The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE APRICOT

The industry always talks about what it calls the "it" factor -- that special something that no one can teach, but is so evident in talent who reach celebrity status.  It's also commonly referred to as a "twinkle" in one's eye.  It draws us all in effortlessly and could be responsible for what sometimes seems like someone becoming famous almost overnight.

Maybe you can't be taught the "it" factor, but that twinkle in your eye be found in your diet?  Perhaps! 

Apricots are one of the most widly traveled foods the world has to offer.  The apricot tree originated in China; was transplanted from Greece to California; and ended up with US astronauts in space.   

Despite the good things apricots have to offer in the diet, including being low in sodium and high in potassium and iron, the most imporant nutrient in the apriocot is provitamin A.  And this is where the apricot might give you an edge over your competition!  Provitamin A maintains good vision . . . and is credited with "giving the sparkle and beauty to the eyes that are characteristic of good health," according to The Encyclopedia of Foods and Their Healing Power.

That sparkle isn't the only benefit to consuming this fruit, though.  Ripe or dried, apriocots also help those suffering from anemia, night blindness, and loss of visual acuity, plus disorders on the skin (e.g., eczema) and increase resistance to infections in the sinuses.  Dr. Valnet is responsible for studies that show that apricots maintain equilibrium within the nervous system to help with depression and nervousness credited to it's trace elements, too.

The sweet taste of apricots is readily available in the summer, but can also be found in jellies and dried forms during the winter.  Add apricots to your regular diet . . . and twinkle your way right into that next booking!

CAN YOU PICK A PAWPAW?

Our childhood friend, Baloo the Bear, introduced us at a young age to one of nature's best kept tropical secrets - the Pawpaw!

Christopher Columbus, in contrast, was introduced to this secret by the Native American tribes who called it vanti, which means "feel well."  Papayas are the richest fruit in the B vitamin complexes (except for folates).  Papayas actually contribute to helping your body digest other foods -- especially proteins.  This fruit is also commonly used as a homeopathic option for clearing skin issues, including eczema and acne due to it's richness in provitamin A.

Eat enough Papaya, Papaw, or Pawpaw, and you'll be doing a healthy dance along with Baloo and friends!

 

LETTUCE BE CALM

After overeating at supper, the ancient Romans ate lettuce at night as a sleep aid due to it's mild sedative effect.

Lettuce is made of 94.9% water, which combats dehydration.  Surprisingly, it can still provide high levels of portein.  One of the most beneficial ways to full take advantage of the amino acids lettuce has to offer, is to pair it with legumes.  Although it may not provide much energy, lettuce is packed with proviatmin A, the B group viatmins, viatmin C, and minerals. 

The health benefits in lettuce help those suffering from insomnia, nervousness, anxiety, and diabetes.  When eaten before a meal, it can ease digestive disorders.  The fiber in lettuce can act as a mild laxative, too.

Lettuce can be an unhealthy choice when paired with creamy dressings and some toppings.  But combining lettuce's natural benefits with oil and vinegar dressing can actually enhance health benefits by aiding digestion and keeping the stomach lining healthy.

So next time you contemplate what's for dinner - think about lettuce for a good night's rest and a solid start to tomorrow!

 

HOW TO CONQUER FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY

You can begin working on your uncertainty by following these tips:

• • Know and understand your emotional blocks caused by old belief systems formed from past wounds.
  • Replace negative self-talk with positive words that will move you forward instead of backwards. Remember playing those negative tapes in your head will only set you up for fear and unhappiness. Stop them now!
  • Focus on the process and not the outcome. When auditioning, stop fixating on whether or not you will get the part, instead set your intention on simply having an illuminating experience. Think journey not destination.
  • Make generosity a way of life. Giving to others will bring you more balance. What you are experiencing will feel a lot less overwhelming when you open your heart and give to others.
  • Dwell in the present without obsessing about the past or the future. Practice being in the present moment by learning mindful meditation.
  • Avoid comparisons. The next time you are among other actors waiting to audition, look around and see them as colleagues not competitors. You are all in the same family.
  • Stop trying to control the uncontrollable. Instead, strive for excellence in everything you do and be content in knowing that is enough.
  • Gratefulness will protect you from unhappiness. “People who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis are healthier, more optimistic, and more likely to make progress toward achieving personal goals.” –Robert Emmons.
  • And above all when you feel doubt and uncertainty, stay grounded by remembering who you are today including all of your accomplishments and successes.

Change is possible, but it takes time and effort just like everything else that is worthwhile in life. Don’t expect outside material things to take care of your internal insecurities, it’s an inside job. No one can give you anything that will be worth more than what you give yourself. To deal with the uncertainty in your profession and in your life, don’t let fear shrink you. Learn to face the fear of uncertainty by keeping an open mind and an open heart. Strive to be a courageous soul who welcomes whatever shows up at the door today. My warmest wishes for an incredible journey!

These suggestions are from the desk of Bonnie Katz, who is a licensed psychotherapist in private practice.  She understands the unique demands and challenges of the acting profession because along with her experience as a psychotherapist, she has been a part of the acting community for the past 39 years.

