The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

AUDITIONING CAN BE FUN . . .

. . . If you don't try to make it painful.  Sure, there's a small chance that someone else might be short with you while having a bad day, but we have all been there and can understand feeling frustrated with things out of our control.

  

1.) Come into the audition room looking happy to be there. Know the difference between confident, cocky, and on the other end of the spectrum, desperation.

2.) As terrible as it is to not follow through on your commitment, it's worse to no show.  If you cannot make the audition, let your agent know. The client is handed an audition sheet with each actor's name and time on it. Taking back to the office the sheet with a big NS (for No Show) next to your name . . . well, what do you think you would do with that name in the future?

3.) Get solid training! Know how to act! Seeing an actor struggling through their small bag of tricks with all the quick fixes they've been told will get them through safely (but doesn't) is painful.

4.) Your audition begins when you walk in our building. A passing comment from the guy behind the desk in the lobby carries more weight that you imagine. Some industry say your audition begins five blocks from the casting studio. Learn to zip the lip. Eyes and ears are everywhere. And these days, could also be recording you.

5.) If you have to wait to audition, don't get huffy. If the client wants to take an unexpected break, we take a break. It's also a business ploy, to deliberately make someone wait, just to see how they handle it. Stay cool at all times and always look pleasant.

SPRING INTO A NEW SEASON!

It's that time of the year again! The weather gets warmer, the people get nicer, and you're getting out of your hibernation period. NOW is the time to wipe the crud from your eyes and turn a fresh eye towards your career.
 
Just like spring cleaning, you need to take out the Pledge, Windex, and Pine Sol and start scrubbing.
 
If you really want to change your career, start making the clean steps and make it happen.
 
1.)  Clean your room, clean your office space. You'll do your work better, you'll think clearer, and make your mom proud.         DISCLAIMER: Having a clean place might make friends come by more often.
2.)  Clean up your resume. Take off some older credits, update them with new ones. Play around with the format and font if         you're feeling adventurous.
3.)  Headshots have that Sepia color? CLEAN it up! Look for a photographer you like and schedule an appointment.
4.)  Update your training. Everyone knows that the two halves of this business are "What You Know" and "Who You Know".         Get the best of both worlds with some brand new classes.
5.)  Clean up your look! Take hold of that love/hate relationship you have with the mirror and tell it whose boss! Guys:         Check your hair style & facial hair. Ladies: Make-up. If you're planning to make a change, this is the best time of the         year to do it.
6.)  Whatcha Wearin'? Whether you are a starving actor or not, there's no need to look like one! Buy a couple new outfits         and show them off to the world.
 
To say again - people get nicer when the weather turns from winter to warm. Have you noticed yourself smiling more now that it's sunny? You're not the only one! Everyone is in a good mood, especially this industry!
 
The southeast is the busiest it's been in a decade and NOW is the time for you to claim your stake. Open the windows and get fresh some fresh air - Motivate yourself!
 
Just a few little Clean-Up steps that can make all the difference when giving yourself and your career a refresh.

WHAT'S YOUR SPEED LIMIT?

We've broached several ways that actress Colleen Wainwright sees actors around here tripping themselves up, including being overly needy, not accepting responsibility for moving their career forward, and refusing to listening to the sage advice.  Sometimes you can find the excitement you're looking for in some other vehicle than you might expect, as Top Gear's host, Jeremy Clarkson, shows us.

 

In our society, we are quickly trained to expect what we want, when we want it.  Breaking that expectation is much easier said than done!  Even those who show extreme patience have a hard time not wanting their big break to happen right now. It's understandable, since everything a talent works for is so abstract and seemingly intangible.  There will always be something bigger to continue working for, which makes the journey seem endless.  The good news?  It is endless!  Allowing yourself to accept the fact that the journey itself is the continuum of pursuing your craft could relieve some pressure and anxiety.  Reminding yourself every day of that fact is a must in order to keep the focus and avoid the fear.  In Colleen's words . . .

4. Moving too fast.

The worst thing may be nothing ever happening for you, but the second worst thing is having the exact, right thing happen to you before you're ready.

It's good to keep stretching; it's dangerous to go too far, too fast. Practice patience. Take the time to ground yourself—in your work, in your process, in your tools, in your life. You want your breaks coinciding with readiness.

Every time a talent presses to move farther than their skill set and experience allows, long term damange is done.  As an agent, I've watched talent demand to audition for roles they were not suited for or able to deliver on.  Not being able to see that is frustrating from the talent's perspective.   Hearing a casting director say they no longer want to see a talent for any role is heart-breaking from the agent's perspective. 

