The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

THE MOST CRUCIAL 30 SECONDS OF YOUR CAREER

Actress and coach Gwyn Gilliss alerts actors to what she believes is the most important time of their careers.  

Is it when you start your monologue at an important theatre audition? No.

Is it when you start the first eight bars for your song at an audition? No.

Is it the first half moment an agent looks at your resume? No.

Is it when you receive your BFA or MFA in theatre?  No.

Ok, give up?

It's those 30 seconds before you make an entrance.

 

Before you enter a room to: Meet an agent, audition for a casting director, have a meeting with a personal manager, interview with the producer of the film, greet the star of the film (who decides if you're going to play opposite him/her), have coffee with the writer of the TV series, or charm the art director who will hire you to be the image of his fashion empire or the multi-million dollar ad campaign.

You need to really prepare. Prepare what? And why is this so important?

The energy you bring into the room tells everyone immediately where you're at. Are you frightened, self-conscious, depressed, unfocused? Or do you exude confidence, happiness, joy, warmth, sex appeal, delight, or passion? That is your audition. Let me repeat that. That is your audition.

It's over by the time you start your monologue or begin cold-reading the sides. The decision to hire you has already been made, subliminally.

Getting a job as an actor isn't always about the audition or for a model, the photo. It's about connecting with the casting director, director, art director, or network exec.

People hire people they like, know, and trust. If there's no one in their current circle of friends/professional contacts and they haven't cast a star, they seek the first person with whom they are comfortable, is right for the role, and can do the work – in that order! Most people decide in the first 10 seconds – the audition is the final determining factor not the first cut. We all go with what's comfortable and familiar.

So, your job as an actor is to create an aura of positive energy – calm, peaceful, or full of charm and enthusiasm before you enter a room. Stop and visualize something that delights you. Think about a dream vacation you've always wanted, someone with whom you’re in love, working opposite your favorite A-list actor in a film on location – whatever motivates you to feel excited. Just about the time a smile comes to our face, open the door.

Walk in and book that job!  

How are you going to spend the 30 seconds before you walk into that big meeting? 

Read more at Backstage. 

LEARNING THE MODEL WALK

Becomegorgeous.com want to teach you how to walk like a model? In this post you will learn tricks like posture, moving your arms and how to walk like the models on the runway.

Have you ever wondered why those models on the runway walk so sexy. What's the secret to walk like a model? Practice, practice, practice, no one is born with this talent - models learned tricks and methods on how to have the perfect posture and runway walk. Here are some of them, try them out to find out that you can also walk like a model. Let's start with your arms and hands - keep them loose. You must look like you are trying too hard, don't curl fingers or keep them too straight. They should be directed towards your feet and not your knees. Posture is the most important when walking with confidence. Shoulders need to be back, avoid being slouchy - it will only make you look shy and confused. Your hips must be moved slightly forward.

Practice the movement of your arms, as you have seen on fashion shows; a confident walk implies swinging arms.

Stationary arms can look weird and stiff. However control them don't throw them randomly, it is ideal if you swing them from elbows down, carefully not to hit your hips.

It is very important to lift your chin, don't stare at the ground. Look people in the eye, this will surely grab their attention. Attitude is the key to successful walk.

We arrived to the most important part, walking. Keep one feet in front of the other, practice it on a rope placed on the floor or a straight line.
Probably this is the hardest thing to control, walk as gently as horses do on competitions, still be natural.

Implement it into your daily routine, look at fashion shows to see how models control their movements.

Don't imitate their walk 100%, add your personality to these carefully planned steps. The ball of your foot should be set down first and bend your knee, look flexible but at the same time gentle.

Swaying is definitely our signature move, however it should not be done excessively, don't become hilarious. Practice swaying motions at home, you'll see what's the best for you. Walking as presented earlier can make your hips swing more.

Wearing heels is the best way to practice these tips, don't take a high risk and exercise with skyscraper stilettos - choose in between ones, and remember patience is essential.

