The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

SAG AFTRA MERGER -- GOOD OR BAD?

You don't have to speak with the agency national directors of both SAG and AFTRA to understand how the impending merger between the two unions grows more intense with each passing day.  The ballots are scheduled to be counted on March 16, 2012.  The last time this effort was made by both unions in 2003, AFTRA members overwhelmingly chose to merge the unions.  However, SAG members fell only a few hundred votes short of pushing the merger through, which stopped the merger in it's tracks.

Are you a SAG or AFTRA member?  Have you submitted your ballot?  Zino Macaluso stressed to me this morning that although there is a lot of positive talk around the benefits of having only one union, there is enough opposition that the chances of this merger not passing needs to be considered. 

Union members who receive a ballot from their respective union NEED to return their ballot so that their voices can be heard!  Research from the failed merger in 2003 show that members who did not return their ballot within FOUR days never registered a vote.  Their opinions were not heard, and more importantly, their silence may have caused the ability of the union to negotiate strong rates for the talent since 2003 to suffer.

If you have questions about what one union will look like . . . questions about the benefits and strength in having only one union . . . or fears that it might change your dues or healthcare, log onto www.sagaftra.org.  It is the ONLY site that is regularly updated with accurate information on what one union will look like if it is passed by the members.  Get answers and make your voice heard!

What are your thoughts about the merger?   Are you for it . . . against it?  Why?

WILL SAG-AFTRA DUES GO UP OR DOWN?

The unions SAG and AFTRA have been in discussions to merge for what seems like forever.  As they actually approach a final resolution to generate more union power for talent, what will change?  Combining two powerful and independent entities is no easy task, but The Hollywood Reporter is finally projecting answers for current union members and those looking to join the union in the near future.

There's been a lot of discussion about how dues will change if SAG and AFTRA  merge, but no one's made it easy for you to know exactly what will happen to your own. For a detailed breakdown -- and a graph that encompasses earnings from $0 to $250K, see The Hollywood Reporter. Whether you're SAG-only or a dual cardholder (or if you're AFTRA-only or even a broadcaster), the graph will show you exactly what will happen to your dues if merger passes.

If the link above does not work, you can see the report here:  http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sag-aftra-merger-dues-decrease-296663

THE DECISION MAKER?

Many talent fear the audition process -- and those along the way -- only because they lack understanding.  At least once a week, I hear a talent tell me that a certain casting director never books them.  It's a conclusion that makes perfect sense from where the talent sits; but that perspective doesn't make it fact.  Here, casting director Ken Lazer, spells it out for you in his words.

In today’s casting session, I had an actor say to me after the audition: “Thanks, I hope you’ll consider me for the job!”

I wanted to remind everyone that it’s not up to Casting Directors  whether or not you book the job. It’s up to my client and their client  as well.

My job as a casting director is to present the best talent choices  that fit the description of what my client’s needs for their project  are.

So the next time you look fearfully at your agent . . . at the casting director . . . at the ad agent sitting in during callbacks . . . stop and remind yourself that they don't make the decisions.  They are there to support you as a possibility that will please the person who is signing everyone's paychecks!

That said, it's not a bad idea to thank them for seeing you.  It is their room and time, after all!

SETTING YOUR SIGHTS: TELL THE WORLD!

 

OK, so we know where we are, know where we are headed and have decided our income. All we have to do now is make ourselves available to be seen by the industry's decision makers.  But WHO are these people and WHERE are we going to find them?

Tip 5 - tell the world

 Sadly, many entertainers work on the "Field of Dreams" basis -- build it and they will come -- and while there is much truth in the belief, the reality usually plans on "them" giving you your big break before you run out of drive, energy, momentum and money.

Marketing is a big topic in its own right, so we are not going into any great depth here other than to highlight some of the key ingredients to be considered BEFORE launching into the ever-growing and competitive talent pool. It's important to remember an overall marketing strategy has to combine your decisions about who the people are that are most likely to book what you have on offer, what these potential customers expect about the quality/service/budget relating to what you have to offer, how and where you can most appropriately communicate to/with those decision makers and lastly, what messages are important for THEM to hear.

