The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

OUTSIDE OF ACTING

You mean to tell me there are other jobs in entertainment besides being an actor or model?  Yes, Virginia, this industry is not run by Santa Claus!  You may realize there are people working with and for your benefit as the talent, but are you aware of what their daily grind is like?  Most likely, you have misconceptions without knowing it.

What does that CD who always seems so stressed out (or nonchalant) deal with every day?  Find out from our fellow industry professional Scott Powers!

It is vital that performers know not only how to act and market themselves, but how the business works from all sides.
 
One of the approaches that we have recommended with great results to abolish this situation is - ready? - go for an internship or be a reader.  Internships are basically unpaid or low-paid or transportation/meal stipend paid positions.  They can be a few hours a week, on a daily basis or for a specified period of time.  Interns open the morning mail and email, field phone calls, file headshots, watch the actors/models coming in and out of the office, interface with the industry, discover what problems the business has to grapple with day in and day out, maybe even sit in on the decision making process.  You will have a great first-hand to generally/specifically observe how the industry - the "other side" - REALLY works.  What a great opportunity you created for yourself!  And if you know THAT, your pursuits and career will absolutely benefit.
 
Being a reader for auditions at a casting company gives an actor first-hand experience on how the casting process works.  What works and what doesn't.  Talk about an eye-opening experience!
 
Are interns all really young?  No.  If you're, say, over 30++, don't worry about it.  You bring to the position certain life experiences and approaches that someone younger hasn't had yet.
 
Be pro-active.  You contact them.  Most offices have a continuous need for interns.  You can approach a company in general or target a specific person.  Want to get in good with an agent?  Offer to intern for them.  Want to get in good with a casting director?  Offer to intern; be a reader for them.  Send them your headshot via email or snail mail and on the outside, mark "INTERN APPLICATION" or "READER APPLICATION" (or on the Subject line if email) and inside have a BRIEF cover note. Tell them what qualities you can bring [to the potential partnership].  Tell them what times/days of the week you are available and how long you can be available.
 
[An experience like this can] change your outlook forever.  Not only will you have a much better understanding of the business, but you will have a much better appreciation of it as well (and there would be a lot less moaning and groaning out there!)
 
Of course, if we could only get the agents and casting directors out on a few auditions and go-sees to see what the actor/model goes through, we might have a nearly perfect world....

And that reminds me of a bet I lost once with an actor.  My pay up was to take Caroline Locorriere's scene study workshop for a month.  It was mostly fun, but also great insight into what our actors grapple with every day.  Learning can go both ways, but you can only choose to learn for yourself!  Internships aren't limited, so think outside the box and find something that interests you as well.  It may be photographry, television, publicity, management, etc.  Your options are only as limited as your imagination!

Where could you intern and how could having done so help you in the casting room or on set?

Related articles

One of Atlanta's Top Ten

Your Inner Demons

A Casting Director Shares Dos and Don'ts for Actors

LETS GET PERSONAL

All too often I hear actors and models make comments about things they wished they had said or done in the casting room after the fact.  Actors get caught up in trivial things, like missing a line in a script or interchanging words.  The truth is that no one cares if you miss a line or forget to say thank you when you leave.  What you should REALLY be focused on is whether or not you are presenting the character we are interested in watching -- both on the screen and the runway!

So how can you make your character more personal and relatable?

Brian Timoney says that personalization is a technique used by method actors to help them give ‘real’ performances without the need for imitation or inspiration. By simply fueling your performance with real feelings and real emotions, you are able to give performances that can be more convincing than if you had months to invent these feelings and emotions.

Let’s imagine a common scenario. You are in an audition and you are required to play a character who’s in a complicated relationship with a member of the opposite sex. You are required to play a scene in which the relationship is coming to an abrupt end. Now, this would be very difficult to prepare for in just a few minutes, especially if the actor opposite you was someone you’d never met before. However, by using personalization you would project the personality of someone from your own past onto your fellow actor. By carefully and accurately projecting the image of someone you’ve been in a doomed relationship with and recalling your own feelings at the moment it all came to an end, you will be able to give a thoroughly authentic performance at almost a moment’s notice.