Are you ready for the runway, take these tricks and apply them to yourself and evaluate your results!!

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TALENT RESUME TIPS

Traci Hughes; founder of Third Coast Search which specializes in talent recruitment, provides tips that will help with drafting a talent resume.

Ever heard the statistic that recruiters read resumes and decide on who they’ll consider in 20 seconds or less? It may seem impossible (and scary), but it’s often true. So it’s important to focus on clarity and brevity – how to get the important information across as quickly and clearly as possible.

What are recruiters looking for in those 20 seconds?

- Location. If you’re not local to the opportunity, make sure to include a note in your opening email (and keep that opening email short) about your willingness to relocate. If you have a temporary address in your desired location that you can use, that’s even better.

- Recent experience. Include your most recent role (including title and company, of course) near the top of the page. Don’t spend an entire front page on long-winded descriptions of your skills. You can elaborate on skills and accomplishments under each respective position.

- Industry. If the company is looking for someone with specific industry experience, make sure you include that experience on your first page and/or intro email; otherwise, a recruiter may overlook it and not consider you.

- Turnover. If you’ve changed jobs frequently, that is often a red flag. If you have good reasons for job changes (ie. layoff), please include a one-line note about it in your resume, under the job to which it applies.

- Spelling and grammatical errors. PLEASE make sure you don’t have any of these in your resume. It will disqualify you with just about every recruiter I know. Spellcheck isn’t enough – read through it with a fine-toothed comb, and ask friends to proof it as well.

Recruiters have different opinions on format but, given that we’re typically looking over the information quickly, I go for simplicity. I don’t think it’s necessary to include an objective, though a brief summary is nice. (For example, “Accomplished advertising account services professional with 10+ years of B2B and B2C experience partnering with large brands.”) I prefer chronological rather than functional resumes. I want to see companies, keywords, bullet point accomplishments, titles, and dates - not paragraphs full of jargon. Make sure you include relevant accomplishments with lots of keywords, but don’t write a novel. You can discuss all of those details in an interview. Don’t make a recruiter go to the second page before they can see your current title and company.

I don’t believe in the “one-page-fits-all” mentality – if you’re not junior level, you shouldn’t have a one-page resume. Don’t cut out important accomplishments in order to keep it short. At the same time, don’t go overboard – resumes shouldn’t be over three pages long. Two is ideal for someone who is mid to senior level.

Keep cover letters short and to-the-point. I prefer them to be written directly into an email or message, not sent as an attachment. If you include a cover letter, make sure you tailor it to the individual. It’s embarrassing to send a cover letter to Traci that is addressed to Judy, or a note to Apple about how excited you are to work for IBM.

Above all, be truthful while showcasing your skills in the best possible light. This motto works well for resumes, and for life in general.

Is your resume ready for review and does it include some of the tips provided? What are some other tips that have worked for your resume?

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STOP PLAYING THE BLAME GAME

 

Anthony Paul Meindl, a stage and film actor is the founder and artistic director at the MetaTheatre Company and the Director's Workshop in Los Angeles, California. In this video he explains how we as people tend to avoid taking ownership of our actions or results by playing the blame game.

When I was in New York recently, I went out dancing with some friends and I tried to do a very "Dance Fever"-ish kind of move. The tightness of my jeans prevented me from getting as low as I could go so I got stuck somewhere in between. Awkward.

I blamed it on the jeans, which is what one does when one’s ass can’t get quite as low as it used to.

My friend, watching the whole escapade, rolled his eyes and said, “You can’t blame that on the jeans!

Busted.

I immediately realized that was a great metaphor for life.

It’s easy to blame outside forces for where we are (or aren’t) in life. In love. In career. Whether it’s too tight jeans or an agent (or zero agent) or a boyfriend (or lack thereof) or the business.  When we play the blame game, we simply refuse to take responsibility for what actually is holding us back.  Which is essentially . . . you.

