The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

THREE OF THE BEST TIPS

 

Amy Jo Berman, a successful Casting Director for 18 years in Los Angeles shares these three acting tips using the great actress Lena Dunham as her muse and inspiration.

1. Be Yourself. I know you’ve heard that a million times. But truth, isn’t Lena just the embodiment of that? She doesn’t have the traditional size 0 body that most female leading women have in Hollywood. (By the way, when did 0 actually become a real size? That just seems wrong.) In fact, she regularly parades around naked on “Girls” despite the fact that she’s not “perfect”. And yet, she doesn’t seem to have a care in the world about it. And it certainly has not limited her success in any way.

She doesn’t think, act, look, or talk the way our common perception of a leading lady in Hollywood “should." And yet, there she is. So how is it that she is such a success? This leads us to…

2. Follow Your Passion. Lena did not sit idly by and complain about her crappy agent and wonder why she was NOT a success. What she did do was CREATE. She wrote and created shorts and did creative projects. This led her to create her indie film “Tiny Furniture” which she wrote, directed, and starred in. That film led her to her deal at HBO, which led to “Girls” and here we are.

What is YOUR lesson in this? Do what you’re passionate about while being yourself. Maybe that’s filmmaking. Maybe it’s writing. Maybe it’s totally outside of entertainment. Maybe you like baking pies. Whatever it is, do it passionately and with joyful enthusiasm while being you.

As a casting director, what I noticed from meeting thousands of actors over the years, was that many of the ones that were the most successful always had something else fulfilling and creative in their lives. I’ve talked to actors who had antique businesses, who are passionate about doll-making, skydiving, owned and rented out villas in the Italian Riviera, record MP3 meditation CDs, etc. The list goes on and on.

So, do those passions guarantee a successful career as an actor? No. There are no guarantees in show business. The only thing they guarantee is that you will be way more interesting, more passionate, and more creative and connect with way more passionate, interesting, and creative people in your life AND career.

Do you think that that passion and flowing creativity might give you an edge in your next audition or meeting over the other actors out there who aren’t?

My experience says a resounding YOU BETCHA!

3. Make Authentic Connections When Meeting “Players." When I was working on the L.A. casting of the pilot for "Girls," there was one thing that certain actors did that lit Lena up like a Christmas tree. If you do this regularly, you will give yourself a great advantage in this business.

Find out a little about the people in the room BEFORE you get in there. Sure, it's easy to know about the Aaron Sorkins and JJ Abrams of the world and all their projects.

But many times, when you audition for a pilot, the Creators are NOT that well known, like Lena Dunham when we did the “Girls” pilot. For goodness sakes, GOOGLE THEM! IMDB THEM! Find out what you can.  

Will it get you the part? Probably not. But will it make the beginnings of a CONNECTION with a mover/shaker in this industry? Abso-freakin-lutely!

Lena lit up like a Christmas tree when someone came in to our producer sessions to audition and genuinely told her what a fan they were of "Tiny Furniture."

Genuinely.

Be genuine.

Be authentic.

Don't kiss up.

Just do your homework and find a bridge to make a connection or just make someone's day.

Keep planting seeds like that and watch the amazing harvest you will have in your career.

These three simple ideas can change your perspective; can change how you are received and viewed; and can change the direction of your career to a smoother and more fulfillling road!  Which idea might be the most difficult for you to implement?

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USING TECHNOLOGY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

As you prepare updating your audtion tapes, Youtube videos and ect., here's an option you may want to consider. The following advice comes to us from Sean Kane, who gives us some insight into perfecting a taped audition by boosting the quality of your technology.

Cell phone cameras are getting better every year, and while they still pale in comparison to purpose-built cameras, you can shoot decent video using an iPhone. However, most iPhone footage you'll find online is shaky, underexposed and too blurry to watch. But with a few simple steps, you'll be able to shoot passable footage with any modern smartphone. The iPhone 5's camera can record high definition video in 1080p and also has built in image stabilization, so it's certainly capable of recording high-quality footage. But unlike an actual camera, shooting on a smartphone grants you a lot less control and stability when shooting, so you'll need to figure out a way to keep your phone steady in order to capture as much light as possible from the iPhone's small sensor. First, since your "camera" is so small and light, you'll want something to secure it in place while you're shooting. If your hands are steady, you could probably keep the phone stable for decent shooting. But for the best results, you'll want some sort of tripod. With a little creativity, you can make your own tripod to hold your phone with some combination of household objects and rubber bands. You can also buy a cheap mount system that will attach a smartphone to any tripod for about $15, or for the fancier, the iStabilizer Dolly is a great option. Downloading an iPhone video app will also improve your footage. The Camera app that comes with iPhones is very basic, and specially made video apps, like FiLMic Pro, give you a lot more control over how you're capturing images. For $3.99, FiLMic pro offers three different modes for focus and exposure, allows you to shoot with different frame rates, use different aspect ratios (4:3, 19:9, 2:35.1) and even features an audio meter so you can see how loud your footage is while you shoot. Before you shoot, make sure to back up your existing photos and videos on your phone somewhere. You'll need the extra storage space in the phone so you'll be able to shoot for as long as possible. Finally, always shoot horizontally. Shooting vertically will give you tall, skinny footage that won't fit nicely on any screen (and give away the fact that you're shooting on your phone).