This is a great technique for any acting scenario but it’s particularly useful for auditions. One of the best things about this technique is that it can be completely internalized. This means that those that see your performance won’t know that you are using personalization to fuel your performance. They won’t know whose image you are projecting onto your fellow actor and they won’t know about the raw, evocative emotions that you felt as you gave your performance.

All they will see is an actor giving a great performance with only a few moments to prepare!

How can you maintain your focus on the emotional life of your endeavor rather than the trivial things?

Related articles

5 Method Actors & Their Techniques

Preparing for a Role: Keeping Focus When Siri Joins You on Stage

How to Survive a Casting Session.

DO YOU KNOW YOURSELF?

 

Figuring out who we are and what we're meant to do is a lifelong process. Some of us are fortunate enough to find out at an early age, while others may adopt being a jack of all trades and dabbling in a bit of everything.  Talent who have successful careers and develop naturally have what the industry calls the "it" factor.  In reality, they are simply comfortable knowing who they are and what they have to offer without forcing anything outside of that on themselves or their audience.  Here are some ways to learn more about yourself as suggested by Anthony Meindl.

Start with yourself. If you start anywhere else, it’s a false start, and you’ll just be forced to go back to the starting line and begin again and again.

Starting with yourself means finding the place within you that is not influenced by outside forces. It’s not affected by what other people say or do. It’s not discouraged by people wanting to stop you. It’s not even concerned with the negative things you say about yourself, which come from the conditioned part of our left brain.

When I was in my 20s, I spent a great amount of time running away from who I was. I was always trying to be someone else – wanting to be liked, popular, cool, or attractive.  But no matter how hard I tried to avoid myself, I kept coming back to me. By my 30s, I realized that who I was – who we all are – is the thing we keep looking for somewhere else.  In someone else.

Our essential self (which makes each of us unique) is the part of us that is connected to something bigger than our egos. It’s like you are one of those limitless channels available on TV.  To receive the broadcast, you’ve got to keep your channel open. You’ve got to get out of your own way. You’ve got to get out of its way. Keep it open. Stay plugged in.  It’s not an easy job because the ego wants to get in there and take credit, lay blame, excuse, rationalize, defend, or judge.

Because each of us is uniquely different, the expression of our true selves will be unique, innovative, original, and dynamic. Look at the actors you admire.  You don’t have to work so hard trying to “do.” You don’t have to put something “on.”  You don’t have to show. You simply have to allow. Surrender. Align. Accept. Be.

Watch what happens. Just. Stay. Open.

You are the vehicle. Let yourself be driven. 

Are you still learning to accept who you are?  If you've found that sweet spot and are comfortable in your own shoes, what advice do you have for those who have not yet?

Related articles

Your Inner Demons

MEETING A NEW AGENT?

Commercial Print Instructor, Scott Powers provides us with an inside look of what to expect from an Agents' Office.

[Agent offices] come in all sizes and shapes.  Just like agents, actually!

Some agent's offices give off a friendly vibe, others just cold.  Some are professionally organized, others outdo a college dorm room.  Don't let any negativity or weirdness impact on you.  Always think:  happy, bouncy perky.  You're the talent.  Again, rise above the fray.  Some offices seem to be out of control, especially if they're working on last-minute castings.  Don't get caught up in the chaos; keep your cool, your focus.  Remember if you're kept waiting, don't get upset -- at least visibly.  Waiting means that office is really busy with casting and that's where you want to be!  If you walk into an office and they have all the time in the world to chat with you, you may have a great meeting, but the volume of work coming out of that office may not be want you want.

But what is going on while you are present doesn't tell all.  Note that the commercial side of an office tends to be more hectic with bookings for the next day; the legit side can be more peaceful, working on castings done for upcoming projects, not necessarily so time sensitive.  Same office, split personalities.

An interesting observation:  some offices in our industry do not, or no longer, have air conditioning.  [They just] can't afford it.  Keep this in mind during the spring/summer months.  Refrain from the cliché actions of fanning one's self with your headshot, looking inconvenienced or staring like a silent Friedrich, whose compressor died three years ago.  Just think, YOU don't work there every day!'''

This is your chance to make a great first impression within a matter of minutes.  Are you setting the stage for a profitable relationship?