People don’t hold us back. We hold ourselves back. There’s no force outside us. That idea suggests someone else is in charge of your happiness. Your creativity. Your self-expression. Your success.  The more we give up our power to external events and experiences, the more we get to remain the victim. We get to be stuck. We receive a pay-off in staying in stasis and not really doing anything to improve our situation.

I get it.  At times it’s easier to blame than to step up and face the fears we project onto others and onto external events. Doing that means we don’t have to examine our own insecurities, our own fearful thinking, our own self-imposed limitations. So we continue to experience more of what our own self-worth demands. And to be honest, our collectively low self-worth doesn’t demand a lot.

So we settle. Or complain. Or get angry. Or blame.

So who would we be without the blame?  Well try it and see for yourself. Even if everything doesn’t come up roses right away, there’s a freedom, a sense of empowerment in finally letting go of all the energy we’ve been expending toward blaming others.  It might feel like a sense of peace. Or resolution. Or lightness. In short, dropping the heaviness that we carry around with us and perhaps realizing, for the first time, that to not blame feels like . . . well . . . the jeans fit just right.

Instead of blaming outside forces on your undesired results, meditate on what you can change to support the results you would like to see.  Now, go try it!  Feel empowered?

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RECIPE FOR DEEP DOWN SUCCESS!

Photographer Van Rossen shares on his website modelingadvice.com, just what it takes to be a model, and it's surprisingly deeper than the surface!

Besides needing the physical requirements to be a model you also need a personality for it. Professional modeling is a tough business. Only certain people can stand up to the hard work schedule and stress that modeling demands. So what are some good traits for a model?

1) Love the Show - When you hear, 'It's show time' or 'Time for magic' do you come alive? If you love performing and being in front of an audience, whether it's a room full of people or the eye of the camera, you will enjoy modeling. If it is something you enjoy you are more apt to work hard at it, take greater risk, and work through the hardships that come along. If you love the work, you will love your life. If you hate the work, you'll be miserable.

2) Hard Working - Modeling takes a lot of hard work and stamina. A photo shoot can run as long as 16 hours and at all times of the day & night. Just getting a job can have you running all over town. And at the end of the day you still have to do all the stuff needed to keep you in shape and looking beautiful.

3) Projection - You need to be able to project your personality, your charisma, your charm, and your sex appeal. You need to be able to sell yourself to be able to sell the product.

4) Intelligent - There is a lot to learn about modeling, being an independent business person, about yourself and about surviving in a big world of sharks. If you can't learn it fast you could get eaten alive.

5) Extrovert - You will be constantly meeting new people and walking into new situations. You will be performing before strangers every day. You need to like new experiences, challenges, and meeting new people. If you are shy and reserved you will forever be uncomfortable modeling.

6) Good Self Esteem - Ok, so it doesn't hurt to be a little bit of an egomaniac. This industry is a real ego bruiser. Good self-esteem can help pick you up and get you through those tough times.

7) Ambition - For most, careers in modeling won't come easy. You will have to go through trials and tribulations before you achieve success. The ambition and desire to succeed and achieve your goals in modeling will help you over the temporary set backs that come along.

8) Self-Starter - As a model you are an independent businessperson in charge of your own career. You must be able to take charge of you. This includes your training, your physical upkeep, your professional practices, your finances, and your life.

9) In Control - You need to be able to control your health (size and fitness), your body for posing, your emotions for acting them out, and your life so you show up on time.

10) Organized - You have to keep track of your schedule, your finances, your modeling materials, and your body's up keep.

What is your best personality trait and how does it work to your advantage with modeling?

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HOW TO BECOME A FEARLESS ACTOR

Gwyn Gilliss, the founder and creator of the Actor's Market provides advice from backstage.com; on how to overcome your fear.  It is merely human nature to feel fear of the unknown and entertainment has an endless supply of both!  How can you learn to harness your natural fears to create something artistic and exciting?

Whether you are preparing an audition, or on your way to an interview with an agent and you suddenly have an attack of fear or doubt, how do you get over it?  What do you do?

