The Successful Talent: Tips for the Actor & Model

TALENT WARDROBE 101

Knowing the right clothing to wear in your headshots can be a tough task for some, especially if you haven't been blessed with what they call the "style gene". But that's why you're reading this, to help you prepare your wardrobe for the photoshoot. While reading these tips, remember this number one rule: Keep it simple!

1. Stay away from prints and bold patterns since these will distract from you. Also limit (or avoid altogether) accessories for the same reason.

2. Solid colors always work best on camera (still or video).  Avoid logos or typeset.

3. For these purposes, color is your best friend! Find a color that works best with your skin tone.

4. Wear clothing that flatters your figure.  Loose clothing does not work well on camera and actually makes you look bigger than you are -- fitted is the way to go!

5. Make sure that clothes are clean and wrinkle free! The camera will pick up wrinkles.

6. The last, and maybe most important tip, is to wear clothing that you feel comfortable in! If you are uncomfortable in an outfit, that will come out on camera. You will get the best shots if you are confident and feel great!

Below are examples of what to wear and what not to wear to your headshot session.

                               
            DONT!-crazy print, not fitted                                                      DO!-great color, fitted, plain, timeless

Erika Ludwig, a Minnesota based photographer, tells you how to prepare and what to bring to a headshot session. She has also attatched several photos of great headshot examples to give you ideas!

What pieces in your closet are your go-to choices for auditions and your marketing or promo materials?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE VALUE OF RELATIONSHIP

New York Casting Director, Scott Powers, shares his insider's view of the client's perspective after the audition.

An interesting and unavoidable pastime in this business is observing actors commit career suicide. 

Rushing headlong into the buzz saw, with not a clue or a care of what they're doing, not heeding warnings. Happens everyday. It's a given that an actor's plight is to always be looking for a job. In doing so, you never know who can help you get a job or influence a "we'll pass." The hiring process can involve a number of people; if one has a slight negative comment about a select, that often is enough to stop the consideration in its tracks. This we have witnessed more times than we want to. It can be made by a network executive vice president in charge of Primetime Programming or the summer intern. To see an actor lose a big role because of an offhand casual remark is a chilling experience.
 
Moral of the story: Don't make enemies. And its close cousin: be nice. Don't badmouth anyone. Tough to do in this business. Zip the lip. We all wear many hats in this business. The assistant being trashed today by an actor could be the agent two years from now who decides to take a pass on representing that actor. Or one day the actor walks in an audition room and there is the casting director the actor treated badly as an intern. Memories are long in this business. More people know you than you know them . It's very incestuous how agents, managers, casting directors, directors, producers, etc. all mix and mingle with each other. What's a common topic of conversation? You guessed it. The unfortunate part of our business is that once bridges are burned, it's permanent. Time does not heal all wounds here. There is no kiss-and-make-up as in other industries. Somebody wronged ten years ago still lies in wait, waiting for that opportunity to settle the score. If something bad is said about someone it is almost guaranteed that that person will hear about it, including the source. This can be why phone calls can start to fall off or a career never proceeds past doing background work for paid work. One photographer we work with a lot made an astute observation: "We don't have to eliminate actors, they eliminate themselves." Sometimes newcomers just have to find out for themselves and by that time, it's too late. Time for that Plan B.
 
Sherry Lansing, former head of 20th Century Fox and earlier in her career, a model and actor, famously said about the people who gave her shabby treatment on her way up to becoming one of the most powerful people in our business: "I remember them. And they remember me." Way to turn a phrase.
 
As casting directors, we have to work with clients, some are nice and some not so much. We are equally professional to all. They are the beginning of the food chain. Agents may have to work with clients, managers and casting directors they may not be in love with, but professionally are civil to all. This does not always extend to actors. To quote a big commercial agent, "We're very fortunate, we only work with the actors we want to." It doesn't take much to give someone a reason not to hire or represent an individual actor. And there are quite a few actors to go around in a buyer's market.
 
Stories abound about the casualties. Two new ones are especially poignant:
 
One actor recently mouthed off to an important film director. In front of several other people. The director never flinched and no one else did. The director just never hired that actor, and never will. Nor will anyone else who witnessed the display of self-importance. It came as no surprise that actor is never considered for anything substantial . The only paying work he gets is background work.   Principal work? Yes, in student films for free. But he can't progress beyond that. Has a glass ceiling and his resumé confirms it. He became his own worst enemy and his career paid the price for it.   Is he willing to change? No. He's convinced himself he's right and everybody else is wrong. Whatever the case is, he will not get the work he thinks he entitled to. Next!
 
