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.
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 operativeTony 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?
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?
"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!
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!
Yes, I’m writing about why you DIDN’T get the part. Yes,
even though your audition was amazing and you were totally on your game
and you lit up the room with creative acting genius, you still
might not get the part. I know, I know…you’re probably thinking, but
Amy, you are always so positive. Why are you talking about something
negative?
First, it’s not negative to understand why you didn’t get a job
because it will free your mind of all that monkey-mind chatter that
happens when you find out you didn’t get it. Second, and this is the
important part so pay attention, it doesn't matter. By the end of this
article, I hope you understand that.
Since this is one of the most frequently asked questions I receive
and the one that hangs you up the most and twists you into knots as an
actor and a creative being, let’s get into it.
Based on my years and years of experience as a casting director in
film and television, these are some of the reasons you didn’t get the
part.
1. You’re too tall.
2. You’re too short.
3. You’re too pretty.
4. You’re not pretty enough.
5. You’re too fat.
6. You’re too thin.
7. You’re too blonde.
8. You’re not blonde enough.
9. You’re too old.
10. You’re too young.
11. You’re too serious.
12. You’re too funny.
13. You look too much like the lead.
14. You don’t look enough like the lead.
15. You’re taller than the lead.
16. You’re shorter than the lead.
17. You remind the producer of his sister, and he hates his sister.
18. You are too ethnic.
19. You are not ethnic enough.
20. You were the first one to read that day.
21. You were the last one to read that day.
22. You’re more like the best friend than the lead.
23. You’re more of a lead than the best friend.
24. You’re too character-y.
25. You’re not character-y enough.
26. You look like the director’s wife and he had a fight with his wife right before he left the house this morning.
Okay, this is a small sample of the some of the reasons you didn’t
get the part. Have you heard any of these after one of your
non-bookings? Can you tell what the one common thread is among this
small sampling of reasons?
None of these are within your control. NONE.
Yes, of course there are many other things that are within
your control . . . but these are the ones that drive you crazy. Right?
What you must understand is that your only job in an audition is to
do your best work. Everything else is not up to you. The role you are
reading for is one piece of an entire jigsaw puzzle. It must fit with
the rest of the puzzle or the puzzle won’t work. The casting director,
producer, and director are fitting pieces of the puzzle together all day
long. Your only job is to be the best “piece” you can be. Whether your
edges fit in the slot for that piece is not up to you.
Just go to your audition. Do your best and let it go. If you’re good,
they will remember you. And the next time you hear one of those things,
remember these words, let a knowing smile creep over your face, and go
enjoy your day!
Amy Jo Berman is former Vice President of Casting at HBO and for
14 years has overseen the casting of over 150 films, mini-series, and
series. She is the founder of Audition Polish,
a membership-based audition coaching program that has helped actors
around the globe nail their auditions on the first take. Using her 18+
years of technical audition experience in the casting room, Amy has
helped thousands of actors with her tele-classes, private coaching,
workshops, and seminars. Amy loves staying in touch with actors on
social media. Watch her video acting tips on Youtube, join her Tips On Acting community on Facebook and get her VIP event updates here.
Before you storm the castle with swords ablazing, do know who guards the gate? He or she is more than you might give them worth! Who is the gate keeper, you ask? He or she is the person you go through in order to get in contact with the actual person you are seeking. This might be a coach, a casting director, an agent, a director, or someone at an ad agency. That person answering the phone, responding to emails, or setting appointments can be your best friend or worst enemy. Usually, that choice is up to you!
We encounter gate keepers in our every day life, which is a great forum for practice. If you trip up and lose your temper, it's better done with a postal worker than with someone that might hold the power to help move your career forward. Keep in mind that whomever you are first exposed to when seeking someone's attention, they are not just a receptionist or assistant. Anyone who has ever had an assistant or similar help can tell you how important that person becomes to the employers' daily success. In sales, one of the first things we are taught is how to communicate with our friend, the gate keeper.
An industry professional shared this story with me recently: My assistant was out on leave temporarily, so I was answering her emails. One of them was from [names will be spared, so we'll call him/her Tracy]. The email was very hateful and demanding about why they hadn't been able to set an appointment with me. The emailer accused my assistant of being incompetent.
Of course, this simple action put Tracy immediately in bad graces with his/her
hopeful new relationship. If and when they ever meet, every action afterward will be tainted with the reminder that Tracy lacked tact and professionalism. If they never get to meet, it will only be Tracy's own fault. Sadly, Tracy probably won't ever know why.
We all tend to be on our best behavior with those people with whom we want to maintain a positive relationship and show our best face. Sadly, we don't always share that same respect with their staff and helpers. Change your perspective to approaching those who can help your career -- right along with their entire staff and circle of acquaintances -- with the utmost respect. A friendly gate keeper on your side can ease the transition to getting what you really want in the end!