Talent can streamline their marketing by careful placement and wording on their resume; by highlighting their unique or sought after physical features in their headshot and comp cards; by completing profile options within database profiles used by your agency; and by taking the time to research and understand what the given client's needs are before casting (and, of course, then showcasing that you can fill those needs). 

For example, we recently had a client request a serious kung fu artist within a certain demographic.  The important thing to note here, is that when the agency database was searched, what came up were talent who had "martial arts" listed.  By generalizing their skill, these talent had not focused in on a potential need and could have missed the opportunity altogether.  (They didn't only because they were quick to respond - good for them!).  Honing in on the skill and using their resume to work to their advantage and present the client with what they needed was the key.  What they should have listed was:

Martial Arts:  Ju Jitsu, Kung Fu, Taekwondo

Take a look at your marketing materials and ask yourself what they are showcasing.  Does your headshot highlight the features most likely to get booked in your market?  Does your resume have specific wording that will catch a busy CD's eye?

Are you telling people what they need to see or hear in order to be the one booked?

BEING ON SET PAYS OFF!

"Mom, I'm the one in the T-shirt!"
 
 
Almost every actor has experienced being on a set with lots of downtime waiting . . . waiting. What happens too often? Lots of moaning, groaning, gossiping, spreading negativity, and staring out into space.
 
Look, you can't go running around town, or be in a workshop or otherwise do the myriad errands we always have to do. So what's the best solution? Turn lemons into lemonade, as the saying goes. Turn this "paid confinement" shoot to your advantage. So by the end of the day, you'll have a great sense of accomplishment, while given the opportunity (hopefully) to do some fun work and earn (somewhat of) a salary, too. Can't beat that!
 
(1) Bring your laptop - if you can keep it in a safe place when you're on set and if WiFi is available. Work on your career. Check out the casting notices, look at Actor's Access and your other online profiles. Visit some totally trashy website (set a time limit on this one!)  Work on that long-overdue new monologue. See #2 below.

(2) Need to get a new or additional monologue? Now's the perfect time to work on it. It's recommended that actors have four monologues always at the ready for auditions. Two comedic (one classical) and two dramatic (one classical). This is also a good opportunity to time their length. If you need a one-minute monologue, make sure you have one that is! Nothing destroys an audition quicker than being called "TIME" during an actor's monologue and seeing the embarrassed offender slink off.

(3) Read the trades. The trades should also include Variety, The Hollywood Reporter - to set your acting aspirations higher (the "go to" people read them, the stars read them, shouldn't you?) and even Advertising Age - to get a feel for upcoming trends in commercials and print ads.  Know who's doing the hiring and getting the jobs.

(4) Always had a hard time finding time to send out your headshots (with those pesky cover notes) or picture postcards? Not now! What better time to get that chore done.

(5) Watch the shoot! The big name actors and models you recognize know every detail about how a shoot is done. Now it's your turn. Think of it as paid education. And they put this who production on just so you can see how things work!  And, be politely in front, if possible. Let the decision makers see you showing interest. When the time comes to think of who would be a good stand-in, photo double or upgrade, that face time of yours will come in pretty handy.

(6) Quality of Thought. Use this time to focus -- a clear channel of white light -- on your career and strategize on its future and how you're going to get there. Really have that inner dialogue with yourself - which is especially difficult for actors because they work mostly in the land of make believe. But, we all have to do it once in a while and this is as good a time as it gets.
 
With these options, you'll be amazed how fast the day goes, how much you have accomplished and even made a few bucks in the process. Now that's working smart!

What do you spend doing during your down time on set?

WHAT DOES 'ON TIME' MEAN ANYWAY?

Production only sees two types of talent.  One talent type is always early . . . while the other talent type is always late.  Surprisingly, both quandaries cause issues for production.

Obviously, we all know that being late ruffles feathers in the casting room and on set, but what qualifies "late" exactly?  If your call time is 10:20 and you arrive at 10:19, you're late.  It may sound harsh, but call times are the hard and fast dial on the clock when you are expected to be entering the casting room.  What will cause you to be late walking in the door at 10:19 is administrative - paperwork, snapshots, signing in, etc. 