ARE YOU HEADED FOR A BRILLIANT NEW YEAR?

by Bonnie Katz, MFT Manifesting a Brilliant New Year Each New Year brings an opportunity to make a fresh start and begin again. Actors get busy setting goals, tackling bad habits and figuring out new and improved ways to succeed. Procrastinators are nudged to get fresh headshots, find a new agent, and enroll in a great acting class that will push them out of their comfort zone and into success. It’s also the perfect time to reevaluate strategies and see if your dream is still intact, especially if circumstances may have shifted over the past year. Unforeseen experiences could have swayed you off course a bit and instead of signing up for that great improv class, you paid off your credit card bills. Maybe you feel disappointed that you aren’t where you thought you’d be when you set out on this journey. Obstacles thrown on your path are a normal part of life, they force you to continuously recalculate your route just like a GPS gets you to your destination when you’ve made a wrong turn. When the road is filled with wrong turns, ups and downs and setbacks, remember that all worthwhile destinations come with a cost. View the difficulties as labor pains; a necessary part of the creative process. Your passion and love for your craft can act as your guide no matter where you end up. Is your heart and mind with you as you set out on your career path towards joy and happiness? That was the attitude Glenn Close had when she set out to make the film, “Albert Nobbs.” In Deborah Vankin’s L.A. Times article, about Close’s Obie award winning passion project, Vankin stated: “She co-produced it and co-wrote the screenplay, penned the lyrics of the movie’s theme song (Nominated for a Golden Globe), invested “quite a bit” of her own money in the movie and after tapping every possible financial resource in Hollywood, she took to out-of-the-box fundraising and traveled to Dallas in 2010 and after an evening of Close singing the tunes from Sunset Boulevard and South Pacific, received a million dollars from an investor.“ This woman’s got moxie!! “Even after the money was in place and Rodrigo Garcia was hired to direct, the 34 -day Dublin shoot was riddled with problems. Chief among them: a vicious winter storm that had the actors clutching hot water bottles between takes and which resulted in Close’s getting pneumonia during filming.” ‘It was nerve-racking to the bitter end,’ “Garcia said,” ‘There were many times where we thought, ‘This movie is not gonna get made.’ But I’d jumped on a bandwagon that was already fiercely committed – Glenn’s bandwagon.’ “Garcia said,” ‘ that her focused fervor was contagious and helped the production land actors like Pauline Collins and Jonathan Rhys Meyers for smaller roles. So many people wanted to do it, at any cost, just because it was Glenn’s passionate dream.’” In this case, not only did Close’s passion and devotion help her over the hurdles thrown on her path, but they attracted formidable artists who desired to be a part of her vision. Close’s dedication to “‘Albert Nobbs,’” became the wind beneath her wings, enabling her to weather each storm and create an honorable and touching work of art. Without her relentless determination this project would have never happened. Twyla Tharp’s balanced view of discipline and passion is eloquently stated when she says that: ”Without passion, all the skill in the world won’t lift you above craft. Without skill, all the passion in the world will leave you eager but floundering. Combining the two is the essence of the creative life.” The fuel necessary to sustain your dreams is devotion, discipline, courage, creativity and strength. Along with developing a strategy of success for the New Year, don’t forget to nurture these elements also. They are needed to help you stay focused, especially when the going gets tough. They are just as important to your success as a great agent and talented acting teacher. Here are some thoughts on how to make this happen.

REMODELED ON THE CW

The CW is set to air the first six episodes of REMODELED starting on Jan 17 @ 9:00pm as reported in The Hollywood Reporter.  The Avenue Model & Talent Agency is a member of The Network, which the show revolves around.  Catch it and keep up with the excitement!

10:13 AM PST 12/9/2011 by Lesley Goldberg

The CW is betting big on Remodeled.

The young-skewing network has delayed the midseason returns of Sarah Michelle Gellar's Ringer and 90210 to make room for two airings of the new modeling reality series Remodeled.

Featuring modeling industry veteran Paul Fisher as he attempts to create one "Network" of smaller agencies, the CW will air the show's premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 9 p.m. following the return of 90210, which has been pushed back from its original Jan. 10 return.

A rebroadcast of the Remodeled premiere will air the following night at 9 p.m., in the same slot where the network had initially planed to launch the series. A third airing of the premiere will be broadcast on Friday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m.

The following week, the second original episode of Remodeled will air on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 9 p.m. and be rebroadcast Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 9 p.m.

Ringer, which was to return with new episodes on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 9 p.m., will return to its regular time slot with new episodes starting Jan. 31 with nearly all original episodes through its season finale in May.

Remodeled will air its third episode in its regularly scheduled slot on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 9 p.m.

The broad exposure for Remodeled comes two months after the CW yanked struggling reality series H8R from its schedule following a handful of low-rated episodes.

An updated schedule of the CW's midseason premiere dates follows.

