will it be you?
Brigid O'Connell grabs a pair of dark sunglasses to share her rendition of a pregnant female Corey Hart.
More vidoes to follow in coming blogs. Check back to see yourself and your friends be spontaneous and cast your vote for the best holiday impromptu video by leaving a comment below. The video with the most comments wins! Will you vote for Brigid, Zach, or Roy?
"Great article by Risa Bramon Garcia. My personal #1 most important thing an actor can do -
Do you your own personal work. YOU are who you bring into every
audition, every situation, every relationship in your life. By making
the choice to be an actor you are choosing to be in relationship…with
other actors…script…director...with all the other creative and technical
aspects of the experience. If you have personal issues that may be
holding you back (and I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t) become aware
and do whatever you need to do to explore them…heal them…find the tools
or whatever is the right choice for you. Self-exploration is a life long
process and cannot be overlooked. Because trust me…I see this as the
biggest obstacle in every actors success," said Kim Petrosky in her Casting Facebook post recently.
2. You love the work wherever and whenever you’re
doing it and you don't complain. None of the “I’ve been a series regular
for six years, and I’m only working one day/week for $40,000.” Or “I’m
so ready to work, but I’m home all day with nothing to do.” You bring
your love of acting to the audition room, set, rehearsal, class, and you
carry your love of the work into every experience. You relish it.
3. You do everything you can to be prepared. You know your lines. You do your homework. You do it to get out of your own way.
4. You’re generous to each other, and you’re generous to yourselves. You give yourselves a break. You manage your expectations.
5. You don't apologize, and you’re willing to applaud yourself. You turn limiting beliefs into empowering ones.
6. You focus on others, not on what they think of
you but on what their needs might truly be. We are all your audience,
and you’re there to offer yourself and your work to us in performance,
in collaboration, in a shared adventure.
7. You train. You study. You work out. You continue
to develop your craft. You get that being in shape is what gives you the
edge to compete and the freedom to fly.
8. You live full lives.
9. You’re proactive and deeply creative. You take responsibility for your work, your success, and yourself.
10. You’re willing to fight for it.
11. You understand the power of fear, that it’s a
force, not an impediment. You take risks in spite of your terror. You
let it fuel you. You do what Yoda says: “Feel the force!”
12. You’re courageous. You embrace the struggle and
find a way to love it, knowing that the creative spirit grows from
battling through the night, that this is the force with which we create.
You're willing to do whatever it takes.
13. You’re about the work first, knowing that career
will follow and not the other way around. Dedicated work leads to good
work. Good work leads to great work. Great work is thrilling. Great work
is noticed. Celebrated. Hired. And money follows bliss. As Steven
Pressfield wrote in "The War of Art," "The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying."
14. You know how damned lucky you are to have chosen this thing, this thing that is generated from the fire within you. You’re blessed to be on this journey.
15. You have faith. My happiness isn’t really determined by an actor’s decision
to take care of him or herself. This is my own checklist for artistic
sanity and success. However, when I do see fellow artists show us and
embrace these actions, I’m gratified. We conspire together in our
pursuit of happiness.
There’s further to go in the exploration of each of these
commitments... For now, let's embrace them. Let’s look at where each of
us shows up, where we might have to recalibrate how we approach our
creative lives. Our careers and our joy depend on it.
Risa Bramon Garcia has just started up a new Studio in L.A. with partner, Steve Braun, called The Bramon Garcia Braun Studio,
dedicated to actors’ whole journey, connecting craft with career. Visit
Risa’s website, active and inviting for actors and other artists alike
is:Risabg.com.
For the past 30 years Risa has worked consistently as a director,
producer, casting director, writer, and teacher, collaborating with
some of the most groundbreaking artists in the world. Having directed
two feature films ‐ the cult classic, "200 cigarettes," and most
recently, "The Con Artist" in Canada - Risa’s also directed for
television, including multiple episodes of "The Twilight Zone" for New
Line/UPN, and shows for HBO, Lifetime, and Comedy Central. She’s
directed dozens of plays in New York (The Ensemble Studio Theatre,
Second Stage, Manhattan Theatre Club) and in Los Angeles. Risa’s casting
résumé includes more than 65 feature films, classics such as "Something
Wild," "At Close Range," "Angel Heart," "Fatal Attraction," "Wall
Street," "Talk Radio," "Jacob’s Ladder," "Born on the Fourth of July,"
"JFK," "The Doors," "Sneakers," "The Joy Luck Club," "True Romance,"
"Speed," "How To Make An American Quilt," "Dead Presidents," "Twister,"
"Benny and Joon," and "Flirting With Disaster;" and numerous television
shows, including "Roseanne," "CSI:NY," "The Cape," and most recently "A
Gifted Man" for CBS and the pilot "Rewind" for Syfy. She’s about to
start casting the Showtime series, "Masters of Sex." Risa served as a
producer on Oliver Stone’s films "Heaven and Earth" and "Natural Born
Killers," movies she also cast.