The stuff that most talent enjoy the least, right?  But consider if you don't take time to sign in, fill out your paperwork, and submit your headshots/snapshots, what might happen a few hours later.  Without that administrative step, the director(s) and producer(s) and/or ad agent(s) aren't able to communicate about who they want to book -- it might have been you!  But you would never know because you wouldn't get the job.  I make a ridiculous point because you know you have to help everyone stay organized, but don't make the mistake of undervaluing it's purpose.

What some talent don't realize, is that showing up early is a big problem as well!  A call time is set for a reason -- to keep the day flowing smoothly and everyone on task.  Executing a flawless casting or production is nearly impossible!  When a talent shows up to a casting or a set 30-45 minutes early, some of the same challenging problems arise.  They create a distraction for those talent who are trying to stay focused.  They take up space that is too limited in everyone's world, cramping those who are trying to stay focused.  They blow their agents phones up because no one is there yet or they interrupt something important because no one is expecting the extra body, noise, presence, distraction.

On time is tricky, but not impossible.  A wise talent knows that arriving early is never a problem.  Where they convince everyone else they are a professional is by not entering the call space until 10 minutes before their call time.  They sit in their car and read a book, play a game on their iphone, listen to music, and use the time to focus on their character.  They don't make their presence known until it's time to do administrative tasks that will prepare them to do their job as a professional.

So the blog begs to ask the question -- are you a professional?

THE PROFESSIONAL TALENT'S BEST FRIEND

THE PROFESSIONAL TALENT'S BEST FRIEND (no, it's not a dog.)



It's the weather. With winter upon us, did you know the weather can be a tremendous factor in getting or losing a job?
 
For the professional actor, the weather works in their favor, for the wannabe actor, the weather works against them.
 
The professional actor prays for and dreams of floods, hurricanes, blizzards, even buffalo stampedes down Broadway, that approaching glacier, even an earthquake. Why? Inclement weather discourages the easily discouraged actor from going to auditions, that's why. Attendance at auditions can sometimes drop by more than 75% in bad weather. It used to be snow was a big deterrent. Now you can include ordinary rain, cold, heat and even a sunny day. (Not kidding there -- we hear it!)  So with far fewer actors at an audition, each actor's chances of getting the job soars. Our industry is full of stories of someone who showed up at an audition during a snowstorm and got the job simply because she was the only one who showed up.
 
And distance should not be a factor, even in inclement weather. We know actors who live in the most God-forsaken places who - no matter what - manage to make it to every audition, go-see and anything else they hear about, in order to get their chance at getting a job. No wonder they work a lot!
 
So when you wake up in the morning and hear the weather forecast for the end of the world, SMILE. For the professional actor, this will be a great day for you! Because you know the "others" are pulling the covers over their heads and will never make it to that audition you want to nail. Think of it this way: the worse the forecast, the better your career.
 
And always remember, the person who got the job showed up at the audition.  Was it you?

THE NEW YEAR

 

As we enter 2012, most people are excited about the opportunity of a fresh start.  The new year is a great time to recap the past and set your sights on the future, but tackling such immense and abstract ideas can be challenging to the creative mind.  How are you going to make the most of 2012?

At The Avenue Model & Talent Agency, this time of year is one of my favorites!  We reach out to our talent and get one-on-one time with every face on the roster to help them recap the year and prepare for the future.  The talent who make the most of their time reviewing the prior year and setting goals for the new year consistently show the highest earnings in the next 12 months of work.  As an agent whose income is directly proportional to my partners, I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to pad both of our pockets!

Your review and goal setting can be just as effective on your own!  You can make it as elaborate or simple as you feel comfortable doing -- and the bottom line is that you will reap the benefits of having done so!  Here are the basics of what we find most effective during this season of out-with-the-old and in-with-the-new.

First, take time to really measure the prior year.  (If you do this in the middle of the year, set a clear start and stop time line for consistency.)  I ask talent to clearly tell me what their highest moment and lowest moment were.  These triumphs and challenges are personal.  Sometimes they involve monetary gain; sometimes they are simply personal fulfillment.  However you judge them, they are YOUR high and YOUR low.  Write the down to make them tangible!  Then also make note of any other significant events in the given time-frame.  Did you get new headshots?  Did you have a break-through booking?  Again, make it tangible by putting it on paper for you to see!