Tuesday, January 17
8-9 p.m.            90210 (original episodes return)
9-10 p.m.          Remodeled (series premiere)

Wednesday, January 18
8-9 p.m.            One Tree Hill
9-10 p.m.          Remodeled (special encore)

Friday, January 20
8-9 p.m.            Remodeled (special encore)
9-10 p.m.          Supernatural

Tuesday, January 24
8-9 p.m.            90210
9-10 p.m.          Remodeled (original telecast)

Wednesday, January 25
8-9 p.m.            One Tree Hill
9-10 p.m.          Remodeled (special encore)

Tuesday, January 31
8-9 p.m.            90210
9-10 p.m.          Ringer (original episodes return)

Wednesday, February 1
8-9 p.m.            One Tree Hill
9-10 p.m.          Remodeled (original episode)

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 #1

#1 - KNOW WHEN TO ACT . . . AND WHEN NOT TO!

There is a fine line between being an actor and being a great actor.  There is also a fine line between real life and pretend.  Many actors get caught up in the throws of their craft and forget to develop who they are as a person.  Being able to act is a skill we learn.  It involves character development, insight, research, practice, and experience.  Living our day to day lives involves the development of our character, insight into the feelings and thoughts of others around us; research on topics that will make us more well-rounded and interesting individuals; practice of the hobbies we love and skills we hope to perfect; and the experience that only time can grant us.

Having the real you to go along with the "talent" you gives one depth that others can perceive.  It gives you what the industry calls the "it" factor -- a sparkle that catches our attention, although we're not quite sure why.  So spend time developing your craft and developing yourself equally!

What part of your "real life" you has helped you book a gig as a talent?

WHAT IS THANKSGIVING, ANYWAY?

We all have something to be thankful for -- and what better time of year to show our gratitude than the national Thanksgiving holiday.  But do you know where this holiday originated?  Most of us were taught that pilgrims and native americans gathered around the dinner table together and broke bread.   This is a story that the big screen hasn't yet jumped on, but might one day, so knowing the history is a step in the right direction . . . not to mention a fun fact with which you can awe your trivia competitors!

The first thanksgiving in the early 1600s was a feast to celebrate the Pilgrims who had not only survived the devastating illnesses of their first winter in the new land, but also had a successful harvest.  The Pilgrims gleaned this harvest by following the Native American model of working the land, but they did not eat turkey, gravy, dressing, mashed potatoes, or pumpkin pie -- and they most certainly didn't have butter! Their feast was made of fish, corn, berries, fruit, clams, lobster, and vinison [sounds pretty good to me].

Many years later in 1789, George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving.  The holiday still was not widely appreciated, however, until magazine editor and writer Sarah Josepha Hale wrote editorials and letters in Boston Lady's Magazine and Godey's Lady's Book.  After forty years of her persistent efforts, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November the official day of thanks. In 1941, Congress sanctioned the last Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day, our National holiday.

Whether you are gathering to give thanks for a year of plenty, or just to watch football and chill with your family, use this time to give thanks to those around you personally and professionally who enrich your life.  Celebrate your possibilities, your triumphs, and even your challenges while knowing that they will keep you growing into bigger and better adventures.  I also encourage you to take into consideration those who have less to celebrate.  Giving back to the community around you is the best way to give thanks and grow as an individual and as a talent!

GET OFF TO A GOOD START (Part 3)

Exercise is not only a great way to release endorphins and warm your mind up to jump the improvisational hurdles of having an entertainment career, but it's also a way to look forward to a longer and healthier career!  After you exercise, though, here are three more ideas of things to try that might be just the thing for you!

1. Start with tea

Two thoughts here: first, even if you're a hard-core caffeinator, it can be good to ramp up slowly. I know a lot of people enjoy a cup of strong coffee in the morning, but the way a weak cup of tea warms from the inside cannot be replaced with anything else.

 

Second, there is something simple but very self-nurturing about making something nice for yourself to ingest. Sort of a ritual act for the temple that is you.  Creating a morning map that gives your day consistence and habit is very calming.  Try putting on the kettle, making my bed, then sitting down with your mug to read for a bit.

2. Start with writing

If you've read The Artist's Way, you know all about this. Again, there's something magical you get to tap into if you get in touch with your deepest self first thing, and that's what Morning Pages are designed to do. They're like meditation for people who hate meditating. Ahem. There is a lot of clarity that can come from allowing yourself to write down stream-of-consciousness thoughts, too.  First and most importantly, though, is that you can learn more about yourself.  What you need, what you want, what you struggle with, and where you excel.  Knowing yourself as the product is crucial to knowing how to sell yourself as the best person for the gig!

3. Start with ONE thing for you

Most talent work survival jobs that weren't much fun.  Even now, doing things I love as my work, there are difficult stretches to get through.

 

There is something very powerful about me putting my stake in the day by choosing to do one thing only for me before I start in on the myriad items I've agreed to do for others. Pick one thing for you, and it's likely that the good feelings will follow you throughout the day.  Self-care is not selfish, but it is necessary in order to give the best care to those people and projects around you. 

 

What is that one little thing you want to do in the morning?  Do it today!