Related articles

Four Simple Ways to Book More Work!

CAN YOU FEEL THE VIBE

Commercial Print Instructor, Scott Powers makes us think past the skills in the casting room.

Just as you give off a vibe to everyone around you and it effects how they interact with you, so does an audition or an office give off a vibe.  Learning how to instantly and effortlessly adjust your approach to what you are taking in can make a difference in getting a job or being passed over.

In the waiting area at an audition:

Always be pleasant and nice, no matter what you're facing.  Some waiting areas can be chaotic, others are more organized; the casting assistant snarly or semi-pleasant or non-responsive.  Rise above the fray.  Remember the rule that your audition begins when you walk through that door.  Sometimes a pleasant smile to the frazzled person behind the desk can work wonders.  Never send out the put-out look if there's a wait or the temperature's too warm or the water cooler doesn't have cups or no one offered to take your coat.  We always say come in looking like six million bucks (even if your today's net worth is six cents).  It always works, and always to your advantage.

In the audition room:

This can run the gamut from laid back friendly, with only the casting director or even just the assistant to a room of 15 people, including the client -- none of whom may look especially warm and barely acknowledge your presence.  Sometimes the room can be so thick with tension you can cut it with a knife.  Well, it can happen on a set, too.  Know when to be more friendly, when to just do your job, but always be pleasant with a "can-do" attitude - just different shadings of it.

Your job is to do your professional best, no matter what you face.

And remember, don't extend your hand to shake hands unless they extend their hand first.  I actually saw a casting director with an industrial size of Purell on her table, facing the actor, to deal with this situation.  Don't you be the one to make her use it.

When walking into an audition, whats your vibe? Are you leaving behind a good impression?

 

Related articles

How to Survive a Casting Session.

THE ROLE OF AN ACTOR'S LIFE

The New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, gives great insight on what it takes to be an actor.

If you're wondering what it takes to make it in the acting field, you need to ask yourself one very important question before you begin: Why do you want to become an actor? If you answer is that you want to be rich and famous, you should stop right now. Like any art, acting takes hard work and passion for the craft. The business can be gruelling and almost always involves a lot of rejection. There are thousands of actors who work constantly, but are never known by name. They keep at their art because they love it. If you are going to become an actor, so should you.

Every day and adventure in life is your stage as an actor.  Any kind of life experience can benefit your acting talent as long as you learn from it. While you need solid, tangible roles and training to build your resume, any project that you undertake that helps you reflect on yourself can be considered a victory. There's no substitute for work experience and training, but life experience adds the seasoning that makes a better actor. Pay attention to all that happens in your life -- good and bad. Living your life fully and with open eyes will make any role you play richer and more real.

What acting role would best suit your lifestyle? 

Related articles

Acting Irrationally

JUST TWO LITTLE WORDS

Commercial Print Instructor, Scott Powers provides information that just may help advance your career.

How ridiculous. What's that got to do with their success? A lot more than you think. There are many elements that go into the making of a successful career and a career profile and this is an unusually important one. It's always part of a successful actor's career.

They learned a long time ago that hiring is subjective. How competitive it is, how many clones of themselves there are out there. How to get the upper hand? Shave points in their favor? In a business notorious for the "me, me, me" syndrome by too many less than courteous individuals, they turned it around: choosing to focus on how to help the person who can hire them or represent them and show appreciation back. They didn't HAVE to be called in, after all, and they have never lost sight of that.

That's why they find ways of thanking those who are in a position to hire them or represent them. In person during an audition or interview - Thank You! Or, Thanks for giving me this opportunity! and then again in a postcard and/or email after that audition or interview. You would be amazed how a little appreciation goes a long way. You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.

There may also come a day when you might need a favor from one of "them." If someone's been consistently appreciative, "they" will be far more willing to do that much needed favor. "They" may be less inclined to do something like that for a taker.

Lesson to be learned: two words pack a big wallop in this business: Thank You. Find a way to use them as often as possible. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the results that start coming your way.

Leave the boatload of excuses, attitude, bitterness, meanness, self-entitlement, revengefulness and other manifestations of negativity outside the door. "They" have their own set of problems, "they" don't need or want yours. Why do you think therapists were invented? They get paid to listen to peoples' problems and tales of woe, all wrapped up in a thunder cloud of negativity, for a price.