Second, take time to really set specific and well-defined goals for the new year.  The hardest part of this step is making the goals specific and measurable.  Common knee-jerk responses are usually, "Make more money" and "Book more jobs."  Well, you can make those your goals if you so choose, but more streamlined -- and therefore, more effective -- goals would be specific steps you can take to get there.  Think about what the year is likely to hold . . . or maybe some time last year where you were unable to meet the demand.  Did you lose a casting opportunity because your English accent comes and goes?  Are you embracing your stereotype?  (Red heads better have good Irish and Scottish accents!!)  Is there a hobby specific to your region in which you don't excel?  In the midwest, riding horses might be important!  Adding to your skills, hobbies, and experience will always help you book more jobs which will in turn, make you more money.  Be specific with your goals so that when you look back at the end of 2012, you can honestly pat yourself on the back for completing the things you said you would.

New Years Resolutions rarely stick -- just don't bother!  Put your hand written list of no more than 3 goals (maybe four for those who are self-starters with high drive) on your bathroom mirror or inside your closet door.  Pick a place where you will see it daily to be reminded of your aspirations.  Then be inspired to accomplish them and dare to launch your career!

How are you going to make the most of 2012?

COUNT DOWN #5

#5 -- Poor or Mediocre Marketing Materials

Cutting corners on your marketing materials can sink a ship faster than almost anything else.  A professional photographer is worth hiring not because they have a cool camera, but because they have an eye to impress . . . they know lighting and angles . . . and because they have experience with what works and what doesn't!  Anyone can take a picture with a digital camera, but the question is whether or not someone is going to present that medicore image to their client. 

We all want to impress the people we could potentially work with.  As an agent, I won't submit a talent whose marketing materials make our agency look anything less than stellar and professional.  But thinking even farther into the process, what casting director would present a poor headshot to the director that pays their bills?  In the talent world and the business world, ladders are climbed the same.  If we impress those in a position to move our careers forward, we will likely get promoted [or book the job, in this case]. 

Talent who cut corners -- knowingly in the hopes that their skill set will compensate or just because they are naive -- commonly get pushed into the "we don't have time for you to waste our time" pile.  Professional materials tell casting directors, agents, and directors that this is a serious endeavor; that you have something worth experiencing; and that you want to make quality films, television series, editorials, advertisements, etc. 

If you were investing you bank account in another person's work, who would you choose to partner with?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

The Avenue wishes you and your family a very happy holiday season!  This year has given us much to celebrate.  We are looking forward to the agency party on Saturday and some down time with the most talented people in the southeast! This year brought a 21% increase in new clientele, more movie bookings than ever before, and one of the highest profit margins since 2001.  We want to celebrate some individuals who had exceptional years or grew by leaps and bounds in 2011, too!

This year we are celebrating JEREMY JONES who booked the lead role in the movie LUKEWARM with John Schneider.  He also made a cameo appearance in DECISION, which aired last month on GAC.  Watch for the release of LUKEWARM in 2012!

We are also celebrating JACQUELINE STEELE who booked a supporting role in the television series THE GAME.  Jacqueline has also worked on HOUSE OF PAYNE and the movie DEADLINE shot in 2011.

HOLLY ALLEN has stayed book practially year around in principal roles on camera and on stage.  Her 2011 credits add up to several movies including the Nashville-based production, DEADLINE, the lead in multiple commercials (BCBST), and major on stage theatre productions at the TN Rep (ALL MY SONS and PARALLEL LIVES).

The Avenue's cover models this year include KATIE HANCOCK, HALEY TRACY, MELODIE THOMAS, ROBERT MITCHELL, SIDNIE TIPTON SIMS, LEVI MILLER, STEVE FLANIGAN, KAREN KAGHA, PRESTON DOUGLAS, and ANNE SWANSON!!

 

Congrats to all the talent who made 2011 such a great year to partner in entertainment!  I'm looking forward to an astounding 2012 with you, too!