Successful talent in the southeastern markets are highly mobile, moving from market to market as the work dictates -- sometimes on short notice!  Travel-friendly technology is one way to be sure you don't miss any great opportunities and traveling light is always preferable.  Unfortunately, talent are not always up on the latest gadgets or technology, and it reflects in their auditions.  Which tip helps you perfect your taped auditions most?

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PARENTAL TIPS FOR CHILD ACTORS

Pamela Goldman, a Youth Commercial Agent provides advice for parents who have children who aspire to act. 

Most of the time, the process by which work is secured is easy. Agents send out appointments, and actors prepare for the audition and do their best to book. However, in the youth market, there are things that parents should remember so we can always remain on the same page without encountering any problems.

1. Stay out of the child-actor gossip grapevine. The waiting room of a casting office can be an interesting place. Some parents love showing off their children, discussing what they’ve booked, and loudly coaching them on the material. It is easy to overhear the parents who compare their child’s audition ratio to others, or mention what their agent is sending them out on. My advice is to go to the audition with your child and bring a book or an iPod and stay out of everyone’s business. A lot of things can be misinterpreted, misconstrued, and can turn off even the most positive and supportive parent and child. Calling the agent after overhearing comments, which may be hearsay and may not be relevant, is a distraction and is not appreciated. Information relevant to your child’s audition will be disseminated by the casting director and feedback will come from the agent.

2. If you live on the East Coast, it's not necessary to move to L.A. right away. One of the most consistent frustrations we deal with is new clients thinking that in order to be a “star,” they have to pick up and move across the country. It is very intense to take your child out of school and alter their daily routine and chances are – in all reality – that moving there without a manager or any credits could end up fruitless. A good rule of thumb is to give your representation a solid year or two before making the leap if that’s the end goal. Let your agent cultivate relationships for you, get some nice credits on your resume, and find a manager to help you through the daunting task of West Coast activity. As well, in this age of technology, it has become easier for an actor to book L.A. television series and film roles from the comfort of their own homes with tools like Skype or your taping room.

3. Don’t lose faith in us. As youth agents, our main goal is to develop young talent so they can graduate to become successful adult actors. If we are keeping you on the client list, we have faith in you. We believe that one day (hopefully soon!) we will get that call that you booked your first commercial or guest star role. As discussed in past columns, this business isn’t easy and will take time. We need our clients to keep the faith that we are working hard every day and are doing our best to make things happen. Even if you haven’t had an audition in a month, chances are that we’ve pitched you for potential jobs a good number of times within that period, and if it were up to us to choose, we’d send you out on every appointment possible. We believe in you, so believe in us that the commitment we’ve made is important to us.

Heeding advice from an outside party when it comes to the success of your child's career is one of the hardest things a parent has to do in the world of entertainment.  Last year, for example, The Avenue Agency had a child actor seen for a major soon-to-be released movie.  The child had been overcoached and it showed in the initial audition.  When the parent finally learned to step back and let the child do what they were there to do, the pieces fell into place.  The child actor ended up working alongside major celebrities.  The parent's still struggle not to get caught up in the industry heresay from other talent parents, other agents, and a variety of other opinions, but their experience keeps them focused and driven to support their child. 

Aside from child actors and models, this is also great advice to heed for the adult actor!  The same is true about not getting caught up in the casting room showmanship or gossip meant to intimidate the competition.  It's true that an agency committed to your best interest believes in you long before he/she ever gets paid.  Honoring that commitment and showing that you are doing your part to help the partnership is crucial to your long term relationship and success -- minor or legal adult!

How do you show your agent that you value their hard work and your partnership?

UNDERSTANDING RESUMES AND HEADSHOTS

Commercial Print Instructor, Scott Powers provides us with an understanding of the resume and headshot controversy.