PS: What's the companion to "Thank You?" "Be nice." So simple. Be nice to those who can hire or represent you.

PPS: What's the companion to the companion? We heard this from an actor we recently booked on a movie: "Thank you for the work." Those words cut through all the day's clutter. A beam of white light. So sweet. We stopped to appreciate what we just heard. And we'll hire him again.

Too often you don't know who can help you or who can hurt you. There is not one actor out there who cannot be replaced. We see this in action every day. Make "them" want to hire you, to be part of their universe. We track actors' successes (or failures) and these principles are always in their successes, or missing in their failures.

You have the choice.  We all write our own books. Your book should be on the Best Seller list, not on the remainder pile. And, you can do it. And as a parting little secret, there are more "industry people" out there who are behind you -- rooting for you and want you to succeed -- than you would ever know. Now go knock it out of the park.

These two words can open up endless opportunities and most importantly create a domino effect on society.

What have you experienced after saying the words "Thank you"?

 

Related articles

Four Simple Ways to Book More Work!

AND THE WINNERS ARE?

With only a couple of days away from the 85th Academy Awards, the intensity is at a high. As showtime is quickly approaching and viewers plan for Oscar parties, the Red Carpet, and performances, nothing can compare to the moment the winners are announced. The question is, who amongst the nominees has what it takes to take home the gold?

Here is a list of the Nominees:

Actor in a Leading Role

• Bradley Cooper in "Silver Linings Playbook"
• Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln"
• Hugh Jackman in "Les Misérables"
• Joaquin Phoenix in "The Master"
• Denzel Washington in "Flight"

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Alan Arkin in "Argo"
• Robert De Niro in "Silver Linings Playbook"
• Philip Seymour Hoffman in "The Master"
• Tommy Lee Jones in "Lincoln"
• Christoph Waltz in "Django Unchained"

Actress in a Leading Role

• Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty"
• Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook"
• Emmanuelle Riva in "Amour"
• Quvenzhané Wallis in "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
• Naomi Watts in "The Impossible"

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Amy Adams in "The Master"
• Sally Field in "Lincoln"
• Anne Hathaway in "Les Misérables"
• Helen Hunt in "The Sessions"
• Jacki Weaver in "Silver Linings Playbook"

Animated Feature Film

• "Brave" Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
• "Frankenweenie" Tim Burton
• "ParaNorman" Sam Fell and Chris Butler
• "The Pirates! Band of Misfits" Peter Lord
• "Wreck-It Ralph" Rich Moore

Cinematography

• "Anna Karenina" Seamus McGarvey
• "Django Unchained" Robert Richardson
• "Life of Pi" Claudio Miranda
• "Lincoln" Janusz Kaminski
• "Skyfall" Roger Deakins

Costume Design

• "Anna Karenina" Jacqueline Durran
• "Les Misérables" Paco Delgado
• "Lincoln" Joanna Johnston
• "Mirror Mirror" Eiko Ishioka
• "Snow White and the Huntsman" Colleen Atwood

Directing

• "Amour" Michael Haneke
• "Beasts of the Southern Wild" Benh Zeitlin
• "Life of Pi" Ang Lee
• "Lincoln" Steven Spielberg
• "Silver Linings Playbook" David O. Russell

Documentary Feature

• "5 Broken Cameras"
  Emad Burnat and Guy Davidi
• "The Gatekeepers"
  Dror Moreh, Philippa Kowarsky and Estelle Fialon
• "How to Survive a Plague"
  David France and Howard Gertler
• "The Invisible War"
  Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering
• "Searching for Sugar Man"
  Malik Bendjelloul and Simon Chinn

Documentary Short Subject

• "Inocente"
  Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine
• "Kings Point"
  Sari Gilman and Jedd Wider
• "Mondays at Racine"
  Cynthia Wade and Robin Honan
• "Open Heart"
  Kief Davidson and Cori Shepherd Stern
• "Redemption"
  Jon Alpert and Matthew O'Neill