First, recognize what fear is and where it comes from. Second, fight it the moment it raises its ugly head.

A client recently called me in tears. She was delighted with the idea of relaunching her career and coming back into the acting business after a hiatus to raise a family. Still a beautiful, vibrant, and talented woman, she was in a panic. Overwhelmed with the idea of getting new headshots, meeting new agents, auditioning when she hadn't been active in a while threw her into agony.

"Where does this morbid fear come from?" she asked. It comes from anticipation of failure and a negative outcome. It comes from the "What Ifs" – "What if they don't like me?" "What if the pictures turn out bad?" "What if I'm too old?" "Or not attractive enough?" "What if I spend all this money and I can't get an agent?"

Fear comes from living in a thought realm, an imagined future, that isn't real. It's only a thought, a negative thought, and it can be a habit if you’ve created negative thought patterns. You need to change the habit. Sometimes fear comes from the past when things didn't work out and the thought pattern – "This awful thing is going to happen again" – sets in. It's negative energy stored in your memory. It's also the old part of the brain we all have as humans. It's called the "Croc," "Mammalian," or "Lizard Brain" (the amygdala), the one that is always on edge waiting for a future event for you to be attacked or devoured by a Dinosaur.

Wait! There aren't any dinosaurs or monsters out there! It doesn't matter. The Lizard Brain doesn't know we’ve left the caves and there aren't any stalking animals, fires, floods, or volcanoes. The Lizard brain was dominant in our systems to protect us eons ago. Seth Godin writes in Quieting the Lizard Brain, “It hates change, achievement and risk.”

But those are the very qualities you need as an actor and a creative entrepreneur to be successful!

The good news? The more modern, intelligent, creative brain developed – the one responsible for science, math, writing, the arts, happiness, JOY! So all you have to do is tap into the more modern brain, and that is sometimes difficult because the Lizard Brain has dominance most of the time. Yes! Most human beings are walking around in a state of fear, doubt, and depression. It takes effort to change that condition. How to fight back? Think of something or someone you love – something that would make you happy!

For my client I advised her to think of the flip side of the previous "What Ifs." For example: "What if the photos come out strikingly beautiful?" "What if the interview goes well and the agent loves me?" "What if I'm really good at that audition?" "What if it all works and I book that guest-starring role?" "What if the investment in my career pays back times a thousand?"

Now wouldn't that make you happy? Right. That's using your modern, creative brain overriding the other circuit. And in the process of thinking about what you love, what will make you happy, you become a warrior who wins the battle! You trick the lizard into thinking everything is safe. If you do that daily, for 21 days, you create the habit of conquering the fear. YOU control your thoughts and your reality. So you control your success!

Just by thinking a thought about what you love, you stay in the creative brain.

Then, that brain releases endorphins and all kinds of happy chemicals so you feel better, function better, and accomplish everything easily and successfully! See? It's fun to outwit monsters!

Next time you're afraid to audition, return an agent's call, commit to that class, buy those gorgeous red shoes, or take any step to go forward in your career, call it what it is, Lizard Brain! And tell it to go away!

Yes, whistling a happy tune or just daydreaming about playing your dream roles, working with your ideal agent, or on the set with terrific A-List actors you admire, all those thoughts become your reality. Just do it – it works!

How do you control your "iizard brain" -- and in turn, control fear?

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YOUR HEALTH AND CAREER

When you think of the modeling industry, the thoughts that may come to mind is how stressful and competitive it may be. Your perspective would be on target, but Marcia of modelingjobshq.com shares her perspective on what to expect vs. what is marketed to us in a model's lifestyle.

Mental Requirements of Becoming a Model

Fashion models and aspiring fashion models don’t have to take written tests to work. The work can be very testing however. Models who work in television often have to pass speaking tests if they have “lines” to say in a commercial.

Understanding the goals of the people who hire models is essential to the success of any prospective model.