Recently The Avenue's Quentin Plair was honored as one of Atlanta's "Top 10 People in the Film Business You've Probably Never Heard Of But Should". Quentin has spent the last year building strong relationships with powerful casting directors and is repeatedly asked into their casting rooms. From an agent's perspective, Quentin is reliable, easy to work with, and goes out of his way to make sure he does his part, allowing the agency to continue putting it's full force efforts behind his endeavors!
Written by Darla Clarkson: Posted on Monday, December 31, 2012 8:03 AM
So this is the time of
year to make lists...things I'm going to do differently in the next
year, people I want to work with, things I want to accomplish, etc. But,
I thought I would take a few minutes and list some of the people I know
in the film business who you may or may not know, but you need to!
These are quality people who do their job extraordinarily well and give
Atlanta a good name in the film game:
Quentin Plair, Actor
It
is so rare to find that combination of good looks, acting chops and the
ability to cry on queue that Quentin deserves mention here. I think he
is a true undiscovered talent in the industry and you will be seeing
more of him very soon. His IMDB
is pretty sparse, but after having worked with him on two different
projects, I can tell you he is a complete professional and has all the
right stuff to go ALL the way!
Each year, The Avenue Agency gives away valuable prizes to the talent who have set themselves apart from their peers in some way. There are those who are brave enough to be competitive at the holiday party games, as mentioned in earlier blogs. But more importantly, there are the hand full of talent who go the extra mile to give 100% to their career. These talent are known to submit requested materials without having to be asked. They frequently track details on their opportunities and approach their craft as an organized business professional. They have the initiative to seek out advice and support their skill set with great marketing materials. They do not offer excuses when things don't go their way. These talent not only bring value to our partnership, but they also bring peace of mind to me as an agent when pitching them.
Some have worked for years and finally seen their preparation met with opportunity as they reap the rewards of success. Others came on board ready to go from the start and were quick out of the gate. The annual MVPs may change from year to year as we cannot honor ALL of the special partnerships at one time, but their work ethic and determination are consistent across each year. I'm so thankful to announce the winners and MVPs on The Avenue's roster in 2012:
Emily Landham will receive a free one hour personal training session with Jennifer McCoy, BS ACSM, of One Body. One Life. Health Fitness Specialists & Personal Trainers (to contact Jennifer, email jennifer@body1life.com)! Emily's earlier year was wrought with challenges when she broke her foot while giving back to her community on set for a non profit, but she still finished strong ending the year with multiple feature films, industrials, and a principal role in BET's The Game!
Joel Diggs will receive a complimentary three look modeling photoshoot with photographer Michael Gomez. Joel came onto The Avenue's roster with a strong presence and has shown commitment and follow-through that put him among the top money earners in his demographic.
Steve Caviness will receive a complimentary space in acting coach Caroline Locorriere's The Actor's Studio in Nashville, TN. Steve started 2012 traveling for an ad campaign that padded pockets and kept him busy in the new year. He showed that he knows how to build relationships, as clients continue to come back to him and ask for him by name.
Rusty Whitener will receive a complimentary two look actor's headshot session from Michael Gomez. Rusty took a hiatus in the first half of the year as his Christy Award winning novel was made into a movie. In the latter part of 2012, he showed his strength and presence by booking principal roles in the hit series "Nashville", and leading roles in several movies to be released in 2013-2014.
Stephanie Gamonet will receive a complimentary 30 minute private coaching via skype with Casting Director and coach Holly Allen (a $60 value). Stephanie's dedication and persistence are proof that hard work does pay off! The past year saw her book the lead female role in a feature film as well as a national commercial spot!
Diana Moseley was 2012's child MVP and will receive a complimentary "Acting in Commercials" workshop with acting coach and working actor, Alan Dysert, of The Actor's School (a $125 value). Diana was quickly welcomed into the market when she started, but this year faced her most challenging role -- playing a tomboy. She'd rather be in pink dresses, but says "it wasn't so bad."
Alice Raver will receive a complimentary 60 minute massage from massage therapist to the country stars, Deanna Porterfield, of Balance Massage. Alice's incredible flexibility and focus has brought her business of acting to a new level in 2012 by booking commercials, print work, and feature film roles.
Jared Carterwill receive a free one hour personal training session with Jennifer
McCoy, BS ACSM, of One Body. One Life. Health Fitness Specialists &
Personal Trainers (to contact Jennifer, email jennifer@body1life.com)! Jared has maintained an established career for years alongside The Avenue. His most exciting role in 2012 was playing David Byrne in the movie CBGB (set to be released in 2013), alongside legendary actor Alan Rickman. Getting his picture and an interview in the Rolling Stone wasn't so bad, either!