Film Editing

• "Argo" William Goldenberg
• "Life of Pi" Tim Squyres
• "Lincoln" Michael Kahn
• "Silver Linings Playbook" Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers
• "Zero Dark Thirty" Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg

Foreign Language Film

• "Amour" Austria
• "Kon-Tiki" Norway
• "No" Chile
• "A Royal Affair" Denmark
• "War Witch" Canada

Makeup and Hairstyling

• "Hitchcock"
  Howard Berger, Peter Montagna and Martin Samuel
• "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
  Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane
• "Les Misérables"
  Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell

Music (Original Score)

• "Anna Karenina" Dario Marianelli
• "Argo" Alexandre Desplat
• "Life of Pi" Mychael Danna
• "Lincoln" John Williams
• "Skyfall" Thomas Newman

Music (Original Song)

• "Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice"
  Music and Lyric by J. Ralph
• "Everybody Needs A Best Friend" from "Ted"
  Music by Walter Murphy; Lyric by Seth MacFarlane
• "Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi"
  Music by Mychael Danna; Lyric by Bombay Jayashri
• "Skyfall" from "Skyfall"
  Music and Lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
• "Suddenly" from "Les Misérables"
  Music by Claude-Michel Schönberg; Lyric by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil

Best Picture

• "Amour" Margaret Menegoz, Stefan Arndt, Veit Heiduschka and Michael Katz, Producers
• "Argo" Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck and George Clooney, Producers
• "Beasts of the Southern Wild" Dan Janvey, Josh Penn and Michael Gottwald, Producers
• "Django Unchained" Stacey Sher, Reginald Hudlin and Pilar Savone, Producers
• "Les Misérables" Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward and Cameron Mackintosh, Producers
• "Life of Pi" Gil Netter, Ang Lee and David Womark, Producers
• "Lincoln" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers
• "Silver Linings Playbook" Donna Gigliotti, Bruce Cohen and Jonathan Gordon, Producers
• "Zero Dark Thirty" Mark Boal, Kathryn Bigelow and Megan Ellison, Producers

Production Design

• "Anna Karenina"
  Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
• "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
  Production Design: Dan Hennah; Set Decoration: Ra Vincent and Simon Bright
• "Les Misérables"
  Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Anna Lynch-Robinson
• "Life of Pi"
  Production Design: David Gropman; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
• "Lincoln"
  Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Jim Erickson

Short Film (Animated)

• "Adam and Dog" Minkyu Lee
• "Fresh Guacamole" PES
• "Head over Heels" Timothy Reckart and Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly
• "Maggie Simpson in "The Longest Daycare"" David Silverman
• "Paperman" John Kahrs

Short Film (Live Action)

• "Asad" Bryan Buckley and Mino Jarjoura
• "Buzkashi Boys" Sam French and Ariel Nasr
• "Curfew" Shawn Christensen
• "Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)" Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele
• "Henry" Yan England

Sound Editing

• "Argo" Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn
• "Django Unchained" Wylie Stateman
• "Life of Pi" Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton
• "Skyfall" Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers
• "Zero Dark Thirty" Paul N.J. Ottosson

Sound Mixing

• "Argo"
  John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia
• "Les Misérables"
  Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes
• "Life of Pi"
  Ron Bartlett, D.M. Hemphill and Drew Kunin
• "Lincoln"
  Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Ronald Judkins
• "Skyfall"
  Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell and Stuart Wilson

Visual Effects

• "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
  Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and R. Christopher White
• "Life of Pi"
  Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott
• "Marvel's The Avengers"
  Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams and Dan Sudick
• "Prometheus"
  Richard Stammers, Trevor Wood, Charley Henley and Martin Hill
• "Snow White and the Huntsman"
  Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Philip Brennan, Neil Corbould and Michael Dawson

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

• "Argo" Screenplay by Chris Terrio
• "Beasts of the Southern Wild" Screenplay by Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin
• "Life of Pi" Screenplay by David Magee
• "Lincoln" Screenplay by Tony Kushner
• "Silver Linings Playbook" Screenplay by David O. Russell

Writing (Original Screenplay)

• "Amour" Written by Michael Haneke
• "Django Unchained" Written by Quentin Tarantino
• "Flight" Written by John Gatins
• "Moonrise Kingdom" Written by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola
• "Zero Dark Thirty" Written by Mark Boal

All nominations are selected by a panel of the Academy. This year that panel ensured a diverse showing under each category.