Why?  Team players get ahead. Prima donnas get work – for a while. Keep in mind that for every successful model there are literally thousands waiting for a turn. You can’t afford to be a prima donna unless and until you deserve it. Given equal physical attributes and knowledge, clients will choose those who are pleasant to work with versus those with an unjustified attitude.

Until you have been in front of the camera you cannot judge what work goes into the photographs or what the model has endured to get that great shot. Models must be strong enough to endure tough conditions, repulsive environments and less than dignified surroundings at times in their careers. Just ask a swimsuit model how many times those beach shots were taken in bitter cold temperatures!  A model must know and understand that being a model is very hard work! And a model must understand that there are many types of modeling besides fashion modeling.

Health Requirements of Becoming a Model  A model only looks good when they are in good health and take care of their bodies. This means always getting a good night’s sleep before a shoot. No one looks good with bags under their eyes (no matter how good the make-up is), and no one looks good suffering from a hangover either.  Drugs are a definite no no as well. The stories of wild parties and high drug use in the modeling industry are usually just rumors. No successful model would jeopardize a career just to get high. No one can look healthy when they are addicted or are a heavy user of any illegal drug.

How do you maintain your health to stay focused on set?

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GAINING THE MODELING ADVANTAGE!

Marcia an author from modelingjobshq.com, provides useful information about the importance of learning what type of modeling is right for you. Knowing this information may secure your delivery in audition and may set you apart from your competition. 

It is important for a prospective model to understand two ineluctable facts.  First the needs of the market determines what models are needed; and second, the prospective model should understand the type of model that they want to become.  By understanding the type of modeling you are interested in, you can learn what the requirements are and if you can meet them.

Understanding the divisions in modeling can also help in avoiding a rip off.  Most rip offs and bad business decisions happen when a wannabe model is thinking of one type of modeling (usually high fashion) and a scout, agent, photographer, etc. is recruiting for another.  The garment and beauty product industries are large users of models. People want to see what clothes or beauty products look like on a body. High-fashion, designer-label garments, are designed for what fashion designers view as the “ideal woman.”  In smaller markets fashion models often don’t meet these measurements. It is more important the look of being tall and slender be there and that the sample clothes fit. The “look” can run from classic beauty to some extreme looks for fashion magazine editorial.

If you are going to work in front of the camera you need to be photogenic and you can’t know [if you are] until you do a test shoot. This doesn’t mean you need to rush out and find a photographer. If you are photogenic in snap shots that have been taken of you, chances are that you will be in front of a professional photographer as well.

What type of model do you want to be?  What type of modeling is a good fit for you according to industry standards?

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JOE ESTEVEZ'S ADVICE FOR ACTORS

David Patrick Green, a private acting coach and entrepreneur, had the pleasure of speaking with the well known actor Joe Estevez. During their conversation, Joe shared information from his 30 years of experience in acting and gives insight on how to have a long lasting career within the industry.

As with most secrets in life, being a talent boils down to "things your mother told you." Even though he might not tell you this, I would say that one of the reasons Estevez has been successful must be due to the fact that he is such a kind and generous man. Actors take note!

He boils his success down to the following three factors.

1. Positive Thinking. Estevez has acted since high school. At first, he didn't take it that seriously and not much happened for him Shortly after returning from military service, he lost nearly everything and found himself in a small, sparsely furnished room in the Hollywood Hills wondering where his next meal would come from. He was feeling dejected. Fortunately for him, the Beatles had begun experimenting with meditation and positive thinking as a result of their exposure to some of the gurus in the Far East. Estevez decided to immerse himself in any material he could find on the subject of positive thinking. He turned it into a way of life. Everything suddenly changed. A small movie role turned into a huge voiceover contract. He noticed that if he kept the positive energy flowing, he didn’t have to look for work. Work was finding him.