Take a deep breath and reassure yourself that there is a time and place for everything.  Your determination and willingness will allow your craft to grow . . . and those great opportunities for which you pine will present themselves when the timing is right.  And only then, will you be ready to use them as a stepping stone to something bigger and more exciting.   Until then, continue to appreciate the opportunities you have and the time to build your skill set and knowledge.  Growing isn't always easy, but it will always find reward!

CAN YOU HEAR IT?

 

Our acting friend, Colleen, will tell you that the third common way that talent mistakenly get in their own way is by not being able to listen.  Most talent can hear, but being able to take what we hear and then actively listen is a different matter.  She refers to this as "Special Snowflake Syndrome," and it comes down to being able to acknowledge an idea, think critically about it, and then take action on the idea (or parts of the idea) that will help you move forward in your career.  In her words . . .

I am about as stubborn as they come. And there's a place for all kinds of stubbornness, from grim determinism to relentless optimism—it takes grit and a certain willingness to overlook the overwhelming odds against success in this crazy business of show.

But failing to observe protocol or established rules of etiquette is dumb. At best, it makes you look foolish; at worst, it angers people. People have lo-o-ong memories when they've been angered.

Sometimes, doing the wrong thing happens out of ignorance (which is another good reason not to move too fast). If you know you're doing the wrong thing and decide to do it anyway—which is totally your prerogative—don't be surprised if you end up paying a price.

No one who supports your career wants you to "pay any price;" least of all yourself!  We all go to great lengths as humans to avoid pain or negative repercussions.  Your career is no different. 

Made a mistake due to being naive?  Address the issue directly with the person who was harmed or affected by your malevolence and ask directly how you can make it right.  Then be willing to go the extra mile to repair the damage and acknowledge that it isn't going to be a quick fix.  Feelings take time and continued effort to be repaired when a relationship has been hurt.  Be willing to take action for as long as it takes to show your changed ways.

If harm was done by choice, it may be a different scenario and the harmed individual or company may be less receptive to your well intended efforts.  In this case, the best you can do is commit to make it right should the opportunity arise and change your ways before enemies become common.  There are talent whose name is mentioned along with an eye roll or deep sigh merely because everyone in the industry around them knows what kind of person they are to work with.  Will they not get work?  Not necessarily.  They may still be hired, but only as a last resort and no one will go out of their way to make their day on set any more positive than they absolutely must, which continues the bad wrap. 

Advice isn't always warranted.  It isn't always easy to hear.  And it doesn't always give us confidence and motivation.  What advice DOES, however, is give you room to grow and build a career.  Heed it only from industry professionals and don't miss the opportunity to take action and show commitment to your professionalism and craft!

WHO IS TO BLAME?

The answer is simply "no one".  There is responsibility to be had on all sides!

The second common industry mistake made by talent according to our long term actress friend, Colleen, brings up some good questions!  Have you handed over the authority to move your career forward to the hands of fate?

No, you don't have your own TV network or movie studio. (Arguably, that's a good thing these days.) You cannot just create yourself a lead role or series regular gig with a wave of your hand, and no matter how much better you think life used to be (e.g. under the studio system or some other mythical golden age), you never could.

There is certainly some luck involved in having a long and successful career in the arts. But if you look at most of the people who made it, there's a lot of hustle involved. They didn't have some agent ride in on a winged unicorn, nor did they land ONE magical role that made them.  It took work to get the right pieces in place.  Or they landed several roles after a lot of busting hump.

Control what you can. Pick a month—any month—and get cracking on something. And never stop. Ever.

(For those too young to recognize She-ra, catch up on your vintage cartoons, please.)

As a talent, there are things you cannot control, but focusing on those things will keep you right where you are now.  Move forward -- and grasp the things that you can control.  What are those things?  Well, this blog has already answered that question many times over.  Check out these posts for more ideas and then think outside of the box and create your own.

Innovation and creativity are the things that draw you to being a talent, so tap into them for the longevity and sake of your career!

DO YOU HAVE A HOBBY OR A CAREER?

 

The building blocks to a career in entertainment may not be clearly lined out by our business-oriented society, but they are nontheless clear stair steps to reach your full potential, the same as you would build on your knowledge, training, and natural skills in the corporate office environment.  Are you building a career or mistakenly spinning your wheels with a hobby?

A well-known Casting Director in New York recently confided that many actors she runs across treat acting as a hobby rather than as a career. Just to make sure you're not really treating acting as a hobby and not realizing it, take this little test. Write down succinct answers; be honest; no cheating. And no just looking over the blanks.  You have to fill them in using pen or pencil, so print this out and get to work!
 