Do you think there is a nominee missing from any of these categories?

 

ARGO AND THE OSCARS

 

Argo which is based around the Iran hostage crisis of 1980, is the true story of six Americans who barely escape the United States embassy after being overrun by an army Iranian rioters.

After escaping, the Americans take refuge inside Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor’s (Victor Garber) house. They remain stuck there for two years before CIA operative Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) developes a plan to get them out as a American film crew scouting for shooting locations.  [Read the full review on Shorthorn.com.]

Critics have said that Argo is probably one of the best drama films of the year. The movie will keep you on the edge of your seat with its suspense, drama and humor.  Considering its success, Argo is nominated for seven Oscars for the 85th Academcy Awards show. It's comes as no surprise that Argo has its number of nominations, however; I question whether or not they will win all seven. To find out if they do, tune into the ABC Channel on Sunday February 24th, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

Is Argo going to win all seven nominations?  If not, which nominations should Argo win?

Related articles

ARGO Blu-ray Review

FOUR SIMPLE WAYS TO BOOK MORE WORK!

What can you do to book more jobs?  Every talent asks this question and although a lot is dictated by outside variable and other decision makers, some of the easiest things a talent can do are frequently overlooked or dismissed as unimportant.  You are already working on your skill set, building your resume or reel, and developing a bigger network of contacts.  What else matters?

Here is a list of simple things that successful talent do on a daily basis that set them apart from their peers:

1.)  Pick up the phone.  The talent on The Avenue's roster who book the most work consistently answer the phone when the agency calls.  It may sound trite, but being able to access a talent quickly means being able to respond to the client more quickly -- and in many cases, the early bird books the job.  Case in point, last week I called a talent and left a message early in the morning.  I didn't hear back from the talent until very late that night.  The job had already been booked and the late caller not only lost the opportunity, but lost a little of my confidence.  As an agent, we want to know to that we can count on the talent to do their part of our partnership, so the talent who readily respond are always going to be our go-to pick when we are in a pinch!

2.) Follow directions.  You always follow directions right?  Of course, you do!  Well, you mean to anyway.  Best intentions aren't good enough when it comes to following directions.  As an independent contractor, you have many different clients asking for similiar things with different details.  Should you bring 1 headshot or 3.  Did you wear black pants when you were supposed to wear khaki?  Can the CD count on you to listen and then nail their direction in front of the director?  I recently witnessed a well-meaning and very talented actor submit a taped audition for a big role.  The audition was phenomenal, but the file was not sent according to the directions that had been given.  Casting did not realize the tape was there until after the role had already been cast.  A very sad day for the talent who nailed the audition and was never even considered for the part -- and now has created the impression with casting that he/she can't follow directions. 

3.)  Be able to submit a taped audition from home -- immediately!  Our digital age is exciting and has opened up opportunity to a lot of actors outside of the biggest markets.  Those who are self-reliant and respond quickly are booking work all over the place!  The talent who rely on another person, another person's technology or expertise, or even someone they hire for help are missing the boat.  Sure, your agent may be willing to tape you, but do you really WANT them spending time burning down audition tapes?  No, they should be working to get you more opportunities!  Self taping has become so simple that every home has access to some sort of video recording and computer burning device.  It may vary from person to person, but the end result is the same.  The talent who don't make excuses and figure out a way to make it work are the talent who are working.  They are also the talent who the agent is going to call first and when under pressure or time deadlines.  Don't you want to be that first call?

4.)  Be willing.  This is an industry of unknowns.  Models are doing taped submissions for jobs today as often as actors are.  The models who are willing to try working with a video camera instead of a still camera are the models who are working.  And the added bonus is that a lot of them are booking jobs that pay residual, which means they are making a lot more money than they have in the past.  Being flexible and willing to try something that you

Sometimes your bottom line profit is about more than your abilities as a model or actor.  In this high drama industry, everyone is looking for the easiest way to keep their set functional and friendly.  Are you making their life easier and giving yourself an advantage?

Related articles

Your Inner Demons

What to Leave Behind