2. Commitment. Estevez wasn't always an actor. After returning from military service, he moved back to Ohio and started doing factory work, which he soon found he hated. Taking a leave of absence from the factory, he left for California and never looked back. He committed himself completely to his craft. He said humans need to open themselves to all of the possibilities of life. We are a spiritual entity far more than a physical one. If you set a timetable for yourself, if you give yourself an out or have a backup plan, eventually you will take it and never realize your true potential. You have to be willing to ride the highs and lows. He believes the universe recognized his commitment to acting and the results were inevitable.

3. Helping Others Without Reservation. Estevez believes that if you read for a part and you can think of someone else who might be good for it (despite you wanting that job), you must tell them about it. The universe will reward you, not necessarily how you might think, but the reward will come. Wish other people well. While it can be difficult, the practice of being happy for others can help us pass through negativity. Joe believes he is often hired because he is easy to work with and people enjoy being around him more than anything else.

Estevez realized another reason he kept getting work was that people kept referring him for projects. He started to realize that if you treated everyone well, everyone would always be happy to recommend you. So from the gaffers to the grips, to the casting director and the production assistants, Joe treats everyone with equal import. As they say, your reputation precedes you.

One final piece of advice I got from Estevez - and this may be a downer to some - is that you have to "live" life. He believes that if he hadn't felt dejectedness and lived in squalor, he wouldn't have realized the need for extreme positivity. You have to face your demons to destroy them.

The only real regret I could get out of him is he wishes he had been nicer to people, including his first and second wives. He said that if someone had told him at eighteen this was the life he was going to have, he would have taken it in a second. To me, that is the real sign of success and a complete person. The trappings of fame and fortune do not make you happy inside. They do not reveal, but instead disguise the truth. It is what is inside that really counts. And Estevez's insides are made of gold.

Are you really living your life in a way that will aid your career?

 

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THE MUST HAVE CAREER SITES

Taryn Southern, provides great advice from backstage.com; on what websites are best to use in today's marketplace. Whether the goal is to socialize, promote your work, or just to be current with the latest trending technology, these sites are worth considering. 

Q.: I want to start building a presence online, but I’m so overwhelmed I don’t even know where to start. Do I need to have a Twitter page? What are the “must haves”?

A.: There are no musts, and maintaining a social media presence simply isn’t of interest to some talent. But if you want to optimize your brand, industry relationships, and work opportunities, you should strongly consider investing your time and energy in the following sites:  

Facebook Fan Page Unlike a personal Facebook page, a fan page is a place where you can safely and shamelessly promote your work without confusing potential fans and collaborators with photos of you knocking back margaritas last Friday. Once you create an account, upload your headshots, press photos, and demo reel, and update the page with posts about new projects.

Personal website This is the only platform over which you have complete control. That said, a crappy site is worse than no site at all. Make sure it looks professional, can be viewed on a mobile device (no Flash!), and contains the following: contact info, résumé, reels, short bio, social media links, and photos. 

YouTube Account Even if you’re not out there making your own videos, you can still benefit from having a channel page that showcases your demos and/or clips of your work. If there are videos or trailers already on YouTube with you in them, you can create playlists so these videos will automatically show up on your landing page. Confused?  Head to my channel, and check out how I organize my playlists.

Twitter It’s hard to explain the benefits of Twitter to people who don’t actively use it and engage with the community, but it can be a wonderful tool for self-expression, branding, and even networking. It’s the one platform where you can easily reach out to pretty much anyone, as well as read about last-minute filming opportunities, screenings, and events. If you’re going to make the leap, just make sure you learn and abide by proper Twitter etiquette.  

Before you get started on any of these platforms, make sure you register one name across the board (e.g., my Twitter, Facebook, and website pages are named TarynSouthern) to avoid confusion. 

Caution:  taking on too many new sites at once could cause you to feel overwhelmed.  Pick only a couple to start with and commit to becoming comfortable on those chosen platforms before adding new accounts.  And have fun with your social medias!  Just like in the casting room, the industry is drawn to those who express positive ideas and thoughts relevant to our interests!

What social media platforms are you already comfortable using?  How have you already benefited from them?

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