Are you always reachable within 30 minutes, if not immediately?     _______________
Do you currently have representation?     _______________
Are you known to show up on time?  Do you always?    ______________
Are your headshots professional?  Do you regularly recieve compliments on them from industry people?  _______________
Do you have a competitive nature?    _______________
Are you knowledgeable about the industry, industry contacts, and current events?   __________
Do you keep your skills honed and continuously growing?    _______________
Can industry professionals expect you to go the extra mile?  Are you considered low maintenance?  (Hint:  If you haven't been told directly by one of your industry contacts that you are "low maintenance," you cannot say yes to this question.)  _____________
Have you ever given an excuse?      _______________
Is your résumé growing, changing, and updated with your agent and online profiles?    _______________
Do you have an attitude that makes people smile when they see you coming?   _______________
Are you actively following up on your industry pursuits?  _______________
How many hours each week are devoted to career?  ______________
 
Now you know what to do. So make sure you do it, not just think it!

And who benefits?  YOU DO!

And what benefits?  YOUR career!

Hobby actors can benefit from knowing answers to these questions as well.  The main idea in this blog is to send a wake up call to talent who are pursuing the industry as a career and dropping the ball in one or two of these places.  However, when utilized properly, hobby actors can have great success in the industry without pursuing a career, too, of course!

So, do you have a hobby or a career?

CHANGE

There's this change . . .

. . . and a different kind of change.

In the words of CD Scott Powers:

We had the pleasure of having two very different actors in our office today.  One was an established actor who has made his living acting for many years. He even qualified for insurance through his union!  His personality lit up the room; his acting was well-crafted; great headshots; very knowledgeable about the industry. He was a winner all around and when he left, you felt energized for his being here. The "essence" he left was palpable. We felt great!
 
Another "actor" also came in later that day. He darkened our doorstep; a thundercloud over his head, complete with a permanent bolt of lightning. He shuffled in and slumped in a chair, absorbing all light and energy that came his way. He was obviously unhappy.  We already knew in advance he was high maintenance.  In the course of the conversation, he told us that he was a professional; he said he knew the business; he said he was serious about his career; he even told us that he had "great" headshots (because the photographer told him so).  (That made everyone's eyes invisibly roll!)  He never stopped complaining or challenging everything around him, blaming everything and everybody. And when he left, we felt drained.  No wonder he had no representation.  Still at square one after all these years.
 
The point is this sad sack had been told by a number of respected industry professionals what to do to get his career off the ground. He ignored all wisdom.   Either he didn't believe the sage advice of his mentors or he didn't want to change his behavior.
 
Bingo.
 
Everything the industry tries to instill in an actor to be better -- i.e., more successful -- requires some degree of behavior modification. Even taking a class is all about change, right?  This all requires continuous effort and cannot be done overnight.  A tough assignment in today's climate of expecting instant everything (the old star by Friday expectation).
 
Want to be successful?  Learn to change.   Enjoy the journey. Think of yourself as an athlete in training, because you are!  There are many qualified professionals who strive to help make you successful.  They earnestly want you to succeed. Part of your job is to let them tell you what to change.  The other part of your job is to implement their recommendations. It will take time. But it is guaranteed that you and your career will benefit for the rest of your life.

Even working in a small market I hear talent tell me how professional they are and how skilled they are, but then their actions don't match their talk.  It's human nature to think the best of ourselves.  If you hear industry people give the same or similar advice more than once, it's golden - take note!  Consider yourself a good listener?  Perhaps you are, but even good listeners need a reminder to follow through with action.  Good intent is just as distructive as a lack of personal effort in the entertainment business.

What kind of change have you been needing to make?  When are you going to do it?

SET YOUR SIGHTS: THE MENTOR

Who is helping you fly?

Tip 7 - get a coach or mentor or both

One of the biggest differences between the Olympian who succeeds and the one who doesn't even make it to the Olympics is often the difference in quality of his/her coach or mentor. The coach/mentor is outside of the day-to-day activity and can provide a cool outsider's perspective about what needs to be done and/or can bring to the table ideas and concepts outside the athlete's awareness or current level of experience.

The resources and coaches available to you depending on your market will vary greatly.  If no coach in your market is challenging you -- or better yet, if you become too comfortable working with one individual -- branch out.  Some coaches are willing to work with talent via Skype.  Or ask your agent for a referral; their network may be more developed.  Working with several different coaches is imperative to your success, but the key here is that the outside perspective will keep you moving forward and build not only your skill set, but also your confidence!

The same is true for business. When selecting a coach/mentor, ,it's important to be sure you choose the right one.  If you aren't familiar with their work, ask questions about their specific expertise, ask for names of other talent in your industry area, check their availability in relation to responding to problems or issues you may encounter, and lastly, determine what is and what is not included in their fee structures (if you are paying them).

Even as a coach/mentor myself, I regularly liaise and work with others to advise and assist me on a variety of aspects about my business and in fact owe many successes to their timely and sage advice.