Congratulations to our recipients in 2012. The Avenue is excited about helping invest in your career to continue your success into 2013! Contact Melinda via email for details on how to go about collecting your prize. Were you not one of the celebrated MVPs? Stay focused in 2013 and be sure to schedule your End-of-Year Review so Melinda can give you personalized attention and help you set goals for the new year!
Backstage columnist & CD Todd Thaler thinks you should consider leaving certain things behind at an on camera audition. Below are his suggestions.
In the not too distant past, a casting director narrowed down selects
by doing prescreens. The director and producers would then certainly be
present for callbacks. Nowadays, a callback, an integral aspect of the
process, often does not occur. The opportunity to meet the "deciders"
face-to-face has been eliminated. With the advent of technology,
pre-taped auditions are how actors are very often cast. This is
especially true in television casting. In this scenario, you are sadly
deprived of any ability to show any aspects of your off-camera
personality that could possibly sway an ambivalent director or producer
into choosing you. Last year, with the production of TBS’ "Are We There
Yet?" which was based in Stamford, CT., it was impossible for the
directors and producers, who were busy shooting current episodes and
writing future ones, to be at auditions at my office in Manhattan. My
sessions were videotaped, uploaded, and emailed for their review. There
were never callbacks. There were no meetings with directors and
producers. Only after actors arrived in Connecticut did they get to meet
anyone other than me!
Ed Harris, on "Inside The Actors Studio," was asked what the
difference was between acting in the theater and acting in film and
television. His answer was, “Acting is acting is acting. It’s the
‘adjustment’ you need to make when acting for the camera.” What is that
adjustment? It is hard to avoid the old cliché, “less is more,” but it
is completely true in this instance. Theater acting must be "big" so
that it works all the way to the back row. Film and television acting
can be much "smaller" and much more natural. The camera captures
everything, thereby making it a more subtle, private, and intimate
experience. I am convinced this skill-set can be taught, learned,
practiced, and perfected.
This is why a greater awareness of "what you leave behind" is so
crucially important. If you have little or no on-camera experience, you
probably have no idea if what you do in the room works on tape. These
days, there are a multitude of classes and workshops for
acting-for-camera. (I have been known to do a few myself!) But, like
auditioning, it is something you only get better at by doing as much and
as often as possible. Since auditions can be few and far between, you
must practice on your own. The easiest way to accomplish this is to park
yourself in front of your laptop camera, your phone camera, or a video
camera! Find someone to read off camera. It doesn’t even need to be an
actor! Watch it back. Is it natural? Is it truthful? Is it real? Is it
simple? Or is it theatrical? Broad? Too "big?" Is it “schmacting?”
Todd Thaler is a casting director, acting teacher, and private
on-camera audition coach. In addition to casting, he is currently
teaching at NYU/Tisch, Brooklyn College, and the Atlantic Theater Acting
School. His credits include: Luc Besson’s "The Professional," Todd
Field’s "Little Children," Sidney Lumet’s "Running on Empty," Ed Harris'
directorial debut "Pollock," Barbra Streisand’s "The Mirror Has Two
Faces," John McNaughton’s "Mad Dog and Glory," Gavin
O'Connor's "Tumbleweeds," John Turturro’s "Mac, Illuminata, Romance
& Cigarettes" and "Fading Gigolo," James Mangold’s "Heavy" and "Cop
Land," and Wayne Wang’s "Because of Winn-Dixie" and "Maid in Manhattan."
For television, TBS’ "Are We There Yet?," ABC’s "Wonderland," and NBC’s
"Ed," for which he was nominated for the Emmy Award.
I married into the best family! My husband tells me the story about how his mom would always casually say, "Be careful, honey," as he walked out the door as a teenager / young adult. This was their household modus operandi. Every now and then, however, her quip changed, and she would shock him with, "Take a risk, honey" instead. This change provided a ying to their daily yang relationship. She still says that same thing to me from time to time and encourages her grandchildren, students, and in my case, in-laws, to face fear head on.
So in the philosophy of a woman who has lived her life fearlessly and still maintained one of the biggest social circles I've seen (she has a social calendar that would make your head spin!), the new year is a great time to suggest this might be a useful philosophy for most of us -- but especially for those of you in the creative fields.
Be wise and vigilant most of the time. But dare every day to do something risky . . . dare to take a chance and try your luck . . . dare to live outside of the safe zone as a talent. Make bold choices when it comes to your career; they can still be respectful and tactful, of course (you want to maintain those friends and have an overflowing social circle, too). Next time you're in an audition and start to second guess yourself, remind that inner voice that 2013 is going to be a year of risk and tremendous growth! Then let go of your fears, worries, and concerns, and just trust your gut. Make the choice that is daring because that will almost always be the most interesting!
Be careful most of the day, but be sure to take a risk!