There has been this lingering great controversy/debate simmering under the surface that needs to be addressed once and for all.  Closure.  End of discussion. 

Namely, how to attach your résumé to your headshot.
 
Assuming you have a dynamite glow-in-the-dark headshot that looks just like you on your best day AND is 8"x10", in color, matte finish (not glossy), with borders and name on front; you would like to keep the elegance of your promotional material.  Interestingly enough, a bad job of attaching your trimmed 8"x10" résumé can gum up the works, pun intended.  And cheapen the product - you.  What are the options, plusses and minuses?
 
1.       Glue stick.  No.  Glue sticking a   résumé can dry out and a résumé separates and floats to the bottom of a file drawer, joining the other orphan résumés bearing traces of glue stick.
 
2.       Rubber cement.  Will create more wrinkles and lumps than you ever thought.  Old before its time.  How you will look when you're 85.
 
3.       Staples.  Long considered the industry approach.  Often because they are not aware of a better, simpler, more elegant alternative. [Coming up on that.]  Think about this: you have a beautiful headshot and it gets punched through by clunky staples.  AND, if you update your résumé and remove the old staples, then add more staples and more holes.  Starts to look a bit chewed up.  Also, a hard copy headshot/résumé could get filed in a file drawer usually overstuffed with other headshots/ résumés.  Forced in, ripped out.  And every other one in front and behind yours gets the same treatment.
 
What, oh, what to do in these perilous times to solve this crisis?
 
4.       Permanent double-sided Scotch tape.  1" on each corner is all it takes.  No lumps, no bumps.  If you have to replace your résumé, just peel off the old one, put the new one on.  AND, it preserves the elegance of your costly headshot.   Beware: there is now a removable double sided Scotch tape version now on the market.  Be careful not to buy this by mistake.  It will not hold your resume and make for résumé rage.  Make sure what you buy is permanent double sided Scotch tape.  Staples has it; Duane Reade has the one you don't want.
 
As they say, the devil is in the details.  People are either consistently superior on all fronts, or consistently mediocre on all fronts, or consistently substandard on all fronts.  Being consistently superior on all fronts presents a professional actor, one that shows that they are competitive and hirable.  This is just one little contributing factor that cumulatively adds to your luster.
 
Of course, this advice is only helpful generally speaking.  There are always cases where a particular casting director will rather you use staples or some other method, so always follow the advice of your agent prior to an audition. 

Does your presentation meet the standard that makes us happy to pass your headshot along to the decision maker?

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HEY, GREAT HEADSHOT!!

Nancy Berwid, the founder and acting teacher of First Take; provides teaching and coaching for aspiring actors so that they can advance in their careers while in Los Angeles. Nancy, who is known best for her insight about the industry, has provided insight into what makes a great headshot.

So what is a good headshot?

A good headshot captures your essence, your uniqueness, your personality, and your specific type.  It makes it easy for a Casting Director or agent to see what roles you would be right for.   A good headshot looks like you.  It should not be overly glamorized, and you should [always] look like your headshot when you walk into the casting office.  If your headshot has been airbrushed to make you look ten years younger and you can’t produce the same look in the audition, the Casting Director will not be amused.  In their mind you just wasted their time and took a time slot another actor could have filled.

A good headshot shows your face but your entire face doesn’t fill 100% of the frame either.   A good headshot has good lighting, is in focus, does not distract with odd clothing, costumes, patterns, accessories, or any other potential oddity that could take the attention off of you.  The headshot should be pleasing to look at and convey information about the actor, such as a specific type that could be easily cast right now.  The goal should be to move the Casting Director to say something like, “I could see her playing______”.

Taking the time to ensure you have a good headshot is crucial to your success.  Your headshot is the first impression you make and can open or close doors to casting quickly; but it is also the LAST impression you leave when decision makers are ready to book.  If they feel confident that you are professional and the perfect fit, they may pass on another talent with a less professional or reassuring headshot -- even if that other talent may have given a better read in the casting room.  By this point, nuances in delivery have been long forgotten!   Nancy gave great suggestions to consider while working towards getting headshots taken or retaken.

Do your headshots set you apart?

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ADVICE FROM AN HBO CASTING DIRECTOR

Amy Jo Berman, a successful Casting Director for 18 years in Los Angeles; has 14 years of experience as the Vice President of casting with HBO. Amy has been a part of castings for over 150 films, mini-series and episodic series. Many of her cast have won Emmy & Golden Globe awards.

Amy's advises the actor on what is best to do during an auditon.

 

 

For more video post from Amy Jo Berman, follow this link TipsOnActing for her YouTube Channel!

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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?

 

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