And likewise, as an agent, I have mentors from whom I can seek advice.  No matter your business, having a team of trusted advisors is the only sure way of overcoming the hurdles that are inevitable in life.

Who is advising you?  I hope you have more than one name in your answer!

SET YOUR SIGHTS: MANAGING THIS BUSINESS

Let's face it.  Creative minds want to be creative -- not spend time crunching numbers, keeping records, or dealing with collections when a client drags their feet on payments.  Hiring a manager is a great way to stay focused on what you love as a talent.  But before you can afford to hire someone to manage your career, it's important to know how to do it yourself without letting the details get you down.

 

[Ok, so the video doesn't really have any key point here other than to make you laugh.  It releases endorphins and should get your day off to a great start!  Read into it what you will for the purpose of this post.]

Not everybody manages to succeed.  Where most business owners (remember as a talent that you are one yourself) are too busy managing to avoid failure rather than managing for success.

So what's the difference?

Tip 6 - manage for success

Managing to avoid failure involves knee-jerk reactions to financial pressures and/or people dramas, whereas managing for success relates to constantly knowing what HAS to happen in your business, analyzing constantly and tweaking the bits that are not working effectively.

Obviously specific aspects of what applies to each person varies; however, there are some common elements of successful businesses that are worth emulating, like having clear boundaries and consistent procedures heading into each casting, committing to a consistent mode of operation, allowing yourself effective training, and as stated earlier in this blog, understanding the statistics discussed in tip #1 and managing your business around them.

Take the fear out of auditioning.  Having a plan to follow each time gives you room to be creative.  The consistency of working a plan automatically calms the nerves, which leaves space in the mind to focus on creativity instead of potential fears.

Set clear boundaries.  What are you willing or not willing to do within your career.  Know these boundaries long before you go on your first casting (or if you already are started, define them before you go on your next casting).  Common boundaries might be where you draw the line with nudity on set; tobacco and alcohol use may be contrary to your personal or religious beliefs; and sometimes it can be as simple as a conflict with your day job (for example, an insurance agent may not want to do a commercial for a competitor's company).  Be clear so that you don't find yourself in a place where you are forced to make a decision under pressure that you might regret later.  And keep in mind that what may be a respectable boundary for one person, doesn't mean you are not respectable if you don't have similar boundaries.  These are personal choices that will vary widely.

Boost your confidence and booking-power!  Get to work with a coach if it's been a few months since you did so.  Confidence is one of the #1 reasons talent book work.  Being confident in the casting room sends an unspoken message to the client and CD that you are the person for the gig.  Our human nature does not question confidence (although it will be averse to over-inflated egos, which are actually a form of insecurity).  In fact, we are naturally drawn to it, and one of the easiest ways to build confidence is to get out of yoru comfort zone and strive to overcome the challenges that you will get when working with an encouraging coach.

As for the statistics in tip #1, perhaps you forgot to start working on those.  Are you keeping track of your opportunities so you can answer these important questions about your business?  Success depends on it!

SETTING YOUR SIGHTS: DECIDE YOUR INCOME!

I love the thought of you reading this blog and your eyes bugging out as you think, "She has seriously lost it this time.  I knew she was weird, but this is quack!"

Perhaps your right, but keep in mind that this isn't advice coming from me directly -- it's advice coming from what successful business owners are taught in every advanced economics program in the world.  Your business is not different and you don't need to get an MBA to run a successful shop.

Tip 4 - decide your income

Yes I did say it correctly--decide YOUR income. [What would you look for when purchasing a business?]. For most, this would be the ability for the business to pay its bills, pay lifestyle wages and generate profits to grow the business.

Determine HOW much money the business has to generate to pay its way, provide wages for the owners AND create profits with which to grow. This latter point is crucial for success. After all, if you don't plan to create profit for growth, how is your growth going to be funded?

Your manager or a business advisor can help you figure out these hard and fast numbers.  But without any one of these categories, your business will surely sink!  Too many actors struggle to survive day to day when all it takes is a change in perspective and game plan to make acting their lifestyle. 

And the last of those three responsibilities is by FAR the most important!  You can only make money as long as your business grows and has something to offer.  Did you make enough money to pay your bills, feed your family, and put gas in the car last year?  If you want another year struggling to make ends meet, continue doing what you're doing.   If you want to build a business and see it prosper without duress, reinvest back into it with part of the income you're earning!  Every business has overhead, but the business squandering their profits instead of reinvesting are the reason why so many talent end up leaving the world of entertainment.  The school of hard knocks hits the hardest for those who aren't wise enough to build a good foundation and walls to protect their endeavor!

Are you reinvesting to protect your business?