One young actor was doing background work on a TV show that hires a lot of background. She made a snarky comment about an agent. An actor behind her heard it and it was about her agent, and she tweeted the agent word for word. The targeted agent made a casual call to the background casting director about the offending actor.   The offending actor was not invited back to the show the next day. Or ever. And calls from the background casting director dried up. In a twist of irony, two weeks later the offending actor attended a meet-and-greet and guess who was one of the agents? Yep. When it came time for the actor to meet the agent, she was reminded word for word what she said about that agent. Imagine the shock on the actor's face! By the end of the evening, all the other agents and casting directors at the meet-and-greet knew what happened. A very efficient career crash and burn. And the unfortunate actor probably never connected the dots as to what caused this calamity.
 
Actors who have managed to stay in this business for a number of years have learned a number of survival skills. A big one is the accumulation of connections and good will for the care and feeding of their career. And a big way of building that group is being nice to everybody. Never a negative word. They've been around long enough to know even Godzilla may come in handy some day. And for the nod for that big series regular role.
 
To end on a positive note, the industry wants you to succeed, to get the job, to make everybody glad they made the decision to hire you or represent you.  Everyone is plugging for you. Just give them a reason to do so.

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!

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.

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!

ARE YOU IN YOUR OWN WAY?

Everyone agrees that choosing to live and work in a completely subjective industry is at the least daunting (and most often entirely overwhelming).  Few people sympathize with talent moreso than actress Colleen Wainwright, has been hitting the payment for over three decades.  Colleen would tell you that over that time she has seen talent make the same five mistakes to the detriment of their careers. 

Desperation is an extreme state and we can all smell it from a mile away.  Talent can smell it on other talent, so of course we as industry professionals sense it coming, too.  There are few things listed as a bigger turn off than coming across as needy.  (Take dating for example.  The good guy rarely gets the girl not because he isn't as wonderful as the bad boy, but because the bad boy just does his thing, regardless of whether or not the girl ends up being "his".  When it comes to human nature, being chased is always better than chasing!)

Here, Colleen shares the #1 mistake all too common for the well-meaning talent . . . being needy.

It's no secret that many of us gravitate to this business because we're a little bit wonky inside. For whatever reason, we need more love, approval, and attention than the average civilian, and we think that waves of love from strangers will fill that big, black hole inside.

Well, relax, because I'm not going to try to talk you out of this one. Chances are good you already know it's nuts, and are in some state of working through it. What I'm talking about, need-wise, is the stuff that gets between you and getting the job.

Need is a gigantic turnoff when it comes to moving your career forward. Yes, you need/want the gig, no matter how poorly paying it is. But while that need might fuel you, it gets in the way in the room.

So do what you can to address it. Financially, it may mean a Stupid Day Job that pays well enough or reducing expenses. Physically, it means making sure your body is in good working order. Emotionally—well, that's kind of up to you and your particular mess. Be gentle as you work on this, but work on it.

 

The one thing that makes my heart sink when I hear a talent say it -- "I really want to get this one!"  In a decade of booking, I have yet to see a talent who really wanted a gig, get booked on it.  I'm sure one day it will happen, but the reason why a talented model or actor wouldn't book a job they really want is simple.  Those nerves that keep you focused and on par in the casting room go on overdrive and then you come across as desperate.  They can smell you coming!  Learning to approach each opportunity from a level perspective is not something learned overnight.  But the bottom line is that you should put the same amount of effort into auditioning for local director Joe Blow's music video as you do when going to read for Steven Spielberg or meet with Tommy Hilfiger.

After all, you may know their name, but they are still just people like you who have worries, fears, and challenges, and are just doing their best to make it through the day and do their job, right?

 

 

Are you getting in your own way?

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?

CAPTURING THE 'IT' FACTOR

Alexander Ayer has exhibited around the world (including art meccas like New York) and was recently quoted on the power of what makes a phenomenal photograph and defines his work.

When Ayer was in his early teens, he knew that famine was all over the news, but it wasn’t until he saw a photo of a starving man in Sudan, by James Nachtwey, that truly hit home. This photo struck him in a very strong way, “it was the first time I realized how powerful photography could be, and how a single image can speak more than a thousand words. It taught me that a photo, however beautiful, exotic, or technically perfect, it is only as good as the emotion it triggers."

Ayer's idea is true to the world of talent marketing as well.  As a model -- and as an actor -- the viewer is asking you to move him or her in an emotional way.  The "it" factor referred to as the star quality that some people have (and others do not) is nothing more than this ability to emote.

Your portfolio as a model and your headshot as an actor have to move the designer or director to a point where they become interested and want to know more.  It's not just great photography, quality lighting, flattering makeup, and the proper wardrobe that bring life to an image.  It's the undefinalbe quality of what is going on behind that model or actor's eyes, where our emotions are given life, that intrigues both the analytical and creative minds around us.

An amazing headshot, for both the model and the actor, can open doors and lay the world of entertainment at your feet.  Given that all the other industry demands have been met, the fine print that makes a celebrity or leaves someone on the B-list is the ability to emote.

What are you saying to the world?

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: 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?